Originally Posted by Fear-And-Loathing

So he would be considered a 'Tory' (in the American sense of the word)?

Let's look at what Ron Paul stands for:

-Limited Government
-Rejection of unbalanced budgets
-Non Intervention
-Abolishment of the IRS and Income Tax

The Tory's stood for:

-Closer ties with the UK

Now this is significant because this shows how the 'Torys' favoured just accepting Britain's will which had clearly been demonstrated over the 18th century (intervening on Britains side in it's imperial wars in America and funding them through the American taxpayer). So essentially the 'Torys' placed faith in a system that was not accountable because it was unelected which is what you get with increased government. I would compare the 'Torys' to modern day Socialists, that is, they place a high value of faith in the ability of an increased government which is unelected, thus unaccountable and paid for by taxpayers.

Now, let's have a look at some quotes from the 'Founding Fathers':

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. Already they have raised up a monied aristocracy that has set the government at defiance. The issuing power (of money) should be taken away from the banks and restored to the people to whom it properly belongs."

-Thomas Jefferson

I place economy among the first and most important virtues, and public debt as the greatest of dangers to be feared. To preserve our independence, we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. If we run into such debts, we must be taxed in our meat and drink, in our necessities and in our comforts, in our labor and in our amusements. If we can prevent the government from wasting the labor of the people, under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy.

-Thomas Jefferson

“peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.”

-Thomas Jefferson

So you are comparing Ron Paul to the Tory's, just to clarify?

Anyway, back to the point, the Torys were considered Conservatives back then because they didn't want to break with the past unlike the Founding Fathers who were Revolutionary Liberals.

Originally Posted by DanteAugustusGermanicus

Well they were most surely not conservatives.

Originally Posted by Toby

All American mordern day conservative values listed here. There are no modern day liberal values listed here. > Conservative Quotes From Our Founding Fathers.

Originally Posted by DanteAugustusGermanicus

what are you smoking?

Originally Posted by DanteAugustusGermanicus

Ron Paul is a whack job.

Originally Posted by Toby

I waiting for you to name one!

Originally Posted by DanteAugustusGermanicus

Well they were most surely not conservatives.

Originally Posted by masterproctor

True Conservtives (the libertarian sort) today are traditionalists in the sense they want to refer back to the tradition of the constitution. However Founding fathers were very "liberal" for their contextual setting since they wanted to radically shift the form of politics existing at that time, but they bare little resemblence to the modern day Liberal movement in the United States.

Originally Posted by DanteAugustusGermanicus

Ron Paul is a whack job.