Dr. Paul’s ideas, while good, do not translate well to public policy. That’s the essential trap that many conservatives, upon hearing a truer conservative voice fall into. While conservatism is the essential cornerstone of this country, Dr. Paul would literally have an uphill climb between both GOP’ers and DNC’ers in getting things done. He could as the chief executive, dismantle the IRS and any other department within his pervue (Dept. of Education would be a nice one too), but he would get butchered from all sides from the upheaval it would create without a sound tax plan to replace eliminating the tax code and solely relying on excise taxes. I agree with his sentiments, just not the execution since he really hasn’t asserted a plan for it.
Lip service is one thing, actions are another. His voting record may be conservative, but so what? Would he translate to a good president and not get pinned down as a rampant ideologue? What’s the point of being president (outside of being commander-in-chief & judicial appointees) if you can’t get your agenda off the ground. You can have people sign on to it, but after the electorate gives you the thumbs up, you still will have to endure the ravings of a leftist congress. Oh the humanity.
At the very least... he would Veto everything, for eight years.
If for eight years, the expansion of Spending and Taxes simply stopped; if for eight years, the Growth of Government was arrested; If for eight years, no new Federal Laws and Regulations were visited upon the Poluace; if for eight years, the Federal Government grinds to a halt... then Ron Paul shall have acheived the wildest dreams of the youthful William Buckley, and shall have earned his place amongst the Greatest of American Presidents.
If Ron Paul simply stands athwart History yelling "'STOP!", it is enough.
“What’s the point of being president (outside of being commander-in-chief & judicial appointees) if you can’t get your agenda off the ground.”
What’s the point of electing presidents and legislators if they refuse to enact anything remotely resembling your agenda? Name one government program cut in the last twenty years by compassionate—or any other—conservatives?
I’d rather not waste my vote again, thanks. My vote will be cast for a constitutional conservative, whether the GOP nominates one or not. And an awful lot of people agree with me...but sadly, many of them are so depressed with the lies of the ‘right,’ they don’t even bother voting any more.