Ron Paul, though a Republican in Congress, has often been seen as a libertarian through his votes. He has what some would say in an antiquated take on foreign policy, often voting against any type of proposal that was put forth that would support a war or military action and generally supporting non-intervention. His fiscal stewardship has led him, several times, to be one of only a few "No" votes, often voting against giving Congressional Medals of Honor. He'd follow up by asking every member of the House of Representatives to pledge $100 of their own money to pay for the cost of the medal. He's also pledged not to take a congressional pension.
However, despite many of these policies that I support or at least respect, I don't think he's ever been put under the microscope. He often gets just enough attention to be a Media Darling for a while, and that's about it. I've never heard a really good explanation for these racist newsletterssent out under his name, or some connections to white supremacy groups, and I think his views on the Civil Rights Act are flat out wrong. And during his 24 years in Congress, he's voted several times to build border fences and increase patrols, but has never tried to fix our broken system of legal immigration.
Personally, I much more prefer the libertarian leanings of former Governor Gary Johnson (also running for President) than Ron Paul. He has a lot of the same beliefs, but with executive experience to back it up without some of the questionable connections Paul has.
I wish Dr. Paul well in retirement, but I can't quite say I'll miss him too much in the United States Congress.
I agree that the newsletters were not properly explained, but with nothing else in this.
ReplyDeletePaul's views have been dissected by Right and Left quite thoroughly. That you don't agree with his views on property rights and government force doesn't detract from his admirable constancy of principle. In modern America, Ron Paul has been the closest thing to a Gandhi, sharing Gandhi's view that, "The State represents violence in a concentrated and organized form. The individual has a soul, but as the State is a soulless machine, it can never be weaned from violence to which it owes its very existence."
Three cheers for the peacemonger and advocate for liberty, Ron Paul, who will be greatly missed by those who eschew violence in their ideology and esteem freedom and responsibility as values of the first order. At no time did Dr. Paul sell out to the power-lust, cynicism, and violence of Left and Right.
I definitely side with Paul on the pension aspect of Congress.
ReplyDeleteThey should not be paid a pension. The job should not be viewed as a career nor should it carry this benefit that goes along with a career.
If they need to secure their retirement, they should go out and get a job in The Real World. Of course most seem to anyway after they leave office -- by getting a lucrative position as a lobbyist.