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Posted on 05/11/2011 5:19:28 AM PDT by Kaslin
The man who likely has done more than anyone to put the libertarian philosophy of freedom and small government on the political agenda probably will make another run for the presidency: U.S. Rep. Ron Paul.
Paul is always upbeat, but lately he's had more reason to be, as he sees libertarian ideas bubbling up from the grass roots.
"People outside of Washington are waking up," he told me, "and they're getting the attention of a few in Washington."
Paul has been in Congress more than 20 years, and much of that time he's played a lonely role, often being the only representative to cast "no" vote on bills to expand government.
"Twenty years ago, there weren't very many people around that would endorse these views. So ... I'm very pleased with what's happening. There are more now, but the problems are so much greater."
Because bigger government creates built-in resistance to cuts.
"Everybody has their bailiwick they want to protect: 'We know the spending is bad. But don't touch my stuff.'"
The biggest growth is in entitlements. Recently, after constituents yelled at them, Republicans backed off on their reasonable plan to try to make Medicare sustainable.
"This is one of the places where good conservatives and good libertarians have come up short. ... We get a bad rap that we lack compassion. A liberal who wants to take your money and give it to somebody else ... grab(s) the moral high ground."
At the recent Conservative Political Action Conference, Paul floated a novel idea: "Would you consider opting out of the whole system under one condition? You pay 10 percent of your income, but you take care of yourself -- don't ask the government for anything."
The CPAC crowed applauded. But liberals like MSNBC's Chris Matthews mocked him, sneering that anyone who accepted Paul's offer would have no access to federal highways, air safety, food inspection, cancer research or defense.
Paul laughs at Matthews' shallow criticism. Ever the constitutionalist, he'd like to privatize the federal highways someday, but he notes that even now they are largely financed by the gasoline tax -- essentially a user fee. As for air and food safety, he's sure the airlines and food companies have no desire to kill their customers and that careless companies would be disciplined by competition and the tort system. He claims that government stands in the way of a lot of cancer research.
In other words, it's foolish to assume that just because the government doesn't do something, that it wouldn't be done at all.
"(Matthews is) using fear," Paul said. "They all do that ... use fear to intimidate."
A member of my studio audience asked Paul about the coming vote to raise the debt ceiling.
"They're probably going to ... (but) we shouldn't raise it. We should put pressure on them. If you took away the privilege of the Federal Reserve to buy debt, this thing would all come to an end because if you couldn't print the money to pay for the Treasury bills, interest rates would go up and Congress then would be forced (to cut spending)."
But smart people say we need the Fed to keep the economy going.
"The people who benefit from big government spending love the Fed. ... The Fed is very, very detrimental. You cannot have big, runaway government -- you cannot have these deficits -- if you don't have the Fed."
We libertarians say government is too big, but one thing it is supposed to do is provide for the common defense. Paul criticizes conservatives who support an aggressive foreign policy and says much of what is called "defense" is really offense. "I don't want to cut any defense," he said.
He added: "You could cut (the military budget) in half and even (more) later on because there's nobody likely to attack us. Who's going to invade this country?"
Ever the optimist, Paul says, "We have a tremendous opportunity now because most people realize government's failing ... ."
Yet he's a realist: "I think ... our problems are going to get worse ... before we correct them."
I did respond but I’m sitting here snerking. Good gravy! LOL
Have at 'em!
:-)
You should have been paid more.
Hopefully you served our country in a most necessary way.
Are you afraid of the terrorists? Could you protect you and yours?
Do you think every single thing our counrty does militarily is correct and sustainable?
Is that the most important issue in your decision making as far as nominees or candidates?
If it is you are on a losing track and a “war hawk” candidate will lose to Obama.
Paul will allow conservatives to steal his thunder with the anti war crowd...he will take some of Obama’s base on this issue...then we're in.
No, they are liberals who don't like taxes.
Right now we’re on the brink of fiscal collapse - so pick which is more important to you.
Conservatism is not about picking one thing.
Collapse or gay marraige [sic]?
Please explain how embracing sodomy helps the economy in any way.
Going broke or potheads?
One of the dumbest things I've ever read here.
No jobs or no nanny state?
I would prefer that the abortionists were unemployed.
So, you thing moRon Paul is going to get the Code Pink vote?
That's your winning strategy?
Time to put down the bong.
You're a liberal libertarian jerk.
Yes. I pinged JimRob.
One more time: FR's God-given Life & Liberty constitutional conservative activism agenda!!
As a conservative site, Free Republic is pro-God, pro-life, pro-family, pro-Constitution, pro-Bill of Rights, pro-gun, pro-limited government, pro-private property rights, pro-limited taxes, pro-capitalism, pro-national defense, pro-freedom, and-pro America. We oppose all forms of liberalism, socialism, fascism, pacifism, totalitarianism, anarchism, government enforced atheism, abortionism, feminism, homosexualism, racism, wacko environmentalism, judicial activism, etc.
I’m sure you’ve seen the recent news of Paul polling best against Obama...you must be in denial. Saw posts here on FR about it...all ridiculed.
Drudge headline too. Drudge is crazy though.
Fearful describes many things...fearful of ideas or discussion is what I had in mind about your wish for a purge.
9/11 was an act committed by saudis with box cutters.
If we had only spent billions of more dollars on overseas military bases, and had more of our freedoms taken away - I am sure 9/11 would never have happened.
Thank you for your service, Darksheare!
Do you know what being a social liberal and a fiscal conservative really means?
It means you want all the social programs that cost tons of money but you want someone else to be taxed to pay for them. We have cousins in California who are like that and call themselves social liberals and fiscal conservatives. It doesn’t work.
AS far as Ron Paul is concerned, we lived in his district and met him when he ran for his first political office. We didn’t vote for him because we decided he was a nut, nothing has changed, he is STILL a nut.
I said part of the reason. I love our military people, it’s just the size and scope of our non-defense operations I would change.
Try again.
Post the link.
Fearful describes many things...fearful of ideas or discussion is what I had in mind about your wish for a purge.
Free Republic is a CONSERVATIVE forum, there's no reason to allow liberals on here to discuss their views. It has nothing to do with fear.
9/11 was an act committed by saudis with box cutters.
Were they terrorists or "boogeymen"? Do you even understand the difference?
If we had only spent billions of more dollars on overseas military bases, and had more of our freedoms taken away - I am sure 9/11 would never have happened.
So, you are blaming 9/11 on the US military and having bases overseas.
You are a pathetic troll!
Hitting the muslims in THEIR countries is a good strategy. Social liberals gave away every gain that had been made. Congratulate yourself.
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Sorry - it means something different to me. I don’t think libertarians want to tax anyone for social programs. I know I don’t.
If libertarians are socially liberal and they are in favor of the liberal programs, who is going to pay for them?
Aren’t libertarians essentially anarchists?
Okay, putting aside the question of who will pay for it (even though history has demonstrated that taxpayers ALWAYS wind up paying for liberal policis), why don't you answer these questions:
1. Do you think homosexual "marriage" should be legalized? YES or NO
2. Do you believe that homosexuals should be allowed to serve in the military? YES or NO
3. Do you believe that abortion is a "right" and should be legal? YES or NO
I used the wrong term I guess...
I meant that they don’t want to tell others how to live.
They don’t care if you are gay - you get no special rights or treatment because of it.
They don’t care if you are a lazy slob - you get no special rights or treatment because of it.
If you choose to be a lazy slob - libertarians would let you rot. Sound good?
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