Americans can decide what they want their foreign policy to be...but its good that people are finally recognizing that there is a connection between American foreign policy and AQ's constant threat of terrorism. Ron Paul has never suggested that AQ "dictate our foreign policy"...only that Americans understand that the threat of terrorism is one of the costs of that policy. Americans, if they understand the connection, may decide that whatever benefits we Americans derive from having permanent military bases in Saudia Arabia or Iraq...or from supporting Israel....or from imposing years of sanctions on Saddam...or from deposing Saddam...are not worth the costs of living under a constant threat of terrorism and being in a permanent state of war. On that point, I agree with Ron Paul...I don't see how years of interventionist US policies in the middle east have benefitted your average every-day American like you or me...other than we have cheaper oil...but had oil prices been left to the volatility and political instability of the middle east...the environmental nazis would have been marginalized long ago and we, the originators of nuclear power, may have a serious nuclear energy program...and we may have been drilling for oil all over North America
Among which is the Constitutional requirement that the federal government provide for the common defense of the several states
That section of the Constitution is tied to the tax and spend power of the federal government. But the PATRIOT Act is essentially a criminal, regulatory statute. General regulatory police powers were, for most of our history, the exclusive province of the states...the New Dealers, as always, effected a radical expansion of federal powers and transfored the constitutionality of federal police power...but even then, the Courts tied federal police powers to other express federal powers (generally the Commerce Clause).
Pledging one's dedication to Congressional term limits of 2 terms again and again to anyone who will listen, and then serving 9 terms
So...where's the lie? Paul has never voted against a term limit bill...he has refused to accept a congressional pension, he is so far ahead of every other congressman in terms of fiscal restraint...the argument for favoring term limits is that politicians become entrenched and hand out public moneys in return for votes and campaign contributions...no one can say Ron Paul does that...if you had 435 congressmen like Ron Paul...the size of the federal government would be a fraction of what it is today
“Americans can decide what they want their foreign policy to be......and we may have been drilling for oil all over North America”
Well let’s go over a few of our interventions — we kept the Soviets from their quest of obtaining a warm water port when they invaded Afghanistan; prevented Iran from taking over Iraq (Islamic fundamentalists with a stranglehold over the ME is really not good for anyone); Saddam taking over Kuwait and Saudia Arabia (Saddam Hussein with a stranglehold over the ME is really not good for anyone); oh and that silly stand by Israel thing that pretty much ensures their continued existence on this planet.
Ron Paul looks the other way because he has that term limit bill he has to lobby for.
Al-Qaeda's goal is the establishment of a pure Muslim caliphate as the world's only superpower.
In order for this dream to be realized, America must be destroyed.
It does not amtter if America bends over backwards to help Muslims or ignores Muslims or enagges in warfare against certain Muslims.
If the US helps Muslims it is: "infidels trying to buy Muslims off."
If America ignores Muslims, it is: "Rich America turns its back on the suffering ummah."
If America makes war on any Muslim state, it is: "America has declared a new crusade."
They will always have an excuse no matter what we do or do not do.
The answer is not modifying our behavior, but in modifying theirs.
That section of the Constitution is tied to the tax and spend power of the federal government. But the PATRIOT Act is essentially a criminal, regulatory statute.
You are creating arbitrary distinctions that do not exist in constitutional law.
So...where's the lie?
Lie: "I believe in term limits." Belied by his actions in standing for reelection again and again.