Friday, August 24, 2007

Ron Paul Make Sense?

I came across this...

http://www.care2.com/news/member/544256115/461413

It's a great message! I was all set to say "I made a mistake" when I called him a "crackpot" but then the fantasy wore off and common sense came into play.

See. Ron speaks a great line... "Let's make it all real simple..." (like it was in 1850). There was no "big gobment". There were no foreign wars. There were few constitutional questions. There was a gold standard and we only printed as much money as we had in gold. There was no federal income tax and no IRS. There was no "welfare" (even to corporations)! The states generally did what they wanted and the federal government just stood around looking pissed.

Here's the problem, Ron. This is 2007 and slavery is no longer legal. The globe is so small that an astronaut circled it in a matter of minute. Commerce is world-wide and global now. We chat via the internet with people who don't even live in the same hemisphere with us! The Civil War decided that it was not a question of "State's Rights" anymore. We have been the United States of America --- a Federal Republic --- for over 150 years! There are Constitutional issues that are still being debated as times move forward (aka "Progress") and there will always be issues that must be decided by the Supreme Court. It's hardly time to shut it down.

Ron would like us to remain stuck in the past but, trust me, the past ain't all it's cracked up to be! I'm just over a half century old and even I recall separate drinking fountains, bathrooms, and waiting rooms for white and "colored". I recall white sheriffs who ruled entire counties like fifedoms. I recall state governors who barred the door of black students trying to attend schools and state govenments blocking free elections (worse than Florida and Ohio!). I recall the Federal Government having to post National Guardsmen to protect the rights of citizens against state despotism. I recall people being denied jobs and education because of race and sex!

Sure, I'd like to go back to some point in the past. I'd be younger, healthier and a lot smarter. Perhaps I'd meet Ron Paul and convince him that America is not such a bad place that we have to put out the chonological anchor to some other century.

He's well meaning. He's a doctor and surely would like to cure all our ills. But putting our head in the proverbial sand won't accomplish much. After all, Ron, like many other Repugnicans is running on the platform that we should get rid of the Federal Government. I question the sense of electing someone to lead the Federal Republic who wants to destroy the Federal Republic!

So, as much as Ron almost seems sensible, he's hardly that. He's contrarian and anachronistic. As President, he'd be almost as bad as Bush! Naive and demented! I guess I was right then after all in my initial assessment. He's a "crackpot".

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