Rep. Paul says defense bill assures ‘descent into totalitarianism’

[harvey007]

GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul warned that the National Defense Authorization Act, which was passed by Congress this month, will accelerate the country’s “slip into tyranny” and virtually assures “our descent into totalitarianism.”

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-presidential-primary/201335-rep-paul-says-defense-bill-assures-descent-into-totalitarianism

[Angry Dragon]

1. Ron sure does talk tough however

he does not have any time to vote the way he talks for
he did not even bother to take the time out of his busy
schedule to vote on H.R. 1540

[Terry_M]

19. To be fair

pretty much every candidate for president misses some important votes during the election season, Democrat and Republican alike.

[Angry Dragon]

20. I am being fair

Perhaps it is time to stop that practice then.
If they can not do the job then maybe they should take a leave of absence
or fit their politicking around the job they are getting paid to do.

Does your job pay you to not do your job as you seek another??

Another thing, he blasted the bill, but it wasn't important enough to vote.
I call that bullshit..........

[patrice]

31. +1 More devious having-his-cake-and-eating-it-too BS

[Blue_Tires]

33. +1000

[kenfrequed]

38. To truly be fair...

If it is truly a bill that represents a descent into despotism don't you think that should be the one bill that he goes back to vote on? Personally I had issues with the bill as any progressive democrat probably does. The worst elements seem to have been removed or modified, but the ideology of 'war on terror' that is the philosophical underpinning to this bill is the most worrisome part to me.

Who is this 'War on Terror' against? What is the point of it?

[dixiegrrrrl]

21. I agree with Paul and it is a shame he was one of 14 who did not bother to vote.

In case anyone is wondering, here, you can find out how your House Rep. voted on the bill.

http://www.votesmart.org/bill/votes/37467

[bertman]

35. thanks for the link, dixiegrrrrl. nt

[Turbineguy]

2. "totalitarianism"

I think in this case is a relative term. Like giving support to the poor instead of tax cuts to the rich is "socialism".

[coalition_unwilling]

3. Paul is confusing 'totalitarianism' with 'authoritarianism'. NDAA does not

assure a descent into totalitarianism (at least as Hannah Arendt defined it in The Origins of Totalitarianism), but it may well facilitate the ascent of authoritarianism.

[Charlemagne]

7. ^^^ Important statement

Thanks for clearing that up. Also, that is an excellent book recommended for anyone with an interest in regime types.

[coalition_unwilling]

12. It's been quite awhile since I read it. As I remember it, the book was not

a quick, easy read and required intense focus. But well worth the effort.

[Ikonoklast]

37. Ron Paul supporters don't even know what Libertarianism really is, let alone anything else.

They actually think Paul is something other than a racist right-wing isolationist Republican, just like so many others of his ilk.

[freshstart]

4. I'm real careful about taking anything Ron Paul says to heart.

He has an agenda, and that agenda is to tell everyone that the two party system doesn't work...in fact, that government doesn't work. I'm not saying he's wrong on every instance, just that there is a reason for what he does.

He's been hooked up with Howard Phillips and the Conservative Caucus for years and that is their MO.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2h4tAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aqQEAAAAIBAJ&dq=shadow%20government%20ron%20paul&pg=2995%2C371409

This is a great article on Howard Phillips:
http://motherjones.com/politics/2008/11/howard-phillips-world?page=1

[PDJane]

5. Moot point. The US has been a police state for at least ten years........

[Ter]

6. He's so right

The bill was a nightmare on freedom.

[Mojorabbit]

8. I hope a lot of people work really hard to overturn many items in the bill.

I hope they are from every stripe of political persuasion. If enough right, left, middle, etc join together in revolt maybe it will give the ptb pause.

[dotymed]

10. That is my hope for OWS also.

Ron Paul occassionally makes sese (in an incorrect sort of way) but he is seriously twisted and greed motivated. Unfortunately that seems to be contagious in politics.

[webDude]

9. Would be nice if more of "our own" talked against the bill or, gasp, ...

...actually voted against it. Too bad there were too many bought and paid for.

[NashVegas]

11. I So Wish We Had a "Thumbs Up" Button

For individual posts.

it must frustrate many readers here that the candidate who has the most to say about the state of our basic democracy and how it needs repair, isn't a candidate they want people voting for.

[dixiegrrrrl]

22. That was well stated.

.
.
( we do have this button)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/du3/emoticons/index.html

[Quantess]

17. Yes!

Ron Paul is savvy to tap into this vein of discontent. He's no dummy.

[CanonRay]

13. Unfortunately, for once I think he's right.

[Hardrada]

18. He is correct on this

and on shutting down the American Empire generally. He will most likely win the caucuses in my state.

[bhikkhu]

14. I'd say it depends more on whether we have an end to the war or not

...as a perpetual state of war tends, one way or another (and NDAA or not) to grease the slippery path to authoritarianism.

But, after ten years of war, turning back around is still more than possible; the Iraq war is over, Afghanistan is winding down to a full withdrawal by 2014, and Al-qaeda is supposedly about finished. We're more on the path out of the bush-era dark woods of misery and fear, though the elections next year may be the deciding factor.

[Politicub]

15. He must be pretty happy about it, then

Paul is beyond fake - a conservative in dormitory libertarianism's clothing.

He and his racist and anti-choice views make me sick. What makes me even more nauseous? So called "liberals" who support him.

[sellitman]

25. Here, here!

Well put!

[freshwest]

16. Ron Paul's libertarianism creates fascism, then totalitarianism by corporations.

But that's okay, because the private sector is holy and full of religious leaders like him...

Instead of that godless, liberal, socialist government!

He can just knock it off already.

[arely staircase]

27. exactly

all that talk of "liberty" means liberty for everyone from the federal government. a state government, corporation or other concentrarion of power will have the liberty to do to y
ou what they wish.

[Poll_Blind]

36. That's the great irony in his positions. Often, on issues like this, he's...

...correct on the face of it, but his "solutions" are almost always far worse...far, far worse...

It's chimerical.

PB

[krucial]

23. Ron Paul is right

No matter what one thinks about Ron Paul,he is 100% right on this issue,and I saw it coming from the time Bush admin came to power,and it has just continued and got worse under Obama.
I must also say given the kind of people we have today,and given that I believe Ron Paul is Racist,because he has said some reall nasty things about Blacks and others over the years but I see most of the GOP as racist myself,and even some of the so called liberals,but they are not as vocal about it,at least I know where Ron Paul stand,but I like his position on ending wars Americas millitary forays and American Imperialism,because the bottom line and most important for me is saving lives,ending all these unecessary wars will save our lives,and the people whose country we invade,destroy.and kill their people.
that would be a big improvement over what we have had for the last few decades,that has left a trail of death,misery,pain,devastation for those attack and occupy

[arely staircase]

24. and that anyone who has been robbed by a young black male knows how fleet footed they are

he says that too.

[think]

39. He also endorsed Cynthia McKinney but I guess that doesn't fit the narrative

[arely staircase]

40. Fits it perfectly

Not out of character or narrative to any degree. Ron Paul's venn diagram circle crosses many seemingly disparate others. I'm guessing the Cynthia McKinney overlap has some truther conspiracy flavor. But just a guess .

[BootinUp]

26. Ron Paul threads are becomming more and more entertaining

thats the only reason I clicked on it. lol.

[reACTIONary]

28. More blather from a paranoid right wing mechant of fear...

...Ron Paul has been peddling this crap for years and years, along with the other bullshit in his "survivalist" newsletter. Made a million.

[Capn Sunshine]

29. Wow if Ron Paul says it, it must be true!

I'm packing my bags right now.

[SugarShack]

34. Ron Paul may be saying this....but OBAMA IS DOING IT!

[patrice]

30. a LIHOP 9/11 2.0 could be a great opportunity for anti-government statists & secessionists,

depending upon the evolution of certain configurations in the status-quo.

Some will profit from the potential chaos; others will lose opportunities and become even more oppressed. Those who profit will be waaaaay fewer than those who lose.

[Blue_Tires]

32. Paul says that about everything out of congress...

so he's bound to be right once in awhile...