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Thursday, May 10, 2007

Who Is Ron Paul?

Washington, DC (TLS). Although polls show that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney came out the winner in the first Republican Presidential debate, another name has surfaced among the eight announced candidates as one who is gaining some support. His name is Ron Paul from Texas.

Ron Paul serves the U.S. House, representing the 14th Congressional district of Texas. Since 1997 he has served the district with distinction as one who never compromises his principles and as an unwavering advocate for upholding the tenets of the U.S. Constitution.

Trained as a medical doctor, graduating from the Duke University School of Medicine, Dr. Paul served his country as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force during the 1960s. He subsequently practiced medicine in Brazoria County, Texas for a number of years as a gynecologist/obstetrician.

Dr. Paul entered politics in the late 1970s and served in the U.S. House until 1984, when he voluntarily relinquished his seat in order to return to his medical practice. He returned to the House in 1997 and has carved out a solid reputation among his colleagues and constituents as a principled man of character who exhibits strong libertarian values. Those values include low taxes, small government, gun rights, strong defense, secure borders and immigration control, and a commitment to the pro-life position.

It is Dr. Paul's views on the Iraq War, however, that is causing the great stir among potential supporters. He has consistently said that the war is illegal according to the U.S. Constitution. His votes have portrayed that conviction. Paul voted against the Iraqi invasion and has repeatedly called for the war's end. He has even been known to say that President Bush should be impeached for sending troops to war.

Polls have shown that many who watched the Republican debate were impressed with Dr. Paul. The reason, I believe, is not simply the Iraq War. Politicians like Ron Paul are rare in America today. He does not jump on anyone's bandwagon, and proposed legislation is always put to the test of the Constitution.

Does the Constitution allow this sort of legislation? Is it consistent with the Founders' original intent?

The sudden interest in the candidacy of Ron Paul may be a signal that a significant portion of the American population is taking a new look at the Constitution as the basis for all law. Perhaps they are tired of big-government socialism AND big-government conservatism.

IF it is really true that the vast majority of the country wants 'change,' as many polls suggest, it is hard to conceive of anyone else in politics today who more fully embodies a complete change in the way government is viewed than Ron Paul.

The majority of candidates in both Parties represent business as usual, the same-old, same-old, a rehashing of old, failed ideas of an ideology that claims big government can solve the nation's ills.

One of the most solidly socialistic nations of Western Europe, France, recently showed the world that European styled Socialism does not work. For the first time in nearly 50 years, a conservative was elected as President of France. This speaks volumes.

To varying degrees ALL of the Democratic candidates are European-styled Socialists. And while the Republicans cannot be lumped together with them, they have their own baggage to carry as purveyors of 'big government conservatism,' which the Bush Administration, I am sorry to say, perfectly portrays.

Ron Paul has been a voice crying in the wilderness in the midst of both Democrats and Republicans, calling them back to the founding principles of small government and fiscal conservatism.

But Paul's philosophy is actually nothing new. It is called 'Constitutional Republicanism,' and it was embraced and espoused by the Founders of a nation called the United States of America.

For more information on Ron Paul, go to his official government website at:
http://www.house.gov/paul/bio.shtml

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed your article. One problem. Which polls were you looking at that showed Romney as the winner of the debate?

Here's what I saw.

Since the debate on May 3, Ron Paul:

* Handily won two post-debate polls posted by event sponsor MSNBC
* Placed a close third (18%) in a post-debate poll on the conservative Drudge Report
* Won an ABCNews.com online debate poll with 84%
* Won a C-SPAN online GOP candidate poll with 69%
* Became the first most-mentioned person in the blogosphere, beating out Paris Hilton, according to the reputable Technorati.com
* Produced a YouTube.com video that was ranked the 8th most popular overall video, and the most-viewed political video
* Was featured, by popular demand, on the front of Digg.com
* Generated so many bulletin posts on MySpace.com that the site owner News Corp. blocked all additional posts about Dr. Paul
* Became a "most searched" term on Google and Yahoo!
* Saw a quadrupling of daily visitors to RonPaul2008.com

Ron Paul for President 2008!!

Welshman said...

Adam,

Thanks for the compliment about my article.

I am not sure which poll it was that I saw, but I know it was either Rasmussen, Zogby, or Gallup
(if my memory serves me).

There is no doubt that Ron Paul did very well, although I gave the edge to Duncan Hunter and Mike Huckabee.

My preference is either Duncan Hunter or Fred Thompson, when he decides to announce.

But I certainly would not be against a Ron Paul surge. At this point, I would vote for any of the Republican candidates against the gang they have put forth. And Ron Paul is certainly better than Giuliani, McCain, or Romney.

Thanks for shaing your stats on Dr. Paul's recent surge in interest.

Martyn

Welshman said...

Ooops, I left out an important phrase in my last response. Last paragraph, I meant to say, I would vote for ANY of the Republicans against the gang the Democrats have put forth.

Martyn

Anonymous said...

Ron Paul Website Traffic Explodes Past Giuliani, McCain and Romney: Alexa.com Graph
http://hammer2006.blogspot.com/2007/05/ron-paul-website-traffic-explodes-past.html

Ron Paul’s Online Rise - U.S. News & World Report
http://hammer2006.blogspot.com/2007/05/ron-pauls-online-rise-u.html

Alex Hammer
Politics 2.0

Brent said...

Here is the link to the youtube video that I believe Adam is referring to. Quite a strong video.

I certainly would vote for Ron Paul. I hope to see him move up significantly in popularity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPlPT4bncq8

Welshman said...

Thanks, Brent.

A Ron Paul candidacy may be exactly what the electorate is looking for at this point in time.

With Americans turning against the War in Iraq in droves, Ron Paul was against the invasion from the start...not because he believes in cow-towing to terrorists but because he believes that the U.S. Constitution does not allow such things in the manner it was carried out.

Americans seem to be responding very well to that message.

In addition, rather than being a Leftwing nutcase pacifist, who dwells on the Liberal fringe along with the likes of John Conyers, Cindy Sheehan, Michael Moore, and George Soros, Ron Paul is a mainstream conservative libertarian who believes in low taxes, small government, gun rights, strong defense, and a secure border.

These mainstream values should play well in the heartland.

Martyn