A small observation about Ron Paul

[nadinbrzezinski]

Ok, there is one thing I agree with Paul, but will also tell you how he'd destroy this.

Drug legalization. Prohibition does not work...now look deep into Paul, complete freedom with zero regulations don't work either. In an ideal word, per Ron Paul, there would be zero regulations not just on these prohibited drugs, but all drugs. See, here is the problem, coke is many a times cut with talcum powder. It's cheap, it looks like it, and it leads to some nasty effects. How many pharma companies woud start using that instead of the more expensive substances they are "forced" to use these days?

So even if you agree with a policy possition or two, you need to ask...how would it be turned on it's face by Paul? Oh and mind you, what I just described is very internally consistent.

Word to the wise, from experience, even the worst politico, you too can find something you agree with...but then when you look deeply into how that might be carried out, the rest of that political philosophy will come to the fore.

So when you meet a Paul supporter, one tactic might be...how d you think he'd carry this out?

(For the record talcum powder can have nasty effects to the heart when injected).

[Poll_Blind]

1. I disagree, partly: Injecting talcum powder into my heart is how I become Frosty The Snowman.

No "fibbin'".

On a serious note, I do agree with you about Paul. That's what makes him the #1 danger to folks who have their heart in the right place, but really don't look too deeply into something. I think it's good in a way that he's getting more airtime Q/A though: If he's talking for more than 15 seconds or so about a topic, he usually can't help but start the creepy talk.

Teeny soundbites? Can sound mega-liberal.

Anything longer and he's libel to make a voter start shuddering uncontrollably.

Which is what makes his decent standing in Iowa so puzzling to me. Are these people who are for him really aware of what his ideas are and where they lead- or are they just surface-scratchers who think they've found a good thing?

PB

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. partly it is that

I have seen much of Ron Paul material. One good thing to hang around OWSers, you get everything. I was given a Paul Revolution leaflet. It is pretty much a series of bullet points.

See this is what Doctor Paul wants.

I asked the person who gave me that if he knew the lack of marketing regulations part of his ideas? Head in headlight look. So we spent a good hour going over that... I am not sure I made a convert that day, but I gave him a lot of food for thought. One thing you will find at OWS sites is that people actually are thirsty for those conversations. Old fashioned 30 second bumper sticker politics do not work with this crowd.

[U4ikLefty]

7. Great post nadin.

I especially like the line "Old fashioned 30 second bumper sticker politics do not work with this crowd."

It is my observation as well.

[Modern_Matthew]

3. Regulating the companies is fine... but it's my body and I can put what I want it. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Hey if you decide to cut your drugs

With talcum powder and inject it, don't complaint about the cardiac failure.

Worst, you got that right, so how about cutting baby formula with that? You ok with that?

[Zalatix]

5. I'll give ya a K&R on that

You're totally right - his opposition to consumer safety laws would INSTANTLY undermine his removal of laws against narcotics. And because of Ron Paul you would never even know whether the stuff was cut.

[MisterP]

6. no doubt he and his followers would be totally for meth and desomorphine

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. As long as you do not regulate it

[MisterP]

9. well, maybe regulated by the states--but they'll clean their own exposed bones!

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Now you are getting fully in the Spirit of Ron Paul

And usually when people understand this, they connect the other dot.. FOOD.

[Fire Walk With Me]

10. Just a note from the streets...

...according to #Occupy the Hood Los Angeles, there is a new trend emerging, and IIRC, they call it "Thizz". You blend up all of the hard drugs you have...

I'm disabled. I live in a "sober living" house with more than a dozen men. I walk outside and see the homeless and prostitutes and the effects of drug use. Crack has decimated this area. I can't imagine people mixing it with other hard drugs.

What this part of LA needs is less drugs, not legalization.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. From experience in countries that have actually done this the right way

see portugal... drug use actually goes down.

This is how you do it right.

REGULATE and TAX IT. Make it into a MEDICAL matter... offer addicts treatment... take the shiny prohibited fruit away, and accept that a number of people will never, ever get off them, so you will have to treat them... just like alcohol and tobacco users.

The problem we have is that we have criminalized it and made this the wild west.

And it has only increased. When I started in EMS we did not carry Narcan in the ambulance. We had one overdose a month. When I stopped I was handling an OD in the field a shift. (Narcan is an antagonist to Heroin)

[Fire Walk With Me]

13. I know that some countries have succeeded

and I bow to any attempt to implement them here...

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Which is different from what Ron Paul would do

why I said, on the surface I agree with him... we must decriminalize it. But once you look deeply into how this be carried out... run, FAST. It gets worst. Think food, you think non regulated drugs are bad... think of non regulated food production.

Drugs SOME folks use it. we all need to eat.