Ron Paul - Lily Or Poppy Among The Weeds?
It’s official. I’ve returned to the dreary conclusion that there’s not a single candidate in the 2008 election that I can vote for in good conscience. Yep, I’m thinking I was very wrong regarding Ron Paul. Over the past week, I’ve reconsidered my support for his campaign. Like a light switching on in a closet with rats, it’s become shockingly apparent that part of his platform is pragmatic, and built on shaky premises. I applaud his adamant defense of the constitution, his open intent of dismantling several government agencies, his unfaltering support of the second amendment (without stipulations), his defense of property rights and his acute denigration of collectivism (which he accurately summoned is as the underlying pier of racism).
I agree with lots of what he says. Unfortunately, he misses the target on some key issues. Why can’t he tie it all together?
He condemns our ridiculous degree of taxation, but his primary reason is that it would “help the economy”. Why can’t he mention the case that it’s simply wrong to take by force from person A and give to person B? He chastises collectivism in the form of racism, but he fails to criticize the largest collectivist death-blob - the welfare state.
From his letter to congress on May 22, 2002, Paul writes.
In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to help free senior citizens from oppressive taxation by supporting my Senior Citizens’ Tax Elimination Act and my Social Security Beneficiary Tax Reduction Act. I also urge my colleagues to ensure that moneys from the Social Security trust fund are used solely for Social Security benefits and not wasted on frivolous government programs.
Ok…. great - as if Social Security itself isn’t a collectivized frivolous government program.
Why doesn’t he connect the dots?
He correctly points out that our mission in the middle east is hugely misdirected, but just today in a South Carolina speech claims that we should be “minding our own business”.
Minding our own business? Is he a pacifist?
To completely absolve barbaric faith, and to blame the threat of terrorism on the US not “minding its own business” is absurd. Barbarians fight even amongst themselves by the same means, for the same ends… is that due to us not minding our own business as well?
Let’s be honest, there’s no way Paul will even be in the top three, so my vote is really nothing more than a symbolic gesture. That being said, I still think Paul is the way-lesser of all evils… I just wish he could fix the 20% of his premises that seem to be syrupy gray.
