Letters to the Editor
-
Ron Paul credited with creating debate
If nothing else, Ron Paul can be credited with creating real debate and engagement within our society about the role of government, executive power, authenticity in politicians, and the place of the United States in the world. Love him or hate him, this is one of the few positives to date in this campaign.
I've heard many here talk about rejecting Paul based on some point of differentiation with libertarian philosophy. Ron Paul is clearly not a libertarian and was not even seen as an ideologically spotless candidate by the Libertarian Party when he ran back in 1988. If I recall, this was particularly true around issues of religion and state and reproductive rights, although the latter is certainly not settled debate within the libertarian movement today. Paul is more accurately described as a constitutionalist, one who does project the interplay between religion and government from hundreds of years ago on the role religion should have today, a position I personally disagree with but would overlook in favor of a higher benefit that I set out below.
If Ron Paul were elected President, let's remember that the existing Congress will remain largely intact, and the rulings of the federal courts will continue along their recent patterns. All Ron Paul can do is start to move the discourse and probably rule by veto, attempting to shift society's interaction with government. I still expect to be both a servant and ward of the state for some time to come. It's in this construct that I would not reject Paul based on a point of differentiation with his constitutionalist views; his impact will be severely limited despite the clarity of his goals.
The real outcome I would expect over Paul's first term would be a fast shift to some of the most egregious transgressions by the current administration, particularly in US foreign policy, entitlement program growth, and deficit spending. I see Hillary, Obama, Guiliani and Romney as no different from the Bush policies in this broader regard. I think it would take at least one presidential term to see a healthier set of world relationships result from a less adventurous and demanding United States, even if we cease financial support to many now addicted to US foreign aid. In terms of other parts of our establishment including the basic income tax construct, our social security pyramid scheme, and even the law-enforcement-enriching war on drugs, I think it unlikely that significant changes would be adopted in any rapid fashion as much as I think society could benefit from them.