josephadel_3
02-11-2008, 12:20 AM
For my American Government class. We had this debate, and then write a paper summarizing our candidates views, focusing on foreign policy, the environment, health care, immigration, economic policy, and education. My primary source was his website. Here it is. Tell me what you think.
Ron Paul on the Issues
Ron Paul has clear positions on every debated topic in politics, including foreign policy, the environment, health care, immigration, economic policy, and education. He is the only conservative running for president and has the record to prove it. In ten terms in Congress, Dr. Paul has never voted for a tax increase, never voted for an unbalanced budget, and never voted for an unconstitutional war or government program. He is the only true conservative running for office. Unfortunately, today the word conservative has several unfavorable connotations including supporting preemptive war and fiscal irresponsibility, legislating morals, invading privacy, and the reduction of civil liberties. The conservative base has changed from its libertarian roots into a monster set on self destruct. Ron Paul wants to bring the Republican Party back to its roots and he tells voters exactly how he will do it.
On this issue of foreign policy, as president and commander in chief, Ron Paul would bring the troops home immediately. Not only would he bring the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan, Ron Paul would bring the troops home from everywhere. By keeping troops in South Korea, Germany, and around the world, the United States undermines other countries’ national sovereignty was well as our own. It is too costly to continue this aggressive foreign policy, and we have absolutely no money left to fund this preemptive war and aggressive foreign policy. We have to borrow money from China and Saudi Arabia, two unfriendly nations, to fund this disgraceful foreign policy.
The United States invaded Iraq on false pretenses. There were no weapons of mass destruction, and al Qaeda had no organization there. Our presence is now an excuse for al-Qaeda to recruit terrorists. We should ask ourselves how we would like it if another nation invaded our own soil. Obviously, we would be furious and grab a gun, which is exactly what the insurgents are doing. We do not need to police the world. We should follow the constitution that says only Congress can make a declaration of war. The founders’ knew that when one person held the authority to go to war, there was tyranny. When war is not declared, the wars never end. When the wars finally do end, we are usually defeated or at a stalemate, because there was not a just reason for going to war. Have we learned nothing from Korea, Vietnam, etc? America should return to the principles of the founders’ and not start wars.
All empires of the world have fallen for monetary reasons. This is why our foreign policy needs to be changed dramatically, and focus on defense, not a stagnant, meandering offense. We are stretched too thin, and our foreign policy is the main reason we are running out of money. America doesn’t even have zero dollars. We wish we had that much. The national debt is nothing more than stealing from our grandchildren.
The Constitution was not written perfectly, but it was probably the best ever written. Its beauty was its simplicity, and it provided everything needed for a prosperous nation. Our free market used to be the envy of the world. Now we are dependent on other nations because of the catastrophe of managed trade organizations such as the WTO, NAFTA, and CAFTA. We need to eliminate these programs, because in a truly free market, trade does not need to be managed and the individual consumer drives the market, not the president. The president isn’t supposed to manage the economy. We also need to cut unconstitutional government programs, such as the Department of Education, the CIA, and the IRS.
On the issue of currency, Ron Paul will institute competing currencies, which will make gold and silver legal tender. Currently, only worthless paper, backed by zero gold is legal tender. The Federal Reserve has a monopoly on the money supply, is a private, secretive bank, and prints money out of thin air to supply the money hungry Congress. They can’t print too much, so they suggest borrowing from China or other foreign banks. The Federal Reserve is unconstitutional, and no more federal than Federal Express. In fact, it’s right next to Federal Express in the business pages. Once gold and silver become legal tender, it will be possible to start to end the monopoly that is the Federal Reserve System. If the Federal Reserve did not exist, our nation would not be in a recession heading towards a complete collapse.
Just as the Federal Reserve is unconstitutional, so is the FDA and federal involvement in health care. Instead of supporting individual health choice and freedom, the federal government puts corporate interests and big pharmaceuticals first, which limits treatments options. If it were not for the federal government, almost everyone would be able to afford health insurance. Because of the insurance crisis, some people such as Hillary Clinton have proposed socialized medicine. However, the federal government will not magically become efficient with your health, and government health care only means lack of choice, poor quality, long lines, and frustration.
Americans also deserve choice when it comes to educating their children. The federal government has no constitutional authority to decide what, when, and how our children will learn. This is why the wasteful Department of Education should be removed and have its functions rightfully returned to the states where teachers and parents can best decide how to use resources. Once federal subsidies are removed, costs will go down because subsidies only inflate the cost of education. Dr. Paul has introduced the Family Freedom Education Act, which will give a tax credit of up to 5,000 per year of attendance at a parochial, private, or religious elementary or secondary school. He has also introduced a bill that will give elementary and secondary teachers up to a 3,000 yearly tax credit that will ease financial burden and encourage good teachers to remain in an underpaid profession.
The federal government is the largest polluter in the country. It facilitates pollution, and generally disrespects our personal property rights. In a truly free market, the consumer would be given the opportunity to support or not support a company or corporation that pollutes his or her property. When government is involved, this choice is removed.
Ron Paul has the clearest stance on immigration, and that is to enforce and respect the law. He has a six point plan for immigration. This includes physically securing our borders and coastlines, enforcing visa rules, eliminating welfare and amnesty for illegal aliens, ending birthright citizenship, and passing true immigration reform. A nation without borders isn’t a nation. We continue to secure international borders, while our own is left unsecured and unguarded. We must enforce visa rules, and deport those with expired visas, especially considering several of those terrorists on 9/11 had expired visas. We also need to stop rewarding those who violate our laws. This means ending welfare for illegal aliens.
As you can see, Ron Paul has a clear position on almost every issue. He is principled, and the number one candidate for individual liberty, freedom, and justice. This is why he has my vote.
Ron Paul on the Issues
Ron Paul has clear positions on every debated topic in politics, including foreign policy, the environment, health care, immigration, economic policy, and education. He is the only conservative running for president and has the record to prove it. In ten terms in Congress, Dr. Paul has never voted for a tax increase, never voted for an unbalanced budget, and never voted for an unconstitutional war or government program. He is the only true conservative running for office. Unfortunately, today the word conservative has several unfavorable connotations including supporting preemptive war and fiscal irresponsibility, legislating morals, invading privacy, and the reduction of civil liberties. The conservative base has changed from its libertarian roots into a monster set on self destruct. Ron Paul wants to bring the Republican Party back to its roots and he tells voters exactly how he will do it.
On this issue of foreign policy, as president and commander in chief, Ron Paul would bring the troops home immediately. Not only would he bring the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan, Ron Paul would bring the troops home from everywhere. By keeping troops in South Korea, Germany, and around the world, the United States undermines other countries’ national sovereignty was well as our own. It is too costly to continue this aggressive foreign policy, and we have absolutely no money left to fund this preemptive war and aggressive foreign policy. We have to borrow money from China and Saudi Arabia, two unfriendly nations, to fund this disgraceful foreign policy.
The United States invaded Iraq on false pretenses. There were no weapons of mass destruction, and al Qaeda had no organization there. Our presence is now an excuse for al-Qaeda to recruit terrorists. We should ask ourselves how we would like it if another nation invaded our own soil. Obviously, we would be furious and grab a gun, which is exactly what the insurgents are doing. We do not need to police the world. We should follow the constitution that says only Congress can make a declaration of war. The founders’ knew that when one person held the authority to go to war, there was tyranny. When war is not declared, the wars never end. When the wars finally do end, we are usually defeated or at a stalemate, because there was not a just reason for going to war. Have we learned nothing from Korea, Vietnam, etc? America should return to the principles of the founders’ and not start wars.
All empires of the world have fallen for monetary reasons. This is why our foreign policy needs to be changed dramatically, and focus on defense, not a stagnant, meandering offense. We are stretched too thin, and our foreign policy is the main reason we are running out of money. America doesn’t even have zero dollars. We wish we had that much. The national debt is nothing more than stealing from our grandchildren.
The Constitution was not written perfectly, but it was probably the best ever written. Its beauty was its simplicity, and it provided everything needed for a prosperous nation. Our free market used to be the envy of the world. Now we are dependent on other nations because of the catastrophe of managed trade organizations such as the WTO, NAFTA, and CAFTA. We need to eliminate these programs, because in a truly free market, trade does not need to be managed and the individual consumer drives the market, not the president. The president isn’t supposed to manage the economy. We also need to cut unconstitutional government programs, such as the Department of Education, the CIA, and the IRS.
On the issue of currency, Ron Paul will institute competing currencies, which will make gold and silver legal tender. Currently, only worthless paper, backed by zero gold is legal tender. The Federal Reserve has a monopoly on the money supply, is a private, secretive bank, and prints money out of thin air to supply the money hungry Congress. They can’t print too much, so they suggest borrowing from China or other foreign banks. The Federal Reserve is unconstitutional, and no more federal than Federal Express. In fact, it’s right next to Federal Express in the business pages. Once gold and silver become legal tender, it will be possible to start to end the monopoly that is the Federal Reserve System. If the Federal Reserve did not exist, our nation would not be in a recession heading towards a complete collapse.
Just as the Federal Reserve is unconstitutional, so is the FDA and federal involvement in health care. Instead of supporting individual health choice and freedom, the federal government puts corporate interests and big pharmaceuticals first, which limits treatments options. If it were not for the federal government, almost everyone would be able to afford health insurance. Because of the insurance crisis, some people such as Hillary Clinton have proposed socialized medicine. However, the federal government will not magically become efficient with your health, and government health care only means lack of choice, poor quality, long lines, and frustration.
Americans also deserve choice when it comes to educating their children. The federal government has no constitutional authority to decide what, when, and how our children will learn. This is why the wasteful Department of Education should be removed and have its functions rightfully returned to the states where teachers and parents can best decide how to use resources. Once federal subsidies are removed, costs will go down because subsidies only inflate the cost of education. Dr. Paul has introduced the Family Freedom Education Act, which will give a tax credit of up to 5,000 per year of attendance at a parochial, private, or religious elementary or secondary school. He has also introduced a bill that will give elementary and secondary teachers up to a 3,000 yearly tax credit that will ease financial burden and encourage good teachers to remain in an underpaid profession.
The federal government is the largest polluter in the country. It facilitates pollution, and generally disrespects our personal property rights. In a truly free market, the consumer would be given the opportunity to support or not support a company or corporation that pollutes his or her property. When government is involved, this choice is removed.
Ron Paul has the clearest stance on immigration, and that is to enforce and respect the law. He has a six point plan for immigration. This includes physically securing our borders and coastlines, enforcing visa rules, eliminating welfare and amnesty for illegal aliens, ending birthright citizenship, and passing true immigration reform. A nation without borders isn’t a nation. We continue to secure international borders, while our own is left unsecured and unguarded. We must enforce visa rules, and deport those with expired visas, especially considering several of those terrorists on 9/11 had expired visas. We also need to stop rewarding those who violate our laws. This means ending welfare for illegal aliens.
As you can see, Ron Paul has a clear position on almost every issue. He is principled, and the number one candidate for individual liberty, freedom, and justice. This is why he has my vote.