Thank you. Finally some people (even at this site) who understand that it is government backing and involvement in the economy that causes the imbalances and the plutocracy, not the lack of regulations per se.

I don’t agree much with Ralph Nader but, like Ron Paul, he is much more principled than the establishment candidates of either party.

I agree that deregulation of the banks was a disaster because the government was and still is acting as the banker of last resort to bail them out (Ron Paul voted against repealing Glass-Stiegel).

However, take a look at Panama. Panama does not have a central bank like our Federal Reserve to act as the banker of last resort. The banks there are much less regulated than banks in most other countries but they weathered the recent banking crisis much better. They keep reserves of ~60% (here bank reserves are only ~10%) and their banks are run responsibly because they know there is no one that will bail them out if they don’t.

In 2000 I supported Ralph Nadar. Which should clarity some why I don’t buy the Libertarian argument. If anything, this past decade should prove beyond any doubt what happens when you deregulate the banks.

You’re right that I’m disenchanted with both major parties. I will never again support a Republican or Democrat. I’m done with them. I lean Green Party though.

All the best,
Thrash

You’re welcome. The link is also posted at http://www.campaignforliberty.com – if you haven’t already, check it out. There is alot of good info posted there. I regularly read it and dollarcollapse.com.

Thanks for the link for the Quiet Coup – I read it awhile back and emailed it to a number of my friends.

I also was disappointed that Pres. Reagan shifted the tax burden to the middle class and didn’t cut government spending more than he cut taxes. In hindsight, I think V.P. George H.W. Bush had too much influence over Reagan. I never cared for George H.W. Bush but was naively hopeful that George W. Bush would be different, but he too was just another big-government politician.

In the 2008 election, John McCain and Rudy Guiliani were my least favorite Republicans running for President. They both are big-government politicians and neither are socially conservative. I didn’t have much hope for change with Pres. Obama being elected either. He is definitely not socially or fiscally conservative and, like McCain and Hillary Clinton, he was supported heavily by Wall Street bankers. So it was obvious to me before the 2008 general election that virtually nothing would change for the better in terms of economic or foreign policy and the wealthy well-connected would continue to profit at the expense of everyone else. So I voted for Ron Paul in the primaries and voted 3rd party in the general election (as a protest vote).

From what I’ve read, Ron Paul is different – his political adversaries don’t call him Dr. No for nothing. He doesn’t play the game of trading his congressional vote for campaign funds from lobbyists like so many politicians do in D.C.

From your comments on Reagan and Obama, you sound disenchanted with both parties, so why don’t you look into Ron Paul further and give him a chance. He is a statesman who votes based on principles, not a politician who votes based on money. Like I said before, read what he has written before dismssing him as just another politican. Also check out Ron Paul’s son Rand Paul (http://www.randpaul2010.com/). He is running as a Republican for Senate (he is an optometrist taking his first try at politics) in Kentucky and also is a limited-government, strict constitutionalist. Rand is currently leading in the polls by ~15% over his nearest challenger (who is backed by Sen. Mitch McConnell and the RNC).

I believed deeply in two politicians during my lifetime. Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. Ironically, each personified some great American myths. Reagan, the can do spirit of the rugged individual and Obama the strength and purpose of our collective will.

I became disenchanted with Reagan over the issues of civil asset forfeiture, that I came to realize States Right’s is just a euphemism for racism, that rather than lowering taxes he merely shifted the burden onto the middle class and the poor through payroll taxes, but most of all that he absolutely failed in his promise to reign in government spending. Even Reagan admitted that he merely reduced the rate of growth in government spending. Big whoop and I’m not convinced he did even that much.

Obama? He’s nothing more than Bush43 in brown skin. Talks like FDR and governs like Jimmy Carter or James Buchanan.

So now ya tell me this guy Ron Paul from Texas is different? No thanks. I just ain’t buyin’ politicians anymore.

Since you’ve shared some interesting links Scot, I’ll reciprocate. Check out the Quiet Coup by Simon Jonson of Baseline Scenario and published by the Atlantic Monthly.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/05/the-quiet-coup/7364/

Sadly, I don’t believe we can restore the Republic within the limits of our political process. From gerrymandering districts to packing the courts to the revolving door between industry and government we have lost our way.

Oh, for Bruce C., Jack & R. Michael Hill. I played ice hockey for nearly 40 of my 57 years. You guys are total pikers in the name calling business. If you want to insult somebody at least show some something between your own ears. Like this:

Hill: I can eat alphabet soup and shit better insults.
Jack: Out of 10,000 sperm you were the quickest?
Bruce C.: I defend you the other day. People said you were ugly and stupid. I said you weren’t ugly.

You kids run along and study and don’t pick fights outside your IQ class.

All the best,
Thrash

Those are all good ideas – but you will look out of place if you show up at a Ron Paul event or a Tea Party rally wearig a tin foil hat.

Since you have made a tin foil hat, I challenge you to wear it while you read through all of Ron Paul’s writings. By the time you read through all his published books and posted articles/columns on the internet you will realize the common sense behind his positions on the issues and throw your tin foil hat in the garbage where it belongs.

BTW, today the House is in the midst of a three hour debate over H Con. Res. 248, which would require President Obama to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan within 30 days of the resolution’s passage by Congress or no later than the end of 2010 – Here is a 5-minute speech given by Ron Paul on the House floor in support of this resolution – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=422uTaGxY8o&feature=player_embedded