The Ron Paul Smear Campaign

http://www.commonvoice.com/article.asp?colid=7166 ^ | Doug Kendall

[AdamSelene235]

Why does Ron Paul invoke the name of Reagan then? Reagan was the polar opposite of Ron Paul with regards to international affairs.

Reagan wasn't stupid enough to try to install a democracy in Lebanon.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Well, they'll do the same to any candidate who calls for a return to Constitutional government - whether in the primaries or the general election. Can't have any of that oddball stuff discussed when we are this close to locking in a mercantilist economy complete with near-slave labor from Mexico that will guarantee the unchallenged world supremacy of the money center banks for the next two hundred years.

[mylife]

you cannot extrapolate from punishing an insult to embarking on adventures intended to change other people's cultures.

People are perpetually insulted, particularly Islam. Islam only has to deal with us in trade to alleviate the situation, but they continue to be insulted and attack us as they have since Jefferson.

If we do not change the culture we are doomed to perpetual war.

[LdSentinal]

Reagan wasn't stupid enough to try to install a democracy in Lebanon.

No, he relegated that to Eastern Europe. Geez.

[AdamSelene235]

Isolationism didnt work in Jeffersons day and he responded to the Muslim barbary pirates by saying “We do not negotiate with terrorists” and then promptly formed the marines if my memory serves me

Did Jefferson invade and attempt to install a liberal democracy as a solution to the problem?

[Ohioan]

Understanding and accepting the limitations on your power is not an ideololgy, in the usual sense of trying to force people to accept your ideas. It is the opposite.

The fact that we are bloated and pampered makes the "Hard Sell" you refer to all the more essential, if there is to be an "American Future." As for the "debates," Dr. Paul has been doing remarkably well, considering that the format has been one far more suited to those spouting slogans in support of the present Washington mindset. Dr. Paul would do much better, if he had more than 30 or 60 seconds to develop his positions.

[tpaine]

The author wrote:
"--Being an anarcho-capitalist, I do not care for government --"

Logo:
Being an anarcho-capitalist does not enhance one's credibility.

I've always liked this defense of the philosophy:

"-- The "anarcho-capitalist" claim is actually a modest one: it observes that there is nothing the state can do that cannot be done better through the institutions of contract, free association, and property rights, and that goes for the enforcement of law as well (think of how well the typical subdivision keeps order). No exceptions to the rule. --"

[mylife]

No. but see the post I made prior to this one

[mylife]

I despise slogans and gladhanding but Mr Paul has hardly impressed me as a statesman

[tpaine]

Isolationism has never worked.

[FreeRepublic100]

Most of you guys need to define what you mean by isolationist? Ron Paul is not isolationist. His wants a non-interventionist foreign policy. An isolationist wants to avoid talking with, and trading with, other nations.
Ron Paul has never advocated that. His foreign policy is grounded in the Conservative tradition. He wants to trade with all nations, and talk with all nations. Whereas the foreign policy of the current Republican administration is isolating us from the world, because of their interventionist policy that favors preemptive strikes, and subsidies to countries that do as they are told. This is not Conservative, it is Neo-Conservative. Neo-conseravatism has its roots in the Democratic Party of the 1960s. The American people need to be told the different alternatives to our foreign policies. To often Neo-Conservatives just dismiss foreign policy ideas that are legitimate, but don’t fit within their ideological framework by labeling them as “isolationist”, or “not mainstream”. This is Un-American and stifles debate.

[mylife]

I have been a strong proponent of the “minutemen” project and have patrolled the borders on foot and by air on my own dime.

But good luck convincing the masses that it is their responsibility

[AdamSelene235]

No, he relegated that to Eastern Europe. Geez

Did we invade Eastern Europe and with the establishment of a democracy as a military objective?

[tpaine]

Paul is not my "nutsack".

He's mistaken about Iraq, but not about our constitutional trip on the road to serfdom.

[Ohioan]

Reagan did not install a Democracy in Eastern Europe. He encouraged Eastern Europe to throw off a tyranny--but note the essential differences. The people of Eastern Europe were responsible for their own futures--very different than the absolutely absurd pattern that the current Administration has fallen into in Iraq, where we are using our crack troops to do for the Iraqis, what by any rational approach, they should be doing for themselves--at enormous expense to us.

The tragedy is that we are turning a victory into a defeat, simply because of our confusion. (See Victory.)

William Flax

[LdSentinal]

Oh, how cute. The military objective was to overthrow the Saddam regime.

[tpaine]

Good point.

[LdSentinal]

The people of Eastern Europe were responsible for their own futures--very different than the absolutely absurd pattern that the current Administration has fallen into in Iraq, where we are using our crack troops to do for the Iraqis, what by any rational approach, they should be doing for themselves--at enormous expense to us.

Whether by "crack" troops or by SDI, the principle was the same.

[SHATNERFAN1706]

From his statements, apparently Ron Paul considers the US and Red China to be moral equals.

[Ohioan]

The Constitution is a legal compact, between sovereigns, with very different ideological values. It avoided giving the Federal Government any power to interfere with those ideological differences. My God! man, read it, then you will understanding what is driving Dr. Paul!