What sort of libertarian supports "don’t ask, don’t tell"?
I don’t know what everyone sees in Ron Paul, the great hope of the Internet libertarian masses (especially on Digg and Reddit). Sure, he’s the only Republican candidate who has a sensible position on the Iraq War. But I just watch him wriggle away from taking stand on “don’t ask, don’t tell“, and it’s pathetic. Either he’s playing politics just as cynically as the rest of them (the fundamentalists excepted), or he doesn’t actually know what the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is. Fortunately, it’s not a winning issue; 60-80% of Americans now think gays should be able to serve openly (as opposed to 25% of military personnel).
Jon Stewart asked Paul the right questions on The Daily Show last night: it will be a long, long time before a libertarian gets elected on a platform of ending all the government programs people want.
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Posted in debate, Jon Stewart, libertarians, politics, Republicans, Ron Paul | 5 Comments »
If you think Ron Paul’s hesitance to challenge Clinton’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is reason to dismiss him, you’re acting just like those single-issue voters who only care whether the candidate is pro-choice or pro-life.
It seems that it contradicts his earlier answer, as well: If homosexual behavior is a problem it should be dealt with, if heterosexual behavior is a problem, it should be dealt with, everyone should be treated the same. I wouldn’t read too much into it, I would guess he missed the question, or doesn’t like the “raise your hand” questions.
Or MAYBE he just thinks America, a once great Republic on the brink of extenction do to international corporations taking it over with bought and paid for mid-level management in the form of presidents, has bigger problems than wether or not gay people can join the military.
I agree it’s silly to dismiss him on this, when he gave an eloquent explanation– behavior should matter, not orientation– and the other candidates could simply mumble something about how these things aren’t important during the “War on Terror”.
What did he say during the Daily Show that most people would object to? I thought he stated his case well.
Also, remember that many of the Democratic candidates do not have much better views on this sort of thing. Hillary Clinton said that gay people should be allowed to serve, but she said she didn’t know whether it was immoral or not to be gay (how can you not have an opinion on that either way??). Ron Paul says what he actually thinks, rather than the other politicians who listen to their corporate and lobbying interests and the pollsters. That’s why I like him.