Ron Paul Retires from Congress :(

Although he stumbles a little bit here and there on his speech, I think it is very important for everybody no matter your political views to listen to what he has to say one last time. It doesn't matter how you feel about many issues going on, his accusations toward congress and willingness to talk and bring these discussions to the table is important because you won't be hearing it from any other career politician.

Thanks for posting Steve.
 
I like Paul a lot. I think he was a bit of a wingnut on some issues, but we need more independant thinkers in politics. I'll miss him.
 
the media loves to paint him as a wingnut, and some may agree. Unfortunately some people (not referring to you kevin) label him a wingnut based on one small policy, rather than listening to everything he stands for. He may or may not be a wingnut on 2% of his issues, but that's not reason to throw out the good 98%.

Listen from 14:35 - 17:40. I'm not 100% on-board with his drug policy, but the rest is spot on.
 
Herzog said:
It doesn't matter how you feel about many issues going on, his accusations toward congress and willingness to talk and bring these discussions to the table is important because you won't be hearing it from any other career politician.
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Well said. I'm afraid we won't be hearing more speeches like this anytime soon.
 
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sixstringsteve said:
Listen from 14:35 - 17:40. I'm not 100% on-board with his drug policy, but the rest is spot on.
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I didn't agree with it either until you start looking at countries that have already gone down the road of ending the drug war(s) and allowing people the right to choose what they do to themselves (without endangering others). Suprisingly the addiction rates and crime drastically dropped and the cartels fell apart which lowered the overall supply.

I like it when he said (roughly, non verbatim) "If we can't keep drugs out of prisons, why are we turning America into a prison to keep drugs out?"
 
My opinions are still forming regarding the drug debate. I really liked this comment:

[video=youtube_share;Zm_xSlCMBIQ]http://youtu.be/Zm_xSlCMBIQ[/video]
 
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I think he is a great thinker and agree with many of his ideas. With regard to the drug issue Colorado just legalized the recreational use of marijuana, even before that I think they made $20 million last year off the tax revenue of medicinal marijuana. I have no need nor want for it and feel that drugs degrade our world, but the tax revenue from legalizing some drugs could go a long way.
 
More than the tax revenue, the money saved in not fighting it and the decrease in power/influence of the central American drug lords will be significant once it's legal everywhere.
 
It's not a crime if it's legal... That is definitely not the answer.

Anyways, sad day. I don't agree with some of his ideas but he is not remotely as looney as most of the other leaders we have today.

I like him, but why retire? It kind of makes a statement that, "if you can't win, give up."
 
Although I'd never want a libertarian president, I don't mind them in congress. I wish more of them would work within the system like he did so we can rid the country of progressives. It would be a high value problem to have if the debate was between Conservatives and Libertarians. Eff Gary Johnson.
 
gravesdiggerxj said:
It's not a crime if it's legal... That is definitely not the answer.

Anyways, sad day. I don't agree with some of his ideas but he is not remotely as looney as most of the other leaders we have today.

I like him, but why retire? It kind of makes a statement that, "if you can't win, give up."
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He went all in when he ran for pres. This was announced long ago.
 
gravesdiggerxj said:
It's not a crime if it's legal... That is definitely not the answer.

Anyways, sad day. I don't agree with some of his ideas but he is not remotely as looney as most of the other leaders we have today.

I like him, but why retire? It kind of makes a statement that, "if you can't win, give up."
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Kevin B. said:
More than the tax revenue, the money saved in not fighting it and the decrease in power/influence of the central American drug lords will be significant once it's legal everywhere.
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There will be no savings. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are legal yet we still need a Fed enforcement agency for them.
 
It's getting off topic, but there will be oodles of savings, just compare Prohibition to now. Compare what the ATF spends licensing alcohol and tobacco producers/retailers/etc (minus what it brings in in taxes) vs. what we're spending on the War Against Drugs.
 
gravesdiggerxj said:
It's not a crime if it's legal... That is definitely not the answer.

Anyways, sad day. I don't agree with some of his ideas but he is not remotely as looney as most of the other leaders we have today.

I like him, but why retire? It kind of makes a statement that, "if you can't win, give up."
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We have more people in our prison systems (most for extremely petty drug crimes) than China or the Soviet Union. We need that room to lock up thieves, rapists and murderers, not 70 year old grandpa who smokes a little pot to relieve some pain (instead of dropping other narcotics like lortab and such).

He's retiring because he's not a career politician. He's a doctor who wanted to get involved and help change things. He lives an extremely modest life and doesn't subscribe to the congress benefits that all the other politicians do. Seriously, look at the house he lives in, look at his accepted congress salary and the fact that he refuses to accept much of the benefits that the gov gives congress members. He's not all talk by any means. :cool:
 
JL Rockies said:
There will be no savings. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms are legal yet we still need a Fed enforcement agency for them.
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As opposed to the billions spent on the "drug war"? Super cost effective.

The drug war has only made the cartels wealthier and more dangerous.

Edit: besides, this isn't even the most important policy or subject of his. Everybody gets hung up on these things and they forget the larger issues.
 
Herzog said:
As opposed to the billions spent on the "drug war"? Super cost effective.

The drug war has only made the cartels wealthier and more dangerous.

Edit: besides, this isn't even the most important policy or subject of his. Everybody gets hung up on these things and they forget the larger issues.
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If it's made legal, the Fed will still use the money to go after illegal drugs, including THC. There are no savings, this is the Fed we're talking about.

EDIT: I realize the most important policy is eff Isreal, a Nuclear Iran is no big deal and we don't need no stinkin' borders. I am not down with those policies either.
 
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Ron Paul was also the first Congressman to hit an out of the park home run in the annual congressional baseball game.
 
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