Tag: ron paul

#rsrh On the not-really-odd Romney/Paul supposed Grand Alliance.

I think that a lot of people may be over-analyzing the supposed strategic alliance between Mitt Romney and Ron Paul.  It’s pretty simple, I think:

  • Ron Paul would like to have some influence over the GOP.  Particularly since his son’s now a US Senator, and probably will be one for a while.
  • Ron Paul cannot get a direct position of power, because when it comes to foreign policy he’s nuts.  That means the best that he can hope for is influence.
  • Ron Paul cannot hope for influence with Rick Santorum.  Paul is rumored to be somewhat… well, I hear that he’s got libertarian leanings; and Santorum despises libertarians*.
  • Ron Paul cannot hope for influence with Newt Gingrich. Gingrich will find it impossible to tolerate Paul’s commentary on foreign policy for any length of time.
  • Ron Paul and Mitt Romney are actually friends, and Romney would very much like to have support from a portion of the GOP base that’s, well, enthusiastic.
  • And there aren’t any more viable candidates at this point.

So.  Seems obvious enough.  Paul needs access; Romney needs energy.  Deals may be made, under such circumstances.

Moe Lane

*To be fair, they’re happy to return the favor.

#rsrh Ron Paul/Barney Frank’s defederalization of pot initiative.

They want regulation of marijuana to be up to the states.  My reaction?

  1. [rank, hideous hypocrisy that is courting a lightning strike from its sheer, brazen effrontery] No-one under the age of 21 should be allowed to smoke marijuana.  Period.  Never, ever, ever, ever. [/rank, hideous hypocrisy that is courting a lightning strike from its sheer, brazen effrontery]*
  2. It is exceedingly unlikely that this is ever going to pass, given that darn few politicians on both sides of the aisle wish to appear weak on what the libertarians call The War on Some Drugs.
  3. I can think of several hundred things that I’d rather see the federal government do than go after pot smokers.  That list includes ‘naming post offices.’
  4. It’d be so worth it, from a vicious partisan point of view, to get this bill passed by Congress – just to hear the screams of outrage on campuses across the nation when President Obama vetoed it.

And… that’s pretty much it.

Moe Lane

*Really, it’s amazing how I still haven’t been struck by lightning.  I wrote that last night.