Posted on 01/13/2002 9:57:37 AM PST by Wiley Sr
Ron Paul for President in 2004? By Chuck Baldwin,
A reader recently admonished me to "relax and trust in the Lord." By that, he meant I was supposed to accept President Bush's unconstitutional actions and policies. Because Bush professes to be a believer, I am supposed to "take peace and comfort in the fact that God is in control." Again meaning, I should not criticize the president.
The same reader argued, "With a child of God in the White House, we know that he is receptive to the will of God. A non-believer such as Clinton was not receptive to the will of God."
However, did this reader react the same way when another professing Christian, Jimmy Carter, was in the White House, or did he work diligently to elect a man who, at the time, made no attempt to identify himself as a "born again" Christian (Ronald Reagan)? Did the reader "take peace and comfort in the fact that God was in control" when Carter was president? Did he "relax and trust the Lord," or did he work feverishly for Reagan?
The fact is, when it comes to politics, religious rhetoric means next to nothing! When America's founders declared independence from the government of old King George, they did not care one whit whether the old coot professed to be a Christian or not. He was acting like a tyrant, and they wanted no part of it.
I personally do not care whether my president is a professing believer or not. He certainly needs to be a moral man. Bush appears to be that - now. For that matter, some Democrats appear to be moral. He should be a man who understands and appreciates America's Christian heritage (which Bush seems to have only a rudimentary knowledge concerning). Most of all, however, my president should be a man who knows and is determined to follow the principles of the Declaration of Independence and one who is willing to chain himself to the U.S. Constitution. In this regard, Bush appears to be a total ignoramus.
My reader friend has obviously made the mistake that a majority of professing Christians have made: they have married themselves to the Republican Party. These unfortunate folks really believe there is no hope for America outside the Republican Party. They are truly poor, deluded souls.
If they really trusted God, they would stand without compromise for His principles and for the U.S. Constitution and let Him take care of the rest. Instead, they perpetually support unprincipled Republicans who perpetuate the same socialistic, big-government, unconstitutional programs and policies. They then thump their chest that they have accomplished a great and noble victory by supporting "the lesser of two evils." Meanwhile, the country continues its trek into internationalism and moral egalitarianism.
It is time for conservative Christians to wake up and realize that they have no representation in Washington, D.C. The Republican Party no more represents constitutional government than the Democratic Party. Both parties have sold America's heritage down the river! Political parties throughout our history have come and gone, and it is time for the Republican Party to go! More than 6 million evangelical Christians stayed home during the 2000 elections knowing Bush was not a principled conservative. More than that will stay home next time unless they have a viable alternative. That viable alternative might be a Ron Paul candidacy representing a combined Reform, Constitution, and Libertarian ticket.
Dr. Paul has impeccable credentials; and he is morally spotless. He is about the only Congressman left in Washington that has both the knowledge of the Constitution and courage to stand unflinchingly for it. Furthermore, the combined resources and energy of the above mentioned three parties (if united) would make a serious challenge to the current establishment. I expect millions of principled Republicans and Democrats would also join the cause, not to mention millions of Independents and non-registered voters who have heretofore given up on politics.
Whether this scenario pans out or not, the important thing is that Christians, and others who call themselves conservatives, stop selling their votes (and our country's future) for the thirty pieces of silver being offered by the two major parties. It is time to stand for Declaration principles, honesty in government, and the U.S. Constitution - and we may not have that long to make up our minds!
Bush/Cheney in 2004!
He knows that, if he leaves the GOP to run as a third party candidate, his political future is over.
He's doing a fine job representing his district, which is where he will stay.
If a Ross Perot or a Ron Paul were ever elected president he would find 100 senators and 400 plus congressmen allied against him. On top of that all the media would be allied with both major parties to take him down.
There is really only two viable options to change the direction of this nation. First the violent overthrow of the government and the second is to take over one of the two major parties.
It is impossible to go from 4 or 5 percent support to over 50 in an election cycle. The presidency with out at least significant support in the house and senate is worthless. But if a third party ever won the Presidency both the house and the senate allied with the media would block every move that was tried. The media would saddle such president with all the the blame. One term would destory his movement.
The only practical method of really changing things is to get very active in one of the two major parties and take it over. When that is done the loyalty of its congressional delegation can be used to further an agenda to which many members of the party are opposed.
The Democratic party of the 1920's was mostly conservative. It was dominated by southern conservatives. But from 1900 to 1932 the Democrats only held power for 8 out of 32 years. That losing record let FDR get the nomination. FDR was liberal but the Southern Democrats held their noses and voted for him. By 1970 the entire Democratic party was liberal and most conservatives had moved to the Republican party. The solid Democratic South became the Solid Republican South. In just this year the last of the liberal northern Republicans have moved to the Democratic party. Yes virginia the Republican party of Teddy Roosevelt was very liberal.
What the far right has never understood is that most people do not agree with them. They think that if only all the public knew about what they stood for they would join them in changing the government. The fact is most people know what they stand for and less than 5 percent agree with them.
Democratic candidate always ask how far right do I have to go to get enough of the center to win. Can you say NEW DEMOCRAT? Uh huh. The Republicans always ask how far left do I have to go to get enough of the center to win. Can you say COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATIVE? Un huh. Since an out of power party has no power, they always try to move positions so they can get a majority. Winning is the name of the game. If you lose nothing can be accomplished.
The far left often pulls out of the Democrat coalition forcing the Democrats to move to the right. The Right has never done more than flirt wiht the Republican coalition forcing them to go to the left to get more support.
The Ralph Naders, Alan Keyes, and Ron Pauls all know the score. They have studied the game. But there is fame and bucks in leading the suckers to into a game they can never win. Somehow there are always a few hundred thousand suckers who think they can win.
The worst thing that can happen to a splinter leader is for the party closest to him to win. When a Repubican wins Pauls and Keyes jump on him for failing to counter Gephardt and Daschle. When a party is in power the splinter group most like them is their most vicious attacker. If Gore had won Nader would be all over Gore. When political types do that it is pretty good evidence they are out for themselves and not their causes. The splinters on both sides are never part of an equation for victory.
One final thought I never write to convince the people I answer. In this kind of post they are always committed to the wild goose chase of eternal failure. I write to the reader who really wants to make a change. To make change, the only course of action is to get into one of the major parties and work to change it to your views. If you work hard to elect a candidate, that candidate will think long and hard before voting a way you don't want. He or she will often go against their own beliefs to satisfy those that elect them. It is the way our government works.
People who play on emotion, while ignoring the rules, never ever win. They do cry and threaten a lot...but they NEVER EVER WIN and they have ZERO ifluence on policy and law.
Think about it. To make things better, you have to chose a mehtod that works.
Instead of bombing the crap out of the Taliban, he favored issuing rewards for private citizens to go get bin Laden.
There are many other examples of eccentric votes and suggestions that would be raised which would torpedo any chance of success.
He's a good man. He's principled and not afraid to stand up for his beliefs. But he's not the kind of man that America wants for its President.
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