Posted on 04/03/2010 10:51:43 AM PDT by rabscuttle385
"If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism." — Ronald Reagan
Nonconformist: of or characterized by behavior or views that do not conform to prevailing ideas or practices.
Recently Fox's Glenn Beck offered citizens a quiz to pinpoint where they fall in their political beliefs. The Nolan Chart (www.nolanchart.com/survey.php) provides questions which when answered honestly will place the responder somewhere on the political spectrum depicting conservative-libertarian-liberal-statist-centrist sections. Citizens who consider themselves conservative might be surprised to find they're somewhere between conservative and libertarian.
Commentators have had a difficult time labeling tea party citizens. Many are disillusioned democrats and republicans; some call themselves independents. Most have been active voters for decades. After all the emailing, letters and sending pink slips to Congress; after marching on Washington — citizen-protestors are still not taken very seriously in Washington.
Some commentators have suggested that Republican-Libertarian Rep. Ron Paul is responsible for the grassroots Tea Party movement rising up against the present Washington chaos. The truth is Paul's 2008 presidential campaign ignited long-held frustrations and also educated some of the younger generation regarding constitutional principles.
Considered a "kook" by many of his congressional peers, Paul may be the only sane one there. This is the man who just returned $100,000 of his congressional budget back to the U.S. Treasury. His congressional frugality borders on treason within free-spending Congress. Nicknamed "Dr. No" because of his thriftiness, he votes no to any legislation unless it adheres to the Constitution.
So is Paul crazy? Of course not. He's much like all citizens who are conscientiously watching their money and budgets. Regrettably there aren't enough libertarian-doers in Congress who would stop the decades of runaway-spending and cut the government down to constitutional size.
There are signs that some Libertarian-thinking citizens are running on 2010 Republican congressional tickets. These are the same people along with constitutionalists who have suffered through the frustrations of watching Washington unabashedly kill the U.S. Constitution.
One such citizen is Liberty Republican John Dennis (www.johndennis2010.com) who is running against Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco's 8th District. On congressional leaders, Dennis says:
"I think of them as far away from leadership as anything I can imagine. We are in debt ...when you add up the current debt, the unfunded liabilities, the backstops to banks, loans, all the bailouts — our quote-unquote leaders have put us all in debt to the tune of $300,000 apiece. That's not leadership. Many have the nerve to call themselves conservatives but are they really at the end of the day? — 94 percent of the house members are reelected, continually with the idea of keeping their jobs."
Reagan also said, "The federal government has taken too much tax money from the people, too much authority from the states, and too much liberty with the Constitution."
Ronald Reagan was right in his assessment of conservatism's heart. So, why do we not elect more of these sane budget-conscious thinkers to Congress? If it is conservative to hold to principles concerning budgets, reducing the National Debt, taxes and holding government to constitutional restraints, why hasn't it happened?
Most tea party citizens have long been exasperated by the federal government's "broad-constructionist" interpretation of the U.S. Constitution which has led to a distinct decline of our Republic and Civil Liberties. In case you don't know what kind of interpretation that is — think Al Gore's declaration that "the U.S. Constitution is a living document." In other words, it changes with the seasons.
The founders' constitutional intent is never taken into account by such interpretation. Otherwise, we would never have had social security, medicare, medicaid, subsidies for farmers and businesses — growing the federal government far beyond its constitutional responsibilities.
Maybe it's time that libertarian thinkers have the opportunity to turn our nation around and bring down the National Debt before bankruptcy and a real Great Depression become reality. They certainly couldn't do any worse than what we've been subjected to for the last 100 years. Let's hope it's not too late.
Given a choice, the elite Washington free-spending crowd or the nonconforming Libertarian-Republicans, citizens may just choose the ones who adhere to the U.S. Constitution over and against the careerist so-called conservative Republicans and liberal-progressive Democrats.
© Bonnie Alba
You’re absolutely right, ohioWfan.
They’re disruptive and they’re not conservatives interested in anything but their own Ron Paul agenda. Ron Paul is the true RINO. A Republican In Name Only, when in fact, he is a cranky Bircher/Libertarian and the coward ought to be forced to run under the Libertarian banner.
Earmarks are not inherently evil.
If the money being spent is for a Constitional need, a Congressman would be derelict in his duty to his district by not trying to bring it's share of Federal spending into his district.
Hence, there are good and bad earmarks.
Distinguishing between the two is where the rub lies.
Paul got an earmark to help market wild shrimp. I don’t recall crustaceans being mentioned anywhere in the Constitution.
Not only does he have no 'skin' in the Republican party, he hates the Republican party.
And in doing so, dismisses any possible opportunity to rid the country of the radical left.
And in that, he is opposed to regaining the liberties we are losing every day.
That's the bottom line, IMO. And it smells.
I've been to pretty much every Tea Party or Tea-Party-like event in Grand Junction and I've never heard Ron Paul's name mentioned. This is why I pay no attention to the opinions of "commentators".
Rabadash Rabs is a Paul bot, and he approves of this drek, so it's not unfair at all.
If you meant that, you should have made your point more clearly. There are only a few of them. There are millions of us.
And his disciples, who claim to hate RINO's, will go to their graves defending this phony.
That makes them phonies too.
My main concern is that they are doing their best to keep real conservatives from gaining control of Congress and the White House. Most of the time it is very difficult to tell a Paulite from a hardcore leftist.
You’re right again, ohioWfan.
Wet-behind-the-ears has a lot of growing up to do in the real world of politics and life.
We’re on the brink. This is no time for nonsense.
IF RON PAUL IS GOING TO ENDORSE A TRAITOR AND CALL HIM A LIBERTY CANDIDATE, THEN RON PAUL IS A LUNATIC, AND SO ARE HIS ACOLYTES.
The Founders' ideas of liberty brought freedom and plenty and brought millions to America's shores to find opportunity and success. The counterfeit ideas of the Progressives who enslave us with their "leveling" schemes bring deficits, debt, and misery.
"[With the decline of society] begins, indeed, the bellum omnium in omnia [war of all against all], which some philosophers observing to be so general in this world, have mistaken it for the natural, instead of the abusive state of man. And the fore horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression." --Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Kercheval, 1816. ME 15:40
Or: "We are warranted, then, in affirming that this parody on the principle of 'a public debt being a public blessing,' and its mutation into the blessing of private instead of public debts, is as ridiculous as the original principle itself. In both cases, the truth is, that capital may be produced by industry, and accumulated by economy; but jugglers only will propose to create it by legerdemain tricks with paper." --Thomas Jefferson to John W. Eppes, 1813. ME 13:423
Mr. Jefferson's University in Virginia directed that THE FEDERALIST be used as a text for the law school, according to his minutes of the Board Meeting, because they constituted the best explanations of the meaning and intent of the Constitution. Perhaps that might be a good starting point for candidates who wish to pass on liberty to future generations.
Really? I quit the Hartford Tea Party because they were trying to endorse a Ron Paul candidate, the guy was Ron Paul’s economic advisor, too
Peter Schiff?
Ron Paul endorsed the traitor Adam kokesh, so, everyone just google the names, there are tens of thousands of websites that promote the three Ron Paul candidates:
Rand Paul
Adam Kokesh
Peter Schiff
Deserves to be repeated LOUDER.
THIS IS NO TIME FOR NONSENSE. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE ENEMY IN WASHINGTON. ANYONE DIVERTING FROM THAT FOCUS IS AIDING AND ABETTING THE REAL ENEMY AND MUST BE STOPPED.
And there's the rub.
I view Ron Paul and his PAULTARDS as enemies of conservative Republicans and the Tea Party movement as well. Ron Paul endorsed Adam Kokesh, the traitor and Code Pink hero, who's running for congress in New Mexico. Ron Paul doesn't think Iran is a threat! He also thinks 911 was an inside job. How can anyone in his right mind follow that man?
IMO, paul is correct on his views of foreign policy, I am not sure why American taxpayers are providing for the defense of Germany and Japan and many others.
And if we BAN EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTS SARAH PALIN AFTER HER ENDORSING THAT CONSERVATIVE TRAITOR JOHN McCAIN then we can further turn this forum into some strange echo chamber.
” (RON PAUL: THE PARTY OF TRUTHERS, TRAITORS AND UFO CHASERS!!!)”
Apparently you are misinformed:
http://www.neoperspectives.com/ron_paul_911_interviews.htm
I’m closer to the apex of libertarian than you - but, I wasn’t asked any Pro-Life questions.
Said Dr. Paul, “Adam Kokesh has been a tremendous supporter of mine. Now, it is time for me to support him.
“As a fellow Veteran, Adam understands the many challenges facing our brave men and women in Uniform and the steps we must take to strengthen our national defense.
“Adam Kokesh has dedicated his life to fighting for Liberty. He has set himself apart as one of the bold young leaders our Country sorely needs as we strive to restore our Freedoms and what has made America the greatest nation in history. I am very happy that Adam has decided to run for Congress and wholeheartedly endorse him.”
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