Not that he has a real chance at the nomination, but there you go. Most people don't actually want a small government. They want a government which fixes the problems that they perceive in society (whether that be porn, guns, abortion or health care).
I agree. I am baffled by people that talk about the need for fewer environment regulations and smaller government, but then they push for large military spending, the creation of the DHS and TSA, and advocating things like this.
To me, many conservative commentators sound more like they want an Orwellian society than a free society: Don't get in the way of business and only think and do what we want you to think and do.
I appreciate Ron Paul in that when he says small government, he means it, including giving us freedoms that social conservatives believe are morally objectionable.
I appreciate Ron Paul in that when he says small government, he means it, including giving us freedoms that social conservatives believe are morally objectionable.
Ok, I wanted to stay out of this political discussion, but I just can't stand
seeing this Ron Paul fawning go uncontested. Ron Paul is a social
conservative, and he legislates as one. He is so anti-choice that he has
introduced the Sanctity of Life Act four times; this act wouldn't just outlaw
abortion, it would outlaw birth control by defining human life as beginning at
conception. Love it or hate it, but please don't claim that Ron Paul is
anything other than a social conservative, legislatively speaking.
EDIT: As pointed out below, I was mistaken (ignorant) of the difference between contraceptive and contragestive; I still stand by my disappointment that the strongest libertarian voice in this country is steadfastly anti-choice, but I was incorrect on the matter of the common forms of birth control.
I realize the comment came off and being a huge Ron Paul fan, but I'm not. I was only pointing out that one can appreciate his consistency in the face of opposition in certain aspects from his own party.
I was listening to NPR today and there was a discussion about how Romney's political strategists dictate the man's political rhetoric in order to be able to placate or appeal to specific demographics. In other words, the man isn't genuine. He doesn't say what he really believes, only what his strategists say he should be saying to get the most votes.
I wish more politicians could be more honest to their core values and beliefs, but as a student of Political Science I understand the rules of the game incentivize this type of behavior.
Did anyone what The Adjustment Bureau? The guy gets elected because he was stopped the game and was honest with his supporters, though I doubt that would work in real life.
> "it would outlaw birth control by defining human life as beginning at conception"
Most forms of birth control prevent conception ("contraceptives"). Only a few types act after conception ("contragestives" [0], which prevent implantation). A law of the type you described would not affect most forms of birth control.
They would happened the same exact way if Ron Paul was president at the time. We would have stayed out of it until attacked, Congress would declare war, and then we would win and come home in 4 years. (or 2 in the case of WWI)
Those wars are very different than Vietnam of Afghanistan.
This recent spate of downvoting has really got me down on HN. It's leading more and more into groupthink, as people are using it as a 'I disagree with this' button.
I'm not saying it's rational, or defending it, but in my experience it's quite common for someone to believe in small government, but have an item or two that should be exceptions.
For me, it's healthcare and education. For many republicans, it's defense.
Individually, each view of the government may be intelligent and rational, but if each person has a small amount of input on how government is run, and you end up with a bloated, badly designed government that no single person in the group wanted.
IMO, that's a valid and important addition to the GP's point (which I agree with). If anyone wants to argue the point (which I may well be wrong about), my email is in my profile.
Not that he has a real chance at the nomination, but there you go. Most people don't actually want a small government. They want a government which fixes the problems that they perceive in society (whether that be porn, guns, abortion or health care).