What do you think of Ron Paul?

[Soufrika]

Were I a Republican, Paul would have my vote. I'm a little wary of his minimal-market-interference position, but that's all about him that bugs me. He'd make a better Presidential candidate than all the other Republican nominees IMHO.

[Tmutarakhan]

Because the states have the habit of choosing to ban it outright, maybe?

So some states choosing to ban it, while others choose to accept it is a far worse solution than one unilateral decision that applies to all 50 states?

It leaves the choice up to each individual, which ought to be the default position for anyone who professes to favor liberty.

[Turok]

So some states choosing to ban it, while others choose to accept it is a far worse solution than one unilateral decision that applies to all 50 states?

It leaves the choice up to each individual, which ought to be the default position for anyone who professes to favor liberty.

If only it was that easy.

[AiliailiA]

The state Supreme Court that is.

Meh just keep on truckin with it until it gets into the Federal courts if at all possible. If this is not possible, obviously going to Congress and having a rapechild right in the chamber to maybe shame them into doing something would be an option.

Paul wants to remove appeal of state laws to the US Supreme Court. He also seems to think Roe v. Wade is something that can be "repealed" and wants a federal definition of life as beginning at conception.

ie, State's Rights, providing the states' laws can do without Roe v. Wade and only need a slight rewrite of the murders statutes in each state.

[Turok]

What do you all think of his idea of a "flat tax"?

I forgot what debate he mentioned that in.

[Nationstatelandsville]

What do you all think of his idea of a "flat tax" across the board set at 1%?

I forgot what debate he mentioned that in.

Wait, what? That's... that's an idiotic idea. We literally could not function on 1%.

[Turok]

What do you all think of his idea of a "flat tax" across the board set at 1%?

I forgot what debate he mentioned that in.

Wait, what? That's... that's an idiotic idea. We literally could not function on 1%.

Forgot the 0, it's supposed to be 10%, and gets you out of subsidized government entities. (SS, medicare, etc...)

[Nationstatelandsville]

Wait, what? That's... that's an idiotic idea. We literally could not function on 1%.

Forgot the 0, it's supposed to be 10%, and gets you out of subsidized government entities. (SS, medicare, etc...)

That's still a bad idea, too low. Although, a flat tax rate for everybody, regardless of income, is something we should strive for, if at all possible.

[Moral Libertarians]

While he makes a refreshing alternative to the corporate cronies and rabid conservatives that make up the other candidates on both sides, I disagree with quite a few of his positions.

Plus, if elected, his efforts at reform would be resisted by the establishment.

[Free Soviets]

ok, now keep thinking. suppose this rape victim lives in a state where such an abortion is illegal. her rights have been denied. she is less free than if the federal government forced the state to allow her abortion.

that's how.

And what if the Fed outlawed it altogether, alternatively?

they neither will nor could. and if they did, the rape victim's rights would be exactly as violated. so the most important thing obviously must be a defense of her rights, not an attempt to allow her rights to be violated.

[Tmutarakhan]

It leaves the choice up to each individual, which ought to be the default position for anyone who professes to favor liberty.

If only it was that easy.

It is.

[Wikkiwallana]

I think he's a nut that has no business having any kind of political power. I wouldn't trust him to run a town council.

[AiliailiA]

What do you all think of his idea of a "flat tax"?

for instance

On November 20, 2008 Ron Paul said in a New York Times / Freakonomics interview:

“I want to abolish the income tax, but I don’t want to replace it with anything. About 45 percent of all federal revenue comes from the personal income tax. That means that about 55 percent — over half of all revenue — comes from other sources, like excise taxes, fees, and corporate taxes.

We could eliminate the income tax, replace it with nothing, and still fund the same level of big government we had in the late 1990s. We don’t need to “replace” the income tax at all. I see a consumption tax as being a little better than the personal income tax, and I would vote for the Fair-Tax if it came up in the House of Representatives, but it is not my goal. We can do better.”

He doesn't like the federal income tax, because it is progressive. He likes excise tax ... like they use in the States:

[Wikkiwallana]

Leaving issues to the states is not Libertarianism. It's federal Libertarianism, but it isn't Libertarianism, given that his policies are facility for authoritarianism in the more socially conservative states.

Thank you.

[Wikkiwallana]

he's an authoritarian racist who buys a lot of strange conspiracy theories. or at least an authoritarian who let undeniable bigots and conspiracy-mongers ghostwrite for him for years and who just so happens to oppose the civil rights act and has weird notions about economics. in other words, he's a bog-standard member of the radical right.

Is that code for "libertarian"?

I would love to see a source for this baseless assumption, please.

One authoritarian eample here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/We_the_Peo ... People_Act

[Wikkiwallana]

Some of his positions are crazy and don't make sense, such as dealing with Iran. I don't agree with him at all, but I still respect him because he doesn't change his positions that much.

Why is refusal to admit you are wrong when presented with significant evidence an admirable thing?

[Drobak]

Ron Paul is the man. Ron Paul 2012.

[Wikkiwallana]

I'm Democrat but if a Republican was to take over the Presidency I would be most comfortable with Ron Paul.

Good grief, WHY? The man's policies are antithetical to a large number of things the democratic party has spent decades achieving.

[Wikkiwallana]

Ron Paul believes that marriage is a civil matter and that government should not interfere in marriage be it homosexual or heterosexual.

Bull and shit.

[Erendi]

I can agree with him on some things but I don't think I'd ever vote for him. I really don't think the Federal Reserve is the problem economically but rather the lack of regulations on banks. Anyways seems a bit too socially conservative for my tastes.

[Wikkiwallana]

Which in and of itself is a poor political opinion.

How?

Shit like this. For the record, I'm a Christian who thinks abortion should only ever be done in an emergency, and even I think this is a horrible idea.

[Wikkiwallana]

He speaks up civil liberties about how the government shouldn't decide what goes on in one's body, right? Then why does he want the states to decide, at all, what women do within their own bodies?

He refers the to FEDERAL government making unilateral decisions across all states, and not allowing the central government to dictate what the people choose to do, and lets the smaller local governments decide what is best for their state, town, city, village, etc...

Human rights don't change based on what part of the country you are in. Laws regarding them shouldn't either.

[Cannatella Mafia Family]

Foreign policy mess. Libertarian conservative. Has no chance at RNC nomination.

[Turok]

He refers the to FEDERAL government making unilateral decisions across all states, and not allowing the central government to dictate what the people choose to do, and lets the smaller local governments decide what is best for their state, town, city, village, etc...

Human rights don't change based on what part of the country you are in. Laws regarding them shouldn't either.

Agreed, but the argument he is making is that the Fed gov has no business making a unilateral decision on that issue.

Alternately, the same could be said regarding substance use, where's the human rights in that argument? Seems kind of hypocritical.

[The Imperial Federacy]

I'm not awfully familiar with everything he's advocating for, but I remember doing a school paper for him several years ago. As mentioned already, he's pretty consistent with his beliefs and I appreciate that he doesn't flip-flop like many other politicians. Plus, he's got a friendly look to him.