The more I read about him and his political beliefs, the more I can’t get past the idea that Ron Paul could do great things for the Unites States - specifically, putting traditional Goldwater conservatism and the principle idea of federalism back on the map. Unfortunately, the last few years have seen the rise of “compassionate” big government conservatism, a conservatism that rejects its own core beliefs about the role of limited government, spending, and taxation.
Ron Paul would be the perfect candidate if it wasn’t for his anti-global positions. And I’m not talking about the United Nations or the role of international law in wartime. I’m talking about foreign isolationism and economic protectionism. Here’s an excerpt from Paul’s official 2008 election website:
So called free trade deals and world governmental organizations like the International Criminal Court (ICC), NAFTA, GATT, WTO, and CAFTA are a threat to our independence as a nation. They transfer power from our government to unelected foreign elites.
First off, the International Criminal Court was something that was never signed off by President Bush nor ratified by the U.S. Senate. Therefore, the ICC issue is null and void at this point in time. Second, free trade agreements are actually a good thing.
Times have changed economically around the world. The world is no longer made up of limited, pocketed financial markets like it once was. Global information technology and the ability to travel overseas has increased our ability to communicate and trade with foreign peoples. As it was to the advantage of the Europeans to trade with America in the 1700’s, it is to our advantage to trade worldwide, with the least trade barriers. NAFTA and CAFTA are making it easier for the United States to participate in global trade, knocking down barriers to trading markets and foreign investment. Protectionism in these times simply does not work because the worldwide economic environment is not conducive to a protectionist philosophy. The reality is that the United States cannot economically isolate itself on the world stage. The consequences of such behavior could promote economic slowdown not only in the United States, but other countries as well.
Update: For an interesting take on Ron Paul, check out this article.