Letters to the Editor
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Me, Too
GG:
I wish it were the case that the mainstream, pro-choice liberal candidates to whom Klein is so attached cared more about these issues or were brave enough to challenge the orthodoxies which shape them.
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Lurker
[delurk]
The MSM and the major presidential primary candidates, for the most part, do not seriously address some of the most pressing issues of our time--illegal war, erosion of civil liberties, torture, habeas corpus, etc.
However, Ron Paul does raise and discuss these issues on a regular basis.
This is good and has value because many of our citizens are unaware or uninformed about these issues and thus, if it were not for Ron Paul, it is quite possible that these issues may never have been seriously addressed in the public forum. Hence, it seems that Ron Paul's candidacy, despite his many other stances with which I disagree, does serve some positive good, in that we are discussing some substantative issues that, as was stated, may not have been otherwise addressed or discussed.
So, in conclusion let's just ignore everything he or Glenn Greenwald has to say concerning these issues because 1) Ron Paul is pro-life, therefore negating everything he has to say evah and, 2) because Glenn Greenwald pointed out that maybe, just maybe, Ron Paul, despite his stance on abortion, may just have some salient points to make on issues other than abortion.
Thus, no one bothers to discuss said other issues and instead the whole thread devolves into how much more important the wedge issue of abortion is, how really evil/great Ron Paul is, or why Glenn is such a ________, (insert ad hominem or gross misunderstanding of what he wrote here).
So far, that's what I've gathered from reading the previous thread concerning this topic and await, with fresh popcorn at hand, to see how this thread will soon turn out.
[/delurk]
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I hope Glenn responds
So here's a challenge for Glenn. We agree that militarism and an imperial executive threaten democracy, and will continue to do so regardless of who next wins the presidency.
-- gadgiiberibimba
Because I'm not sure if he does agree with the last part. The question you pose is interesting, however. Take Japan: No imperial designs and no militarism. Is it a freer more democratic country? I am often amazed at the overly simplistic and utterly wrong conclusions even very smart people draw from Glenn's posts.
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He has a critical part of the answer
I listened to the Sandy Levinson interview again. (http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/12212007/profile.html)
I implore all to listen to it. My major repeating theme has been “stop blaming people because that creates more problems and start changing systems because that solves the root of the problems.” This wise Texan really helps me believe that this principle of life, not just management and leadership, that fortunately I started applying a long time ago, is critical to change and success. We ignore that principle at our peril.
I just bought Levinson’s book and plan to read it carefully as a holiday gift to me.
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-- karrsic
"You lead fish."
No, you lead ducks. Fish, you entice.
The point of Glenn's initial post on this, the one Ezra has apparently misunderstood (purposely?), is that it's difficult to understand how some folks can criticize Ron Paul while at the same time support folks like Reid who is just as much anti-choice (or more so) as Paul.
Glenn's work isn't difficult to follow if one only takes the time to try to comprehend what he's written rather than fast-tracking the blog down to the comments section so that one can display idiocy.
I wish people would take the time to actually read what Glenn says rather than reading into what he says what one wants to hear (or what one doesn't want to hear).
This post was not intended to be a slam at karrsic. His post merely served as a vessel.
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@ acefsw
Agreed.
Of all the Ron Paul negatives on my list, and I have a pretty extensive list, I have to say his position on abortion doesn't even make my list.
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@jebbie
I was having a bit of fun. Lionni's "Swimmy" is a nice story of "leading" fish.
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if none of the candidates are perfect...
.. maybe you should stop voting for people. in a real democracy, citizens vote for policies, through the referendum process. i continually read of people being unsatisfied with the system, yet no one wants to improve it.
why aren't you backing gravel's idea to 'democratize' the federal government? aren't you backing mainstream politics while pretending to oppose it?
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Support Ron Paul ?
Very good article Glenn pointing out the ins and outs of supporting a certain candidate. Ron Paul in my view is the choice to make in this next election strictly because of his great opposition to the taking away of our civil liberties and his anti global agenda on constant warfare.
The shortcomings Paul has will never be put through in any substantial form as their will be plenty of opposition to those things so people that worry about Pauls shortcomings on some issues are majoring on the minors in order to derail any chance he may have of winning.
Paul would never have the abilities or the support to change all the things people are worried about.
A Ron Paul victory would send shock waves through a corrupt governing body in DC that would very clearly shout from the rooftops that the people are tired of criminals running the country and business as usual and this in my view would be well worth a Paul administration.
He has my vote, if for no other reason than to protest.
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Ah, now we're talking
Glenn,
This is what third party advocates have been saying for a long time now. You are steps away, my friend. Steps away...
A strong third party will have (D)emocrats and (R)epublicans begging them to join them in order to establish a caucus. If they are principled, and most are, then the third party members can insist on Constitutional matters being priority #1, rather than business as usual politics.
Democracy depends on the American People electing third party candidates to National Office.
It's that or continue the slow trek towards fascism; the trek that the Democratic and Republican establishment are leading us on.
Steps away, Glenn. Steps away.
-Derek Java
ps: keep up the good work. I read almost daily.