Return to the Free Liberal Homepage

« For the Children | Main | Jay Leno and Ron Paul »

Club for Growth Assessment of Ron Paul: Fair or Hatchet Job?

The Club for Growth is a fiscally-conservative organization that attempts to elect people to Congress and the Presidency who believe in limited government and fiscal responsibility. They have been publishing analyses of each of the presidential candidates over the last few months and just recently published their analysis of Ron Paul's fiscal record.

I believe that the Club is fair to Ron as far as they go. Dr. Paul has a stellar track record on nearly all tax and budget issues. Under a Paul Administration there is no doubt that the federal government would be a fraction of its current size.

That said, as the report points out, Dr. Paul does indeed sometimes let perfect be the enemy of good. Some trade issues fall under this category although I don't share the Club's optimism about federal tort reform or the line item veto.

Not every trade agreement that comes down the pike is a good one, but I think it is hard to argue that NAFTA has not been a boon to both the US and Mexican economies. Also, NAFTA and other trade agreements are nothing but international treaties over which Congress has the final say. They would seem to pass Constitutional muster.

But the Club's major shortfall (and the shortfall of most DC-based free market groups) is the inability and unwillingness to take an honest look at the impact foreign policy has on the size of government. With the Iraq War having cost US taxpayers nearly $500 billion (just a down-payment on that war), not to mention the unnecessary creation of the Department of Homeland Security (gee...maybe the DEFENSE Department should be defending the "homeland," and dozens of other very expensive projects (Iraq embassy anyone) linked directly to our belligerent foreign policy, Ron Paul stands head and shoulders above the rest of the field. I understand why the Club and other fiscally-conservative groups don't take stands on foreign policy, but "War is the Health of the State" and anyone fighting for limited government must account for that fact.

Posted by Paul Gessing on October 30, 2007 11:24 PM |

Free-for-all (frfr-ôl) -- n. A disorderly fight, argument, or competition in which everyone present participates.

from Dictionary.com



supportus.png

If you enjoy our site or our print publication, please consider making a contribution today!


SIMPLE AD ERROR VIEW COUNT NOT UPDATED
Advertisement


Return to the Free Liberal Homepage


Subscribe to our list:


About the Free Liberal
The Free Liberal is an independent journal of transpartisan thought.

The views expressed herein are those of the writers individually and not necessarily those of the Free Liberal, the Center for Liberty and Community, or its board of directors.