Ron Paul

[Machjo]

Ron Paul is absolutely amazing. Heck, he puts Democrats to shame, let alone Republicans.

I'd come across Ron Paul's ideas a long time ago. but I have to say that though I usually vote left, Ron Paul is one Republican I'd seriously consider voting for if he were running in Canada.

Amazing, honest politician who doesn't succumb to stupid rhetoric. Truly a politician with brains in his head.

Edited September 12, 2010 by Machjo

[Machjo]

Here's the link:

[Machjo]

I like this video of his too:

Here he makes Hilary Clinton look like a senseless hawk.

I will say Hilary was right about the Taliban protecting Bin Laden. That said, she still seemed way too hesitant to give a straight answer on the bush Doctrine.

Edited September 12, 2010 by Machjo

[Guest American Woman]

Oh. My. God. A Republican with brains?? Who would have ever thought it possible?

I'm shocked, I tell you. Shocked.

Having said that, you can have him.

[bush_cheney2004]

Ron Paul is absolutely amazing. Heck, he puts Democrats to shame, let alone Republicans.

Ron Paul is politically DOA because of previous associations and public statements. He will never be POTUS.

I'd come across Ron Paul's ideas a long time ago. but I have to say that though I usually vote left, Ron Paul is one Republican I'd seriously consider voting for if he were running in Canada.

Why would he be running in Canada?

[Machjo]

Oh. My. God. A Republican with brains?? Who would have ever thought it possible?

I'm shocked, I tell you. Shocked.

Having said that, you can have him.

Birds of a feather...

[Machjo]

Why would he be running in Canada?

That's why I'd used the conditional present tense.

[Machjo]

Ron Paul is politically DOA because of previous associations and public statements. He will never be POTUS.

Oh, he has flaws indeed. He still stands out as an intellectual giant next to the other leaders of the Republican Party I've come across. Hell, he puts quite a few Democrats to shame too.

[bush_cheney2004]

That's why I'd used the condition!al present tense.

OK...so it's all make believe. Which leads to:

Wow! Mark Steyn is one smart Canadian...makes Canadian liberals look really stupid. I would vote for Mr. Steyn if he was running for POTUS or county animal control officer.

[nicky10013]

Libertarianism, such as the kind Paul preaches, is garbage. No "small government conservative" has ever lived up to their title. Either because they lied to get elected or because once they actually get into government and run an administration, realize that government is a lot more complicated than they thought it was and a lot of spending is indeed necessary.

[Machjo]

Libertarianism, such as the kind Paul preaches, is garbage. No "small government conservative" has ever lived up to their title. Either because they lied to get elected or because once they actually get into government and run an administration, realize that government is a lot more complicated than they thought it was and a lot of spending is indeed necessary.

As mentioned above, Paul is not without his flaws, one of which being that he'd want to scrap the IRS immediately. That would be too radical when the government still has so much debt. That said, cutting spending on pre-emptive wars would be a nice first step.

[bush_cheney2004]

... That would be too radical when the government still has so much debt. That said, cutting spending on pre-emptive wars would be a nice first step.

Why? Social programs and entitlements cost far more. Why not start there? See what Ron Paul has to say.

[nicky10013]

As mentioned above, Paul is not without his flaws, one of which being that he'd want to scrap the IRS immediately. That would be too radical when the government still has so much debt. That said, cutting spending on pre-emptive wars would be a nice first step.

There are certainly areas of policy agreement. However, I think the kind of populist message he sends is dangerous.

[punked]

Ron Paul isn't the guy who put out a news letter that said:

“opinion polls consistently show only about 5% of blacks have sensible political opinions,”

And

“if you have ever been robbed by a black teen-aged male, you know how unbelievably fleet-footed they can be,”

Also

order was restored to Los Angeles after the 1992 riots when blacks went "to pick up their welfare checks."

Oh and

"The criminals who terrorize our cities -- in riots and on every non-riot day -- are not exclusively young black males, but they largely are. As children, they are trained to hate whites, to believe that white oppression is responsible for all black ills, to 'fight the power,' to steal and loot as much money from the white enemy as possible."

Yeah he sounds like your typical republican I think.

[punked]

Ron Paul isn't the guy who put out a news letter that said:

“opinion polls consistently show only about 5% of blacks have sensible political opinions,”

And

“if you have ever been robbed by a black teen-aged male, you know how unbelievably fleet-footed they can be,”

Also

order was restored to Los Angeles after the 1992 riots when blacks went "to pick up their welfare checks."

Oh and

"The criminals who terrorize our cities -- in riots and on every non-riot day -- are not exclusively young black males, but they largely are. As children, they are trained to hate whites, to believe that white oppression is responsible for all black ills, to 'fight the power,' to steal and loot as much money from the white enemy as possible."

Yeah he sounds like your typical republican I think.

[Machjo]

Why? Social programs and entitlements cost far more. Why not start there? See what Ron Paul has to say.

There too. Usually it's a see-saw battle between Democrats and Republicans about HOW to pend the money, with Democrats spending on social programmes and Republicans spending on the Military Industrial Complex.

And of course Republicans add a further irresponsible move by proposing to cut taxes without commensurate cuts to spending, or at least not sufficient cuts. Ron Paul is one of the few who proposes not just a debate about HOW to spend the money, but rather about whether to spend the money. While he wants to cut spending to social programmes, he also wants to cut spending to the military too. No sacred cows.

Some have asked me in another forum about why I usually vote left when many of my economic views are moderate-right. My answer has generally been that if it's a choice between the military and social programmes, then at least social programmes, if done properly, such as education, job training, etc. can be an economic investment, whereas military spending is just money flushed.

That said, if it's a choice between excessive spending and spending cuts across the board, then I'm more right-leaning than left. I guess that's what attracts me to Ron Paul.

[Machjo]

Ron Paul isn't the guy who put out a news letter that said:

“opinion polls consistently show only about 5% of blacks have sensible political opinions,”

And

“if you have ever been robbed by a black teen-aged male, you know how unbelievably fleet-footed they can be,”

Also

order was restored to Los Angeles after the 1992 riots when blacks went "to pick up their welfare checks."

Oh and

"The criminals who terrorize our cities -- in riots and on every non-riot day -- are not exclusively young black males, but they largely are. As children, they are trained to hate whites, to believe that white oppression is responsible for all black ills, to 'fight the power,' to steal and loot as much money from the white enemy as possible."

Yeah he sounds like your typical republican I think.

I'd read about this. Now Ron Paul stated some other guy wrote it, though I'd say if Ron Pal was truthful there, then it was highly irresponsible of him to have someone else write on his behalf without him at least editing it. So yes, it was written in Ron Paul's name, and so he should take full responsibility for this. Yet, even if he should be racist and did write that and meant it, let's say, it still does not change the fact that his very libertarian views would not affects in any concrete practical sense. By the way, he does have black supporters too:

Again, with two sides to the story here, I don't know the whole truth. But in the end, it's clear that his policy stance would not affect blacks in any practical sense at least.

[bush_cheney2004]

Some have asked me in another forum about why I usually vote left when many of my economic views are moderate-right. My answer has generally been that if it's a choice between the military and social programmes, then at least social programmes, if done properly, such as education, job training, etc. can be an economic investment, whereas military spending is just money flushed.

{/quote]

That's just not true....military spending is about 4.5% od GDP, and employs a lot of people.

That said, if it's a choice between excessive spending and spending cuts across the board, then I'm more right-leaning than left. I guess that's what attracts me to Ron Paul.

OK....but you will have to experience the whole thing from afar in the end.

Edited September 12, 2010 by bush_cheney2004

[Machjo]

ame='Machjo' date='12 September 2010 - 05:10 PM' timestamp='1284329447' post='578928']

That's just not true....military spending is about 4.5% od GDP, and employs a lot of people.

1. 4.5% of GDP is not small potatoes compared to most other developed countries. That's money a person could use towards helping others if he wished.

2. I thought job creation was supposed to be left to the private sector in Republican ideology?

[Machjo]

And again, I'm not I agree with Ron Paul's desire to cut taxes so radically and so quickly. That said, he is the one who'd bring spending down at least so as to make his tax cuts come to at least partial reality in a sustainable manner over time.

[nicky10013]

That said, if it's a choice between excessive spending and spending cuts across the board, then I'm more right-leaning than left. I guess that's what attracts me to Ron Paul.

I think that's a false choice. There's such thing as responsible spending somehwere in the middle. If the government can spend on social programmes while keeping the books black, then what's the problem?

[Machjo]

ame='Machjo' date='12 September 2010 - 05:10 PM' timestamp='1284329447' post='578928']

That's just not true....military spending is about 4.5% od GDP, and employs a lot of people.

Also, even if social spending is higher than military spending, it still doesn't change the fact that, relatively speaking at least, it's much more of an investment. Spending on education for example will generally come back to benefit the economy and society later. And what about that 4.5% 'investment'? Flush.

I'm not saying I agree with excessive social spending to begin with; but if it's a choice between that and military spending, then it's still an investment at least.

[Moonlight Graham]

Finding a Republican with brains is like trying to find a Democrat with a backbone. It's just really hard.

[Machjo]

I think that's a false choice. There's such thing as responsible spending somehwere in the middle. If the government can spend on social programmes while keeping the books black, then what's the problem?

This is another reason I've sometimes tended to vote more left that right. The left does seem more able to balance the books judging from recent history in Canada and the US, and I think the reason is that it acknowledges that if it intends to spend, it must raise taxes too. But it still ticks me off when even the NDP supports subsidizing big business like the car industry for crying out loud. The difference though is that at least the NDP would raise taxes to pay for it whereas the Conservatives still choose to subsidize but then refuse to raise taxes. On that front, at least the left (and yes I am generalizing here) is honest enough to admit that it needs to raise taxes.

That said, if a politician comes in promising not tax cuts, but rather spending cut, then I know he's a real fiscal conservative. honestly, I'm not sure Paul meets that standard. But at least he'd be serious about cutting spending so as to bring sustainable tax cuts in future closer to reality.

[Machjo]

Finding a Republican with brains is like trying to find a Democrat with a backbone. It's just really hard.