Comments on: Read This or George W. Bush Will Be President the Rest of Your Life http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:26:27 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Mike McNiven http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4983 Mike McNiven Fri, 31 Aug 2007 10:48:08 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4983 http://www.iran-bulletin.org/Attack%20on%20Iran/NO%20WAR%20ON%20IRAN.htm http://www.iran-bulletin.org/Attack%20on%20Iran/NO%20WAR%20ON%20IRAN.htm

]]> By: Lloyd Rowsey http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4901 Lloyd Rowsey Thu, 30 Aug 2007 12:32:12 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4901 To rosemarie. Perfect. Making excuses for a Capitalist IS like excusing an ax murderer because of his nice shirt, and your analogy is better than my friend's description of what we have these days -- capitalism on steroids. The fit, the real-life undeniable truths -- of the shirt, of the steroids -- drive the phrases' stakes straight into the heart! If I may say so. Presumably you wouldn't object to my emailing your analogy to my friend; I'll certainly copy and paste it. lloydrowsey@hotmail.com To rosemarie. Perfect. Making excuses for a Capitalist IS like excusing an ax murderer because of his nice shirt, and your analogy is better than my friend’s description of what we have these days — capitalism on steroids. The fit, the real-life undeniable truths — of the shirt, of the steroids — drive the phrases’ stakes straight into the heart! If I may say so. Presumably you wouldn’t object to my emailing your analogy to my friend; I’ll certainly copy and paste it.

lloydrowsey@hotmail.com

]]> By: Mike McNiven http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4886 Mike McNiven Thu, 30 Aug 2007 07:58:13 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4886 Please see an Iranian scholar’s view who lives in exile and –based on his own words– cares about Peace and Social Justice in his homeland: http://www.losangeleschronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=35885 Please see an Iranian scholar’s view who lives in exile and –based on his own words– cares about Peace and Social Justice in his homeland:

http://www.losangeleschronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=35885

]]> By: Tony K http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4132 Tony K Thu, 16 Aug 2007 14:11:54 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4132 I've never seen a more completely false or poorly presented smear of Ron Paul than the one by Mr. Blum. Oh, how desperate the anti-Constitution, pro-globalization, pro-Israel, and anally partisan Democrat shills have become... I’ve never seen a more completely false or poorly presented smear of Ron Paul than the one by Mr. Blum. Oh, how desperate the anti-Constitution, pro-globalization, pro-Israel, and anally partisan Democrat shills have become…

]]> By: Deadbeat http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4086 Deadbeat Tue, 14 Aug 2007 23:44:05 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4086 Hi Ms. Jackowski, It's nice to see your commentaries here on DV. Deadbeat Hi Ms. Jackowski,

It’s nice to see your commentaries here on DV.

Deadbeat

]]> By: Deadbeat http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4085 Deadbeat Tue, 14 Aug 2007 23:42:48 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4085 While I respect Blum, he is mistaken. There were representatives that made public statement prior to the invasion of Iraq. They expressed the "concerns" and wanted to do business with Iraq and in fact they fear the disruption that it would cause. Today there is a "global" economy afoot and executive would rather cut deals and maintain "stability" than have the disruption of war. Once again I refer to Petras who can provide the footnotes. Right now the U.S. is losing control of oil in Latin America and is clearly not engaged in a war for "control" of oil there. While I respect Blum, he is mistaken. There were representatives that made public statement prior to the invasion of Iraq. They expressed the “concerns” and wanted to do business with Iraq and in fact they fear the disruption that it would cause. Today there is a “global” economy afoot and executive would rather cut deals and maintain “stability” than have the disruption of war. Once again I refer to Petras who can provide the footnotes.

Right now the U.S. is losing control of oil in Latin America and is clearly not engaged in a war for “control” of oil there.

]]> By: Deadbeat http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4084 Deadbeat Tue, 14 Aug 2007 23:36:32 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4084 Michael, regarding SS you need to do a little more research. In 1982, in order to recover some revenue that was given away by the 1981 Kemp-Roth tax, Alan Greenspan came up with a phony claim that SS was going bankrupt and they needed to "rescue" SS by overcharging working people and then the government used the surplus as a way to recover some the money lost from the tax giveaway. Reagan liked the plan because he hoped it would eventually kill SS as well as shift the tax burden from the progressive income tax to the regressive SS tax. Eventually Alan Greenspan was "reward" as Fed Chairman. This was all reveal by David Stockman in the mid 1980's. In 1994, Robert Reich, Bill Clinton's labor secretary attack SS by claiming it was going bankrupt as well. What Reich's Labor Dept did was to use low-ball economic assumption to make it "appear" that SS was going bankrupt. The media never did the investigation to expose the bogus and flawed assumption and ever since the media has been misleading the public about the condition of SS. Also there is STILL a SS surplus. The surplus didn't disappear. The surplus is guaranteed by US Treasury Bonds. What is now going on is that the rich and ruling class WANT YOUR MONEY. They do not want to redeem the bonds and pay you your hard earn benefits. They are trying to convince the pubic to accept less or no benefit by falsely claiming that there is a problem with the system. Or some crappy ass demographic mantra about the number of aging baby boomers. All rhetorical bullshit. They want the SS money to gamble on the stock market so they can REALLY raid SS. The T-bonds are still there and have value and only an educated public can stop these scoundrels. Michael, regarding SS you need to do a little more research.

In 1982, in order to recover some revenue that was given away by the 1981 Kemp-Roth tax, Alan Greenspan came up with a phony claim that SS was going bankrupt and they needed to “rescue” SS by overcharging working people and then the government used the surplus as a way to recover some the money lost from the tax giveaway. Reagan liked the plan because he hoped it would eventually kill SS as well as shift the tax burden from the progressive income tax to the regressive SS tax. Eventually Alan Greenspan was “reward” as Fed Chairman. This was all reveal by David Stockman in the mid 1980’s.

In 1994, Robert Reich, Bill Clinton’s labor secretary attack SS by claiming it was going bankrupt as well. What Reich’s Labor Dept did was to use low-ball economic assumption to make it “appear” that SS was going bankrupt. The media never did the investigation to expose the bogus and flawed assumption and ever since the media has been misleading the public about the condition of SS.

Also there is STILL a SS surplus. The surplus didn’t disappear. The surplus is guaranteed by US Treasury Bonds. What is now going on is that the rich and ruling class WANT YOUR MONEY. They do not want to redeem the bonds and pay you your hard earn benefits. They are trying to convince the pubic to accept less or no benefit by falsely claiming that there is a problem with the system. Or some crappy ass demographic mantra about the number of aging baby boomers. All rhetorical bullshit. They want the SS money to gamble on the stock market so they can REALLY raid SS. The T-bonds are still there and have value and only an educated public can stop these scoundrels.

]]> By: michael http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4064 michael Tue, 14 Aug 2007 15:24:23 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4064 To Linda Ponder , As for the comment about "entitlement programs" the clever new phrase used to put down Social Security, some research is in order. For over 70 years Social Security is the ONLY government program to run consistently in the black. I believe in 2002 and 2003 a 1.8 billion dollar surplus in SS was amassed and promptly swiped by our precious Government for "other" inappropriate uses. If the damn surplus was left alone SS wouldn't be in as much trouble as it supposedly is now. My wife and I live simply in a very small and comfortable home. We drive a fuel efficient vehicle and have planned our future so that we can retire comfortably on our SS. Take it away and trust me folks you'll be paying for us to live in the camps out of your own pocket. The program was designed in a time you didn't live in to solve a problem you couldn't understand. Entitlement indeed, I payed into that program for 40 years. Entitled to something? Yes a small, fair piece of the surplus that has been looted by our elected officials who to a man have been irresponsible fiscally. To Linda Ponder , As for the comment about “entitlement programs” the clever new phrase used to put down Social Security, some research is in order. For over 70 years Social Security is the ONLY government program to run consistently in the black. I believe in 2002 and 2003 a 1.8 billion dollar surplus in SS was amassed and promptly swiped by our precious Government for “other” inappropriate uses. If the damn surplus was left alone SS wouldn’t be in as much trouble as it supposedly is now. My wife and I live simply in a very small and comfortable home. We drive a fuel efficient vehicle and have planned our future so that we can retire comfortably on our SS. Take it away and trust me folks you’ll be paying for us to live in the camps out of your own pocket. The program was designed in a time you didn’t live in to solve a problem you couldn’t understand. Entitlement indeed, I payed into that program for 40 years. Entitled to something? Yes a small, fair piece of the surplus that has been looted by our elected officials who to a man have been irresponsible fiscally.

]]> By: rosemarie jackowski http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4041 rosemarie jackowski Mon, 13 Aug 2007 22:23:09 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4041 Ron Paul might not be as bad as the rest of the bunch, but he IS a Capitalist. Making excuses for a Capitalist is like making excuses for an ax murderer because you like the shirt he is wearing. Ron Paul might not be as bad as the rest of the bunch, but he IS a Capitalist. Making excuses for a Capitalist is like making excuses for an ax murderer because you like the shirt he is wearing.

]]> By: Max Fields http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4030 Max Fields Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:35:32 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4030 Linda, Gates and Microsoft have definitely profited from US hegemony. Maybe Paul thinks the Gates' charity is how things should work - they don't and frankly, I question the real value the world gets from Gates' give-back (well-intentioned though it seems). Problems (and Gates - who is a problem solver - understands this) like hunger and conflict are not resolved by re-distributing the "wealth" but rather by assuring the distribution and the means of sustainable resource allocation (including food and medicene). The West / US is the problem. We create the situtation and then folks like Gates and Jeff Sachs try to "fix" it. It is the very free-market thinking (both of them subscribe to) that produces the wretchedness. Pure pathology. Mr. Blum, I too have been confronted by the same (left?) argument that oil corporations did not ask for a war in the Middle East. I too have given a similar response as you have here. Chomsky makes this point quite clear. It is not simply about US having the oil - but US control over the oil distribution. In a word: US hegemony in the Middle East. As to Ron Paul. He is first and foremost a conservative libertarian. He seems to be true to those principles which are strongly anti-imperialistic. But he is a free-marketer - and again, it is principled unlike the corporatocracy that demands asymmetrical trade agreements. But he's no progressive. And seems quite content to leave everything alone. My concern with his philosophical underpinnings is that it has a strong tendency toward extreme individualism to the exclusion of community. We are most one with our humanity when we are part of the creative juices of community. Hyper-individualism is what we have and it ultimately plays into the hands of the greedy elite oligarchy we have today. But conservative liberatians, like conservatives, are principled and some of those principles cross political persuasions and - imo - should not be rejected out of hand. Linda,
Gates and Microsoft have definitely profited from US hegemony. Maybe Paul thinks the Gates’ charity is how things should work – they don’t and frankly, I question the real value the world gets from Gates’ give-back (well-intentioned though it seems). Problems (and Gates – who is a problem solver – understands this) like hunger and conflict are not resolved by re-distributing the “wealth” but rather by assuring the distribution and the means of sustainable resource allocation (including food and medicene). The West / US is the problem. We create the situtation and then folks like Gates and Jeff Sachs try to “fix” it. It is the very free-market thinking (both of them subscribe to) that produces the wretchedness. Pure pathology.

Mr. Blum, I too have been confronted by the same (left?) argument that oil corporations did not ask for a war in the Middle East. I too have given a similar response as you have here. Chomsky makes this point quite clear. It is not simply about US having the oil – but US control over the oil distribution. In a word: US hegemony in the Middle East.

As to Ron Paul. He is first and foremost a conservative libertarian. He seems to be true to those principles which are strongly anti-imperialistic. But he is a free-marketer – and again, it is principled unlike the corporatocracy that demands asymmetrical trade agreements.

But he’s no progressive. And seems quite content to leave everything alone. My concern with his philosophical underpinnings is that it has a strong tendency toward extreme individualism to the exclusion of community. We are most one with our humanity when we are part of the creative juices of community. Hyper-individualism is what we have and it ultimately plays into the hands of the greedy elite oligarchy we have today. But conservative liberatians, like conservatives, are principled and some of those principles cross political persuasions and – imo – should not be rejected out of hand.

]]> By: onecansay http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4029 onecansay Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:30:28 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4029 With the article as is, and the comments as is, some ponder the history untold to many a young, old American Citizen. Product of the environment, or not aware of the production? HIStory repeats, only because we have not learned the capacity of listening. With the article as is, and the comments as is, some ponder the history untold to many a young, old American Citizen. Product of the environment, or not aware of the production?
HIStory repeats, only because we have not learned the capacity of listening.

]]> By: CH http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4023 CH Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:48:27 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4023 SS has been one of the most cost-efficient government programs ever. Better candidates for government programs that are crippling the economy and jeopardizing our children's future are corporate welfare and our overseas military ventures. SS has been one of the most cost-efficient government programs ever. Better candidates for government programs that are crippling the economy and jeopardizing our children’s future are corporate welfare and our overseas military ventures.

]]> By: hp http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4017 hp Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:35:40 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4017 "The" defining attribute of Ron Paul is glaring, vivid and verboten to even mention, let alone discuss. This is the fact that Ron Paul isn't going to rush off to Tel Aviv to declare his undying allegiance to our "special friend," Israel. ALL other candidates will.. This alone will do more to solve the problems of the ME than all the rest of the incredibly lame attempts of the last 60 years of the so-called "mid-east peace process. Practically everyone in the world laughs at the abject failure this process is and has been. Why? Because it is not real. We know this too. “The” defining attribute of Ron Paul is glaring, vivid and verboten to even mention, let alone discuss.
This is the fact that Ron Paul isn’t going to rush off to Tel Aviv to declare his undying allegiance to our “special friend,” Israel. ALL other candidates will..
This alone will do more to solve the problems of the ME than all the rest of the incredibly lame attempts of the last 60 years of the so-called “mid-east peace process. Practically everyone in the world laughs at the abject failure this process is and has been. Why? Because it is not real. We know this too.

]]> By: Deadbeat http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4011 Deadbeat Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:06:18 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4011 To Ms. Ponder, Ron Paul is a supporter of "libertarian" capitalism. Unfortunately you haven't applied any thought to the problems inherent in capitalism to understand why Paul's advocacy is extremely problematic. Most likely you never studied Marx. I know "Marx" that is a "dirty" word to so-called "Libertarians" To Ms. Ponder,

Ron Paul is a supporter of “libertarian” capitalism. Unfortunately you haven’t applied any thought to the problems inherent in capitalism to understand why Paul’s advocacy is extremely problematic. Most likely you never studied Marx. I know “Marx” that is a “dirty” word to so-called “Libertarians”

]]> By: Jonathan http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4007 Jonathan Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:19:36 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4007 I attended a Ron Paul meetup group last night, where there was equal castigation of big government and big corporations- especially regarding the collusion of the two. The group had an organic farmer, several independent business owners, students, musicians, and such- hardly ready wonks for corporate capitalism. Instead, we rally towards Ron Paul because he would not engage in wars for political/economic hegemony, opposes things like NAFTA, supports sound money, wants to end corporate welfare, and in general believes in sound local economies, more so than any other Presidential candidate I know of. He is certainly libertarian in many of his views, but he is not a strict doctrinare libertarian, which is fine with me. And as far as supporting a war fought on behalf of corporate interests- some of us genuinely believe in peace, and do not simply oppose a war because we're not running it or it's not in our ideological corner. Ron Paul would not support such a war- as should be clear from his dissent with the present one!- and would probably be the most vocal dissenter from it. More disturbing to me than the excesses of libertarians in their support of raw capitalism is the support given by so many on the Left to the State and its sweeping coercive powers. How is that one can speak ambivently about a Communist state, for example, as is still not uncommon in America? The author of this article seemingly belittles the re-education camps run by the Communist state in Vietnam; while certainly they were not Auschwitz, I can confidently state the author would not have enjoyed a visit. I've a good friend in mainland China who was subjected to a re-education camp for years because he defended a friend from charges of rightism; I can assure you it was not a good or productive experience for him. I might also add that having lived for a couple months in the left-authoritarian (it's hardly Communist anymore) society of China, I'm pretty sure I'd prefer a society where corporations ran things than one where the State was supreme dictator of my life. Neither are good, but the State is a far more lethal and totalitizing entity. If you don't believe me, I suggest you either travel about a bit or read a little twentieth-century history. Both rightism and leftism have been the vehicles of evil and violence; leftism has left arguably the highest body-count. Why leftists- many of whom I think are very sincere, well-intentioned people who earnestly desire equality, social justice, and peace- continue to put so much trust in the almighty-State is beyond me. Slaughtering civilians and arresting dissidents isn't made any more noble or moral by being draped in the colours of a revolution for social justice. I attended a Ron Paul meetup group last night, where there was equal castigation of big government and big corporations- especially regarding the collusion of the two. The group had an organic farmer, several independent business owners, students, musicians, and such- hardly ready wonks for corporate capitalism. Instead, we rally towards Ron Paul because he would not engage in wars for political/economic hegemony, opposes things like NAFTA, supports sound money, wants to end corporate welfare, and in general believes in sound local economies, more so than any other Presidential candidate I know of. He is certainly libertarian in many of his views, but he is not a strict doctrinare libertarian, which is fine with me. And as far as supporting a war fought on behalf of corporate interests- some of us genuinely believe in peace, and do not simply oppose a war because we’re not running it or it’s not in our ideological corner. Ron Paul would not support such a war- as should be clear from his dissent with the present one!- and would probably be the most vocal dissenter from it.

More disturbing to me than the excesses of libertarians in their support of raw capitalism is the support given by so many on the Left to the State and its sweeping coercive powers. How is that one can speak ambivently about a Communist state, for example, as is still not uncommon in America? The author of this article seemingly belittles the re-education camps run by the Communist state in Vietnam; while certainly they were not Auschwitz, I can confidently state the author would not have enjoyed a visit. I’ve a good friend in mainland China who was subjected to a re-education camp for years because he defended a friend from charges of rightism; I can assure you it was not a good or productive experience for him. I might also add that having lived for a couple months in the left-authoritarian (it’s hardly Communist anymore) society of China, I’m pretty sure I’d prefer a society where corporations ran things than one where the State was supreme dictator of my life. Neither are good, but the State is a far more lethal and totalitizing entity. If you don’t believe me, I suggest you either travel about a bit or read a little twentieth-century history. Both rightism and leftism have been the vehicles of evil and violence; leftism has left arguably the highest body-count. Why leftists- many of whom I think are very sincere, well-intentioned people who earnestly desire equality, social justice, and peace- continue to put so much trust in the almighty-State is beyond me. Slaughtering civilians and arresting dissidents isn’t made any more noble or moral by being draped in the colours of a revolution for social justice.

]]> By: Lloyd http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4002 Lloyd Mon, 13 Aug 2007 14:24:28 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4002 Thank you William Blum. Especially for the first four sections, which are such direct hits I couldn't add a word. Regarding Libertarians and corporations and your characterization of the latter as being in a state of "runaway capitalism," I give you another appellation I first heard a couple of months ago from a college roomate from the 1960's whom I've never considered radical: "capitalism on steroids." Thank you William Blum. Especially for the first four sections, which are such direct hits I couldn’t add a word.

Regarding Libertarians and corporations and your characterization of the latter as being in a state of “runaway capitalism,” I give you another appellation I first heard a couple of months ago from a college roomate from the 1960’s whom I’ve never considered radical: “capitalism on steroids.”

]]> By: Linda Ponder http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4001 Linda Ponder Mon, 13 Aug 2007 14:08:04 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/08/read-this-or-george-w-bush-will-be-president-the-rest-of-your-life/#comment-4001 Ron Paul is NOT a friend of corporations supported by government contracts, such as Halliburton and the others you mentioned, and has said so publicly. He would end special government favors (our tax dollars) to businesses if he were elected president. He is supportive of businesses that have succeeded without government interference and gives Bill Gates and Microsoft as an example. How can we despise someone who has given us the very medium of expression we are using now, and without government help? Ron Paul would never abruptly end Social Security and Medicare. He is fully aware that a whole generation of Americans has been encouraged to depend on government (again, our tax dollars) for their support and a transition period would be required. This is a serious issue that requires more than a passing statement, but we must realize that these large entitlement programs are crippling our economy and the future of our children. In 1971-72, I was able to support myself and my husband on $400 a month and still save money. My children today could not get by on that because of inflation, and that is a direct result of government printing money to support all of the entitlement programs it has passed. How can we be charitable when we have no money to be charitable with? And yes, I firmly believe charity would flourish even more than it does now if the government would stop taxing us to the hilt! You should not be afraid that people who are unable to support themselves, through no fault of their own, would be cruelly forgotten should government recede from our lives. Ron Paul, when he was working as a physician, never accepted Medicare, but instead provided his services free of charge to those patients! All of your concerns about Ron Paul's political beliefs can be addressed at his website, RonPaul2008.com. Ron Paul is NOT a friend of corporations supported by government contracts, such as Halliburton and the others you mentioned, and has said so publicly. He would end special government favors (our tax dollars) to businesses if he were elected president. He is supportive of businesses that have succeeded without government interference and gives Bill Gates and Microsoft as an example. How can we despise someone who has given us the very medium of expression we are using now, and without government help?

Ron Paul would never abruptly end Social Security and Medicare. He is fully aware that a whole generation of Americans has been encouraged to depend on government (again, our tax dollars) for their support and a transition period would be required. This is a serious issue that requires more than a passing statement, but we must realize that these large entitlement programs are crippling our economy and the future of our children. In 1971-72, I was able to support myself and my husband on $400 a month and still save money. My children today could not get by on that because of inflation, and that is a direct result of government printing money to support all of the entitlement programs it has passed. How can we be charitable when we have no money to be charitable with? And yes, I firmly believe charity would flourish even more than it does now if the government would stop taxing us to the hilt!

You should not be afraid that people who are unable to support themselves, through no fault of their own, would be cruelly forgotten should government recede from our lives. Ron Paul, when he was working as a physician, never accepted Medicare, but instead provided his services free of charge to those patients! All of your concerns about Ron Paul’s political beliefs can be addressed at his website, RonPaul2008.com.

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