Issue: Education: Closing down departments; Educating People about Ron Paul

[Broadlighter]

I just got off of a discussion thread on YouTube on the Ron Paul channel, responding to someone who was panicked over Ron Paul's desire to shut down the Department of Education.

I think rather than belittling people for their objections to Ron Paul, we should take this as an opportunity to educate people about Dr. Paul's Libertarian philosophy of small government.

The person on YouTube I responded seemed to think that shutting down the Department of Education meant the end of public education. I replied that what it would do is shift responsibility and funding back to the states and free-market, which in our view would better serve the educational needs of people.

I would like to encourage everyone here to think about this when someone raises a question or objection to Ron Paul's stands on issues like abortion, education, foreign policy, the war in Iraq, the Federal Reserve and IRS, Immigration, etc...

If you have any ideas about how to articulate Ron Paul's position, please share them here.

I think it's important to apply the 'Big Tent' concept the GOP is famous for when addressing these issues. We want to bring people in. That's what will help us win this election. We're not going to win everyone over, but when people stop to think about what personal liberty through small government really means, they'll get the real picture.

[angrydragon]

Education is a service, like every other service, it usually is better to have a free-market competition for that service, prices will drop and cost less compared to the government. The less government, the less expensive everything gets. One, you'd probably stop paying property taxes for schools, (I don't think the income tax provides for schools). Two, the end of the income tax won't hurt the government much if it just cuts back a bit, it still gets to spend about 1 trillion dollars/year from other taxes. Three, parents would get to choose what schools their children goto for education, no more government enforcement of choosing schools for their kids.

[Spirit of '76]

I think it's important to apply the 'Big Tent' concept the GOP is famous for when addressing these issues. We want to bring people in. That's what will help us win this election. We're not going to win everyone over, but when people stop to think about what personal liberty through small government really means, they'll get the real picture.

Very true. Much of Dr. Paul's appeal comes from the fact that he calmly and rationally explains his position to those who express doubt. Contrast this to a Rudy McRomney type, who goes on the offensive and accuses those who question of being unAmerican.

We need to be like Dr. Paul here. Calm, rational, sincere, open, and friendly. That will win the day.

If someone wants to argue endlessly or gets too heated with you, I'd suggest you just smile and say something like, "Well, we're both allowed to express our own opinions. It says so in the Constitution. I'm just glad we have someone like Ron Paul who is fighting to preserve that Constitution." :)