Anti-War Repub, Ron Paul (R-Texas), running for President

[npincus]

http://www.thelibertypapers.org/2007/03/12/ron-paul-is-running-for-president/

The longest of shots.

HOUSTON — Ron Paul, a nine-term Texas congressman who describes himself as a lifelong libertarian, announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination Monday.

<snip>

An obstetrician-gynecologist from just south of Houston, Paul is ideologically far afield from the Republican mainstream. He has acknowledged that he has been largely shunned by the national party.

Among other differences with his party’s base, Paul has criticized President Bush for acting unconstitutionally in sending U.S. troops to Iraq and has said he would support an investigation into whether Bush “deliberately misrepresented” his reasons for doing so.

“I’m very confident the Republican party has gone in the wrong direction,” Paul said in his C-SPAN appearance. “We used to be the party of small government. Now we’re the party of big government.”

[mikelgb]

1. Run, Paul run.

perhps a reason to watch the repugs debate

[nealmhughes]

2. He is a strange bird, that Paul, but a zealous guardian of the Constitution.

Unfortunately, he hates all govt. spending of any brand. But he makes for interesting reading. By the way, "interesting" is one of the worst words I can think of to cover someone whom I don't completely understand...

[razors edge]

3. I tend to agree with him

about the need to stop government spending growth, for two main reasons.

Bush has spent so much he has left us unable to defend ourselves if a real war came to our shores.

Currently the debt is a drain on our system that will cost us more in the long term than the loss of government support for social programs.

If they bankrupt us, all programs, including SS will end.

Edit: spending "growth"

[magellan]

4. Paul was one of the first to identify and out the Neocons

...if not the first. His 2003 floor speech is a great primer for those who don't understand why the neocons are not new and not conservative, but pose such a huge threat to our democracy.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul110.html

Also in 11 parts on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aewpvcxAwTk