The Free View-- weblog of a presidential candidate

Rep. Ron Paul Describes the Opposite of Me

In a country of sold-out, compromised (and compromising) politicians, who coax and woo their voting constituency with promises of pork and "reform", and who could scarcely be said to even have principles, never mind to be acting on them...in such a country (it's America I'm talking about, by the way), Representative Ron Paul stands out. He's not perfect, but he's trying very hard to be -- and he gains a lot of respect for his efforts.

He's been nicknamed "Dr. No", because he's a doctor by trade, and he relentlessly votes "No" on bill after bill. He's got this weird mental condition, see, wherein he believes in individual liberty -- and if that's not nutty enough, he also thinks the Constitution imposes limits on what government is supposed to do. Somehow he's managed to stay in Congress while voting almost 100% in accordance with those beliefs. And we should all be glad he has, even if he is a Republican. (I told you he wasn't perfect.)

"And why, exactly, should we be so glad Dr. Paul has managed to stay in Congress?" you ask? Fair enough.

This is why, exactly: "Neo-conned". That's a speech that Ron Paul gave to Congress this July. It is, as they say, essential reading.

"What's so great about this speech?"

I'm glad you asked.

Here's what's so great about Ron Paul's "Neo-conned" speech:

Best of all, it provides a convenient way for me to generally summarize my political stance, at least to the politically well-read. I can say, "You know the trend/movement that Ron Paul describes with trepidation in his 'Neo-conned' speech?" And they'll be like, "Yeah." And I'll be like, "I'm the opposite of that."

It's just about that simple. Obviously that doesn't get you all my own proactive ideas, but if you want to know what I'm against, just read that speech of Ron Paul's. It's my life's ambition to oppose the movement he describes there, and to help speed up the process of arriving at the moment he describes here:

Once enough of us decide we’ve had enough of all these so-called good things that the government is always promising—or more likely, when the country is broke and the government is unable to fulfill its promises to the people—we can start a serious discussion on the proper role for government in a free society. Unfortunately, it will be some time before Congress gets the message that the people are demanding true reform. This requires that those responsible for today’s problems are exposed and their philosophy of pervasive government intrusion is rejected.

That's what I'm working on. That exposing "those responsible for today's problems", and "their philosophy of pervasive government intrusion" being rejected business -- that's what I'm all about. I live, sleep and breathe it. Exposing the power players, and their plays, and getting them rejected. That's the goal of StopCarnivore.org (whch was doing alright until 9-11), of PNAC.info (which is playing a part in turning the tide on exactly the folks Ron Paul names), of the Nevada County Bill of Rights Defense Committee (which is part of one of the most revolutionary movements in US history), and of all my other projects, including Future Solutions and this here campaign for president. Even my work for my company PeoplesForum.com has involved empowering the individual toward self-determination while opposing the heavy hand of authority and control. In terms of organization and control, I feel safe in saying that PeoplesForum.com is one of the most libertarian online communities out there. (I can't say the same for the political views of the community members, which span the whole dial.)

So, to review: "Neo-conned" is essential reading (and Ron Paul is essentially great, even though he's a Republican). The agenda and movement he describes stands for that which I oppose, on virtually every point and matter. They are, in almost all instances, pro-authority. I am, in almost all instances, anti-authority. They are pro-state -- I am pro-individual. They are the future's greatest enemy, and I hope to do everything I can to counter their efforts.

That doesn't tell you much about what I'm for, specifically, but it lets you know what team I'm on, in case you were wondering.

Really the main point of this post is to get you to read the speech, and to pass it around to anyone who's willing to read it. It's a little long for the bubblegum politics folks, but people who take their politics seriously should find cause to take Ron Paul's speech, and the warnings within, seriously as well. (...And then join the liberty team, because ultimately we're going to boot the neo-cons right the hell out of Dodge.)

This page has links to three different formats of the speech -- regular, print-friendly, and PDF.