The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but for the deliverance from fear. It is the storm within that endangers him, not the storm without.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Congressman Ron Paul's (R-TX) Statement on the Ground Zero Mosque: Thumbs UP!
There are a few reasons I want to bring this statement to my readers' attention: first, one of the interesting things about the Ground Zero mosque kerfuffle is that former Presidential candidate's son Rand, the GOP nominee to succeed retiring Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY), is using this issue and others to differentiate himself from his libertarian/conservative father.
Second, it's interesting to parallel his statement with past comments I've made on the subject. For example, I specifically mentioned the Kelo decision, which dealt with property rights. I have similarly made several references to political minority rights guaranteed by the Constitution. I have also attacked populism, while Ron Paul has used the term 'demagoguery'. I think Ron Paul, as usual, is overstating his case; I do believe that the rhetoric against the mosque is disingenuous and certainly empathizes with fears of an alleged link between terror acts and Islam.
Third, he makes an interesting point that progressives are being hypocritical in their sudden appreciation of property rights by a political minority.
Where do I differ from Congressman Paul? For one thing, I don't agree with any attempt to rationalize Al Qaeda's motives behind the terror attacks, e.g., American foreign policy. I think his attempt to link the the Al Qaeda attacks to a traditional American ally, Saudi Arabia, is provocative. I also believe that he is oversimplifying the circumstances resulting in the liberation of Iraq.
I am more of a pragmatic libertarian/conservative. I have become increasingly disenchanted with the neoconservatives and what I regard as questionable assertions of the link between honorable service in places like Iraq and Afghanistan and our way of life and an aggressive policy to promote our political system. I am concerned about the effects of guilt by association in the Ground Zero mosque kerfuffle, which plays right into the hands of Islamic radical propagandists and their recruitment efforts. I think a disproportionate amount of our manpower and resources is being spent on peripheral interests and leaves us exposed to more serious threats. I believe that we need to streamline our foreign policy and learn to choose our military and diplomatic efforts better and smarter.
Political Potpourri
It's been a while since I've done one of these signature features of my posts. I like to review RealClearPolitics, but the Hill also has an interesting campaign blog. The current page focuses on Boozman (R-AR) beginning to pull away from incumbent Senator Lincoln; in addition, Rossi, (R) the former gubernatorial candidate from the state of Washington, has flipped incumbent Senator Murray's lead, and Toomey (R-PA) is also beginning to open up a lead over Joe Sestak. I've also noticed that the Ohio Republican candidates for governor and senator have begun to open up a modest lead. I suspect in part this may reflect recent weakening in economic numbers, including a record monthly deficit and an uptick in the official unemployment rate and new unemployment applications..
Political Humor
A couple of original jokes:
- What do you get when a progressive gives you his two cents' worth on the economy? Pocket change.
- How do you know when you're playing the game of 'Clue' with a progressive? He always says 'George Bush did it'.
Musical Interlude: The American Songbook Series
Connie Francis, "Blame It On My Youth"
