Addressing Common Concerns with Ron Paul
When I first heard Ron Paul in the 2007 presidential debates, I thought he was a nut. I considered is ideas to be wacky, extreme, and unnecessary. However, my curiosity was consistently piqued by some of the statements he made in the debates and other interviews. After doing my own research for nearly six months, I realized that everything Ron Paul was saying made complete sense to me. This is a resource page to explain the more touchy and controversial beliefs of Ron Paul, as well as address common concerns and accusations made against Ron Paul.
1. Ron Paul on Abortion
The video cannot be shown at the moment. Please try again later.
2. Is Ron Paul Racist, Anti-Equality, or Pro-Discrimination?
The video cannot be shown at the moment. Please try again later.
3. Ron Paul and the Environment
The video cannot be shown at the moment. Please try again later.
4. Ron Paul on Illegal Drugs and the Drug War
The video cannot be shown at the moment. Please try again later.
5. Is Ron Paul an “Isolationist?”
6. Ron Paul on Immigration
The video cannot be shown at the moment. Please try again later.
7. Ron Paul on the United Nations
The UN increasingly wants to influence our domestic environmental, trade, labor, tax, and gun laws. Its global planners fully intend to expand the UN into a true world government, complete with taxes, courts, and a standing army. This is not an alarmist statement; these facts are readily promoted on the UN’s own website. UN planners do not care about national sovereignty; in fact they are actively hostile to it. They correctly view it as an obstacle to their plans. They simply aren’t interested in our Constitution and republican form of government.
The choice is very clear: we either follow the Constitution or submit to UN global governance. American national sovereignty cannot survive if we allow our domestic laws to be crafted by an international body. This needs to be stated publicly more often. If we continue down the UN path, America as we know it will cease to exist.
Noted constitutional scholar Herb Titus has thoroughly researched the United Nations and its purported “authority.” Titus explains that the UN Charter is not a treaty at all, but rather a blueprint for supranational government that directly violates the Constitution. As such, the Charter is neither politically nor legally binding upon the American people or government. The UN has no authority to make “laws” that bind American citizens, because it does not derive its powers from the consent of the American people. We need to stop speaking of UN resolutions and edicts as if they represented legitimate laws or treaties. They do not. – Ron Paul
8. If Ron Paul were to be elected, could he even change anything just as President?
“All of these measures will take a lot of work — a lot more than any one person, even the president of the United States, can accomplish by himself. In order to restore the country to the kind of government the Founders meant for us to have, a constitutionalist president would need the support of an active liberty movement. Freedom activists must be ready to pressure wavering legislators to stand up to the special interests and stay the course toward freedom. Thus, when the day comes when someone who shares our beliefs sits in the Oval Office, groups like Young Americans for Liberty and Campaign for Liberty will still have a vital role to play. No matter how many pro-freedom politicians we elect to office, the only way to guarantee constitutional government is through an educated and activist public devoted to the ideals of the liberty.” — Ron Paul, My Plan for a Freedom President
9. Isn’t Ron Paul a libertarian who hates the government?
You have been generous with facts and information. These were very thorough responses. Thank you!
So, I guess most of the assertions made were correct, however, you explained Ron Paul’s rationale… I just don’t buy his rationale.
The free market alone can increase living standards for all Americans? What about people who are disabled because of age, disease, home life or impairment? Trade can solve our world problems? I think history proves that trade, as much as governments, created many of our world problems. Did you know that David Duke supports Ron Paul and the Tea Party? If he isn’t a right wing nut I don’t know who is. (He thinks the ideas of Ron Paul legitimize much of his Nazi agenda, would stop immigration, and increase white power. I saw his video.) People should have arms not the government? Tell that to a policeman. Affirmative action isn’t needed? It accelerated inclusion, gave millions of qualified people a chance to succeed, and brought diversity in the workplace – promoting freedom,opportunity and understanding. Property rights alone will protect our environment? We tried it in the 19th and 20th centuries and it had the reverse effect. We used up resources, polluted the heck out of the place and killed people in the process. How is it that Ron Paul has so much faith in business and the free market and none in government? Government is accountable to all the people. What is business accountable to?
I say, let’s not tear down the house to fix the plumbing! We have something good that needs repair, not replacement.
Thanks again for your thoughtful attention. I will continue to try to learn more about Ron Paul. He certainly is provocative and refreshing. He brings up a lot of things that need to be addressed. His solutions, however, are hard to swallow.
Yes, it is voluntary economic that leads to societal wealth and an increased standard of living. This is why passing child labor laws in Bangladesh failed miserably – the children who were working either starved or went into prostitution to make money. The free market generates societal wealth and uplifts living standards more than anything else. Of course, like I said, if these government interventions are desired by the people they can most certainly be implemented on a state level. Is this really a radical position? This would make government more accountable to the people.
Point well taken about David Duke. That’s one person who supports Ron Paul. Does that make me and the millions of Ron Paul supporters radical right-wingers? We’re probably the most anti-war people in the country. The Communist Party has endorsed Obama again for 2012; a good deal of self-proclaimed socialists and Marxists at my college continue to support Obama. Does that mean all of Obama’s supporters are Marxists? Of course not. It’s foolish to judge based on a minuscule portion of a candidate’s supporters (whether with Ron Paul or Barack Obama).
I am not saying that trade can solve all our problems, but it surely can’t be any more devastating than the interventionist policies of the U.S. Look at the relationship between Canada and the U.S.; that is a somewhat good model of how we should treat other countries: trade with them, respect them, talk with them, etc. If you want to continue this interventionist foreign policy, how do you propose we pay for it? Do you agree that we should at least bring home the 50,000 U.S. troops stationed in Germany? Should other countries be allowed to open military bases in the U.S.?
There’s no need to caricature what I’m saying about people owning guns. Tyrannical governments often disarm the populace. Here’s a quote from Gandhi in his autobiography:
“Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest.”
Law-abiding citizens should be able to own guns. Government’s role is to enforce contracts and hold people accountable.
The income of black people was increasing at a faster rate before the 1964 Civil Rights Act than the five years after. Thomas Sowell and Walter Williams are two black economists who have done considerable research on the detrimental effects of affirmative action; I encourage you to look into their work. Also of interest will be this article from historian Thomas E. Woods, Jr.:
Discrimination Myths that Everyone Believes: http://www.lewrockwell.com/woods/woods32.html
Regarding the environment, you missed the point of what I have been saying. These detrimental environmental policies stem from the 19th century. For example, it was the subsidized government railroads in the 19th century that led to wasted resources, slaughtering Native Americans, and very detrimental environmental practices. James J. Hill, a free market railroad entrepreneur who refused any government assistance, built a transcontinental railroad from St. Louis to Washington state. Hill negotiated peacefully with Indians, had incredibly cheap fares, and his railroad continued operating through the tough economic climate of the 1890′s.
Native Americans used property rights negotiations to prevent over-hunting and over-fishing. If you’re interested in property rights protecting the environment I can provide you with more resources.
Ron Paul has faith in individual liberty. Government, over time, tends to detract individual liberty and become a monster in and of itself. Consider: are government armies or private individuals responsible for more deaths and misery in the world? Thomas Jefferson’s quote is appropriate:
“The natural progress of things is for liberty to yeild, and government to gain ground.”
“The worst evils which mankind has ever had to endure were inflicted by bad governments. The state can be and has often been in the course of history the main source of mischief and disaster.” — Ludwig von Mises
Remember, it’s not as if Ron Paul can immediately change everything. He recognizes that the change has to come directly from the people. As President he could end the wars and return the U.S. to a more sensible foreign policy. He could pardon non-violent drug users stuck in crowded prisons. He could end federal raids on raw milk and marijuana businesses. Something like withdrawing from the U.N. (and other policies that you’re likely concerned about) could only be done through the Congress. We’re looking for a Ron Paul presidency, not a Ron Paul dictatorship.