Maybe Ron Paul Needs a Second Look

A faithful reader of The Liberty Sphere, whose opinion I have come to value, has made up his mind to support Ron Paul for President. Normally I would simply chalk up such a thing to differences of opinion and move on.

But perhaps Ron Paul deserves a second look.

This is not to say I am on the brink of endorsing Mr. Paul, though I would not hesitate to vote for him if he is the GOP nominee. I simply believe that such a prospect is a long shot at best.

Mr. Paul, no doubt, has some credible ideas that have their basis in Jeffersonian thought. And there is no doubt that he is perhaps the lone voice of Constitutional reverence and adherence in American politics today.

No doubt Mr. Paul appeals to a broad cross-section of American voters in both Parties who want us out of Iraq. But most of those respondents state that they want our withdrawal contingent upon a plan to make the region stable and America the clear winner.

Mr. Paul does not hint that he is willing to give us such a plan. The only thing he has said, essentially, is that just as we entered Iraq we can simply leave Iraq.

It is much more complicated than that, however.

Further, Mr. Paul receives high marks for his contention that the Constitution mandates a declaration of war by Congress before U.S. troops can be sent into battle. Generally this is true, but the War Powers Act gives Presidents more leeway than that in a world in which split-second decisions can make the difference between life and death for millions of Americans.

Fred Thompson has also stated he would go to Congress before committing the U.S. military to war, but Thompson recognizes the prudence of the provisions of the War Powers Act in the modern era.

It is unclear if Mr. Paul grasps the extreme importance of a U.S. President being willing to act quickly under the provisions of the War Powers Act without being given the go-ahead from Congress first. In a world filled with terrorism it is unrealistic to expect the President as Commander in Chief to wait until Congress deliberates and gives its approval in the event of a major terrorist attack against Americans.

Those wasted hours could mean the horrifying loss of thousands, if not millions, of lives.

In addition, Mr. Paul gains much support due to his support of the Second Amendment. But he is not the only GOP candidate who has the credentials to speak with credibility on the subject of gun rights. Duncan Hunter, Mike Huckabee, and Fred Thompson in particular are staunch supporters of the citizens' right to keep and bear firearms.

As I have often stated, I am by no means anti-Ron Paul. There is much about the candidate that can be praised and admired. Yet there are numerous pitfalls as well. Until I get answers to my questions about the issues raised here, I am still unconvinced that he is the best candidate to go head-to-head against Hillary Clinton.