Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Ron Paul: Cover Boy

He's on the cover of this month's American Conservative.

A sympathetic story gives him the time to defend his views and points out that some of his problems stem from his unwillingness to simplify his positions so that they can translate better through the media. What does this say about the other candidates?

The story clarifies at least one thing for me. I've always wondered how he got away with some of his votes. Why didn't the Republican leadership slap him around in order to keep him in line? Here's why: "The physician cum congressman earned the nickname “Dr. No” early on. His opposition to what he considers unconstitutional spending even earned the grudging respect of GOP leaders. When Newt Gingrich cracked the whip on party members to support a messy budget compromise, he excused Paul from the duty to support the budget, and the “Ron Paul exemption” entered the congressional vocabulary. What did it take for other members to earn this privilege to buck the party? A voting record that opposed all unnecessary federal spending, even in their home district. No one else has been granted the exemption."

Our Congressman is the flavor of the month. Pretty cool. The story is well worth the read.