Topic: Ron Paul
Is Ron Paul a Good Measure for Congressional Candidates? Many involved in the sweeping movement known as the “Ron Paul Revolution” are starting to turn their focus on Congressional races and attempting to develop a basis for measuring the candidates they will support.by Gary Wood
(conservative libertarian)
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Knowing which candidates will earn your vote is important. This year is especially critical if you are among those in the United States growing concerned we are heading in a dangerous direction away from the Constitutional foundation that created our Federalist Republic. During the past year Ron Paul has been a lighting rod for the message of liberty and its requirement for greater personal responsibility and less federal government interference. At the same time Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are fighting over the millions attracted by the opposite message of greater federal government and less personal responsibility.
The Democratic National Committee is committed to increasing the number of party members in both the Senate and the House to help push their agenda into law. The Legislative Branch, the people's branch, is the most critical fight freedom minded voters can tackle. We must do all we can to send as many people to Congress this year and every year moving forward who share core beliefs of liberty and freedom. The party these people belong to is not as important as the core beliefs they represent. To properly represent you they must share your core beliefs.
Understand the issues Ron Paul supports and you will understand your foundation better. Like most of his supporters you may not agree with all of his stances yet knowing them provides the measuring stick for candidates running for the House and Senate in your State and district. Here's a quick guide to making sure your vote goes to someone who deserves it, a candidate who earns the honor of being given your voice through your vote.
Once you've studied all the issues identify your key issues while not getting lost in all the details. There will not be a single candidate 100% in support of your personal stances. Pick no more than six to use as a measure for casting your vote. As an example here's my top six.
a. Is the person liberty-minded? Listen close to the candidate's words and actions. A liberty-minded candidate is easy to spot simply due to the fact these candidates expect people to be more responsible than government. Instead of providing the feel good answers of the federal government caring for the people liberty-minded candidates will speak about less from the federal government; less taxation, less spending, fewer agencies, and less regulation of daily lives.
b. Does the person want a change in how we treat our world neighbors? If there is a desire to maintain a large oversees military presence then it is more likely the candidate supports our current foreign policy. This policy is not inline with constitutionally minded individuals. Freedom cannot be forced upon other nations nor can peace be maintained through long-term occupation of other countries. Ron Paul reminds us, "We now have in place a policy, driven by determined neo-conservatives, to promote American "goodness" and democracy throughout the world by military force-- with particular emphasis on remaking the Middle East."
c. What type of monetary system does the candidate endorse? When a candidate fails to understand the negative impact our privatized, paper money has on individual inflation there's no chance they will support changing it. As Dr. Paul states, "Restoring soundness to the dollar will remove the government's ability and incentive to inflate the currency, and keep us from launching unconstitutional wars that burden our economy to excess." He further explains, "Basic economics tells us that the more there is of a good, the less valuable it becomes. This is also true of money."
d. Is the candidate willing to work toward elimination of the income tax system and repealing the 16th Amendment? Throughout history civil societies have been destroyed by taxing production. Income taxes represent a direct tax on production. Thomas Jefferson stated, "A wise and good government shall not take from the mouths of labor the bread it has earned."
While discussing the idea of ending the income tax Ron Paul said, "If you think that government has to take care of us, from cradle to grave, & if you think our government should police the world and spend hundreds of billions of dollars on a foreign policy that we cannot manage, you can't get rid of the IRS." Reducing the size of the federal government is required if we are to end the destructive nature of income taxation. We now have 95 years of proof it is a bad system.
e. Will the candidate support a strong national defense? Changing our aggressive nature toward other countries does not mean we suddenly become either isolated or passive toward potential threats to this nation. As Dr. Paul reminds us, "One of the key responsibilities of the federal government in providing for national defense is protection of liberty here at home. Fear and insecurity must not drive our policies." Having a strong military and proper immigration policies are important factors in providing for the defense of the nation. Paul again states, "It has been over 6 years since the atrocities of September 11 were committed and there are still some very basic measures that need to be taken to bring the perpetrators to justice and make America safer."
f. Does the candidate understand and uphold the oath of office? This may seem simple at first and most will nonchalantly say of course they uphold their oath. Yet many don't understand the oath, especially when it comes to defending the constitution against enemies both foreign and domestic. If there is support for party positions that are not in keeping with the constitution the candidate does not understand or honor this oath.
You must learn which of your representatives are up for reelection and study their record. In your studies if you have concerns regarding how well they measure up consider casting your vote for another candidate. When there is no candidate that measures up join with others to recruit a new candidate for the office. There are growing resources to help new candidates overcome the challenges of running for office. Visit Freeople.com and other sites to learn about these resources and help candidates learn about them as well. Campaign for your candidate!
Avoid the "don't waste your vote" trap set by many. The only way to waste your vote is when you cast it for someone that doesn't measure up. Each election cycle make sure to repeat this process and your voice will help turn this nation around. Above all, don't allow yourself to feel it is hopeless; there is great hope for America because you are actively educating and involving yourself while inspiring others to do the same!
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2008 by Gary Wood - Permission to copy with attribution granted.
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