From Pine View Farm

Beyond the Paul 2

Libertarianism is, of course, a crock.

The persons who espouse it have no concept of the intentions of the Founders, nor of the modern world. They envision a world of log cabins, in which each householder can feed himself by shooting at some food (and without discovering crude).

At best, they are sincere in their beliefs.

At worst (like someone I know), they are closet wingnuts.

The Libertarian candidate for the Republican nomination for President has made headlines by raising money, but not by dealing with reality (then, again, not dealing with reality seems to be a Republican thing). From Fact Check dot org:

Ron Paul doesn’t have much of a chance of winning the Republican nomination, but he persists with his well-funded campaign and even talks of turning it into a permanent “Revolution” that will continue far beyond 2008.

We’ve given his statements little attention until now. But here we look at some of his more outlandish claims:

  • Paul claims that a secret conspiracy composed of the Security and Prosperity Partnership and a cabal of foreign companies is behind plans to build a NAFTA Superhighway as the first step toward creating a North American Union. But the NAFTA Superhighway that Paul describes is a myth, and the groups supposedly behind the plans are neither secret nor nefarious.
  • Paul says that the U.S. spends $1 trillion per year to maintain a foreign empire and suggests that we could save that amount by cutting foreign spending. Paul gets that figure by including a lot of domestic programs that he isn’t planning to cut, like the U.S. Border Patrol and interest payments on the debt.
  • Paul has run television ads touting an endorsement from Ronald Reagan, but he fails to mention that, in 1988, Paul wanted “to totally disassociate” himself from the Reagan administration.

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2 comments

  1. Opie

    February 11, 2008 at 9:22 pm

    Too bad the NAFTA superhighway is a myth. Sounds like a good idea.

     
  2. Karen

    February 12, 2008 at 6:34 am

    http://www.roadandtravel.com/automotive/newsviews/2006/uninsureddrivers.aspx

    Add to the above problem Mexican drivers, who don’t read or speak English, trucks that don’t meet safty inspections, companies that don’t carry the proper insurance, & you just add more problems to the mix. (I’ve heard all that they are SUPPOSED to do, like speak & read English, drive safe trucks, & carry proper insurance, but don’t believe a word of it. Some of the US companies don’t even do it.)

    No wonder those of us who have to drive for a living pay through the nose for insurance with limits high enough to protect ourselves & our property.

    Then, why should we cut American drivers out to let Mexican drivers in? That was brought up by the trucking unions.