by Bill Huff
For years U.S. Representative Ron Paul has been called “Dr. No” by his detractors for consistently rejecting each and every Bill he has viewed as unconstitutional, unlawful or unwise. But after all this time that invective is seen by his supporters as a badge of honor. The Constitution and Ron Paul are becoming more familiar to Americans as Ron's wisdom enters the vernacular of Americans of all ages, sexes and conditions, who still love Liberty. Could America be ready to have a man of such character and faithfulness in the White House? Have we learned some bitter lessons? Is Liberty the Answer?
...a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right, and raises at first a formidable outcry in defence of custom. But tumult soon subsides. Time makes more converts than reason... - Thomas Paine in “Common Sense”
More than anyone else Ron Paul is defining this election cycle.
“Common-sense, Constitutional government,” didn't make as much sense to many Americans as they had their first look at Ron Paul during the 2008 campaign. But just a few wars, and a few bailouts later, and they seem to be coming around to Ron's old fashioned ideas for peaceful and economical solutions. If you listen carefully you'll hear even President Obama, noticeably adjusting his rhetoric, waxing a little more Paulish. Ron Paul's rustic, Constitutional views seemed alien. But not any more. The status quo dies hard. Just ask Galileo. But Ron Paul persists.
The simple consistent message of Ron Paul:
In order to be free, we must all live free, and let others live as they please, as long as they commit no crime against us. We Cannot be the Policemen of the World. We have ample resources to care for all of our people if we let the free market, lawful money, and private charity work for us. If a measure is incompatible with Liberty and/or the Constitution, and we could never afford it in a million years, why do it? It must be destroyed or abandoned before it spawns another system of related laws and regulations that will also need to be killed. As for the Federal Reserve Banking System, Ron wrote the book: END THE FED.
Ron has Time AND Reason on his side.
America is coming around – especially our young people and even our career military. We all have a vested interest in sustainable liberty, peace and prosperity. Even career military personnel understand that it's easier to fight a war from a righteous defensive posture than from that of an offensive nation-building empire. Sun Tzu warned them a long time ago about overextending their forces. What could possibly make more sense to someone truly dedicated to the protection of their own country and Constitution than Just War Theory? Ron Paul enjoys reminding his rivals that the military support him financially more than all of the other candidates combined.
Ron Paul wants more Liberty for All of us as well as for Each of us. He recognizes one right far better than any of the other candidates: The right to be let alone.
This right to be let alone is the most comprehensive of rights and the right most prized by civilized men. This right is, of course, also possessed as against all other Individuals, all obligated to act strictly within the limits of their own equal rights. Consequently any infringement of any Individual's rights is precluded. - Hamilton Long
The Ron Paul Revolution will Continue After the Next Election.
A non-violent Revolution requires a clear vision with the tried and true first principles thoroughly integrated. Dr. Paul recently mentioned an “Intellectual Revolution.” This is refreshing language and helps promote my hot issue which is Liberty Education. How can Americans Live Free, if they don't know what it means? If there ever was a plan that worked well we need to return to it and cautiously consider its full meaning and original intent – line by line and precept by precept. Thanks to Dr. Paul the debates have been forced to deal with real facts and logic and not mere rhetoric. Each frustrated grimace from one of his competitors provides us with a queue for another teachable moment from Ron Paul, who seizes each one and takes it as far as it will go, anchoring his positions on the first principles of the Founders and the Framers of the Constitution.
Enter President Veto
Representative Ron Paul has truly been the one to “man up” when it comes to Constitutional issues. Once he is in the Oval Office I fully expect him to use the same playbook as legislation tries to make its way across his desk. I further would expect less use of pocket vetoes and no recourse to line-item veto or the ridiculous signing statements that we have seen in the current administration. If it's tainted with unconstitutional elements it will be Vetoed. I have little doubt. The era of stealth legislation can be brought to an end.
The Constitution is what I expect him to use as a measuring stick for every jot and tittle in every measure sent to him. Constitutional responsibilities must be uniform across the board. The Congress should have no expectation of presidential approval on unconstitutional legislation such as they have in the past. Past habits of trading favors between the Executive and the Congress must be abandoned. If the Congress [not the Executive] thinks we need to go to war, they can pass the lawfully required Declaration and see if they can convince Ron not to veto it. This high bar could have prevented perhaps a million deaths in the last decade alone. Most of them were non-combatants, including women, children and old people. WAR IS A RACKET.
Ron will be voting the same way. Only his Veto will expose government to more effective scrutiny and control.
I also expect him to act maturely and circumspectly as he considers the safe reentry speed for our Constitutional Republic. Even though we can reasonably expect prosperity to return under a lawful system, there will be some pain and dislocations to deal with in the most prudent manner - more good reasons to have Ron Paul in the Oval Office.
Presidential Interposition
Oh! To have a President that would firmly stand between unlawful government and the rights of each individual citizen!
I don't want government to grab me anywhere.
I don't think a future Congress would want to embarrass itself with anything like the NDAA provisions Ron Paul has loudly decried, and for which he has already launched a repeal effort. You don't have to guess how Ron would react. Watch the alacrity with which he pursues the NDAA in this recent response in the South Carolina Debates. He can't wait to sink his teeth and claws into it! Video Link Here.
A President Jealous of Individual Rights will be able to Defend them against the other two branches.
I would like to see a Congress with more reticence over whether it could get Any new laws passed. There will be Gridlock you say? We have been getting deluged by laws upon laws and regulations upon regulations most of which have absolutely nothing to do with lawful government or the Constitution.
Where could the Congress turn? Certainly Supreme Court Chief Justice, Andrew Napolitano would not lift a gavel to help them. Of course no Oath-keeping Judge would meddle in legislation. And the Courts have no Executive powers to wield.
Thomas Paine visualized Liberty and the process for installing and enforcing it within the following paragraph from his best seller, “Common Sense.”
...I shall conclude these remarks, with the following timely and well intended hints, We ought to reflect, that there are three different ways by which an independency may hereafter be effected; and that one of those three, will one day or other, be the fate of America, viz.
[1] By the legal voice of the people in congress;
[2] by a military power; or
[3] by a mob:
It may not always happen that our soldiers are citizens, and the multitude a body of reasonable men; virtue, as I have already remarked, is not hereditary, neither is it perpetual. Should an independency be brought about by the first of those means, we have every opportunity and every encouragement before us, to form the noblest, purest constitution on the face of the earth. We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation, similar to the present, hath not happened since the days of Noah until now. The birthday of a new world is at hand, and a race of men perhaps as numerous as all Europe contains, are to receive their portion of freedom from the event of a few months. The reflection is awful, and in this point of view, how trifling, how ridiculous, do the little, paltry cavillings, of a few weak or interested men appear, when weighed against the business of a world. - Thomas Paine [emphasis added]
There are dire consequences ahead for those who willfully ignore the principles of liberty. In the faux debates [paltry cavillings] we now see a small group of weak or interested men [men with vested interests that contradict liberty] and One Ron Paul who stands for nothing more than the Rule of Law under the Constitution.
Every time Ron is asked how soon we should withdraw troops from unlawful war arenas he immediately responds with the only lawful answer: “We Just Marched In So We Can Just March Out.”
Since they were unlawfully deployed the only lawful solution is to bring them home immediately.
As informed voters we need only ask ourselves: “Which candidate is giving Lawful Answers? Is that the same one who will give only Lawful Orders?” Or will we be made fools again by one of the others who are always promising that which is unlawful for them to give and that which will shipwreck our Republic?
The Americans will always do the right thing... after they've exhausted all the alternatives. - Winston Churchill.
Are we ready to do the right thing? Are we ready for Ron Paul?
If you want lawful government plus something, don't vote for Ron Paul. But if you want lawful government plus nothing you already know what to do.
It's getting harder and harder to ignore Ron Paul. No one can argue that he isn't articulating himself better and better as he connects with more and more Americans. His debate performance has been stunning of late.
With Ron Paul, We the People, may just have it in our power to begin the Constitutional Republic over again.
“I am the Champion of the Constitution!” - Ron Paul
Notes:
The veto power has been used and abused over the last 220+ years. The number of vetoes does not necessarily correlate with the Constitutional Quality of a President. Grover Cleveland, one of Ron Paul's favorites, weighs in with a 414 total counting regular and pocket vetoes. FDR is the all time champ with a total of 635. Lincoln's total was only 7. Grant's: 93. Source
As the American People become better educated in Constitutional matters I expect them to demand more and more that their president exercise his veto powers to drive government exclusively in a Constitutional direction providing always less government and more Liberty.
Bill Huff [
Copyright © 2012 Bill Huff