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Keep in mind this was his Farewell Address. He was going to get his licks in, esp. that bit about "psychopathic authoritarians" (which I took to include the oth

by wyclif 14y ago

Keep in mind this was his Farewell Address. He was going to get his licks in, esp. that bit about "psychopathic authoritarians" (which I took to include the other members of Congress). There was absolutely no reason or incentive for him to make it shorter than the allotted time he had. Ron Paul is the only US politician I've ever wanted to cross the street for. I'm hoping his youth movement produces more leaders who value freedom and liberty as much as he does.

thesagan 14y ago
He's one of the few politicians of that caliber where I think he's both batshit crazy while being a force for good (?) in the public sphere. I don't really know what to make of the man.
- kmfrk 14y ago
  He has a voting record to judge him by, for what it's worth.
- wyclif 14y ago
  Precisely what part of Ron Paul's policies are "batshit crazy", hmmm? Which policies, specifically? Not wanting to fund wars and nation-building in other countries? Not picking sides in foreign revolutions, operating drone wars in other countries, assassinating American citizens and maintaining a secret "kill list" without any congressional approval? Wanting to close down Guantanamo Bay? Vetoing legislation that is unconstitutional and which violates our civil rights like the PATRIOT Act and NDAA? Not wanting to maintain the security theater that is TSA? Hell, if that's batshit crazy, then sign me up. In fact, open up one of my veins and mainline it right into my bloodstream. Because if that's crazy, America needs more of it instead of the status quo "sanity" that results in $16 trillion in unfunded liabilities, TARP, banker bailouts, Dodd-Frank, corporate welfare, the failed drug war, and continued violation of the civil liberties of ordinary citizens.
  - rhizome 14y ago
    Politicians lie. The more you agree with them, the closer you should be looking.
    - rhizome 14y ago
      Yes, I should have known better than to comment on an HN political thread.
  - astrange 14y ago
    When your policy is to oppose absolutely everything, it sure is easy to make it sound good by listing unpopular policies, since those happen to be part of 'everything'. But I somehow doubt that policy would stay the same if there was more than one (or now zero) of him. And I happen to like public roads, safety regulations, and currency that doesn't deflate.
  - Steko 14y ago
    Cherry pick the relatively popular policies and anyone can look reasonable. You want batshit? Getting rid of the Fed. Repealing the Civil Rights Act. Global warming denialism. Getting rid of clean air and water standards. Seizing the Panama Canal. There's no shortage of batshit insane ideas when you go down Ron Paul's rabbit hole.
    - wyclif 14y ago
      Getting red of the Fed is crazy? Wow. And a lot of those aren't policies, you know. You still haven't told me what policies I wrote about above are objectionable to you, and not preferable to the status quo. You like the drug war? NDAA? Patriot Act? Massive debt and unfunded liabilities? Corporate welfare and bank bailouts? Constant war and policing of the globe? Secret kill lists? FBI raids of dairy farmers? Rendition and torture? Please explain to me how voting for Obama or Romney (and thus their support of those policies) is not crazy in comparison to Paul's policies. After you do that, I'll continue this conversation, but not before.
      - 14y ago
mtgx 14y ago
Hopefully the Republicans let the libertarians take over the party by the next election, as that would probably be the only thing to make the Republican look good again. Otherwise, good riddance for the Republican party.
- mkr-hn 14y ago
  Do you have evidence that any form of libertarianism has a meaningful amount of support? And can it contend with the stigma developed by the insane and vocal form most people have seen?
mixmastamyk 14y ago
The reason would be the message would be communicated better. I got lost in a few places down the page. This length might be better as the first few chapters of a book.

by wyclif 14y ago

thesagan 14y ago

He's one of the few politicians of that caliber where I think he's both batshit crazy while being a force for good (?) in the public sphere. I don't really know what to make of the man.

kmfrk 14y ago
He has a voting record to judge him by, for what it's worth.
wyclif 14y ago
Precisely what part of Ron Paul's policies are "batshit crazy", hmmm? Which policies, specifically? Not wanting to fund wars and nation-building in other countries? Not picking sides in foreign revolutions, operating drone wars in other countries, assassinating American citizens and maintaining a secret "kill list" without any congressional approval? Wanting to close down Guantanamo Bay? Vetoing legislation that is unconstitutional and which violates our civil rights like the PATRIOT Act and NDAA? Not wanting to maintain the security theater that is TSA? Hell, if that's batshit crazy, then sign me up. In fact, open up one of my veins and mainline it right into my bloodstream. Because if that's crazy, America needs more of it instead of the status quo "sanity" that results in $16 trillion in unfunded liabilities, TARP, banker bailouts, Dodd-Frank, corporate welfare, the failed drug war, and continued violation of the civil liberties of ordinary citizens.
- rhizome 14y ago
  Politicians lie. The more you agree with them, the closer you should be looking.
  - rhizome 14y ago
    Yes, I should have known better than to comment on an HN political thread.
- astrange 14y ago
  When your policy is to oppose absolutely everything, it sure is easy to make it sound good by listing unpopular policies, since those happen to be part of 'everything'. But I somehow doubt that policy would stay the same if there was more than one (or now zero) of him. And I happen to like public roads, safety regulations, and currency that doesn't deflate.
- Steko 14y ago
  Cherry pick the relatively popular policies and anyone can look reasonable. You want batshit? Getting rid of the Fed. Repealing the Civil Rights Act. Global warming denialism. Getting rid of clean air and water standards. Seizing the Panama Canal. There's no shortage of batshit insane ideas when you go down Ron Paul's rabbit hole.
  - wyclif 14y ago
    Getting red of the Fed is crazy? Wow. And a lot of those aren't policies, you know. You still haven't told me what policies I wrote about above are objectionable to you, and not preferable to the status quo. You like the drug war? NDAA? Patriot Act? Massive debt and unfunded liabilities? Corporate welfare and bank bailouts? Constant war and policing of the globe? Secret kill lists? FBI raids of dairy farmers? Rendition and torture? Please explain to me how voting for Obama or Romney (and thus their support of those policies) is not crazy in comparison to Paul's policies. After you do that, I'll continue this conversation, but not before.
    - 14y ago

mtgx 14y ago

Hopefully the Republicans let the libertarians take over the party by the next election, as that would probably be the only thing to make the Republican look good again. Otherwise, good riddance for the Republican party.

mkr-hn 14y ago
Do you have evidence that any form of libertarianism has a meaningful amount of support? And can it contend with the stigma developed by the insane and vocal form most people have seen?

mixmastamyk 14y ago

The reason would be the message would be communicated better. I got lost in a few places down the page. This length might be better as the first few chapters of a book.