December 03, 2007

Let me get a few things out of the way first. I will be voting for Ron Paul in the Florida primary scheduled for January 29th. I do not wear a tinfoil hat (though I occasionally sport a Panama hat). I do not wear a Guy Fawkes mask (though I have a Nixon one in my attic). I am not a white supremacist (I don’ t even dress my bed with white sheets). I am not a pimp (though I have been jokingly called a loan shark), nor am I a conspiracy theory buff (I don’t subscribe to any organized religion). But since I insist on voting for Ron Paul, I must have some sort of mental or social shortcoming, otherwise how could I fit in with the “mainstream media’s” caricature of a “Paulestinian”, “ Paultard”, “Paulpot” or “MoRon”.

The supporters of ten term Republican Congressman Paul aren’t the only ones being referred to in a less than flattering manner in the press. The press has used words like kooky, crazy, quirky, eccentric, insane, crank, loony and weird to describe the candidate himself. This is mostly due to Ron Paul’s insistence that the United States Government abide by the Constitution and that the US return to a sound money policy. His campaign has also been referred to as “quixotic” a term rarely if ever used to describe the Brownback, Tancredo, Huckabee or Hunter campaigns (or lack thereof).

So then, who has really drunk the Kool Aid - the Paul supporters or the rest of the electorate? Perhaps we should take a closer look at Ron Paul and the rest of the candidates in order to determine who’s really “lost their marbles.”

Rudy Giuliani scored instant political brownie points at the GOP’s South Carolina debate (with the crowd in attendance) with his response to Ron Paul’s statement regarding 9/11 and blowback. A review of the mountains of historical facts on the matter clearly showed that Ron Paul was correct and Rudy was simply playing to the crowd's Pavlovian response.

It’s interesting that on September 10th 2001 Mr. Giuliani was one of the least popular Mayors in the United States. Around this time he was also involved in an indiscreet extramarital affair (with his current and third wife), and his friend and New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik was making very questionable deals with companies linked to organized crime. We’ve all heard “he who is without sin should cast the first stone”, and though we should not cast stones (how prehistoric) at Mr. Giuliani, no one in their right mind should cast a vote for him either.

Mitt Romney makes Joe Isuzu seem honest. He’s pro-choice, no - not quite. That was in a previous life as Governor of Massachusetts, yet in his current incarnation he’s pro-life. He’s not for torture, if anyone can define what torture is. If you can define torture, perhaps you can also figure out the meaning of “is.” He didn’t raise taxes, but “fees” were raised more than once and tax loopholes were closed during his tenure as Governor. He doesn’t favor socialized medicine, but he collaborated with Ted Kennedy (a free market icon) on a healthcare plan for Massachusetts. Romney will more than likely get Joe Isuzu’s endorsement, but he won’t get my vote.

John McCain has finally abandoned the “Domino Theory”; at least he implied he had at the CNN You Tube debate. He stated that Vietnam was different from Iraq because the enemy did not follow us home from Vietnam (maybe they were too busy getting Jane Fonda’s autograph), but this time the enemy would follow us home (on camels?). McCain also decided to erase World War I and the Treaty of Versailles from history when he blamed American isolationism on Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in Germany. McCain did make free speech “history” in this country with his so called Campaign Finance Reform. For his service and suffering at the hands of his North Vietnamese captors John McCain gets my sympathy and respect, but not my vote.

Mike Huckabee is a really likable guy. The way he deflected that death penalty question with his quip about “Jesus had more sense than to run for public office”, made Jeff Foxworthy look like an amateur. One can only imagine what his sermons on forgiveness and the sanctity of life must have sounded like. Huckabee says he wants to get rid of the income tax and replace it with a “ fair” tax, so he can help fund that fair government funded education he’s planning on giving to everyone (at “fair” taxpayers expense). I’m not so sure Jesus would have laughed at Huckabee’s jokes, but I’m quite sure he wouldn’t have voted for him.

I’m not exactly sure what Fred Thompson stands for, but I’m convinced he’s an alien (not illegal, but extraterrestrial). Thompson is multitalented and good-natured (I guess most guys would be if they looked like him and had a wife like his). As for Tom Tancredo and Duncan Hunter, you can bet your bottom dollar I will call them next time I want to put a fence up around my house.

What about that crazy, cranky, loony and kooky candidate Ron Paul? He opposes federal unconstitutional entitlement programs, so he treats his Medicaid patients in his medical office free of charge or for whatever they can afford to pay with their own money. He opposed the Iraq military action (there has yet to be an official declaration of war), and actually voted against it. He refuses to accept his congressional pension. He has NEVER voted for a tax increase. He’s been married to his current and only wife for fifty years and has raised five children. He voted against the liberty snatching “Patriot” Act. He actually reads the legislation he votes on.

Is Ron Paul is worthy of canonization? No (though the pope may disagree with me). Are Ron Paul supporters spam bots or automatons that agree with every word he says? No, his support comes from many different segments of the political spectrum. Is Ron Paul the best debater in the field? Good heavens NO! But you can always count on him to say what he thinks (not what he thinks you want to hear) even if it means getting booed (which probably beats getting crucified).

Speaking of debates, I quite frankly have grown weary of them. First Fox News hand picks political hacks to sit in a room with Frank Luntz (better them than me) during the debate and give canned impressions of what they saw hoping to influence the (ever shrinking) viewing audience. Then CNN says they have 5000 questions from You Tube users and puts one up of a young man with a confederate flag and a Guy Fawkes mask in his room asking a question about the confederate flag. Lets see, we have a war in Iraq, the dollar is tanking, the economy is on the brink of recession (or worse), a housing slump, a mortgage crisis, ninety plus dollar a barrel oil; Hey lets ask question about the confederate flag, we know that’s important. Then there’s a lady in a focus group that says she’s a republican and will vote for either Thompson or John Edwards? Maybe LACK of focus group would be a more appropriate term. Perhaps more folks would tune in if Sean Hanitty actually made out with Giuliani in drag; since they’ve already figured out that no one can solve all this country's problems with 30 second canned answers, double speak, pointless bickering, or political clichés.

So what flavor of Kool Aid are you drinking?

Emiliano Antunez, 41, DDS Degree UCE Dom Rep, semi anarchist, quasi-nihilist, and a touch of pragmatist, with a penchant (Midas touch) for business and clueless in politics (campaigned hard for mayor of Miami and got less than 1% of the vote “the masses are revolting”). Formerly on the Board of Miami Dade Housing and Finance Authority and currently serving on the board of the Overtown Community (in)Action Agency.

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