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Ron Paul Emerging as Ross Perot’s Doppelganger
David Horowitz's NewsRealblog ^ | Michael Rulle

Posted on 02/21/2010 3:20:54 PM PST by Michael van der Galien

Ron Paul’s straw poll “victory” at last weeks American Conservative Union’s CPAC convention was surprising. It leads one to believe conservatives retain the ability to snap defeat from the jaws of victory this coming Fall. Ann Coulter reflects the opinion of many conservatives when she claims agreement with Ron Paul on almost all issues except for foreign policy goals. Paul, who has Pat Buchanan isolationist tendencies, claims to be an economic libertarian and has many credentials, which support that claim. He is a member, for example, of the Ludwig Von Mises Institute. Von Mises and, later, F.H. Hayek, contributed greatly to the intellectual debate demonstrating the inherent weakness of national central planning as an economic organizing principle. Paul supports smaller government, balanced budgets, less entitlements, and lower taxes. He wants the private sector to drive economic growth. As far as his economic policies are concerned, what’s not to like?

It is difficult to carve an individual’s views up into his component views. They really bleed into each other. But as far as his economic policies are concerned, there are two tendencies that are objectionable: 1) his monetary views; and, 2) his ideological rigidity. This essay will deal with his monetary policies. Part 2 will discuss Paul’s ideological rigidity.

In 2002, Paul gave a speech on the floor of the House seeking to Abolish the Federal Reserve. It is unclear what “problem” this proposed “solution” was designed to fix. One can support the Federal Reserve’s continued existence and still disagree with many of its actions and policies. Conversely, one can even support its abolition but not support Paul’s alternative, which is to have our currency fixed to the price of gold and/or a “basket of commodities”. Intertwined in his House speech was also a small dose of conspiracy thinking.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsrealblog.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2012gopprimary; cpac; cpac2010; gaypac; paulestinians; ronpaul; rontards; rossperot; thirdparty
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To: Jim Noble
You're exactly right. People are fed up with both sides' business as usual (we'll promise to deliver on the bases' principles and then do nothing but compromise our bases' values - both sides do this and both sides are fed up). You can see the Democrat base pulling their guy left, and the Republicans are pulling theirs rightward. People are tired of the fence-sitters; only the media think people are tired of the lack of compromise. People want clear-cut values and the backbone to stand up for them. On our side, ONLY one person, so far, has proven to do this throughout his lifetime of private and public service. Every other candidate out there has sold us out at least once (whether as a favor to another politician or for political clout for themselves).
21 posted on 02/21/2010 4:03:05 PM PST by Engineer_Soldier (We need a little less Marx and a little more Madison! - Glenn Beck)
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To: streetpreacher
So, are you saying a person can't run as a conservative and win? I disagree; the people are tired of fence-riders. The people want a clear choice and will vote in droves for that clear choice.
22 posted on 02/21/2010 4:04:48 PM PST by Engineer_Soldier (We need a little less Marx and a little more Madison! - Glenn Beck)
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To: Michael van der Galien

They weren’t picking a candidate, they were voting for ideas. And if the Republican party isn’t heading in his direction then I couldn’t care less if they lose.


23 posted on 02/21/2010 4:05:12 PM PST by DManA
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To: Michael van der Galien

I stopped reading after he mentioned F.H. Hayek. Maybe he meant F.A. Hayek.


24 posted on 02/21/2010 4:07:01 PM PST by GrootheWanderer
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To: patriot preacher
Beware Conservatives. Abandon your principles to satisfy your emotional desires and you will not only lose, you will doom the country.

And blind support of any person with an R behind his/her name has achieved what? As Beck said in his speech, it's been one-in-the-same no matter who's been elected. For once, both parties are feeling from their bases that it's time to pick a side and stand up for it. No more middle-of-the-road B.S.

25 posted on 02/21/2010 4:07:23 PM PST by Engineer_Soldier (We need a little less Marx and a little more Madison! - Glenn Beck)
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To: plain talk
My understanding is a bunch of college students skewed this vote...

Yeah, I hate it when eligible voters vote. If only we could be more like Iran.

26 posted on 02/21/2010 4:09:42 PM PST by InternetTuffGuy
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To: A Strict Constructionist

“...Ron Paul was a really nice guy, very bright but completely nuts.”

I believe your son’s a sharp kid. I’ve met Dr. Paul a couple of occasions; he’s friendly, sincere, a strong supporter of free markets, 2nd amendment rights, and pro life positions . . . and yes, sadly, also completely nuts.


27 posted on 02/21/2010 4:14:52 PM PST by crescen7 (game on)
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To: cpdiii
However, I see my mission not as a third party but as a force to bring the Republican party back to its roots as in the Regan Years.

We need to get rid of the Rinos first.

28 posted on 02/21/2010 4:18:09 PM PST by pray4liberty (Liberalism is the religion of narcissists.)
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To: DManA
"They weren’t picking a candidate, they were voting for ideas. And if the Republican party isn’t heading in his direction then I couldn’t care less if they lose."

Agree completely. It's not just the man, but the ideas that resonate and if Republicans aren't headed toward smaller government, liberty and real transparency then it doesn't matter which thief wins.

29 posted on 02/21/2010 4:21:47 PM PST by Bokababe (Save Christian Kosovo! http://www.savekosovo.org)
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To: GrootheWanderer

“Maybe he meant F.A. Hayek.”

Good catch. But I’ve noticed that mistake before. I think sometimes people get his initials FH mixed up, I also so think its actually “von Hayek” isn’t it?

in any event . . .

I usually don’t like David Horowitz’s stuff, but I think this was a well done piece, you might reconsider having a look.


30 posted on 02/21/2010 4:22:17 PM PST by crescen7 (game on)
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To: Engineer_Soldier

And blind support of any person with an R behind his/her name has achieved what? As Beck said in his speech, it’s been one-in-the-same no matter who’s been elected. For once, both parties are feeling from their bases that it’s time to pick a side and stand up for it. No more middle-of-the-road B.S.
________________

I’m right there with ya! PRINCIPLE demands that! I’m no “knee-jerk” Republican. How’d you get that idea?

In 2008, I voted AGAINST two SC “Republicans” — Lindsey Grahamnesty AND Joe Wilson — because they were acting like DEMOCRATS. So, just for the record, when I say act based on Conservative Principles, I ain’t suggesting something I don’t do myself :-)


31 posted on 02/21/2010 4:22:29 PM PST by patriot preacher (To be a good American Citizen and a Christian IS NOT a contradiction. (www.mygration.blogspot.com))
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To: Jim Noble
"a paranoid dwarf got nineteen million votes for President, based on his warnings about out-of-control government spending."

A significant percentage of Perot's support came from union workers because of his plainly protectionist views. The union workers couldn't have cared less about government spending, but they did think Perot was going to save their $25/hour job from going to Mexico. That dynamic shouldn't be discounted.

32 posted on 02/21/2010 4:31:22 PM PST by OldDeckHand
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To: Michael van der Galien
Just in case anyone wonders about what Ron Paul worshipers think.

www.ronpaulforums.com

Know what you support or defend.

33 posted on 02/21/2010 4:43:52 PM PST by Carlrob
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To: plain talk

If we accept all of the silly polls that Paul slaughtered his opponents in in 2008, then he must be president now.

CPAC has now showed their irrelevancy with embracing GOProud, who advocates a left-winged gay agenda and this meaningless poll, that the biased lamestream media is having a ball with.


34 posted on 02/21/2010 4:44:06 PM PST by DakotaRed (What happened to the country I fought for?)
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To: Carlrob
"Just in case anyone wonders about what Ron Paul worshipers think. www.ronpaulforums.com Know what you support or defend.

One page of a single thread is nothing. I've seen dumber than that here on FR on a single page of a thread.

35 posted on 02/21/2010 6:47:37 PM PST by Bokababe (Save Christian Kosovo! http://www.savekosovo.org)
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To: Bokababe
One page of a single thread is nothing. I've seen dumber than that here on FR on a single page of a thread.

A link then would be appreciated to back that up and that is a public site so anyone can feel free to browse at will the thoughts of the followers of Dr Nutz.

36 posted on 02/21/2010 7:02:20 PM PST by Carlrob
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To: OldDeckHand
That dynamic shouldn't be discounted

Yes, any successful populist candidate will be overtly protectionist.

Globalism is dead. It just isn't buried yet.

37 posted on 02/21/2010 7:06:12 PM PST by Jim Noble (Hu's the communist?)
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To: Michael van der Galien; LucyT
The article just plain wrong across the board.

The problem with the Federal Reserve is that the money supply is fixed to bank borrowing and credit money--no new money supply absent a borrowing from a bank to create additional credit money; default on a credit money obligation by a borrower eliminates the money and reduces the money supply. Not an acceptable situation with respect to your legal tender medium of exchange.

Further, the Fed has historically inflated the money supply beyond the increase in the supply of goods and services thereby reducing the value of the money. Thus the US Dollar is not an acceptable store of value.

No. We don't want a fixed exchange rate for gold and silver--we want a money system in which the gold and silver is the money--legal tender for all debts public and private.

He is wrong on his proposition about money in the period from 1880 and 1914. The Treasury fixed both the exchange rate for gold to the dollar and the bank reserve ratio, thereby adjusting the available money supply and causing the economic contractions that occurred in that period.

The Federal Reserve monetary system has not worked well in America. The dollar has ceased to be an acceptable store of value and it is a marginal medium of exchange in the best of times. The Fed's ability to manipulate interest rates and money supply has deprived savers of a return on their saved capital and permitted the Fed to cause adverse economic conditions.

I view the Paul emphasis on gold money as excessive in the current political environment. The damage has been done and the cost and difficulty involved in shifting to gold money at this point will limit our ability to address other priorities.

But Rulle's approach to this issue demonstrates a lack of understanding of how the system is structured and how it operates and is inappropriate in the context of the current political environment.

38 posted on 02/21/2010 7:12:56 PM PST by David (...)
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To: Carlrob
"A link then would be appreciated to back that up"

Sorry, been here nearly nine years and I don't bookmark FR's worst threads.

39 posted on 02/21/2010 7:15:50 PM PST by Bokababe (Save Christian Kosovo! http://www.savekosovo.org)
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To: patriot preacher

My apologies. I must have misinterpreted what you said.


40 posted on 02/21/2010 7:20:16 PM PST by Engineer_Soldier (What a joke! Gov. Granholm (Michigan) was on Fox News Sunday talking about the economy.)
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