Help with something please

[abbiegavie]

I have been posting in our local newspaper forum about Ron Paul. I am very new to politics and this is the first year I care at all. I posted about Dr. Paul and this is the reponse I got. I want to respond the best way possible but I want to do it right. I would like to see if some of you can help me in how to respond to this. i hope it doesn't sound to stupid to ask for help but I know there are 100s of people who read the newspaper forum and I am hoping my response will get some votes. I just want to do it right. Thanks for any help!

First comments about the candidates that this person posted:

1) Huckabee or Huckleberry? Just another so called evangelical. These have pretty much muddied the waters and I think it is safe to say enough is enough. The God card has been played and it is growing threadbare to say the least.
2) Mitt? Romney. Wonder if he wears long underwear everywhere he goes as that is part of the Moroni tradition is'nt it? Yeah I dug up some gold plates from my backyard too and received revealed wisdom, un huh. Sorry not buying it.
3) Fred Thompson? another B actor with only one character to play. Snooze.
4) Giuliani, 911,911,911,911,911,911,911, fear oooo just what we need is more paranoia. No thanks.
5) John McCain. Once upon a time I actually respected this guy, that was until after the last time he ran for president and lost. Funny how the talk straight express got detoured. He did all he could to lick "W's" boots after that. Besides he's geriatric we don't need another old man disconnected from the present as president.
6) Ron Paul. Yes theres a bunch of clueless ideologues even in old Oshkosh that think this guy would be great. They would think that until they realized what kind of country would be left if he was in charge. They only hear what they want to hear and apparently ignore all the rest.

Face it the Republicans screwed up this country and now it is time for someone else to clean up the mess.

I responded with this:

I think it is pretty funny when people talk about Ron Paul and say his plans are crazy. This is what makes me laugh. Why in the world would you complain about this government and how messed up our nation is when no one takes a stand and speaks the truth and spews crap into your ear for a year and you all go for it? I will fix this and I will fix that...when deep down inside you know it's lies. People need to get out of their cozy little boxes and actually pay attention to things and search for the truth instead of just listening to whatever someone tells you.

The Constitution, the last time I checked, wasn't a crazy idea. Period. The mainstream media tells you what they want you to hear. They have big money invested in who wins these elections and people are to busy drooling over themselves and celebrities to actually look at the facts. Dr. Ron Paul is the only candidate whose records actually backs up what he says. He has NEVER changed his position to tell someone only what they want to hear. I am not going to vote for the person who this month comes the closest to what I support. Maybe next month if hopefully he/she doesn't change their mind again. I find it relieving that someone is actually telling the truth and sticking to something. Someone who will ONLY go by what is in the Constitution and not make this country into what will best suit the big money and big government. John McCain himself on Ron Paul "Your working for the most honest man in Congress". Well, glad he didn't claim he was the most honest man in Congress.

He raised almost $20 Million dollars in the 4th quarter alone by only individual donors and won't accept donations from corporations, I would say that he is "Moving on up" His message and his beliefs are being heard and supported. Today he has raised over $1 Million, just today and it is still climbing.

He has never voted to raise taxes.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He has never taken a government-paid junket.
He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.

He voted against the Patriot Act.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
He voted against the Iraq war.

He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.

What is so crazy about having this kind of voting record?

Then he wrote this back and i would like to get help responding to this please. I am not very knowledgeable on politics so I want to make sure i don't put my foot in my mouth here.

Much of what youi say may be true about Ron Paul. I can understand the appeal of what is presented by him on the surface. It's what's under the surface that should concern everyone.
Ron Paul from what I understand if he were to have the power he seeks would basically dismantle much of the U.S. government and that would include things like medicare, social security and most of the other programs designed to help those who are not wealthy. From what I understand of this platform is seems to be a further extension of the extreme rights philosophy that if you are not wealthy and successful it is your own fault and the government has no reason to care.
I think it is unrealistic and possibly dangerous to the future of this country. Whether we llike it or not we need some sort of government. No doubt the government especially at this point has been taken over by big money and their lobbyists, but I think a word of caution is in order when would be demagogues promise to free us from the burdens we all share.
It does not surprise me that Ron Paul has significant support from young people. It is a right of passage when young to be ideallistic and prone to have romantic notions about making monumental changes. Unfortunatley many of thosoe ideals are not based in real life experience or the benefit of living long enough to realize that if something seems too good to be true it usually is.

[ShowMeLiberty]

What Dr. Paul says about Social Security:

Our nation’s promise to its seniors, once considered a sacred trust, has become little more than a tool for politicians to scare retirees while robbing them of their promised benefits. Today, the Social Security system is broke and broken.

Those in the system are seeing their benefits dwindle due to higher taxes, increasing inflation, and irresponsible public spending.

The proposed solutions, ranging from lower benefits to higher taxes to increasing the age of eligibility, are NOT solutions; they are betrayals.

Imposing any tax on Social Security benefits is unfair and illogical. In Congress, I have introduced the Senior Citizens Tax Elimination Act (H.R. 191), which repeals ALL taxes on Social Security benefits, to eliminate political theft of our seniors’ income and raise their standard of living.

Solvency is the key to keeping our promise to our seniors, and I have introduced the Social Security Preservation Act (H.R. 219) to ensure that money paid into the system is only used for Social Security.

It is fundamentally unfair to give benefits to anyone who has not paid into the system. The Social Security for Americans Only Act (H.R. 190) ends the drain on Social Security caused by illegal aliens seeking the fruits of your labor.

We must also address the desire of younger workers to save and invest on their own. We should cut payroll taxes and give workers the opportunity to seek better returns in the private market.

Excessive government spending has created the insolvency crisis in Social Security. We must significantly reduce spending so that our nation can keep its promise to our seniors.

(found here: http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/social-security/ )

You might also point out that Ron Paul is only proposing to do away with certain FEDERAL programs. The States would be free to establish or continue any programs they see fit, if the voters of the state agree.

And if Ron Paul can reduce Federal spending to the point that we no longer have to pay Federal Income Tax, we will all have more money to contribute to charitable causes we think best serve our communities and our world. Many Americans are caring and generous people who would do more charitable giving if they had more money to give.

[Bossobass]

I'm neither young, nor romantic about this toilet of a government.

We owe 9 trillion. That's interest payments alone that could make 750,000 Americans millionaires...every year.

We have the worst protected borders of any industrialized nation on earth, yet we spend billions every year to protect the Korean border, for 50 years.

Inflation is at runaway levels, but it remains the last one of three options as we have chosen to accept government's plan to reduce taxes instead of raise them and Congress has been turned away by China and japan for any further loans. That, of course, leaves printing the money as the last option.

We struggle against, well no one actually seems to know why the hell we're in Iraq longer than it took us to simultaneously defeat the German and Japanese armies at a crippling cost os $1 trillion and counting, all of which we had to borrow from a Communist country. All we've succeeded in doing is to cause the price of oil to triple.

The SS 'Trust' fund, which had a $1.6 trillion cushion from baby boomer's contributions has been systematically looted to insolvency to finance the insatiable deficit spending of the criminals in office.

We have a currency that has become so devalued, even drug dealers have switched to the Euro. And what's the plan to save the dollar? Print more of them.

It's people who think that we need this sort of bullshit government who most deserve to be forced into a soup line for their pittance when a crisis occurs, a crisis that is caused by the government in the first place. Yeah, probably Clinton and Obama will fix it all. After all, they keep saying they will, right?

Bring the troops home.
Close the 700 bases in 130 countries.
End foreign aid.
Rebuild our decimated national defense.
Secure our borders.
Use the savings to secure social security and propose a balanced budget.

Oil will drop.
Dollar will soar.
Stock market will leap for joy.

Ron will take care of that part on his own.

Then, if we have any sense, we'll boot everyone out of office in Congress and get some people in to get rid of all of the Departments and start paying this embarrassing and economy-killing debt. That would be up to the romantics.

Bosso

[abbiegavie]

Thank you for your help. I think the paper might be calling for an interview as the local paper wants to do an article on Ron Paul. I am hoping I do okay... I need to study more details to make sure I know my stuff! Thank you for being patient with me. Any other suggestions?

[acptulsa]

We have fifty viable governments in the United States--fifty of them, and that's just the states proper, not the territories. State governments are in touch with their citizens, better aware of what is going on on the ground, quicker to react and more efficient.

As a general rule, the federal government takes federal taxes, takes its cut off the top and redistributes the money as it sees fit. That's how the gone and not missed 55 mph speed limit got shoved down the throats of the wide open western states where drivers were falling asleep at the wheel--Congress made sure that was the only way states could get their federal gas tax dollars back to maintain their roads with. Such a federal law would have been an unconstitutional restriction of interstate commerce.

Why should the Federal government take their cut and redistribute the wealth according to which state will bend its will to Congress? Of course we need governments--and we have them! Cut the federal taxes and let the states do their jobs unfettered by this federal monster!

P.S. ShowMeLiberty is right. Anyone who says Paul will dismantle Social Security is ignorant of Dr. Paul's position.

I think that addresses his concerns pretty directly! Have fun!

[amy31416]

Thank you for your help. I think the paper might be calling for an interview as the local paper wants to do an article on Ron Paul. I am hoping I do okay... I need to study more details to make sure I know my stuff! Thank you for being patient with me. Any other suggestions?

Read up on his stances several times over, especially the official ones on his website. Review the superficial stances of the major opponents. Think about what questions they may ask and prepare to answer them, just like you'd prepare if you have to debate something or do a paper/speech on some subject. Also, make sure you have a good response to any of the negatives (electability, racism)

Be confident, we know we have the best, most principled guy going.

Good luck, thanks and welcome to the forums!

[amy31416]

Oh! And it would also help if you became a Precinct Leader, see my signature for the link. Lots of good materials there on how to talk to people. Be sure to send some literature to whomever interviews you ;)

[SeanEdwards]

I'm neither young, nor romantic about this toilet of a government.

We owe 9 trillion. That's interest payments alone that could make 750,000 Americans millionaires...every year.

We have the worst protected borders of any industrialized nation on earth, yet we spend billions every year to protect the Korean border, for 50 years.

Inflation is at runaway levels, but it remains the last one of three options as we have chosen to accept government's plan to reduce taxes instead of raise them and Congress has been turned away by China and japan for any further loans. That, of course, leaves printing the money as the last option.

We struggle against, well no one actually seems to know why the hell we're in Iraq longer than it took us to simultaneously defeat the German and Japanese armies at a crippling cost os $1 trillion and counting, all of which we had to borrow from a Communist country. All we've succeeded in doing is to cause the price of oil to triple.

The SS 'Trust' fund, which had a $1.6 trillion cushion from baby boomer's contributions has been systematically looted to insolvency to finance the insatiable deficit spending of the criminals in office.

We have a currency that has become so devalued, even drug dealers have switched to the Euro. And what's the plan to save the dollar? Print more of them.

It's people who think that we need this sort of bullshit government who most deserve to be forced into a soup line for their pittance when a crisis occurs, a crisis that is caused by the government in the first place. Yeah, probably Clinton and Obama will fix it all. After all, they keep saying they will, right?

Bring the troops home.
Close the 700 bases in 130 countries.
End foreign aid.
Rebuild our decimated national defense.
Secure our borders.
Use the savings to secure social security and propose a balanced budget.

Oil will drop.
Dollar will soar.
Stock market will leap for joy.

Ron will take care of that part on his own.

Then, if we have any sense, we'll boot everyone out of office in Congress and get some people in to get rid of all of the Departments and start paying this embarrassing and economy-killing debt. That would be up to the romantics.

Bosso

I agree with all this 1000%.

I was watching the "news" the other night, and some anointed ruler was blathering about how we need a president that will defend American interests abroad. I want to understand how these scum figured that they have the wisdom to know what MY interests are abroad. The very notion that they have the authority to decide what my interests are offends me. They don't know what I want. Every time they bomb somebody in my name, they make me LESS safe. I want a federal government that cares about only one thing: protecting my freedom. I don't want them trying to insure cheap oil. I don't want them trying to forge peace agreements around the world. I don't want them expressing outrage at other people. I want them to run a sane, rational government that lives within its means and doesn't make foreigners around the world want to saw my head off in front of a video camera.

These stupid self-aggrandizing scum don't represent my interests. And they're making me very angry by insisting that they do. If we're unable to vote in some sanity in this government, then I fear a day will soon come when sanity is enforced by other means.

Sic Semper Tyrannis.

[abbiegavie]

Here is his repsonse. Where should I go from here? Thank you. For me, it doesn't sound like he really gets what Ron Paul is saying and is just assuming once again what he hears from outside sources. What do you think?

A few comments in response. It seems we continue to ignore the causes of why our economy is in the condition it is in. Which in my opinion is not good, even though there are those who will assure all of us it is "fundamentally strong" instead of being truthful and admitting it is "fundamentally flawed".
One of the leading causes for the insolvency of many federal programs is not just due to raiding for other government programs. There are a host of reasons, not the least of which is that those who make in excess of $250K a year are no longer paying their share. Often these people are business owners and they get breaks on that end as well. A local example would be some of the TIF districts which essentially gives tax holidays to business entrepeneurs. That all sounds good in principle but someone else has to pick up the tab in the interim, guess who that is?
From a larger perspective, I for one never bought into the whole "Global marketplace theorem. What it has done is basically gut the American economy while providing an assumed endless windfall to large corporations. It has undercut the quality of life for all but the elect few.
If one takes just this single factor into account and then looks at all the ramifications and the effects it has had on this country it can safely be said that on balance it was a very bad idea for America. NAFTA was such a bad idea.Did it elevate the living standards of those living south of our borders? Apparently not, otherwise why would so many from that part of the world still be coming here illegally?
I suspect America is on the brink of a very deep recession and possibly even a depression. Of course I could be dead wrong but I don't think so. For too long this country has been over building, over consuming and financing it all with borrowed dollars. Now we borrow from countries llike China? Imagine what the ramifications would be if many of our creditors decided to no longer use the dollar as the main basis of all trade? It would be a financial disaster for this country. We are standing on the edge of a deep hole with one foot and sllippery ground under the other foot.
And we continue to listen like sheeple to all the lies the corporate criminals have been feeding us for years.
Your post mentions one point that Ron Paul made about allowing younger people to invest in their own retirement. That sounds like the beginning of the end of Social Security to me and is in line with what nearly all Republicans believe in. The first step in dismantling a government program is to divide it's recipients and turn them against each other. This is also happening with public education by the way.
The reality of this world is that not all of us will make equal money and will be unable to provide the things necessary to a comfortable and secure life. When we begin to divide in dissagreement of these things it is already the beginning of the end for any social safety net that was once there.
When a people begins to take sides against themselves it is already the beginning of the end of that society. We are at that point today largely due to the poison that has been regularly injected into the veins of America by the right wing ideologues who would have us return to a time when there were but two classes , the rich and the poor. No thanks

[Eponym_mi]

The dude is a communist and beyond redemption. He'll cry for nanny-gov't to his death bed.

[sharpsteve2003]

the best way to respond is to send them to
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/
and tell them to come back after they have checked it out. I know on most issues Ron Paul can say it better than I can. there are buttons for every issue on the main page with a short video at the top with Ron Paul explaining his position and why. When you click on the issues it gives a brief description and the video at the top give a brief statement by Ron Paul covering that and sometimes a couple more clip that can be watched and links to his writings. The videos are great because they are not rehearsed or scripted. Unlike most politicians you can tell he is speaking from his heart. This is a great resource for us to to see how it can be done. Short, to the point statements.

If you haven't been there in awhile check it out because I think this has been updated be cause I don't remember it being like that before. The brief descriptions on each issue can be copy and pasted into any answer your trying to give. Make use of this.