Letters to the Editor

Ron Paul distortions and smears What are the motives behind calling the doctor and longtime congressman "crazy" and distorting his record? Glenn Greenwald [2007-11-12]

• a welcome corrective

  thank you glenn. imo, the blogosphere needed a post like this - and probably no one could pull it off as you have done.

  i've tried engaging with david neiwart in his comments and been completely frustrated by his lack of a response (and i am a big fan otherwise) - my complaints have been 1) guilt by association and 2) judging paul on a double standard.

  the best i can explanation (which may be totally wrong - i'm really just guessin) is that some of paul positions, when seen as social signifiers, set off alarm bells with dave because they are social signifiers that are shared by the dangerous supremist groups he studies. i don't see it that way because i've known people who shared some of paul's ideas - who wouldn't hurt a fly (seriously - one of them would take insects from inside the house and release them outside).

  i don't share paul's politics... but i admire his principles. and i think if conservatives had more people like fein and paul - and progressives had more people like kucinich, our politics would be much improved. at least we'd agree that we wouldn't torture people, or attack other counties without cause, no warrantless spying. we'd all agree to respect habeas, due process and fair trials and fair elections. i'm sure the arguments over health care and taxes everything else would be intense - but at lease we'd agree to follow the rules which govern how political decisions get made. somehow i think we'd find our way.

  p.s. don't know if you've seen this - but here's a clip of ron paul talking about dennis kucinich. worth seeing.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJcnoDfFWhM

  -- selise
  [Read selise's other letters]
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