Ron Paul, Why Canadians Should Care

First off, if you aren’t familiar with Ron Paul, let me introduce him. He is currently one of many men running for leadership of the Republican Party in the U.S. He holds many Libertarian views and ran for President in 1988 under the Libertarian Party. He is a 9 term members of congress from Texas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Paul

For the last few months I have been following U.S. politics and Ron Paul’s involvement in them very closely; never before have I been so interested about American politics and how dynamic they can be. Listening to Ron Paul speak is like hearing your own thoughts verbalized, he actually sound like he is telling the truth. Listening to him in a debate is so refreshing; while the other politicians spin and use rhetoric, Ron Paul actually sound like he’s answering questions directly and not skirting the issues, which is such a refreshing change.

He started off as the underdog because many of his views seems radical to many people, like end the war in Iraq now, eliminate income tax, eliminate the IRS, FBI, etc. He is still mocked by some broadcasters, especially those on Fox News, more on that later.

Take a moment to listen to him in debates, he is refreshing.
Ron Paul in Debate at Reagan Library (May '07)


Why Canadian Should Care

Like it or not, Canada is greatly affected by what happens in our neighbor to the South. In the last few years we have the U.S. implement greater travel controls for people entering or leaving that country. Passports are now required for anyone flying into the U.S., and they will soon be required for driving in as well. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security have proposed a new measure to force air flights that even just fly over US airspace, whether they stop over in the U.S. or not, to have all of their passengers cleared by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Compared to the U.S. or China, we are a small market, we don’t have the buying power of countries with huge populations; that can reduce the influence we have on trading partners. Even in this case though, we are their number one trading partner.

http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/top/index.html#2007

Since we do so much business with them, we are likely to be influenced by their policies.


How the US Influences Canada

Ron Paul believes in a non-interventionist foreign policy, meaning, that he believes in being friends with other countries and trading with them and doing business, but not interfering in their internal politics. For Canada, that is great! If we can be left to handle our issues without external pressures, then that supports our sovereignty. If other countries pressure us to change our laws and polices, that how are we a sovereign nation?

There are some Canadian policies that the U.S. politicians don’t like, and they have threatened us over them.

Jean Cretein and the Liberal Party were on their way to decriminalizing marijuana..

PM says pot soon to be decriminalized

A week after this announcement, the U.S. had this response.

U.S. warns Canada against easing pot laws

“A top White House drug policy official is threatening retaliation from the U.S. if Canada relaxes its laws against marijuana possession.”

If the sponsorship scandal hadn’t occurred, it is quite likely that the Liberal Party would have stayed in power and this would have been done. As it is, the Conservatives are now in power and Stephen Harper has shown that he is influenced by American politics.

Recently, the Conservative government has announced harsher sentences for drugs users.

Tories plan get-tough national drug strategy

Is this a result of American influence? Perhaps.

U.S. Senators have come to Canada to try and influence policy and law.

Ottawa introduces anti-piracy bill to target movie bootleggers

Under Ron Paul, this influences and pressures from U.S. Politicians to Canadian politicians be virtually eliminated.

Social Influences

Not only will his non-interventionist policies be a positive effect, his messages of freedom and liberty will as well. Canadian have heard the U.S. politicians fear mongering and war mongering messages and some have bout into them, things like the “dangers’ of illegal immigration, the benefit of the ‘war on terror” and other things of that nature. If the President of the Unites States gave regular messages of freedom and liberty, that will influence us here as well and may move us further into that direction.

If you are tired of hearing the normal politician spin and rhetoric, check out some clips of Ron Paul youtube, I guarantee that you will be affected in some way, perhaps shocked, or relieved, or inspired.

http://www.youtube.com/RonPaul2008DotCom