The Problem with Ron Paul

Written by: Ilya Sheyman on Oct 22, 2007 11:02 AM EDT

(Note: This post reflects my own views and not an official DFA position)

Lately, there's been a lot of buzz about a candidate picking up steam on the Republican side. A candidate marginalized by the mainstream media and raising large sums on the internet. Some have gone so far as to write him in as an "other" choice in the DFA pulse poll.

Now, DFA prides itself on having no litmus test for candidates running for office. And, Ron Paul has said a lot of the right things about the War in Iraq, federal spending, and protecting the constitution. And, we should work with people in any political party when there is common ground- particularly when our own party is sometimes loathe to take on the conventional wisdom and stand up for the views of the grassroots.

All that being said, just wanted to highlight some of the more radically non-progressive views Ron Paul also holds:

As for Social Security, "we didn't have it until 1935," Paul says. "I mean, do you read stories about how many people were laying in the streets and dying and didn't have medical treatment? . . . Prices were low and the country was productive and families took care of themselves and churches built hospitals and there was no starvation."

"Is bailing out people that chose to live on the coastline a proper function of the federal government?" he asks. "Why do people in Arizona have to be robbed in order to support the people on the coast?"

Why Congressman? Because that's what makes us who we are. The sense of community, that we are all Americans and that in times of need we help our neighbors.

On foreign aid:

He is against the government's "delusional, feel-good" policies of giving aid to needy countries in places like Africa; instead, private citizens and private groups should give charity if they want to.

On education:

He'd get rid of the Department of Education and leave the business of schooling to local governments, because he believes that's what the Constitution intended.

On the United Nations

"The UN also wants to confiscate our firearms and impose a global tax. The UN elites want to control the world's oceans with the Law of the Sea Treaty. And they want to use our military to police the world."

Now, if you support leaving people to drown in a hurricane, abolishing the Department of Education, Social Security, and most other government agencies and programs, returning to the gold standard, opposing reproductive freedoms, ignoring GLBT rights, and withdrawing from the UN, Congressman Paul is for you.

Otherwise, please head over to the DFA Pulse Poll and vote for a Democrat to take America forward in a new direction.

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