Congressman Ron Paul recently announced that he will form a committee to investigage whether he will run for President of the United States. I hope he runs. It would at a very minimum add a fresh voice to the otherwise establishmentarian debate.
I have liked Ron Paul for a long time. He has always voted based on principle, regardless of whether his detractors knew or even cared what those principles were. I'm very glad that he's running for president. As it currently stands, this Mormon would vote for Ron Paul and NOT Mitt Romney.
It is clear that his chances of becoming President are very small. Congressman Paul's exploratory committee chairman says:
"There's no question that it's an uphill battle, and that Dr. Paul is an underdog, but we think it's well worth doing and we'll let the voters decide."
Here's what I like about his potential candidacy--most previous Presidential debates and campaigns have been largely about superficial issues. Congressman Paul will bring important issues to the table of discussion. Imagine a presidential debate that included principled discussion on the following:
- He opposed the Iraq invasion as early as October 2002.
- He believes that government exists to protect liberty, not to redistribute wealth or to grant special privileges.
- He feels amending the Constitution to prohibit flag burning is dangerous.
- He believes neo-conservatives have essentially enlarged government power, to the detriment of American citizens.
- He thinks that the "Patriot Act" is about as unpatriotic an act as has ever been enacted.
- He believes that congress and the Bush administration are not doing nearly enough to prevent illegal immigration
- With regard to the Bush administration and the current Iraq war, he said "War is never economically beneficial except for those in position to profit from war expenditures."
One thing is for sure: Ron Paul is more uniquely qualified to run for President than any person who has declared his or her candidacy so far. The probability of Ron Paul becoming president is low, but then again it's possible. In any event, Ron Paul as a presidential candidate will bring healthiness, alacrity, and clarity to the United States debate.
The establishment and its media will try to ignore him. I hope you don't.
Amen. I couldn't agree more. Even if only to post my protest vote I'll do everything I can to support Dr. Paul for president.
ReplyDeleteInteresting; I had thought you were too much of a social conservative to support Ron Paul.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I had to look up the term on wikipedia to find out what it means. I don't really like labels, but I am generally in agreement with the following (from Wikipedia's definition):
ReplyDelete"Importance of human biological family as base unit of society. Social Conservatism therefore opposes divorce, common-law marriage, and same-sex marriage.
Respect for human life from conception to natural death. Social Conservatism therefore rejects abortion and euthanasia."
Although I'm wary that my acceptance of these succinct statements will conjure up in your mind a level of intolerance much higher than I really possess...
In what ways do you think Ron Paul might disagree with me if I were a social conservative?
well most social conservatives want the government to intervene to protect "values." And I believe Ron Paul is a libertarian.
ReplyDeleteHe seems to be a social conservative in the following sentence:
ReplyDeleteLast week’s vote underscores the need to end the sinful and tyrannical practice of forcing Americans to pay for programs or organizations they believe to be immoral, such as those that distribute condoms and perform abortions.
I guess the statement probably doesn't make as much sense outside the context of the article that he wrote, though.