To me, one of the most amazing political stories of the last few years has been the emergence of Ron Paul. It's all the more amazing that he has been able to capture the nearly blind adoration of the young and of more than a few people on the left.
I find this amazing for a host of reasons, but especially because he is so clearly a hard-right paleoconservative, with a long-time association with the John Birch Society and Austrian Economics -- two things that should be deal-breakers for lefties. He is also a staunch defender of states rights over civil rights, though this is a lesser known or investigated aspect of his ideology. Again, one would think this would be a deal-breaker for lefties. But that doesn't seem to be the case.
Take, for instance, Ron Paul's little known bill, the We the People Act. Here is the official summary:
http://www.opencongress.org/...
1/14/2009--Introduced. We the People Act - Prohibits the Supreme Court and each federal court from adjudicating any claim or relying on judicial decisions involving:
(1) state or local laws, regulations, or policies concerning the free exercise or establishment of religion;
(2) the right of privacy, including issues of sexual practices, orientation, or reproduction; or
(3) the right to marry without regard to sex or sexual orientation where based upon equal protection of the laws.
Allows the Supreme Court and the federal courts to determine the constitutionality of federal statutes, administrative rules, or procedures in considering cases arising under the Constitution. Prohibits the Supreme Court and the federal courts from issuing any ruling that appropriates or expends money, imposes taxes, or otherwise interferes with the legislative functions or administrative discretion of the states.
Authorizes any party or intervener in matters before any federal court, including the Supreme Court, to challenge the jurisdiction of the court under this Act. Provides that the violation of this Act by any justice or judge is an impeachable offense and a material breach of good behavior subject to removal. Negates as binding precedent on the state courts any federal court decision that relates to an issue removed from federal jurisdiction by this Act.
This, clearly, is an attempt to block national redress of state tyranny. It makes it possible for individual states to create their own little theocracies, while it prevents anyone from taking this to an authority beyond those individual states. Obvious abuses come to mind and strike this reader as a return to pre-Civil War days, when "states rights" was an excuse to continue the practice of slavery. I find it an incredibly dangerous piece of legislation, and indicative of the mindset of Ron Paul. Indicative of the con game he's been playing as well.
Champion of civil rights and civil liberties? Not if "states rights" trump them.
Why this bill hasn't been the subject of intense discussion in our media I'll never know. It would be healthy for this nation to openly talk about neoconfederism and its adherents, and Ron Paul (unwittingly) offers us that chance.
And, while we're at it, we should also discuss his insane idea to cut one trillion dollars from the budget in year one of his presidency. That would certainly send us back into a great depression, and take most of the world down with us. But no one is talking about it.
Digby offers more along the same lines:
http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/...
Excerpt:
Devolution for some of the people
by digby
As always, Adele Stan nails the story when it comes to the connections among the far right fringies. In today's piece she draws together the strands that bring Ron Paul and the lunatic Christian Reconstructionists together. I urge you to read the whole thing -- it's quite illuminating. Here's the conclusion:
Ron Paul seeks to shrink the federal government to minimal size not because it intrudes in the lives of individuals, but because it stands in the way of allowing the states and localities to enact laws as they see fit -- even laws that govern people's behavior in their bedrooms.
. . .
This plays neatly into the hands of Paul's Christian Reconstructionist friends, who seek the destruction of the federal government for the opportunity to implement "God's law" on earth. Via Warren Throckmorton's invaluable Web site, comes this quote from the Christian Reconstructionist Bojidar Marinov, who writes of why "theonomists," as Reconstructionists define themselves, should root for Ron Paul: