NRO - Letters: Ron Paul spokeman responds to Mona Charen

National Review Online ^ | 11/20/07 | Jesse Benton

[George W. Bush]

November 20, 2007, 1:00 p.m.

Ron Paul

To the Editor

I read Mona Charen’s column on Friday and I had to clear a few things up. Outside of the name-calling (“kook,” as I’m sure you remember, was the attack word of choice used by critics of Barry Goldwater), Charen was way off base.

1. Dr. Paul’s commitment to principle is second to none, so to attack him, Charen twists the understanding of what a presidential pardon really is. A pardon is a constitutional check by the executive branch on the judiciary to protect against cruel or unusual punishment. When considering a pardon, a president examines extenuating circumstances to decide whether a punishment for a conviction under the law was unjust. Scooter Libby was convicted of a crime; that is not the issue here. Dr. Paul is not sympathetic to issuing him a pardon because he finds Libby an unsympathetic character. There is nothing inconsistent here. President Bush, who has issued the fewest pardons of any president since World War II, hasn’t pardoned Libby either, by the way.

2. If Charen paid much attention to the campaign, she would know that Dr. Paul never utters the word “isolationist” except to explain why he is not one. He believes in the foreign policy of the founders: peace, commerce, and open friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none. When he references Nixon and Eisenhower, he is clearly talking about past successful Republican campaign strategies, not what they did in office. Eisenhower campaigned to end the Korean War, Nixon to get us out of Vietnam. Dr. Paul argues that the GOP can only win in 2008 with a candidate who will bring hope troops form Iraq. Last I checked, many National Review readers cared a thing or two about Republicans winning elections.

3. Ron Paul is dead serious and very sober about what it will take to reform things like our oppressive tax system. Clearly, a Paul administration cannot end the IRS on January 29, 2009. Ending the income tax, a goal all real conservatives should share, would take major cooperation with the Congress. But, with honest communication and a lot of hard work, Dr. Paul knows that we can end the end the income tax over the course of just a few years. Over half of federal government revenue presently comes from sources other than the income tax. The United States could end the IRS and still fund the same level of big government we had less than ten years ago. There is nothing “unserious” about that.

4. Dr. Paul is a modest man with a sparkling record and unimpeachable personal integrity. I understand why you need to attack him by linking him to less-than-savory individuals (there is simply nothing else to use), but it is just not going to work. Some of your charges are silly. Dr. Paul’s “Texas Straight Talk Column,” for example, is public record and anyone, from the American Free Press to Cat Fancy, has the right to reprint it.

Yes, Ron appears on the Alex Jones radio program. But you know who else talks to Alex Jones? People like Judge Anthony Napolitano. Guess who hosts Alex Jones? FOX’s John Gibson and National Public Radio. Dr. Paul has said time and again that he does not believe 9/11 was an inside job. He does, however, think we should always question authority. When, by the way, were conservatives supposed to become trusting of big government?

Dr. Paul stands for freedom, peace, prosperity, and the protection of inalienable individual rights. He knows that liberty is the antidote for racism, anti-Semitism, and other small minded ideologies. Dr. Paul has focused all of his energy on winning the presidency so he can cut the size of government and protect the freedom of every American. Neither he nor his staff is going to waste time screening donors. If a handful of individuals with views anathema to Dr. Paul’s send in checks, then they have wasted their money. I cannot profess to understand the motivations of Don Black as neither Dr. Paul nor I know who he is, but a simple Google search shows that his $500 contribution has netted him at least 88 news hits, including Charen’s column. Perhaps a better explanation for his “contribution” is not support for Ron, but the attention he knew he would receive.

Mona, I can not expect everyone to support Dr. Paul, especially those who have sunk so much of their own credibility into supporting the Iraq war. In fact, Dr. Paul welcomes open and spirited discussions, and even legitimate criticism. But, I had to get a few things off my chest.

Jesse Benton
Communications Director
Ron Paul 2008 PCC
Arlington, Va.

[Dog Gone]

You Paul haters are unreal. Your inability to allow anyone to have a slightly different idea makes you candidates for Fuehrer of the Year, control freaks of the highest order.

You freaks who are willing to call others Nazis are hilarious. Get lost, loser.

[Dog Gone]

He's already filed and plans to run for both offices simultaneously. Being a Texas resident (if you actually are), I would think you would know that LBJ got a law passed to let him do this and it has stayed on the books ever since.

Oh, I know the law. I just failed to see where Paul was covering his bases by running for re-election to the House. You have a link to that story, don't you? It's not been reported in the Houston Chronicle.

[no-s]

Here in California, I would be happy to have a President or representative or senator like Ron Paul. Or Duncan Hunter. Or Fred Thompson. Instead I get freakin' moonbats. From my perspective you seem pretty petty. Haven't you heard of the 11th commandment? Republicans who smear (and they are smears) Ron Paul as anethema to the Republican Party make me uncomfortable to be a Republican.

Admittedly Ron is getting little close to retirement age, but I would still happily move back to Texas to be one of his constituents - where's that district? MacAllen? Corpus Christi? Only thing keeping me here in California now is I'm too stubborn to give up being a non-conformist....

[West Coast Conservative]

If it’s only $500, why not just give it back or donate it to some Jewish charity or something?

Either Paul endorses Black’s anti-Semitism or he is just an inept politician. He could use this as his Sister Souljah moment but he chooses not to for some reason. It simply reinforces the quixotic nature of his candidacy and does nothing to dispel the notion that his supporters are Nazis and 9/11 Truthers.

[fortheDeclaration]

It seems that the anti-Ron Paul crowd all read from the same script.

[logician2u]

People like Judge Anthony Napolitano.

That would be former Judge Andrew Napolitano, I believe.

Another kook who believes the USA P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act violates our Bill of Rights. </sarcasm>

[Bernard]

If Charen paid much attention to the campaign, she would know that Dr. Paul never utters the word “isolationist” except to explain why he is not one. He believes in the foreign policy of the founders: peace, commerce, and open friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none

Would those be the same founders who issued the Monroe Doctrine and got into the War of 1812?

[George W. Bush]

It seems that the anti-Ron Paul crowd all read from the same script.

The most notorious ones coordinate via FRmail. I think they don't have a life. Or a candidate that they're proud of.

[George W. Bush]

Would those be the same founders who issued the Monroe Doctrine and got into the War of 1812?

The Monroe Doctrine was that we wouldn't tolerate the European powers colonizing the New World. A sound measure after the British mischief in trying to stop our trade with France and kidnapping thousands of our sailors to force them to serve in the British navy which caused our involvement in the War of 1812. You have a rather strange notion of American history.

[Designer]

"..he’s just amassing a retirement fund.."

Well, it's no wonder you don't understand Ron Paul. It's because you don't understand Ron Paul.

[Dog Gone]

He’s my congressman. I understand him all too well.

[KDD]

Short memory? Tell me something Dog. Did you agree with Ron Paul in 1998 regarding HR 3208, the resolution he introduced to the House of Representatives to stop President Clinton from initiating the use of force in Iraq.

United States Must Not Trample Constitution to Attack Iraq
February 16, 1998

As I recall we here at Free Republic praised Ron Paul for opposing another Clinton "wag the war" attempt. Clinton wanted military action against Iraq after the 1992 WTC bombing...he also tried to pass a version of the Patriot Act. He was opposed at every step by Republicans and we here at FR cheered the Rs on in their efforts.

[Dog Gone]

Ron Paul is not wrong on everything. Hardly anyone ever is.

Clinton was wagging the dog, instead of conducting a military mission to accomplish anything other than distraction from Monica Lewinsky.

Ron Paul’s proposed response to 9/11 was to issue letters of Marque and Reprisal.

If you don’t think that’s goofy, then we probably can’t continue the discussion.

[KDD]

No...I guess the only proper response to 911 was to attack Iraq...which even the White House has stated had no links to 911. The reason Bush gave to go in are the same reasons Clinton gave. If you are blind to that fact then then you are right. There is nothing to discuss. My personal principals are not determined by who sits in the White House. If it was wrong in principal for Clinton when he offered the same justifications to go into Iraq as Bush did...then it was wrong period. You make a good follower though. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[George W. Bush]

Did anyone see the new Huckabee forums. I think they might be joke forums.

Here's a thread on Mike Huckabee's moneybomb. Somehow those Ron Paul supporters got accounts there. ROFLOL stuff.

Mike's Money Bomb Starts NOW!!

[Dog Gone]

In case you have forgotten recent history, the response to 9/11 was to go into Afghanistan. Iraq came much later.

[George W. Bush]

See the link in my previous. I had to ping you when I started reading about the dangers of the Islamo-libertarians. Funny funny stuff.

[fortheDeclaration]

Dear Lord, Let this Ron Paul supporter see the light. Let him know that christian morals are more important than a piece of paper. And if he fails to see the error of his ways, I ask you my lord, to smite him, along with his children, onto the gates of hell. May he burn in damnation and his children suffer until they submit to you my Lord. Amen.

LOL!