MUTH’S TRUTHS

This is a shame. A real shame. Talk about lost opportunity.

Ron Paul had the chance to make this election about what he’s championed most of his career - constitutionally limited government. Instead, he got off on an anti-war tangent which has completely choked off that message.

And it’s not so much that he’s anti-war. I can respect that. And I can understand the constitutional arguments, even though I disagree with them, which he has made. Especially the one about Congress failing its duty to declare war. That’s a legitimate point.

But he’s been wearing this issue on his sleeve the way some pro-lifers wear abortion on their sleeves. It’s OK to be anti-war or pro-life, but if that’s ALL you’re ever going to talk about…if that’s the entire reason for your campaign…check, please.

And I’ve gotten more than a little tired of Paul’s campaign adopting the language and tactics of the Left with regard to the war. In their minds, anyone who disagrees with Paul even a little on the war issue is a “neo-con.” Hell, 90 percent of his supporters probably couldn’t even define neo-con, let alone recognize one.

And speaking of his supporters, some of them are just plain nuts. I mean, anytime you write something that isn’t 100 percent pro-Ron Paul, these Internet jihadis go crazy, writing some of the stupidest, hate-filled diatribes you’ll ever want to see on websites and blogs and in emails. They have truly done more to hurt their candidate than help in this regard.

And what a downer Paul’s campaign has become. Heck, Jimmy Carter was more upbeat with his “malaise” speech than Paul has been lately on the stump. Truly depressing.

Plus, the campaign has lost considerable credibility by blowing Suzy Sunshine up supporters’ skirts, telling them there’s still hope that Paul can win the GOP nomination and that Paul is still in the race…despite laying off campaign staff and not scheduling any future campaign events outside of Texas. Or for that matter, at all after this month…in OR out of Texas. It’s disingenuous. It’s dishonest. It’s…well, what we’ve come to expect from the typical politician.

I thought Ron Paul was different. I always thought he was better.

But here’s the straw that finally broke this camel’s back…

Ron Paul is now focusing on getting re-elected to his Texas congressional seat. And he needs to raise money to do so, as he’s not able to use the money raised for his presidential race for that purpose. And in a fundraising email pitch today, Paul made himself look foolish by complaining about one of his colleagues losing a GOP primary race a week ago.

“My friend Congressmen Wayne Gilchrest (R-Maryland) was just defeated in his primary election by a neocon fraud similar to the one I face,” he writes, lamenting the fact that a Republican is challenging him in a primary, as well.

First of all, Wayne Gilchrest may be a friend of Ron Paul’s, but he’s not friend of constitutionally limited government. In fact, he may be THE most liberal Republican in the United States House of Representatives today. He’s bad on taxes, he’s bad on spending, he’s bad on guns…he’s pretty much bad on everything. So his loss in the primary was wonderful news for conservatives. Absolutely wonderful.

And the Republican who beat him is a well-respected, highly-regarded conservative state senator named Andy Harris. I know Andy Harris. Andy Harris is a friend of mine. In fact, Andy Harris was my state senator when I was living in Maryland. And Andy Harris is no “neocon fraud.”

For Ron Paul to make such an accusation, probably without ever having even talked to Sen. Harris, is irresponsible and uncalled for.

Now let me try to be fair here. Truth be told, I don’t think Ron Paul wrote that drivel about Andy Harris. I think some eager-beaver campaign staffer on steroids of twelve cups of Starbucks coffee wrote that fundraising appeal for Ron. But Ron had to approve it…or he’s got a rogue campaign operating under his name without his knowledge. Still, it’s not right.

So count me out. I’ve been generally supportive of Ron’s campaign to this point. But now’s the time to pull the plug. Continuing this charade and tilting at the GOP convention windmill is not only hurting Ron Paul and his reputation, but the limited-government movement overall.

Again, it’s not so much Dr. Paul himself, as the campaign which has sprouted up around him and taken on a life of its own. It’s like a virus destroying its host.

I guess I’ll borrow some language from the Left, as well, and suggest it’s time to “move on.”

Posted on February 18th, 2008 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: National