Ron Paul Is Not Crazy; He's Restoring Sanity

Friday, February 24, 2012

I should start by pointing out that I am hardly a fervent Ron Paul supporter. Yes, I will probably vote for him in the general election if he should happen to get the Republican nomination (not that I that's likely). If he is not nominated, however, I will either vote for Obama or not vote.

Even if I can vote for Paul, I will hardly be enthusiastic about him. He's the least evil of the dozen or so running for the presidency.

That being said, it is important in any debate to address real issues, and not just regurgitate popular sound bites. If you have a real objection to a candidate or to a position, state that objection, but don't just insult people for no reason.

Probably 95 percent of the criticisms I've heard of Dr. Paul involve some variation on "that guy is crazy." I've heard this from friends, family, co-workers and professors. It's a defense mechanism: If you know nothing about politics but for some reason need to pretend to have opinions, Ron Paul's purported insanity is a great topic.

No one, of course, bothers to actually demonstrate that Paul is not right in the head. Are there medical records demonstrating that he is not mentally sound? Does he claim to be fleeing a Soviet plot on his life? Did he keep watching "Glee" after the second season? People just say that he's crazy, as if it were self-evident.

This is significant because it obscures real issues. Unlike virtually any other candidate, Paul proposes policies that might actually change things if enacted. If he is crazy, however, it is easy to assume that all of his proposals are absurd, thus precluding any debate on the topic.

Another problem with the "Paul is crazy" defense mechanism is that it obscures far better reasons for hating him.

For one thing, Paul has a long history of pork-barrel spending. He has brought hundreds of millions of dollars in earmarks back to his home district, often for completely inane projects, such as subsidizing the shrimp industry. Paul defends this on the grounds that he is making up for the taxes taken out of his district, but that's absurd; such an argument could justify any spending.

Then there's the issue of Paul's immigration stance. In between speeches on the virtues of free markets and free trade, Paul has called to deport all undocumented immigrants.

This is, of course, blatant hypocrisy. There is no libertarian case to secure the border; immigration is just another form of trade, and one cannot oppose government intervention in the economy while simultaneously wanting the government to tell people where to live. The congressman has defended his position on the grounds that he merely wants to uphold the law, but that presupposes that American immigration laws are just.

Some will also make the case that illegal immigrants scam the welfare system, but any intelligent libertarian will see that this misses the point. Government will continue to grow regardless of who is on the welfare rolls, and if the immigrants didn't take these benefits, someone else would.

The solution is to get rid of government spending, not to punish particular group that benefits from it. Besides, mass deportation cannot be a rational solution; the expansion of government necessary to deport 10 million to 20 million people would far outweigh any saving in welfare spending.

Finally, there's the issue of race. While Paul's "racist" comments are somewhat ambiguous, they could represent dangerous sentiments. It's certainly conceivable that Paul is racist; his fallacious immigration views would make far more sense in that light.

So Paul is a hypocrite, and may also be racist. These are real reasons to oppose him. People should be talking about these issues rather than arbitrarily declaring his insanity and then changing the subject.

Of course, when people say that Paul is crazy, what they really mean is that he is outside the mainstream. His views are radical, and he takes positions that most Americans would never even consider. He's crazy, people say, because he's on the fringe.

Certainly Paul's views are radical, but since when does that define him as nuts? Many clearly fallacious ideologies, such as racism or sexism, were once commonly held; the mainstream is hardly a realm of sanity.

A far better criterion for deciding whether an idea is crazy is coherence, but this would seem to make Paul considerably saner than most of his critics. The idea that the government can promote freedom by bombing people is crazy. The idea that the government can spend its way out of a recession is crazy.

If anything, Paul is restoring sanity to the political arena, not abandoning it.

Moore Countian Andrew Soboeiro is a student at UNC-Chapel Hill.

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metamemetics 1 year, 2 months ago

Paul defends this on the grounds that he is making up for the taxes taken out of his district, but that's absurd; such an argument could justify any spending.

Ron Paul always votes against the bill authorizing spend to occur in the first place, even ones he adds earmarks to. He is not justifying or attempting to justify the spending at all, rather he is often the only one claiming it is injust. That is, he is against theft, but if theft does occur, he is for the property being returned.

There is no libertarian case to secure the border

Under libertarian minarchism, the duty of government is strictly to protect the life, liberty, and property of individuals under its protection. Border control could easily fall under private property rights (and therefore trespassing laws) which all legitimate governments are required uphold.

mass deportation

RP has repeatedly made it clear that he opposses all the proposals requiring national ID cards or employers to check employees against national immigration databases. In other words, he is not for aggressive deportation and turning citizens into police like the other republican candidates because it would undermine the liberty of everyone.

wasaka 1 year, 2 months ago

You state: "immigration is just another form of trade, and one cannot oppose government intervention in the economy while simultaneously wanting the government to tell people where to live."

I think on this point Ron Paul would agree with your libertarian view point, however when you have a large number of illegal given a path to citizenship when they do not know our history or share are values, then you have a national security issue. You make the BIG "L" case for the Libertarian, which I view as crazy. It may sound right and true, but it doesn't work in the real world. In fact, I view it as crazy to think you can allow our borders to be over run by foreign nationals who can one day effect a democratic shift away from the fundamental principles of our Republic. This only puts us on a course for more socialism.

Ron Paul is a voice of reason on this issue as he is all so many other issue. He has stated if you subsidize something, you get more of it. Why not come to American illegally? The reward far out way the risks, Paul is merely stating this fact. He also says that illegals have been made into scapegoats on this issue because the real issue is the economy.

Then you say he "has defended his position on the grounds that he merely wants to uphold the law, but that presupposes that American immigration laws are just." Wrong, he has never said that. Those are your words and while you may be correct please don't place word in his mouth. The law is only unjust because they are not applied to everyone equally, and not because it could cause human suffering. On this issue, most republican don't care how the law impacts people. I don't believe you can say that same is true of Ron Paul, this is a man who does care. Claiming he is a hypocrite for not upholding your brand Libertarianism is unfair, and so is saying he may be a racist because of this (or any other unfounded reason) is not only unfair, it is unjust.

Simple stating that Ron Paul is a hypocrite, and may also be racist does not make it so, but thank you for an otherwise well thought out article and the willingness to debate real issues.

Courseaire 1 year, 2 months ago

MR. SOBOEIRO - By stating "I will either vote for Obama or not vote." invalidates your entire column and I'm not referring to your voting for Obama. I'm referring to your "not vote". If you do not vote, then you've got nothing worth saying. You should at least have the decency to write in Ron Paul.

babiehop 1 year, 2 months ago

Watching the decay of the nomination process, this year seems superpaks were the way to go, makes me think we should all write him in. Don't forget, it is still legal, it would speak volumes to Washington and it's an easy name to spell. :)

babiehop 1 year, 2 months ago

I'm pretty sure he meant that he wants us to pull out of foreign lands. ;p

AndrewSoboeiro 1 year, 2 months ago

@metamemetics "That is, he is against theft, but if theft does occur, he is for the property being returned." That's not my point. My point is that it doesn't make sense to "secure the border" or in any other way try to control immigration just because immigrants often scam the welfare system. The solution is to get rid of government spending, not to stop the inflow of one category of people who (sometimes) benefit from it.

"Border control could easily fall under private property rights (and therefore trespassing laws)" How so? Illegal immigrants are violating no ones property rights by simply being in a country. If they live in houses or apartments with the consent of the owners (or own them themselves), work at jobs where they were legitimately hired, and don't go around destroying other people's property, they have violated no one's property rights. True, some immigrants don't respect property rights, but the same is true of many citizens. Immigration and property rights have nothing to do with each other.

Ron Paul has stated that he wishes to deport illegal immigrants. His exact words are as follows: "One important solution is better enforcement of the laws we've got - which plainly call for illegal immigrants to be arrested and deported." Whether he wants to enforce that as "aggressively" as any other candidate is irrelevant; the fact of the matter is that he is calling for something that is clearly not consistent with limited government or the free market.

AndrewSoboeiro 1 year, 2 months ago

@wasaka "I view it as crazy to think you can allow our borders to be over run by foreign nationals who can one day effect a democratic shift away from the fundamental principles of our Republic. This only puts us on a course for more socialism." That the immigrants may or may not one day vote for "socialism" is not an argument for the government to deport them and close the border. By that logic, the government should target any group that one day may vote for "socialism." Suppose, for example, that blacks are more likely to support socialism than whites (which as I understand is statistically true); does that mean that blacks should be stripped of their citizenship and deported?

The reality is that you cannot oppose big government and give the government arbitrary power at the same time. Immigration is a matter of free trade and free agency; if the government has the power to restrict that, it has the power to restrict any aspect of human life and commerce.

"He has stated if you subsidize something, you get more of it. Why not come to American illegally? The reward far out way the risks, Paul is merely stating this fact." Sure, and I completely agree with him. But if the government is subsidizing something, and those subsidies draw more people, the solution is NOT for the government to punish those people; rather, the government should simply STOP SUBSIDIZING that thing. This is the only consistent libertarian point on immigration: if immigrants are coming to get public welfare, the only rational thing to do is to do away with public welfare.

Perhaps I did misstate his policy on upholding the law, and if so I apologize. My broader point, however, still stands. The reality is that you CANNOT be for free markets and free trade while opposing open borders at the same time. If people are free to buy and sell what they want from wherever they want, they must by definition be free to sell their labor wherever they want. The only way they can do that is if there are open borders. One simply cannot be a consistent libertarian and have any other position on immigration.

AndrewSoboeiro 1 year, 2 months ago

@Courseaire: "I'm referring to your "not vote". If you do not vote, then you've got nothing worth saying." Why, because I don't take "democracy" seriously? Because I recognize that the government is far more subservient to corporations and lobbyists than to the general public? Because I think there are other, more effective ways of influencing society (education, general strikes, boycotts, etc.) than participating in a coercive voting system?

If Paul is not nominated, writing him in would have exactly the same effect as not voting. The only difference is that not voting, I wouldn't have to waste an hour in line. Life is short; there are better things to do with my time.

If you can't respect a mere difference in opinion over whether voting is an effective tool, why even bother trying to debate people on the topic? Just vote and leave the rest of us alone.

skylinefirepest 1 year, 2 months ago

Andrew, one day you'll grow up and leave the liberal confines of your campus and actually have to get a job and do something productive to support yourself and presumably a family. Then you will have either matured and grown to see the error of your young thinking or you will end up voting for people like Obama, who doesn't really care for this country. That is all predicated on the assumption that we will get rid of Obama in the next election and hopefully start on a course to reverse the Greecification that he and his fawning followers have put upon us. If you will open your young eyes and look at what Obama and his ilk have done, you will marvel that there is a land of opportunity still left for you. And, as to your immigration, no border, property rights bull hockey simply go to New Mexico or Arizona and ask those people what they feel about your ideas...that is if you still have a car, because, after all, if your property doesn't really mean anything to anybody then it's entirely possible that one of your young friends may have borrowed it from you and simply kept it.

teufelhunden 1 year, 2 months ago

I have listened to Ron Paul. Some of the things he says make good sense. While I do not agree with all of his stances, he does make some good points. He is far from crazy.

babiehop 1 year, 2 months ago

Andrew, writing him in would only have the same result as not voting if he didn't get enough votes. If enough people would exercise the option to write in and he got enough, it could, in theory, happen. Stranger things have. Also, I have not heard him absolutely rule out running as a 3rd party candidate. If he doesn't, I'd sign up for the "everybody write in RP" campaign. I don't have superpack status, so all he'd get would be my hand written ballot choice.

AndrewSoboeiro 1 year, 2 months ago

@babiehop: Sure, it would have SOME chance of making a difference, but so what? There's SOME chance that a myriad of things will happen. There's SOME chance that China will invade the US tomorrow. The question is, what's likely.

Now, if you want to write Ron Paul in, that's fine, but that's not a choice you can impose on others. To say that I don't deserve to be taken seriously (as Courseaire has said) simply because I don't think voting is necessarily worth my time is bigotry.

RmeMP 1 year, 2 months ago

Andrew, you and the test of the paulbots are as crazy as the old cook himself. Yes he appears to be a raging racist, yes he appears to be a Hypocritical hypocrite, and yet people like you, and him, still beleive that he should be the leader of the greatest country on the face on the earth - THAT is why I say he's crazy, and so you paulbots.

Now, every time I see your name to are writing about Ron Paul for president, but then say you're not a supporter of his - can you make up your mind, or should I just continue to think you're crazy?!

JER 1 year, 2 months ago

RmeMP: Would you like Paul better if he had a little moustache and his hair was combed down over his forehead? I figure you might, since you seem to like burning books and see nothing wrong with a SS insignia on our troops banner.

AndrewSoboeiro 1 year, 2 months ago

@metamemetics: I was re-reading the comments and realized that your earlier point regarding "wealth being returned" was not in reference to my bit about immigration, but rather to my statement about pork barrel spending.

The problem is that Ron Paul ISN'T returning that money. Even if he could carefully calculate the amount of tax money that was taken out of his district and send no more than that back in earmarks, the problem is that he has no way of knowing how much money each INDIVIDUAL has lost. The tax code is so complicated, and there are so many different kinds of federal taxes (i.e.- payroll, income, excise, tariff, corporate; not to mention all the indirect taxes that result from government actions), that it is virtually impossible to actually know who has lost more from the government. Thus Paul's earmarks could, and likely do, give a lot of money to people who have been taxed very little while giving little to those who have been taxed greatly. It ends up increasing, not decreasing, government redistribution.

In addition, much of the money that the Federal government spends is not taxed from Americans who are alive now; rather, that money is debt, to be taxed from future generations. Thus Paul isn't "returning" money at all; he's just changing who benefits the money that is stolen from people living decades in the future.

RmeMP 1 year, 2 months ago

Interesting JER, you liberals have NO PROBLEM burning the American flag, and actually defend those who do it as simply expressing their free speech - yet get your panties in a wad if a koran is mishandled... Can you try and explain that one?

AndrewSoboeiro 1 year, 2 months ago

@RmeMP:

1) There is no greatest country on earth. "Country" is just another name for a tax farm, and we need to stop thinking that the cattle on one farm deserve any better than the cattle on another.

2) In spite of his hypocrisy and (possible) racism, Paul is the best candidate available. Every single inhabitant of the Presidency has been a liar, a cheat, a hypocrite, and a mass murderer. I support Paul not because he's good (he isn't), but because he's better.

3) I never said I wasn't a supporter; I said I'm not fervent about it. I do support Ron Paul over anyone else who might conceivably be elected, but I hold my nose in the process. I've no trouble making up my mind.

babiehop 1 year, 2 months ago

The demise of the system is disheartening, but how many things that we do are truly worth our time ? If merely whittling away at our lives were that much of a concern, certainly none of us would be on here posting. Some things are only worth doing so that you can say you did them. It's sad to have only to choose between the lesser of the evils, so no, I do not wish to impose that on anyone.

AndrewSoboeiro 1 year, 2 months ago

@im_a_harleyman:

I for one would be happy to see Congress grind to a halt.

RmeMP 1 year, 2 months ago

Andrew:

While I have no "right" to tell you that you are wrong in your ways of thinking, I can tell you that your ways are not the norm for an American. I honestly want to know why you put up with living here if its so bad in your eye? If you would be happier somewhere else, why not go there and be happy?

I am thinking that if everyone in the world would play nice, and not touch touch stuff that didn't belong to them, and wouldn't say mean things, then people like you and Ron Paul could be happy. But unfortunately, that isn't the case. There are BAD people in the world, there are strong people, weak people, rich people, poor people, different colored people, and different religious people - there will NEVER be world peace because of the evil which inhabit it.

In the end I hope you find happiness one day, and even though Dr. Paul won't get the election, he's still crazy (in my opinion) for honestly thinking he has a chance - at least here in America.

AndrewSoboeiro 1 year, 2 months ago

@RmeMP

"I honestly want to know why you put up with living here if its so bad in your eye? If you would be happier somewhere else, why not go there and be happy?"

Who said I would be happier somewhere else? I don't know that the United States is objectively WORSE than any other system; I just refuse to accept that it's inherently better. Even if the US DOES happen to have the best system in the world (and I doubt that, though I can't name a system that's better), that doesn't remove it from criticism. Indeed, the fact that I'm living here makes obligates me to be more critical of this country than any other, because I can most directly influence the U.S. more than any other power. To quote Chomsky, "I focus my efforts against the terror and violence of my own state for two main reasons: First of all, in my case the actions of my state happen to make up the main component of international violence... but much more importantly than that, it's because American actions are the things that I can do something about."

"if everyone in the world would play nice," etc.

The libertarian case does not depend on everyone's "playing nice." It simply recognizes that people respond to incentives. Economic liberty and free trade create an environment in which peaceful behavior will make you rich. If you have free trade, if you have a system in which all forms of exchange (including immigration, which is the exchange of labor) are unrestricted, different "countries" become dependent on each other, and are thus unwilling to attack each other. It is for this reason that, neocon prophecy notwithstanding, China will never go to war with the United States: China and the US trade so much with each other that it would be disastrous for both of them if that trade is disrupted.

Now, there are some governments that will never allow free trade or liberty in their domain. American military intervention, however, cannot change this. When the US makes war on these nations, that only inflames the hatred of the people living there or nearby, encouraging similar governments to directly target the US. The best that can be done for peace is to establish a strong national defense within American borders and leave the rest of the world alone.

mcg2010 1 year, 2 months ago

Andrew, I have to refute your claims that there is no "greatest" country. While I believe that all nations would benefit from the principles and morals that are inherently a part of our great country. While our political system is far from perfect and I disdain the role that big corporations are allowed to play and subsequently abuse our government, I dare say we do it about as best we can.

If you disagree, I'd encourage you to take a trip to Syria sometime soon. When you dig deep in to the violent atrocities that take place in the world to people who dare to challenge the political system, much like you are doing right here on this very comment board, you would be physically harmed. I'm glad to say we have not reached that point in this country and I pray that we never do. (And to tie back to the original topic, I will say, while I disagree with just about everything the man says, Ron Paul would probably protect us from that sort of persecution better than any of the candidates.)

Utopia is a beautiful place...that doesn't dwell anywhere near the house that reality built.

AndrewSoboeiro 1 year, 2 months ago

@mcg2010:

Syria is hardly the only alternative to the United States. There are plenty of other systems to choose from: Canada, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and South Korea to name just a few.

That's not to say that any of those systems is better than the United States; I have no pretensions about that. Each system, however, is so very distinct from the next that it is impossible to definitively say that one is best. Calling the United States "the greatest country on earth" is bigoted; what gives you the right to judge?

skylinefirepest 1 year, 2 months ago

Andrew, I know that while you liberal thinkers like to believe that everything flows from your collective mindset, when you get out and actually have to "earn" a living then maybe you'll realize the fallacy of your current thinking. If Carolina is teaching you this bull hockey about tax farms and no best country, etc., then I wish you had gone to Moo U or Dook! Actually the RmeMP took you to the back shed and you simply don't realize it. We have the best country currently on the face of the earth, not because the Maker designed it that way but because "we the people" fought for it and made it that way. Unfortunately the great thinkers of this world ( Dusty, JER, Jimt, Jimmy Heim, and others ) believe that we can give away the family farm and prosper. You'll find that JER doesn't mind not checking his facts so that he can rave about burning the Koran and using an "SS" flag and that dilutes most any thoughtful comments that he might make on the occasion. But you might want to take a remedial reading course if you want to vote for Obama because he and his administration are busily trying to kill this great nation and you apparently haven't taken the time to read the news or maybe you get all your news from MSNBC.

dustyrhoades 1 year, 2 months ago

For the record, I do not believe Ron Paul is crazy. In fact, he's the one who's most consistent, the one who doesn't tie his brain in knots trying to reconcile "small government" with "but we still get to tell people how to live and invade everyone we don't like."

I also believe America is the greatest country on earth, and that's why I want it to live up to its potential.

skylinefirepest 1 year, 2 months ago

Thank you, Dusty...you see, we do agree wholeheartedly on something, after all.

mcg2010 1 year, 2 months ago

AFCHIEF 1 year, 2 months ago

If I were a betting man this sure sounds like Moonchilds son, just sayin....

TreadLightly 1 year, 2 months ago

I think we just proved that government shcools are doing the job that the government wants. UNC will finish the job on this young man, and he will join the big push to change the best country in the world into something more ideal. Like Cuba.

If we don't start teaching Bible, civics and history, the wave of ignorance will ovewhelm the American way of life. Sometimes I read something like this and think it already has.

moonchild7 1 year, 2 months ago

No AFCHIEF, Andrew's not my son. Andrew's a little mixed up about quite a few things but I've enjoyed reading his and others comments. My son is a registered INDEPENDENT in NYC who voted for President Obama in 2008 and has said that he'll be voting for him again in 2012. He thinks the Republicans are complete and utter sick fools. I talked to him today while he was on his lunch break and he asked me if I had watched the PBS Special about President Clinton. I told him "No", and he was surprised as interested in politics that I am. I must be "slipping" a bit these days and not as into some shows I should be. He said he was surprised because he knew that after I had been voting for 20 yrs and no winners, President Clinton was my first successful vote and that I'd vote for him again. Sorry Andrew but Ron Paul is a little CRAZY. I like his anti-war and legalizing drug stance but that's about it. Going back to the GOLD STANDARD? NO SOCIAL PROGRAMS? He's a little CRAZY because as a supposedly EDUCATED man with a lot of worldly experience, he should know that some of what he says is BS and NUTZ.

JER 1 year, 2 months ago

Small minds must have things put into a context they can understand. Suppose that a new family moved into your neighborhood. Suppose that new neighbor, upon meeting you and your neighbors at a "get to know you" dinner party, said "I don't like the way your house is painted". "You are not maintaining your lawn correctly." "Why in the world are you raising your children like you are?" Then he tells you that he and his family know all the right things to do. He tells you that he is much better about these things than you are, so just listen and start making the changes he dictates. Then he tells you that he's going to do you and your neighbors a favor and share with you how you can be as great as he and his family. He's going to tell you who your friends should be, where you should get your information from, what to believe and who you should be afraid of. He admits that he wouldn't do this for just anybody, but he likes you and your daughter would make a good arm accessory for his perfect son. And since he's doing so much for you, you'll probably not mind if he diverts that stream at the back of your property to form the water feature he's building over on his land.

Get this picture? Are you going to love your new neighbors? Give you any ideas as to why we are hated in many parts of the world?

jmhammo 1 year, 2 months ago

Andrew - While I admire your commitment to libertarian ideals, I must respectfully disagree on the topic of immigration. I agree that the concept of closed borders and deportation violate libertarian principles, but the problem is, we do not have a true market economy and we are actually moving in the opposite direction. As long as we have free public services and we have illegal immigration, we will have illegal immigrants taking advantage of those free public services.

The way I see it, we have two choices:

1) We can argue against deportation because if you have a free market, it isn't going to hurt anyone at all, it will actually help. While very principled, this will accomplish nothing because we DON'T have a free market and all we end up doing is providing powerful incentives for illegals to flood into the country, sapping federal funds that we ALREADY have a shortage of.

2) We can stop bashing our heads against the wall and deal with reality. Since illegal immigration CLEARLY has a significant negative impact on our economy, we need to deal with it by punishing employers who hire illegals, adding further border security, and at LEAST deporting those who give us a reason to (arrest, etc.).

If the day actually comes that libertarian principles win out and we have more of a free market system, then we can re-evaluate the situation. For now, we have to deal with reality.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 2 months ago

WOW, l spent the best ten years of my life protecting the Constitution and our great nation. I now sometimes wonder if it was a waste of time and effort. I work for the US govt. but as soon as l retire, l will move to the bush of Alaska and then in the winter, l'm thinking Belize is looking better and better. At least if you pay the right person, you have total freedom and it is tropical. I have spent a number of years in the Philippines, and it is looking pretty good for winters too. I am thinking more and more about splitting my time with a foreign nation, ours is in such a mess.

Yukonjohn 1 year, 2 months ago

That is if RP is not the Repub nominee. And from the sounds of things, ya'll are happy with President Obama.

JustThinking 1 year, 2 months ago

Andrew, Andrew, Andrew HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST YOUR MIND. You are a Catholic!?!?!. Go to confession!

JustThinking 1 year, 2 months ago

TreadLightly, you are sooo right!! Government schools are doing just that and it's working! The plan shows itself in this young man. He is a smart boy and a good person, but his education defiantly dumbed him down! That's the design! UNC will seal the deal for sure. Just hope he doesn't go into politics!

JustThinking 1 year, 2 months ago

Yukonjohn, keep in touch, we might be your neighbors. Sounds good sometimes doesn't it? Especially when you see the youth of today being so brainwashed. Wonder why the government schools aren't teaching kids about the TRUE Constitution? On second thought, that is a scarey thought, maybe it's best they don't!

Yukonjohn 1 year, 2 months ago

JustThinking, I have a friend that runs a little resort in Hopkins Belize. It is called Beaches and Dreams. He has lived in Alaska for many years until recently, and they have given up spending summers in Alaska and winters south, and stayed in Hopkins!! It is a really cool place, with a really cool couple running it!! They are on the internet, and l even think he might have got some land for sale to ex-pats!!

AndrewSoboeiro 1 year, 2 months ago

Yeah, because if there's one thing we're taught constantly at UNC, it's that we need to embrace free markets and small government.

I'm done commenting here; this debate has clearly descended into a cesspool of absurdity.

JimHeim 1 year, 2 months ago

jmhammo, Illegal immigration CLEARLY benefits the economy, over a trillion dollars a year worth.

moonchild7 1 year, 2 months ago

Andrew I admit to being wrong, Ron Paul is not a little bit crazy but the people who keep voting for him are definately not right. Why? I had no idea after "researching" just now his record as a Congressman and how pathetic it has been. He's sponsored or supported 620 pieces of legislation since 1997,.Only 4 made it to a vote and only one was passed. The one that passed? A 2007 Law that authorized the sale of a customs house in Galveston TX. He's done nothing to make America better. Compromise and cooperation have been "BAD" words but it's actually how important things get done in this world. He should know that and it's incomprehensible that he dosen't. Andrew, you gave up too soon. Don't know what your Major at UNC is but you should really try to develop a "fighting" spirit because it's not easy out there. I'll tell you a little story of how to get that "dark side" in motion. When my son was in NYC looking for work after graduating from college here in NC he had been working several part time jobs when he finally was interviewed for a full-time one. There were several openings in and around the City but all of the candidates wanted to work in Manhattan. He called me and said, "Mom, everyone wants the jobs in Manhattan and Brooklyn and that's where I want to work. There's one opening in the Bronx but no one wants to go there. So, I said, "You go to the Bronx even if it is rough." Not only did he get the job in the Bronx he ended up being transfered in only a yr and half to Manhattan. He now Supervises two of those other people The challenges in life will make you stronger and that's called survival..

dustyrhoades 1 year, 2 months ago

I'm done commenting here; this debate has clearly descended into a cesspool of absurdity.

http://thepilot.com/users/photos/2012/feb/25/15851/

Here's your Golden Flounce Award.

RmeMP 1 year, 2 months ago

and once again, dusty shows that he has nothing positive to contribute on these threads - except insults...

dustyrhoades 1 year, 2 months ago

REMF, do you have some sort of traumatic brain injury that causes you to forget what you yourself post? Brain damage would explain a lot about you.

moonchild7 1 year, 2 months ago

"Lawzy, we got to have a doctor. I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin babies."

dustyrhoades 1 year, 2 months ago

REMF, three posts ago:

once again, dusty shows that he has nothing positive to contribute on these threads - except insults..

REMF's first post in this thread:

I'm thinking brain damage is the only explanation for this guy.

JustThinking 1 year, 2 months ago

Dusty, well said, well said!

JustThinking 1 year, 2 months ago

Yes Andrew, it is time to stop. Go pray for wisdom!

nothingspecial 1 year, 2 months ago

JER, I think your reason is one cause for folks disliking us/America = they hear that Christianity is the be all, but then from the same supposedly Christian nation they see Brittany Spears wearing a cross, they see us always "butting in", and acting like spoiled, superior minded brats.

I think we're more hated because we're a threat to the status quo and the tyrants of the moment. Because what we espouse often threatens to ruin their good thing. While this might be true, it is of course potentially seen as arrogant as well.

We probably agree that America should stay out of more of our typical efforts in other countries

But I'm thinking Dennis Prager has it right when he says it is a left mindset that America is wrong that is really the source of the hatred - here and elsewhere:

http://www.dennisprager.com/columns.aspx?g=9f566e8a-cfd0-49a0-908a-81947ed03514&url=the_world_doesnt_hate_america,_the_left_does

Nezumi 1 year, 2 months ago

Harley, you forgot my favorite Leviticus quote about shellfish!

Yukonjohn 1 year, 2 months ago

NothingSpecial, I disagree with you and Mr. Prader. I love America! It is the birthplace of generations of my ancestors. I HATE what our great Nation is becoming!! It is from the right and the left, we are losing our liberty!! If we continue down this same path, we will succeed in losing the most precious thing in our lives, our liberty. Please wake up America and stop this slide.

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Ron Paul Is Not Crazy; He's Restoring Sanity

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