Picking sides...

[sandwichwarrior.livejournal.com]

I actually started writing a post on the Ron Paul's recent racist newsletter scandal and the conservative reaction to the same but jonathankorman beat me to the punch. As such I'm shifting the topic slightly to something that came up in the comments.

Now I like Ron Paul, As jonathankorman said;

He vigorously opposes American military adventurism and the military-industrial complex. He has pointed out how the financial industry has perversely benefitted from the financial crisis they created. He speaks in defense of civil liberties and has fought against attacks on them like the PATRIOT Act. He calls the War On Some Drugs the madness that it is. And often he says this stuff well.

But his response to the scandal namely, "I didn't know what was in the letters but I put my name on them anyway" has dramatically lowered my respect for him. You see, if he's telling the truth, such a decision demonstrates a high level political incompetance. What kind of fool would out-source his reputation in such a way? and what kind of fool would run for president without taking care of the skeletons in his closet first? If he did write those letters (even if he were simply playing to the crowd) he's simply dishonest and unwilling or unable to take the heat.

Niether of these qualities speak well of him, and to be frank I expect higher quality bullshit from my elected officials.

That said, I flinch internally anytime I hear someone frame an argument about politicians or policy in terms of good and evil. In my opinion you can either pick a team, or pursue the truth. When you frame an argument in such a way you've basically declared your preference for the former.

Comments

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

Actually historically that's the immediate cause. The proximate cause was the combination of the unilateral annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the two Balkan Wars. The immediate cause is the assassination of Franz-Ferdinand. I might note that you're arguing with someone whose idea of logic is "You're illiterate" and "It's not my problem you're stupid." Why waste your time except for personal amusement?

[jonathankorman.livejournal.com]

That's a nice distinction between immediate and proximate causes.

And: I got a bit carried away. It's not good to leave assertions that The Civil War Was Not About Slavery just lying around.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

That wasn't the assertion.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

I might note that you insist on personal attacks that aren't germane to the issue and I challenge you to find one such statement from me here, as opposed to the many you have given. So who is the person arguing that way again?

[underlankers.livejournal.com]

You are, I'm just enjoying the chance to puncture neo-Confederate idiocy and blatant lies about history of the sort that pop up whenever the Civil War comes up, such as claiming that slavery was one cause among many when it was the guiding force of the Confederacy and the greatest contributor to its utter and complete failure.