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griblets
01-19-2012, 12:35 PM
I've been a Ron Paul supporter since 2007. My father-in-law has has some questions that I would like to answer. He is an open minded Republican who is finding himself more liberal in his older age. He gets most of his news from CNN, but is very Internet savvy. I can answer a few of his questions myself, but I would really like to hear from you to help me respond. Please site references and/or links to videos or articles. It's been a while since I've visited this forum, but I realize that I should have been coming here for advice in my personal debates with family and friends via email and FB. I hopeful to get some good help. Thank in advance for any help. Here are his questions:

"My biggest concern is not where Paul wants to go, but what kind of upheavals will occur while we are getting there.

How will the world financial system react to the process of scrapping the Federal Reserve?
What kind of reaction will there be to eliminating the income tax?
How will poor people react to lower welfare and food stamps?
Will some countries move away from democracy when we eliminate foreign aid?
If we drastically cut the level of our armed forces, will those troops add to our unemployment problem?
How will citizens react to the elimination of universal health care?
How will the military/industrial complex react to a poorer, weakened military? How will Russia and China react?
etc, etc

These aren't little changes, they are BIG changes. People resist change, even slow change. JMHO."

acptulsa
01-19-2012, 01:09 PM
"My biggest concern is not where Paul wants to go, but what kind of upheavals will occur while we are getting there.
[LIST]
How will the world financial system react to the process of scrapping the Federal Reserve?

Not well. But if they manipulate silver and/or gold, we'll barter. Humans are adaptable. As long as we can instill a mindset in people of it's us vs. the 'one percent' we'll do what we have to do to short-circuit their machinations.


What kind of reaction will there be to eliminating the income tax?

A damned good one in most circles. But don't count on state income taxes disappearing--they likely won't


How will poor people react to lower welfare and food stamps?

Who's to say that will happen? Getting the federal government out of the loop will just increase efficiency, and lead to more of the tax money generated for the purpose reaching the people these things are intended to serve. Look at any food stamp card today, and the first thing you'll notice is that it's emblazoned with the name of the state which issued it...


Will some countries move away from democracy when we eliminate foreign aid?

Does our foreign aid promote democracy? That's a highly debatable point. Seems to me that aid goes to more petty dictators than true republics.


If we drastically cut the level of our armed forces, will those troops add to our unemployment problem?

That's not the way it worked in 1946. The strain and drain of warfare was lifted from the economy, and in those days of relatively unfettered free enterprise, the free market responded to that weight being lifted from its shoulders by springing into action and employing our doughboys by the millions. That said, don't overestimate the numbers of troops that will be cut. Our wars are to no small degree automated these days, and our defensive capability right now is pretty damned low with the strain of maintaining our several offenses underway. Ron Paul intends to restore our defensive capability, and that will keep quite a proportion of our military personnel busy.


How will citizens react to the elimination of universal health care?

What universal health care? The only people who have that now are over 65, and Ron Paul doesn't intend to rip the rug out from under them. He has made that clear. He may turn it all over to the states, but not until they're ready to take up the slack.


How will the military/industrial complex react to a poorer, weakened military? How will Russia and China react?

The military industrial complex will be pissy, but that doesn't mean I want them running this country. China will probably react either by heaving a sigh of relief and chilling out, or by trying to engage in a little imperialism on their own. How well that goes over depends upon how good a job we do of restoring ourselves to a position of being able to demonstrate how well liberty and a free republic really works. In any case, China won't be coming over here, because our offense may be weakened, but our defense will be stronger than ever before.[/QUOTE]

fisharmor
01-19-2012, 01:25 PM
How will the world financial system react to the process of scrapping the Federal Reserve?
Nobody is scrapping the Federal Reserve. *IF* Ron Paul can get movement on the issue, he's said repeatedly he doesn't want to scrap it. He wants to legalize competing currencies. Once competing currencies exist the fed will largely behave itself thereafter. If they don't, they'll scrap themselves.

What kind of reaction will there be to eliminating the income tax?
People dancing naked in the street? What's he looking for here? I think the reaction is going to be that mainstream media will blast us for years about how bad an idea it was to get rid of it, but any political movement to get it reinstated will fail before it gets going. There are some people who like paying taxes, but honestly, is this more than 1%?

How will poor people react to lower welfare and food stamps?
You assume that welfare will be lower.
Fact: churches are simply not equipped to deal with the poor in this country. When poor people head to a church, the people in the church give them directions to the county program.
This happens. I've seen it.
Those people who needed help didn't go to the county program first.
Those churches aren't turning people away for any reason other than the fact that it's someone else's job.

Will some countries move away from democracy when we eliminate foreign aid?
Democracy is the absolute worst form of government. It exists only to transition society into a dictatorship.

If we drastically cut the level of our armed forces, will those troops add to our unemployment problem?
I like acptulsa's answer. The trick is to cut armed forces levels AND cut spending AND cut taxes. That will result in the 1946 phenomenon.

How will citizens react to the elimination of universal health care?
...I don't know, since they'll already be dancing naked in the street. Maybe breakdancing?

How will the military/industrial complex react to a poorer, weakened military? How will Russia and China react?
I don't care. Hopefully at some point the liberty movement will address the stigma attached to the word "militia".
Constitutionally, we're not supposed to have a standing army.
This country is supposed to be defended with militia. The constitutional understanding of a standing army is that it is used for aggressive purposes: not defense.
I imagine with a proper 21st century capable militia, some of the MIC would remain employed.

Though I would prefer they were all eating out of dumpsters, personally.
I'm divinely mandated to forgive them for leading the country astray, purposely ignoring the plain meaning of the constitution, and abetting the largest transition to dictatorship ever experienced on this continent.
I am NOT divinely mandated to forget about it, and I am NOT divinely mandated to allow it to keep happening.

acptulsa
01-19-2012, 01:29 PM
I like your answers too, my friend. Particularly this one:


...I don't know, since they'll already be dancing naked in the street. Maybe breakdancing?

acptulsa
01-19-2012, 06:29 PM
Oh, and for the record: Libertarians have determined that it does not take a Surgeon General to figure out that naked breakdancing in the street can lead to psoriasis, eczema and road rash.