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Ron Paul and the Lodestar of Liberty
American Thinker ^ | January 14, 2008 | Bruce Walker

Posted on 01/14/2008 8:04:27 PM PST by forkinsocket

Ron Paul is not a nut. He is honorable and intelligent. I have talked with Congressman Paul about politics and policies. He is consistent and principled. Much of what he says is true. The Constitution is routinely ignored by politicians of both political parties. Government spending, particularly entitlements, is wildly out of control. The crucial constitutional concepts of federalism and limited government are tacitly denied and this denial is the crux of many of our social and political problems.

But Ron Paul holds the vain hope that American government would return to constitutional law anytime soon, even if he did win the presidency. Congress, the judiciary, legal education, and tradition have imparted momentum to the living constitution school of thought. Bring about an actual return to the Constitution requires more than a snap of the president's fingers. Federal courts routinely "interpret" the Constitution in ways directly in conflict with the plain language of the document. At best, a president can only appoint judges the Senate will confirm and wait for natural turnover.

A lot of persuasion is necessary before Americans (including our elites and their institutions) change their way thinking. We in fact still need a crusade to change hearts and minds more than a candidacy.

And if we are going to return to first principles, remember that the Constitution is not the foundational document of our American experiment in individual liberty. It was preceded by the Articles of Confederation. Prior to the Articles of Confederation, which were adopted after independence, the Continental Congress acted as the original government of the United States and successfully waged a war against the great superpower on the planet with very little real authority. The fundamental principles of American government were established long the Constitution was adopted.

What does matter is the Declaration of Independence. The divine endowment of all people with liberty comes directly out of this document of 1776 and it is to this document that serious friends of liberty should look for inspiration and restoration. And what was the Declaration of Independence? It was, in effect, a declaration of war against the British Empire.

It was not an isolationist document but a universalist document. It speaks, pointedly, to the rest of the world. It talks about the reasons that governments are formed (not just our government.) It was bold, sweeping, and international. And it was seen by the rest of the world as just that: A revolutionary document for all peoples, even if it applied specifically only to thirteen embattled colonies in North American.

Ron Paul wants to return us to the Constitution, as if it were a sacred document which granted us freedom. Our spiritual lodestar should be the Declaration of Independence, which remains a much more dangerous, much more powerful, and much more relevant document to our times.

Some policies Paul proposes are admirable. Why do we still have armies in Germany and in Korea, when both are rich, modern industrialized nations? Why does government have to do so much and why does "government" more and more mean centralized government in Washington? Why have a tax code which punishes productivity and which requires contortionist behavior from business?

But other parts of Paul's policies simply do not fit our age. The notion that we should disengage from the Middle East, for example, suggests that Israel is "just another nation," like, say, North Korea or Syria. The foundation of the Jewish state was based upon the undeniable facts of history continuing, dreadfully, through the Holocaust, that Jews are not "just another people," but are rather a persecuted people who were not welcome when escaping Nazified Europe. Ignoring that is ignoring salient history.

Likewise, the stark contrast between Israel and its neighbors (except, until the last three decades, the successful state of Lebanon) cannot be ignored, and the murderous intent of neighbors who seriously read in large numbers Mein Kampf and the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion is also a grim, absolute fact of the modern world. The notion that, on paper, Israel can make peace with these neighbors is not just pure theory, but it is theory which has failed the test of experience.

Paul also seems to doubt that people wish to do America harm because it is America, and that nuclear weapons change everything. Ever since H.G. Wells first used the term "atomic bomb" in his science fiction stories more than a century ago, it has become almost inevitable that true, horrific global war power was inevitable. Happily, America acquired fission weapons and then fusion weapons first. Happily also, America has had leaders willing to use that power to protect our nation and allies who would otherwise be unprotected.

And, as we learned from the Japanese in the Second World War and from radical Moslems today, the calculus of economic benefits and political rights which works very well in moderating and balancing the behavior of most people, simply does not work with everyone. Does anyone doubt that the Japanese would have used the atomic bomb on American cities or that radical Moslems will use thermonuclear bombs on America, if they can, even if it means massive casualties in our retaliation?

Liberty can no longer stand safely behind two vast oceans and decent men can no longer ignore their human brethren after Hitler, Stalin and Mao. As Lincoln today might have said "This world cannot long endure half slave and half free." This was also perhaps the greatest victory of the greatest conservative leader of our age: Ronald Reagan. Congressman Paul might recall the Gipper's Cold War strategy: "How about this: We win; they lose?"

Ronald Reagan, like Abraham Lincoln, understood the supra-constitutional importance of liberty in the fulfillment of America, and liberty to them meant more than just the liberty of American citizens. If the ideal which is America is to survive the totalitarian impulse which we see not only in North Korea and the Taliban, but among the Leftists in our own nation, then we need to recapture the fortitude of Washington, the vision of Lincoln and the clarity of Reagan. If we can do this and preserve the vestiges of the Constitution, fine.

But the vision of America is much more than the Constitution. It is much more than Congressman Paul sees. What Ron Paul proposes is not bad or dishonest. It is simply no longer enough for liberty and decency to survive in America or in the world.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: ronpaul
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To: forkinsocket

PaleoPaulie is a pantload attempting to block the future of our country while he is in service to Al Qaeda.


41 posted on 01/14/2008 9:43:16 PM PST by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline of the Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Club)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
I'll take Paul being half-wrong on foreign policy over the other GOP candidates embracing big entitlements, big government, big spending, usurping states' rights, more tax dollars to the UN and Palestinians, more arm sales to the Saudis...anyday.

I read on another thread tonight that the Bush administration is going after private gun ownership. Add that to your list. I don't think Ron Paul would do that.

42 posted on 01/14/2008 9:49:09 PM PST by texastoo ((((((USA)))))((((((, USA))))))((((((. USA))))))))
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
The political establishment cannot knock paleoPaulie on anything but the old racist letters????

I have no idea of whether the paleosurrenderman is a racist or not and I would give him the benefit of the doubt on that.

OTOH, I seem to remember a post or two million in the last year accurately slamming the lying pipsqueak for his cowardly foreign policy, his craven military surrender reflex, his autosmooch of Islamofascist backsides, his lying about nearly everything, his claiming to be pro-life while adamantly opposing any federal effort to stop the baby holocaust, his posing as pro-family while resisting any federal attempt to protect marriage (the real kind of marriage), his running as a libertoonian in 1988 as candidate of the dope users' party, his cramming of Galveston earmarks into appropriations bills passed by his colleagues over his negative vote as he poses for "fiscal conservative" holy pictures etc., etc., etc.

43 posted on 01/14/2008 9:53:54 PM PST by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline of the Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Club)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

Maybe shrimps (federally subsidized by paleoPaulie’s earmarks or not) will whistle and pigs will fly, who knows? Either is as likely as Dr. Demento doing well anywhere now that he has blown New Hampshire.


44 posted on 01/14/2008 9:56:33 PM PST by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline of the Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Club)
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To: texastoo

I’ve heard that the moon is made of green cheese but, skeptic that I am, I don’t believe that either.


45 posted on 01/14/2008 10:01:02 PM PST by BlackElk (Dean of Discipline of the Tomas de Torquemada Gentlemen's Club)
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

What’s wrong with you!?...How can you not like the Packers?

;)


46 posted on 01/14/2008 10:02:00 PM PST by Constantine XIII
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To: forkinsocket
What does matter is the Declaration of Independence. The divine endowment of all people with liberty comes directly out of this document of 1776 and it is to this document that serious friends of liberty should look for inspiration and restoration

Amen.

But the Constitution is the rule of law for the United States and limits the power of government here.

As for Israel, she is more then able to handle any threat in her region.

We actually do her more harm then good to her in meddling in her internal affairs.

It would also help her if we stopped funding the Arabs!

47 posted on 01/14/2008 10:29:29 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (The power under the Constitution will always be in the people- George Washington)
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To: svcw
RP allowed these letters to be published using his name and image....therefore he is responsible for the content.

He has accepted the responsibility for them.

But even that isn't enough for the PC police of the Right!

48 posted on 01/14/2008 10:34:59 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (The power under the Constitution will always be in the people- George Washington)
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To: kinoxi; Extremely Extreme Extremist
You stick by your candidate. Do you really think military disengagement from the rest of the world is a good thing for the United States? That’s what worries me most about his platform. Some of his other ideas can be appealing but as Commander in Chief he could carry this policy to fruition, and it’s worldwide devastating consequences.

Yes, the regions of the world would handle their own problems, we could save hundreds of billions of dollars that is used to subsidize their defense budgets and U.S. troops won't be used as 'trip-wires' like they are in Korea.

All in all, pretty good consequences.

49 posted on 01/14/2008 10:37:46 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (The power under the Constitution will always be in the people- George Washington)
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To: fortheDeclaration
Nice blinders you’ve got there .Unicorns and fuzzy things await in the wake of US withdrawal.
50 posted on 01/14/2008 10:41:24 PM PST by kinoxi
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To: RussP
Yet Ron Paul is going come charging in on a white horse and abolish SS completely? Oh, and he’s going to eliminate all welfare and entitlements too while he’s at it. Yeah, right. You must be smoking something pretty strong if you think he can get elected on that platform, and you must be clinically brain dead if you think he can accomplish those feats.

Why don't you actually read his proposals?

He has stated that there will be a transition phrase,where young people would be able to opt out of the SS system, while those who have been promised the support will receive it from the savings of some 1trillion dollars we would make by cutting U.S. bases overseas.

Ending SS and the IRS would put a dagger into the heart of the welfare system and end the New Deal.

Ofcourse, neocons have no concern about ending the New Deal and are only concerned about continuing the warfare-welfare state until the United States goes bankrupt.

51 posted on 01/14/2008 10:42:33 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (The power under the Constitution will always be in the people- George Washington)
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To: rlmorel
Gee. Nobody understands the Constitution but Ron Paul and his followers. Every single discussion with these people begins with some kind of fevered pitch about not caring or not understanding the Constitution.

I don't hear any of the other candidates discussing it!

52 posted on 01/14/2008 10:44:32 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (The power under the Constitution will always be in the people- George Washington)
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To: kinoxi
So you think we should leave Afghanistan and hope for the best. You think we should leave Iraq, and hope for the best. Leave SE Asia And watch curiously as China takes over. Disengage our burgeoning military relationship with India. Leave Australia to the wind. There are too many more to note in one response. You want to abandon all US allies. The consequences of one’s actions are what logical people tend to think about.

Yes, I think we should let those regions handle their own problems.

So now India needs us as well?

Who is threatening Australia?

You left out Iceland!

We must never abandon Iceland!

53 posted on 01/14/2008 10:46:52 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (The power under the Constitution will always be in the people- George Washington)
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To: kinoxi
He voted for military intervention outside of our national borders which he now condemns. The term flip flop works for me.

The anti-terrorist war has become nation building, that is why he regrets his vote for action in Afganstian.

Ofcourse, you guys just figure that we can garrison the world for the next 100 years, like we have for the past 60.

54 posted on 01/14/2008 10:49:52 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (The power under the Constitution will always be in the people- George Washington)
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To: fortheDeclaration

We had numerous emissaries during the Revolutionary War. This strict internal shove your head up your a$$ interpretation that Ron Paul supports is bogus before it even begins.


55 posted on 01/14/2008 10:51:02 PM PST by kinoxi
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To: fortheDeclaration

Who’s side are you on?


56 posted on 01/14/2008 10:52:04 PM PST by kinoxi
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To: fortheDeclaration

It sure as hell is not mine.


57 posted on 01/14/2008 10:52:33 PM PST by kinoxi
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To: Names Ash Housewares
First, if Iran attempted to invade Israel, they would be crushed.

They couldn't even defeat Iraq!

Second, why shouldn't 9/11 be investigated to see where the government failed?

There were calls for an investigation of Pearl Harbor right after it occured as well.

58 posted on 01/14/2008 10:53:29 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (The power under the Constitution will always be in the people- George Washington)
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To: kinoxi
Lets just hope that China & Russia never threaten us. If Ron Paul gets his way, they will.

No single nation can conquer us, but we can destroy ourselves by spending ourselves into bankruptsy.

How about a anti-missile defense system?

I haven't heard anthing like that being developed for U.S. protection.

59 posted on 01/14/2008 10:56:23 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (The power under the Constitution will always be in the people- George Washington)
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To: kinoxi
Lets just hope that China & Russia never threaten us. If Ron Paul gets his way, they will.

No single nation can conquer us, but we can destroy ourselves by spending ourselves into bankruptcy.

How about a anti-missile defense system?

I haven't heard anything like that being developed for U.S. protection.

60 posted on 01/14/2008 10:57:03 PM PST by fortheDeclaration (The power under the Constitution will always be in the people- George Washington)
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