The Ron Paul Delusion

[OnePimpTiger]

The Ron Paul Delusion

What are we to make of the Republican Party's future now that libertarian Rep. Ron Paul won the presidential straw poll at the well-attended Conservative Political Action Conference last week?

Is the GOP about to transform into the party of the gold standard?

Let's, for a moment, forget Paul (and how I wish this could be a permanent condition, considering the congressman is neither a serious politician nor -- and I can't stress this enough -- a serious thinker).

Libertarianism offers conservatives -- many of them new to political activism -- an earnest ideological alternative to the process-heavy politics that dominate Washington...

...Two sticking points preventing this fling from turning into something more serious have been social issues and war. Has anything changed to alter the dynamics of the relationship? Probably not...

...Does that mean we need Paul?

"Congressman Paul is committed to bringing the conservative movement back to its traditional platform of limited government, balanced budgets and a foreign policy of nonintervention," claims Jesse Benton, Paul's spokesman.

If only it stopped there. Paul isn't a traditional conservative. His obsession with long-decided monetary policy and isolationism are not his only half-baked crusades. Paul's newsletters of the '80s and '90s were filled with anti-Semitic and racist rants, proving his slumming in the ugliest corners of conspiracyland today is no mistake.

Perhaps the greatest tragedy of Paul is that thousands of intellectually curious young people will have read his silly books, including "End the Fed," as serious manifestoes. Though you wouldn't know it by listening to Paul or reading his words, libertarians do have genuine ideas that conservatives might embrace...

...Seeing as the two top concerns at CPAC were "reducing size of federal government" (35 percent) followed by "reducing government spending," it is obvious the message of individual freedom and small government has resonance. But accepting Ron Paul as the leader of this -- or, actually, any -- charge is a mistake for both parties.

I found this interesting. I'll admit, I don't know a whole lot about Ron Paul's past, only what he stands for now. And I don't agree with all of his opinions, but I agree very strongly with most of them (including several this author mocks). The author doesn't bother explaining why Paul's books are silly or why his beliefs wouldn't work or why it would be a mistake for libertarians and conservatives to accept him as a leader.

Anyway, thoughts?

[Alarion]

I don't agree with everything he stands for, but I do agree with most of it. Right now, the right and Fox News is spinning hard to try and nip this in the bud. He's not in their pocket like the rest of the republicans.

He never flip flops (from what I have seen) and still votes the same way he voted 20 years ago. He's honest and he's not afraid to call it like he sees it.

the only reason there is so much opposition to him, especially from the right, is because he's the politician everyone wishes the others were like. Honest, no spin and follows through on his pledges. How can the RNC and the Republican leaders, and those like Rupert Murdoch, influence someone who is un-influencible (doubt that's even a word)?

[Alarion]

This is another reason why I like the guy. He's actually honest. An honest politician? No wonder the right wingers won't back him.

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press...ESurplus.shtml

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Ron Paul has continued to run his Congressional office in a frugal manner, and was able to return more than $100,000 from his allotted office budget to the Treasury this year, an increase over the $90,000 returned last year.
“Since my first year in Congress representing the 14th district I have managed my office in a frugal manner, instructing staff to provide the greatest possible service to the people of the 14th district at the least possible cost to taxpayers,” said Paul.

[JeRmZ]

Paul is the man in my book ... if for only one reason ...

He is 100% against The Federal Reserve and knows that to get things on the right track in this country, The Federal Reserve needs to be held accountable and/or completely shut down!

Straight from the Contsitution, Article 1 section 9

"No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time."

anyone remember the last time The Federal Reserve published anything regarding Receipts and Expenditures? .... let me remind you ... NEVER!