Almost every time I hear or read something about our government I realize once more that I will be voting in the 2008 elections. After thinking that thought, I move on to another: who am I voting for and why?
Until about two weeks ago, that question was unanswered, but after seeing Ron Paul on The Colbert Report (which is quite possibly the last place one would expect to find their presidential candidates) I was immediately intrigued by his new ideas.
Ever since FDR entered office we have seen a gradual increase of more government involvement, regulation, and spending. Granted, FDR was faced with the Great Depression and Americans needed government involvement for their own survival. However, today I don’t feel that we need government regulation because bureaucrats can’t decide exactly what is right for the regular American individual — American individuals can decide what is right for American individuals.
Ron Paul’s politics preach to this idea of the people know best. And what really sold me on him was that:
- He’s not ridiculously rich. (Although this may be a problem because the primaries demand each candidate have 50-75 million dollars.)
- He doesn’t talk like he has his publicist telling him everything to say, he really speaks at a level that is genuine.
- He doesn’t claim to have all the solutions, but he does believe he can change things for the better.
- He doesn’t stick by party lines. In other words, he has a brain for himself.
Honestly, the only thing I disagree with him on is the net neutrality issue, although I don’t know very much about the entire issue. However, considering that net neutrality is governed by the FCC I can assume that it can be improved.
I definitely recommend checking out his site. Ron Paul ‘08!
New ideas? Have you been living under a rock all your life?
Butter,
It’s cool to see someone taking their very first vote seriously. It gives me great hope for the future of our country.
Really check into that net neutrality bill. Although Ron Paul also endorses the idea of an open internet, he felt that the bill actually being voted on gave too much power over the internet to the federal government. But please don’t just take my word (or anyone else’s for that matter) for it. Go look it up for yourself. See for your self what was in there.
As you observe congress and the media, you will see that this is a common practice, wrapping a terrible law in a great sounding name.
Also you will observe that politicians often try to scare you with things that would only rarely happen (such as an ISP doing something that 99% of its customers think is really bad form, and most of their customers would leave over.) and then getting you to clamor to be saved from the terrible monster.
Anyway, welcome to the R(3VOL)ution. Have you registered to vote, and if so, which party? Don’t wait until the last minute. Even if you decide not to vote for Ron Paul, you want to be sure that you’re registered so you can vote for whoever you do like.
I haven’t registered to vote yet because I am not 18. I will be turning 18 though in time for the ‘08 elections.
On the net neutrality bill I understand why Paul vetoes it, because, as you said, it isn’t very likely that huge corporations would try to limit our access to competitive media — although, it is still a possibility. I’m still on the fence however but it is hard to find an unbiased argument on the pro’s and con’s of the bill.