Memo to Blue Republicans: Educate Anti-War Democrats!
As I was persuing Facebook earlier I saw that Blue Republican had linked to the Ron Paul Congressional retirement story as it was published at The Huffington Post. Blue Republican had noted there were a lot of negative comments that we needed to challenge. I would have described most of the comments not as negative, but as extremely ignorant!
It seems that liberals would love nothing more than to find hypocrisy in the libertarian. There were countless comments about Dr Paul retiring on his fat congessional pension, etc etc. It seems that most Huffpo readers do not realize that Ron Paul does NOT participate in the congressional pension or any other congressional benefits! Further, Dr Paul returns money to the treasury each year from his congressional office budget that he does not spend! Surely even liberals would not want Dr Paul to waste tax dollars.  Can he not be admired for seeing congressional service as just that, a public service, not a retirement plan?
Further, anti-war Democrats must ask themselves, what Bush policy has President Obama changed or disregarded? We still have troops in Iraq in 2011; we have more troops in Afghanistan in 2011, Guantanamo Bay and the rendition programs remain in place, we are involved in the NATO operation in Libya and President Obama is setting precedent that the Commander in Chief need not ask for congressional approval for these such “actions”; we are pouring more drones than ever into Pakistan killing innocent civilians, the military budget swells, the empire around the world grows; remind me why you voted for President Obama? He is a neocon’s dream! He must have Bill Kristol on speeddial!
Contrast that with the platform of Dr Paul. His first priority is to get out of Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya; Dr Paul WILL close Guantanamo Bay and end rendition, and then we begin folding up the global empire that has our military in over 140 countries worldwide! Those savings will go a long way to shore up Social Security and Medicare for those who are on these programs now or close to needing them. Dr Paul knows we cannot abandon those that are or have become dependent on these programs! Despite the unfair stereotype, libertarians are not heartless.Â
Anti-war Democrats must realize that a primary axion of libertarian philosophy is that of non aggression and non-intervention. Dr Paul will stand firm on these principles.  Radical Randolph Bourne wrote that “War is the health of the state.” Well, endless war is destroying our republic. Anti-war Democrats need to look back on the last ten years as we begin the run-up to September 11, 2011. Look at the health of The State since that time: civil liberties being eroded daily with The Patriot Act, Homeland Security, the TSA, wiretaps, all in the name of the so called Global War on Terror. The health of The State is good, but what about the people?Â
We suffer from massive unemployment caused by the Federal Reserve and the damage it does to the economy by printing money to finance endless war. This is a primary reason Dr. Paul supports the gold standard; not only is it hard currency, it stops the Fed from financing such military interventions! Yes anti-war Democrats, the gold standard helps in stopping future war! Our national debt and deficit have rgrown to a point where Keynesian stimulus has no effect! As we know from our own lives and households, there comes a time when you have to bite the bullet and pay the price for prior reckless behavior. Even addicts and alcoholics know this to be true. Before thay can rebuild, they must face the music. This is true for our economy as well. The bubble cannot be reinflated. We must allow the liquidation of bad investments to occur before we can rebuild.Â
I am confident that if anti-war Democrats will take a fresh look at the platform of Dr Paul and look at how all these issues are connected by principle, they will give Dr Paul a fresh look and a fair hearing! To those who are merely anti-war when the guy in the White House has an R after his name, you are too partisan to see past the label.Â
I salute the Blue Republicans for their affirmation of their anti-war principles and welcome you to the Ron Paul Revolution!