What’s This ‘Iraq War’ Charge on My Bill?

McCain Makes Cheney Look Like Gandhi

Some wisdom (and sanity) from Pat Buchanan about John McCain’s policies…

Mitt Romney Endorses Ron Paul

Okay, Romney didn’t actually endorse Ron Paul — but he might as well have. In this interview with Mark Larsen on The Morning Magazine show out of Tampa Bay Romney basically says (in so many words): “I am part of the corrupt political elite. I will not do anything to fix the problems in this country, but I might make them worse — at the very least I will continue with our failed policies. Everyone should vote for Ron Paul instead of me or any of the other candidates.”

Ron Paul on Iraq and Iran

Ron Paul Town Hall Meeting 1/06/07

Ron Paul Town Hall Meeting 1/06/07, Manchester, New Hampshire

For those of you tired of only hearing the 10 second sound bytes about candidates’ positions, this is an amazingly detailed and informative discussion Ron Paul had with the town of Manchester, NH. He takes extra time and care to explain his foreign policy, his proposed solutions for the economic crisis, his position on withdrawing from the Iraq War (addresses McCain’s remarks about staying in Iraq for 100 years), education, and other important issues.

Ron Paul vs. Mike Huckabee

As the media continues to shill for former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, touting him as the “real conservative” candidate among Republicans, it’s important to examine his positions on the issues. What better way to put his views in perspective than to compare them with the genuinely conservative champion of the Constitution, Ron Paul—the only true Republican hope for defeating Hillary.

IRS, Taxes, Spending

Ron Paul has fought continually for and championed the move to eliminate the IRS and the income tax. When Paul was asked about the possibility of a “flat tax” he reaffirmed his desire to “make it real flat, like zero.” Paul has repeatedly identified departments fit for substantial federal budget cuts. During his ten terms in Congress, Paul never voted to increase taxes and was consequently named “The Taxpayers’ Best Friend Ever” by the National Taxpayers Union.

Huckabee supports eliminating the federal income tax and replacing it with the “Fair Tax”, a 30 percent national sales tax. During his 8 years as governor of Arkansas, state spending increased by 65%. The Arkansas Times said Huckabee’s record on “taxing, borrowing, spending and expanding the activities of government makes him the biggest taxer and spender in Arkansas history.” Huckabee joined 2 Republican governors and 6 democratic governors in receiving an “F” from The Cato Institute’s 2006 national fiscal policy review.

Illegal Immigration

In 2005 Huckabee followed his pattern of indiscriminately handing out taxpayer’s money by supporting a bill by Arkansas State Representative Joyce Elliott making illegal aliens eligible for scholarships and in-state college tuition. He also opposed a bill that would deny benefits to illegal aliens. Huckabee came under fire during his Arkansas governorship when he signed a contract with Mexico for one dollar to lease state property to Mexico— he arranged for taxpayer money to fund a Mexican consulate in Little Rock after having visited Vincente Fox in Mexico cementing the deal to establish the Mexican consulate and to exponentially increase the number of illegals entering the state. Note: the U.S. Constitution declares that “No State shall enter into an agreement with a foreign government.” This was totally illegal!

Ron Paul’s website states his position on immigration: “Physically secure our borders and coastlines, enforce visa rules, no amnesty, no welfare for illegal aliens, end birthright citizenship (which is currently an incentive to illegally immigrate). Pass true immigration reform . . . current reform proposals would allow up to 60 million more immigrants into our country, according to the Heritage Foundation. This is insanity. Legal immigrants from all countries should face the same rules and waiting periods.” Paul’s voting record on immigration shows he has repeatedly voted against amnesty for illegals, voted in favor of securing the borders and in favor of enforcing current immigration laws.

Iraq War

Huckabee would continue the unpopular US military occupation of Iraq, arguing that the troops must remain in harm’s way to preserve our honor. Huckabee’s website makes it clear that he is completely against a troop withdrawl from Iraq. During the CNBC debate in Michigan, Huckabee showed an alarming disregard for the Constitutional separation of powers, arguing that he could launch a preemptive attack on Iran, with or without Congressional approval.

Ron Paul stands with the majority of American voters who feel that US forces should begin the withdrawl now and be brought home safely from Iraq. Don’t forget that Ron Paul receives more campaign donations from active military personnel than any other presidential candidate.

Paul has said, “Both Jefferson and Washington warned us about entangling ourselves in the affairs of other nations. Today, we have troops in 130 countries. We are spread so thin that we have too few troops defending America. And now, there are new calls for a draft of our young men and women.”

“We can continue to fund and fight no-win police actions around the globe, or we can refocus on securing America and bring the troops home. No war should ever be fought without a declaration of war voted upon by the Congress, as required by the Constitution.” (i.e. the War in Iraq) —Ron Paul

**Update** Further Analysis of Mike Huckabee

The American Thinker has done some interesting writing on Huckabee, his political history as governor of Arkansas, and the policies he would implement if elected. These articles ad further support to the conclusion that Huckabee is not the candidate best suited to be our next president.

James Lewis writes in Huckabee’s Amazing Coincidences:

Huckabee is not a conservative. He is a populist, like Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Hewey Long. He started off as a very successful radio preacher. Huckabee has years of practice doing off-the-cuff repartee with radio listeners. He is a master of the exploding sound-bite. But Huck is no Rush Limbaugh, and he’s certainly no Reagan. He could be the Rush from the Dark Side, using those awesome talents to undermine conservatism, rather than build it up.

In The Church of Huck: Growing Government in the Name of Religion Selwyn Duke (himself a professed Christian) lays out evidence that Huckabee “would impose statism in the name of religion through government”:

It’s not that Huck would impose religion through government. No, his actions would truly offend you. He would impose statism in the name of religion through government.While Huck will say what you want to hear to win office, he will not hear what you want to say once there. He will make tone-deaf Bush seem like a maestro… Huck invokes faith to justify ambitions ranging from the insidious to the idiotic. For the former, look no further than immigration, where Huck espoused the Christian principle, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” while advocating an apparent open-door policy. This, despite the fact that if any good Christian were to find himself in a country illegally, he would expect its citizens to demand he return home.

Epidemic Number of Suicides Among Traumatised US Army Veterans

CBS News reported yesterday that the number of army veteran suicides exceeds the number of US soldiers dying in Iraq.

From Times Online:

At least 6,256 US veterans took their lives in 2005, at an average of 17 a day, according to figures broadcast last night. Former servicemen are more than twice as likely than the rest of the population to commit suicide.

Such statistics compare to the total of 3,863 American military deaths in Iraq since the invasion in 2003 – an average of 2.4 a day, according to the website ICasualties.org.

Related story: WWII Vet Commits Suicide in Front of VA as Statement on Lack of VA Benefits

Harriett Chapman’s eyes filled with tears Sunday as she recalled one of the last conversations she had with her 89-year-old father before he fatally shot himself outside a Greenville veterans’ clinic last month.

Grover Cleveland Chapman told his family, “No matter what I apply for at the VA, they turn me down,” she recalled.

The next day, the World War II veteran took his own life outside the Veterans Outpatient Clinic at 3510 Augusta Road, said Greenville County Deputy Coroner Mike Ellis.

Harriett Chapman sees her father’s April 24 death as his way of sending a message about the medical care offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

While staff at the clinic treated him well, he’d recently lost two battles in a continuous struggle to claim medical benefits, she said.

“He felt like the VA turned its back on him and a lot of other veterans,” Harriett Chapman said.

Read the rest at GreenvillOnline

“Waterboarding is inhumane, it is torture, and it is illegal,” say Retired JAGs in letter to Leahy

The pending confirmation of Michael Mukasey to the position of Attorney General, now destined to go to the full Senate, thanks to Lieber-moves of Shumer and Feinstein, is troublesome to more than just we in the progressive community. Senator Patrick Leahy received this letter (.pdf) from four retired JAGs, who understand that the concept of “Rule of Law” must mean something, even with Bushies in charge.

Torture or “CIA Sponsored Swim Lesson?”

This is funny, only because of the completely ridiculous nature of what Bush is doing.

Read my recent article outlining the Bush administration’s push to “redefine torture” and legalize various forms of it in order to employ them as “enhanced interrogation techniques.”

Ron Paul on CNN Anderson Cooper 360 11-2-07

Army Has Record Low Level of Recruits

“WASHINGTON (AP) – The Army began its recruiting year Oct. 1 with fewer signed up for basic training than in any y0ear since it became an all-volunteer service in 1973, a top general said Wednesday. Full Story. . .“

Ron Paul Supporters “A Loony Fringe Movement”

In this video Bill O’Reilly attempts to cash in on the buzz surrounding some recent political headlines and even some old ones. He assembles an all-star panel complete with himself and two “fox news babes” to debate the issues.

It was a bad day for freedom-loving, politically active, basketball team-owning talk show host rockstars. In a smug, illogical amalgum of ridiculous proportions, O’Reilly attempts to lump together 911 truthers, Rosie O’Donnel, Mark Cuban, Ron Paul supporters, and even the late John Lennon, and label them all as nothing more than “dangerous” and “loony fringe groups.”

Hmmm, having problems with the ratings over there?

The strangest part of this rant is that O’Reilly is the only one actually threatening anybody. Talk about being irresponsible.

MSNBC Interview with Ron Paul 10.24.07

Here’s a good clip of an MSNBC interview discussing the “buzz” surrounding Paul’s campaign and his desire to bring the troops home. The reporter mentioned she has been receiving a “flood” of emails from Ron Paul supporters.

The reporter says, “Congressman you are 72 years old and you are a sensation among young people. . .”

During the interview Ron Paul confirmed his position against the Iraq war, his desire to save America the 2.4 trillion dollar cost of the war and bring the troops home.

The report concluded with her asking, “Will you tell your supporters not to flood my inbox?”

Paul responded, “Oh no, I think you should enjoy reading them all.”

“Big Fat NO” to Permanent U.S. Bases in Iraq

A post on Think Progress noted a CNN story today:

The message was “delivered directly to Vice President Dick Cheney at the White House” by Iraqi National Security Adviser Mowaffak Al-Rubaie, who told CNN that Iraqis say, “No, big fat no, N-O for the bases in Iraq.”

Al-Rubaie stated “we believe that is in direct encroachment to our sovereignty, and we don’t need it.”

The premise of the war in Iraq was of course to “establish democracy” after ousting Hussein, yet the neocon document “Rebuilding America’s Defenses,” written before 911, clearly stated the Pentagon’s intention to establish permanent bases in the region. Don’t expect the comments by one Iraqi leader today to change the planned course of the U.S. military industrial complex though.

At a recent debate Ron Paul had his own words to say about the permanent bases in Iraq the U.S. is already building:

Military says ‘Best Option. . . Leave Iraq Immediately’

Twelve former army captains wrote a letter yesterday calling for the U.S. to leave Iraq. They described what they saw in Iraq as “widespread corruption and sectarian division,” and explained that conditions on the ground were “deplorable.”

The army captains proclaimed that “the U.S. military has been trying in vain to hold the country together,” and noted that there are not enough troops to “meet the professed goals.”

The captains then concluded the letter with this recommendation:

“There is one way we might be able to succeed in Iraq. To continue an operation of this intensity and duration, we would have to abandon our volunteer military for compulsory service. Short of that, our best option is to leave Iraq immediately. A scaled withdrawal will not prevent a civil war, and it will spend more blood and treasure on a losing proposition.”

It should come as little surprise then that the only Republican candidate that is getting a significant amount of financial support from the troops is Ron Paul, the anti-war candidate. Recent numbers show that Ron Paul has received more campaign contributions from individuals employed by the military than any other Republican candidate, by a wide margin.

Its also interesting that Hillary Clinton is receiving the majority of the contributions from people employed by defense companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop-Grumman, Raytheon and General Dynamics—companies who will profit from continued war. Are they betting on the fact that Hillary will keep us in Iraq?