Muscatine

In the time you've been posting here, you seem like a fairly reasonable person. So I have to ask:

How deeply have you looked into Ron Paul's views? Are you very familiar with him and his positions or are you going off of what you've garnered from the current campaign cycle?

Not trying to be a jerk, I'm just curious. I figure that if you're really familiar with his views then you probably know why I'm asking.

actually I was

going to try to find dirt on all the top runners today,including Ron Paul. I'm a constitutionalist. what ron talks about, ending the WTO, IRS, NAU, NAFTA and the central bank is fundamental in stopping the slide to fascism. Tired of elected officials doing what is best for big business. I don't think it should be perfect, but elected officials should be doing what is best for America. So J.O.S. I am always open for both the bad and the good. don't think I haven't been looking. I just can't trust a rich guy that says vote for me cause I care about you. I also love a good debate,(which I get ignored alot) so fill me in on the dirt cause I'm ready. mahalo

Ron Paul

Well, I can certainly appreciate the libertarian views he holds and his position on the Iraq war. And who can argue that government spending is out of control? However, Paul's done some things in the past that I have to question. For starters, he voted against aid to Katrina victims saying ''Is bailing out people that chose to live on the coastline a proper function of the federal government?''

He's also stated that we don't need Social Security claiming ''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? . . . Ummm yeah, it was called the depression.

He believes that we should lift the ban on all guns and drugs, has consorted with and refuses to disavow the support of white supremacist groups, he opposes environmental responsibility, has voted against reauthorizing the voting rights act, is staunchly anti-gay rights, and opposes the separation of church and state. He wants the US to withdraw from the United Nations, has voted against OSHA's ergonomic rules, against mine safety reforms, is anti-union, opposes campaign finance reform, and believes that the free market alone will solve all of our country's ailments. And that's just scratching the surface. (I can provide links to all of these things if you would like to see them.)

I know that there will never be a perfect candidate. We have to take the good with the bad. Far be it from me to tell you how to vote, you're absolutely free to vote your conscience. But for me, there is too much bad about Ron Paul that is outweighing the good.

I'm just saying...

I'd be interested to hear your views.