Posted on 09/16/2007 8:53:29 AM PDT by NapkinUser
When Americans evaluate today's political landscape, most feel something between impotence and disapproval. So, while citizens shake their heads or shrug at the mainstream media's “top tier” presidential candidates, it is extraordinary how many are becoming overjoyed about one lesser covered candidate.
Tens-of-thousands have joined the appropriately named Ron Paul Revolution, joining Meetup.com groups, putting up signs, and crossing states to attend rallies. Congressman Ron Paul's genuine message and untarnished record of promoting individual liberty for everyone, a free-market economy of wealth and abundance, and a foreign policy of non-intervention, peace and free trade, has attracted vast support from diverse individuals. Inspired libertarians, Democrats, independents, and previous nonvoters have registered Republican so they can vote for Ron Paul in the primaries.
For those who watch mostly mainstream media sources, Paul is one of the most “searched” humans in cyberspace, has won several straw polls, has been the subject of dozens of blogs, and has an amazing number of entertaining, amateur Youtube.com videos promoting him.
Ron Paul, a medical doctor, worked as a flight surgeon for the U.S. Air Force before becoming an obstetrician. As a 10-term congressman, he has consistently promoted individual rights and kept his oath to defend our Constitution. In 1988, he was the Libertarian Party's nominee for president. As a supporter of Dr. Paul's for more than a decade, I enjoy watching people first learn about this great statesman and appreciate the universal benefits of liberty.
So just what is it that many of us think Ron Paul gets? Why do we want a president who does not want to run our lives nor our economy? How can we make our lives on this planet more peaceful, fairer, greener, and more prosperous? Let me discuss (too) briefly a few important, and recently highlighted, issues.
Our foreign policies have gone well beyond matters of defense. Regardless of whether our intervention in the affairs of other countries is altruistic or self-interest, it is a negative for everyone. Not only do we not have the right, we have created enemies who are now aggressors against us, making us less safe; we have supported those who would oppress many; we have militarized areas of conflict; we have unwisely spent borrowed trillions; we have created opportunity for large-scale graft; many well-intentioned Americans and innocents have been killed or injured and otherwise have had their lives disrupted.
Military is for protection
The only appropriate use of our military is to protect Americans. It is immoral and illegal to order U.S. soldiers into battle for any other reason. If we truly want peace, to be safer, and to not drain the pockets of our children, we should redeploy our military personel back to our shores and waters and trade freely with all nations.
Consumers have enjoyed the benefits of lower prices and better quality in products and services offered by the least regulated industries. Unfortunately, two of our most important services are the most heavily regulated. Public education has innovated little in 50 years and student performance is poorer. Patients find it more and more difficult to access affordable health care.
To provide quality health care to the greatest number of people, the costs for all levels of care need to be less prohibitive, so that near everyone can achieve a level of care to which they are comfortable. This is accomplished by deregulating the industry, re-establishing competition amongst health care insurers and providers, and allowing patients more freedom in their health choices.
Corporations benefit unfairly from favorable legislation that drives out competitors, harming the consumer. There is only one way to end this inequity and to get money and corruption out of politics. Take back the power from politicians by returning government to its constitutional limits.
There is no surer way to have the money you have earned for yourself and your family be used to support that which you do not value and given to those who have not earned it than by allowing the government to tax your income.
They say a frog thrown into a pot of boiling water will immediately jump out, while a frog in a pot of water that is slowly brought to a boil will remain to be cooked. Authoritarian usurpations of our freedoms progresses.
Laws prevent adults from making decisions for themselves every day. They decide when you must use personal protective equipment, what you cannot eat or drink, what you cannot sell and buy, how much you are to get paid for a service, who is not allowed to provide services, and what medical therapies you may choose for yourself.
Right now there are untold numbers of people being imprisoned, without due process, by the U.S government that have not been charged with a crime. The Real ID Act has been passed and soon Americans will have to present their papers to be allowed the privilege to travel domestically. Citizens are spied upon by government officials without legal warrant.
In our often well-intentioned attempt to solve more quickly the few problems suffered by any free society, we have created wider-spread, deeper-rooted and longer-standing ones by burdening ourselves with the heavy fist of government. Many of us think an effective way to advance liberty and enjoy the benefits of a free society is to elect Ron Paul president. So, order a yard sign and a bumper sticker, donate to the campaign, join a local Meetup group, register Republican for the primary, and join the Ron Paul Revolution.
Marc Guttman is an emergency doctor and vice chairman of the Libertarian Party of Connecticut. He lives in East Lyme.
We're not concerned. We just like to mess with you guys because you get so wound up and start hurling insults and frankly, you're entertaining and funny to watch. Seriously, you Paulies are a ball!
In that little quote of yours,you have managed to mix up a fact with speculation and opinion;however,you have pointed out a truth which has caused many conservatives (as well others) to question our role in Iraq and the world.
You see,we know that only a few thousand persons in Iraq are terrorists and yet we have killed well over one hundred thousand civilians in our attempt to stomp out terrorism. We have also created a situation that resulted in millions fleeing the country,leaving family and homes behind. Most that stay are living in conditions far,far worse than they lived under before this all started.
Now we can all hope that the Iraqi's who have lost loved ones,limbs,homes,churches and other property may be able to rise above their losses and be grateful to their liberators but somehow,I think that instead,there will be innumerable seeds planted that will grow more terrorists and we will be engaged in perpetual war for perpetual peace.
We,who have been fortunate to have not had our country devastated by war during the last century should take some time to think about how we would feel if the United States had had been invaded and deconstructed. Then recognize that human nature is quite similar throughout and we might be a little less likely to keep waving red capes in front of bulls,so to speak.
You aren't the only one friend.
Funny how some call this guy a liberal when he's very outspoken against this big government sponsored illegal alien invasion, and he's totally pro-2nd Amendment, an totally for *smaller* less intrusive government.
#####And what are his liberal views? Everything I’ve seen from Rep. Paul is based on conservative principle, some of it so long standing that even ‘conservatives’ have forgotten it was originally conservative principle#####
His foreign policy. I know the argument is that Washington warned against foreign entanglements, so it’s conservative to keep to ourselves. But that was in a time of ship transportation when vast oceans separated us from much of the world. Today we simply don’t have that luxury. I also don’t believe Paul would adequately defend our nation against domestic terror. He’d still be nitpicking over every wiretap while the terrorists would be driving their car bomb into the target zone.
I probably agree with Ron Paul on more issues than I disagree. It’s probably even a good thing to have a guy like him in Congress. But electing someone like him as president would tell the world that we’re back to pre-9/11 business as usual here in America. We’re just gonna sit here and wait to be attacked before we do anything.
There’s some Ron Paul support on my college campus. It’s more enthusiastic than anything I’ve seen in years, though I don’t know how large it is. It could be more vocal than large. But there are Paul signs all over the place and his name has been chalked on sidewalks all over campus. My guess, though, is that it’s coming mostly from Cindy Sheehan anti-war types who don’t know that Paul wants to abolish the Department of Education (which I agree with). All they likely know is that he’s anti-war. Most of those kids will vote for Hillary if Paul doesn’t make it in the GOP primary. And they’ll vote Democrat for every other office on the ballot.
I have reserved a seat on the freedom train. can you hear the whistle blow?
Don't miss this train.
I can agree on that, Gonzo was a beareaucrat not a very good public face for the AG.
The fact does remain that was Federal Govt position on this war.
That does not mean Paul is defacto correct, we are in a war, with nation building components involved and to be blunt our financial intersts are quite tied up in making Iraq an Ally.
If that were true, congress's approval ratings would be much much higher.
GWB's low (higher than Congress) AR is mostly because of his amnesty policy, over-the-top spending on Federal programs and "new tone" kissing up to RATs.
LOL - if riotous laughter is an "emotional tear," then you've got me. But, nice dodge-attempt. Now, please scurry off and find the post where I said what you just attributed to me. Don't be too long...those tacos do not make themselves.
We are both civilians. And you choose to be there, unlike some of our troops.
When people join the military, they know there is always a chance they will go to war. See, that's one of the main reasons we have a military. And we have an all-volunteer military, no less.
When I see you putting on 50 lbs. of body armor, etc., leaving the relative safety of a FOB several times a week, slogging around in a dangerous building with the military, by the way, in 120 F degrees with the power sometimes out, diving into bunkers when the mortars come too close, doing weapons training in early August climate here, then I might give your silly comments a little more credence. Oh, I'd still laugh at you, but I might not laugh as loudly.
My military co-workers often tell me they admire the fact that I've been over here longer than any of them have. Oh, and I'd probably have to stop a couple of them from dealing with your snotty little mouth, but fear not; I'd do it.
I'm kind-hearted that way. :)
As long as you get enough sauce packets with your gordita...
Bzzzzzzzzzt. Sorry. You’ve failed again. You’re not doing very well.
Nope. Not climbing on.
Being called “naive” by a Run Paul supporter is nothing to be ashamed of. After all, Run Paul’s whole campaign is based on duping the dopes and rubes into thinking al Qaeda deserves to be triumphant in Iraq. Obviously, you’ve fallen for it. So who is naive?
Apparently not since that is what the US Military is doing in Iraq right now while Ron Paul is busy stabbing them in the back with his absurd attempt to replay the 1930s Isolationists agenda.
Paul is an ignorant clown who has even LESS understanding of the world then John F'in Kerry has.
Oh brother, you think the US has killed those people? We’re the ones who are saving them. I think you’d be more comfortable on the moveon.org, code-pink, or some other Leftist site. We’re the good guys, like it or not.
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