I think the first part of understanding Ron Paul is seeing that he is not merely 'center-right' or 'libertarian' - in some sense, for better or worse, he defies traditional labeling.

I learned this the hard way when I got into an argument with my friend over who would support stricter border security measures: Rudy Giuliani or Ron Paul?

I've started to use http://votegopher.com/issue.php?can=7&issue=11 as a great resource for comparing candidates, and the results were indeed surprising. I recommend you see the comparison for yourselves, but Ron Paul actually supports building a border fence without a guest worker program or citizenship eligibility for illegals.

You can compare up to four candidates on Votegopher. I suggest you select Obama, Giuliani, Ron Paul, and Fred Thompson, and look at them on immigration - you may be as surprised as I was.

Yep, there's a lot of surprising things about Ron Paul.

But then again, Ron Paul is da man. he's like, the only one of those candidate clowns that actually seems to understand the Constitution.

I kid you not - he's the only one!!!

All the rest of these clowns, are talkin' about stuff that would require them to pull non-existent government Powers out of their backsides -

But Ron Paul, it's like everything he does - all his policies, stances, positions, debate, everything, are around one single issue: on "any" issue, Ron's question is always: "what's the Constitutional position".

In other words, the man is a great public servant, 'cause he actually wants to do his job.

All the rest of those clowns, seem to wanna to some other job, other than the one we gave 'em in the contract.

But Ron Paul, "gets it". The very first place he looks for answers, is in the contract.

And this immigration thing, is a perfect example.

The contract says, it's the President's job, to protect the common borders of the United States. It doesn't say anything about guest workers, amnesty, healthcare, or any of the rest of it. All that latter crap, is not in the Constitution, and therefore if you're trying to figure out what your priorities should be, as a public servant, the very first thing you wanna do, is do your job, as it's stated in your job description.

And in the job description, it says, the President's job is to secure the border.

Hence, that's exactly what you'll hear Ron Paul saying.

Ron Paul is da man, people. We need a guy like that in office.

Ron Paul for President!!!!

I actually like just about all of Ron Pauls economic policies after reading them.

I also agree with his domestic policies.

However, I find myself unable to want for isolationism at this time. To me it seems those days are behind us, we live in a global world now both economically and in terms of national security.

It would be nice to move in that direction, but I don't think it's is something you can just wish true. Ron Paul would be a lame duck in the white house.

I think of him as the republican Kucinich. You might agree with his ideas, but he is just a bit off base.

I hear you on the "isolationism" thing - but that's not exactly where Ron Paul's coming from, on this bit. He's not an "isolationist", in the sense that you mean it.

What he is, is "careful" with foreign entanglements.

And in that sense, he's kinda "traditionally conservative", right?

See, the whole deal is, that "globalism" is a loaded word - there are actually several separate and distinct concepts wrapped up into that.

One is, economic. "Free trade", and all that. Monetary policy, and that kind of thing. World Bank, loans to developing nations, all that....

Two is, political. "World government". United Nations. Geneva Conventions. World Court at the Hague. That kind of thing.

Third, is, national. The idea of dropping borders, and allowing "people" to move freely, for purposes of.... guest workers, let's say, or medical treatment, or simply to buy cheaper tequila or whatever.

And the fourth, cultural. The idea of dropping borders "culturally", so in this space we'd have things like the internet, you know, the technology related to communications and so on - and then also, the "Karen Hughes" bit about how you want to represent yourself to the world, that latter piece including "foreign cultures" and so on.....

So I mean, on the economic piece, Ron Paul is a fiscal conservative. And that, basically means, using your own money for your own purposes. It specifically doesn't mean, giving it away to other countries, or to "groups" like farmers or Big Oil, and so on -

And on the political piece, the "reality" in today's world, is that nations still exist, and they act in their own self-interest, so Ron Paul stands exactly where I do on this - it's like, why shape your entire foreign policy around something that doesn't even exist? The only "global political reality" in today's world, has to do with things like nuclear weapons, and the secondarily with some "social issues" like maybe Darfur and the mines in Bosnia and aids in Africa and whatever.... like that, right?

And then, on the "national" piece, is just what I said - it should be "America first". Charity starts at home. Values start at home too. We shouldn't be trying to export "anything" until we have a surplus, right?

And finally on the cultural piece, you know, Ron speaks much more eloquently on that, than I do, so....

Yeah - but "isolationism", isn't anywhere in the picture. That's not what Ron's about. He's about prudence, and reality, and a fundamental belief in the set of principles that are documented in the Constitution.

He's not an "isolationist". He just recognizes that America oughta act in its own self-interest, that's all. And I mean, that makes sense, right?

You know, I mean, Ron's mentality is kinda like mine - it's like, a) people who live in glass houses.... and therefore b) make sure your own house is in order before you go trying to clean up someone else's.

You know, it's just "basic", right?

It's like, balance your checkbook, vacuum the carpets, sweep the floors, take out the trash..... right?

Hmmmm...

Which Ron Paul Economic policies do you agree with? Aside from smaller gov of course...


Ixtellor

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George W. Bush "I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called nation-building"

Blasphemy is a victimless crime.

His votes on taxing and spending make it clear that he knows it's not his money.

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I like rubbing up against raytri on the bus.

Shhhhhhhh.... Don't dare mention to Ixtellor that the government doesn't own everyone's life and all the fruits of their labor... You'll make him cry for days.

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"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Schopenhauer

“How fortunate for leaders that men do not think.” - Adolf Hitler

"We should never forget that everything Adolf Hilter did in Germany was 'legal'" - Martin Luther King Jr., from a Birmingham jail, April 16, 1963.

Exactly - and he explained that quite well during his interview on "Face the Nation" this past Sunday.

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"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Schopenhauer

“How fortunate for leaders that men do not think.” - Adolf Hitler

"We should never forget that everything Adolf Hilter did in Germany was 'legal'" - Martin Luther King Jr., from a Birmingham jail, April 16, 1963.

I dont' care if they reduce spending. Its a good thing.

I do care about:
Gold standards and competing currency. We tried that before and if you know anything about history, you will know the consequences and why it failed.

Ixtellor

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_______________________________________
George W. Bush "I don't think our troops ought to be used for what's called nation-building"

Blasphemy is a victimless crime.

United States became the most prosperous country on the face of the earth with gold and silver legal tender, no internal taxes, and a non-interventionist foreign policy.

It will work again.

__________________
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Schopenhauer

“How fortunate for leaders that men do not think.” - Adolf Hitler

"We should never forget that everything Adolf Hilter did in Germany was 'legal'" - Martin Luther King Jr., from a Birmingham jail, April 16, 1963.