Not Ron Paul.
Sorry, America, I want to see a better alternative to the given choices as much as any of you. While I am not yet ready to weigh in on who I think is suitable to run for prom queen, I would like to dissuade you from being lured in by the Gandalf-like twinkle in Ron Paul's eyes. There hasn't been more buzz among the hipster population since the highly anticipated release of the Apple i-phone.
Yes, Ron Paul is the 'Apple' (the corporation) of their eye. And I mean that in a "I'm virulently and vocally supportive of a product that works just as well and offers the same thing as most other products, but somehow is seen as an alternative corporation that is cool" kinda way. And yes, while the iphone is pretty cool, and I have no beef with Apple products. But they aren't the great savior of this generation. Remember the segway scooter? It really changed things.
I want change too, but I'm not going to try and break fund raising records on Guy Fawkes' Day.
remember, remember the 5th of November...
Why yes, I do remember November fifth. The day a nation of 300,000,000 people raised $4,000,000 dollars for some guy from Texas. I'm pretty sure Guy Fawkes is completely to blame for the rise in internet-based campaign fund raising
WOW! we all have computers and 20 bucks, let's do something REVOLUTIONARY
ladies and gentlemen- a revolution isn't going to start by dabbling in internet-fund raising while you listen to the newest song by feist on your i-need-to-have-the-newest-pod. This is not V for Vendetta, and you are not V, or Natalie Portman (unless of course, you are reading this, Natalie). Remember when you used to pretend to be power-rangers or ninja turtles and you'd act out the show with all of your little friends? Well this is worse. You're actually donating money to do it.
Now I will stop with my rant, because I don't want any readers feeling like they've been left out on the joke. And believe me, you haven't. The joke is the election itself, this is just buildup for the punchline.
So, this "Hope for America" Ron Paul is actually pretty consistent when it comes to issues. More so than any other candidate out there. But what issues does he stand so strongly behind? I will now try to sum up which things bother me most about him
Pro-Gun
Pro-Life
Anti-Stem Cell Research
Anti-Affirmative Action
Gay Marriage: Anti-Amendment... unclear otherwise
Gay Adoption: Anti-Gay Adoption
Hate Crimes: Anti-legislation
Anti-Kyoto
Anti-immigration
Pro-Church/State blend
Well, remember the anti-globalization riots in Seattle, 1999? For the sake of analogy, think of those folks as the KKK... Now think of Ron Paul and David Duke. Ron Paul is to anti-globalization what David Duke was to the KKK. Unwavering? Yes. Intelligent/Informed on the issues and constitutional rights? Yes. Horrible? Yes. In totally different ways.
Ron Paul opposes every single free trade agreement the US is a part of, including NAFTA, the UN, the WTO, the GATT, and more. That's great... If you want to be 'Peace in our Time'ing it up in the Papers. He is isolationist, ladies and gents. He is the furthest thing from a global citizen possible. Removing ourselves from the international economy is not my idea of a new hope for America. Being afraid of globalization is a bit like my grandma being convinced satan is rooted in the internet and refusing to use a computer. Let go, folks, and do something to make it a positive transition.
Globalization isn't some thing we can just avoid... the only country to successfully avoid it so far is North Korea... Free trade isn't exactly free either, as the current construction unfairly favors developed countries. Hence the 'make it a positive transition'. RK hates me for saying that.
Sorry about the KKK reference earlier, it was only made to show that smart people can be wrong. Ron Paul is no racist though. He even suggests on his website that the answer to discrimination is LIBERTY. No, I don't think one of W's speech writers slipped this one in there... read on:
"The true antidote to racism is liberty. Liberty means having a limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights rather than group claims. Liberty means free-market capitalism, which rewards individual achievement and competence - not skin color, gender, or ethnicity" Ronpaul2008.com
Where do I start? Firstly, unregulated free-market capitalism promotes monopolistic empires and oligarchic leadership. I agree we should reward individual achievement and competence. And frankly, minorites have accomplished more to get to that point considering the still prevalent amount of bias within society. Look up wealth disparity by race, and lets see if capitalism favors their competence. Or maybe nonwhite races, women, and people from other cultures are just less competent.
Wait just a second here.... I wonder what is missing.... hrmm....
Skin Color.... Gender... Ethnicity......
These three are repeatedly used when discussing discrimination in Paul's vision for America. I guess gay men and lesbian women haven't ever been discriminated against. Sexual Orientation is not even a factor, Ron? I oughtta slap that Gandalf twinkle right off of your face.
On another note, I'm so happy to hear, as a gay man with a Hispanic last name, that liberty is going to come help me! or at least that little hispanic part of me. Look at the before/after photo below to see how liberty helped this legal Honduran immigrant to the US:
Before, she was only given low-paying jobs cutting apart chickens in Omaha. But when liberty was kind enough to grace her with its noble presence, she became multi-millionaire businessman Kenneth Lay. Liberty clearly solved her socio-economic status problems, and it cleaned her up to a more competent race and sex as well! Didn't he die of a heart attack? Must've been the foul stench of globalization's encroaching hands. O fetid, acrid stench how we mustn't entertain thee amongst our economy!
Guns? He is more conservative than the NRA on 2nd Amendment "rights". Everyone, regardless of their situation, should have one of their own!
Immigration? Build a wall, kick-em-out.
And lastly, the most ridiculous idea since the formation of this blog: reverting back to the gold standard. I see why Wonkette dubbed the supporters Paul-tards.
What worries me is the amount of formerly socially liberal hipsters jumping on the 'alternative' bandwagon. Why are you giving this man money if he sees it as meaningless without gold backing anyway? Stop the madness. You are wasting your vote on the wRONg Paul.
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