What about the war, that is, the War in Iraq, as well as the larger war on terror? And the Constitution?

by Kuzminski (6 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 93 comments) on Sunday, Dec 24, 2006 at 5:24:15 PM

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I rarely advocate adopting anything that comes from a Republican, but in this instance I think Rep. Ron Paul makes more sense then anything else that has been coming from those more attached to money food chain of the Neo-Con agenda. America's Original Foreign Policy Rep. Ron Paul, M.D. "It is our true policy to steer clear of entangling alliances with any portion of the foreign world." --George Washington Last week, I wrote about the critical need for Congress to reassert its authority over foreign policy, and for the American people to recognize that the Constitution makes no distinction between domestic and foreign matters. Policy is policy, and it must be made by the legislature and not the executive. But what policy is best? How should we deal with the rest of the world in a way that best advances proper national interests, while not threatening our freedoms at home? I believe our Founding Fathers had it right when they argued for peace and commerce between nations, and against entangling political and military alliances. In other words, noninterventionism. Noninterventionism is not isolationism. Nonintervention simply means America does not interfere militarily, financially, or covertly in the internal affairs of other nations. It does not mean that we isolate ourselves; on the contrary, our Founders advocated open trade, travel, communication, and diplomacy with other nations. Thomas Jefferson summed up the noninterventionist foreign policy position perfectly in his 1801 Inaugural Address: "Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations – entangling alliances with none." Washington similarly urged that we must "Act for ourselves and not for others" by forming an "American character wholly free of foreign attachments." Yet how many times have we all heard these wise words without taking them to heart? How many claim to admire Jefferson and Washington, but conveniently ignore both when it comes to American foreign policy? Since so many apparently now believe Washington and Jefferson were wrong on the critical matter of foreign policy, they should at least have the intellectual honesty to admit it. Of course we frequently hear the offensive cliché that "times have changed," and thus we cannot follow quaint admonitions from the 1700s. The obvious question, then, is what other principles from our founding era should we discard for convenience? Should we give up the First Amendment because times have changed and free speech causes too much offense in our modern society? Should we give up the Second Amendment, and trust that today's government is benign and not to be feared by its citizens? How about the rest of the Bill of Rights? It's hypocritical and childish to dismiss certain founding principles simply because a convenient rationale is needed to justify interventionist policies today. The principles enshrined in the Constitution do not change. If anything, today's more complex world cries out for the moral clarity provided by a noninterventionist foreign policy. It is time for Americans to rethink the interventionist foreign policy that is accepted without question in Washington. It is time to understand the obvious harm that results from our being dragged time and time again into intractable and endless Middle East conflicts, whether in Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, or Palestine. It is definitely time to ask ourselves whether further American lives and tax dollars should be lost trying to remake the Middle East in our image.

by Sleeper (1 articles, 1 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 312 comments [6 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Sunday, Dec 24, 2006 at 9:44:09 PM

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So sure all these wonderful liberal ideas are great and all however frankly Iam totally fed up with all of the entire Democratic party Leadership and how the Gutless Democrats refuse to discuss the real issues facing this country today,such as what to do about the war in Iraq and the larger war on terrorism,Impeachment of both Liar in Chief Generalissmo George W Bush and Draft Dodger Dick Cheney, and Stopping Illegal Immigration,not any phony Amnesty and Bush/Amnesty John McCain/Teddy Kennnedy/and Harebrain Harry Reid Leave no illegal alien behind giveaway program? Iam a Registered Independent Voter and I got really mad and fed up watching that phony pair of disgusting disgraces to the US Congress and Sell Out Democrat Leaders Looney Toons Mental Midget Nancy Pelosi & Harebrain Harry Reid to sell us all out on these issues and become leading George W Bush buttkissers and Democrat Rubber Stamps,who lack the guts to deal with Bush & Cheney and the real issues,but can give us a phony feel good kissy feely idiotic Pelosi agenda and mistakenly think that will shut us all up after Sell Outs Pelosi & Reid took Impeachment off the table,like only gutless wonders like them can do so! And so,frankly I don't care if I do make them and a few of you people on this site mad,as I speak the truth here not more BS from either Bush or Democrat Sell Out Gutless Wonders Like Nancy Pelosi and her Four Day Orgy Of Self-Promotion Insanity Cornation ala King George 43 & Queen Laura and I am already to vote the worthless Demos out if this si the best they can do and that's the kind of sell outs for leaders they intend to give us!

by Ralph (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 74 comments) on Sunday, Dec 24, 2006 at 10:46:04 PM

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Yes, Ralph, you are perfectly correct. IMPEACH GW BUSH, RB CHENEY, ET AL AT ONCE.

by larry278 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 47 comments) on Monday, Dec 25, 2006 at 9:47:29 AM

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the reality shows plainly that it is the DLC that wags the dog. Thanks to Bill Clinton's emphasis on regaining a larger share of corporate contributions for his party we now see a party run by and for corporatists. Does this remind you of another major party?

by ardee D. (6 articles, 4 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 2377 comments) on Tuesday, Dec 26, 2006 at 7:18:37 AM

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All the comments are correct. I posted the DNC credo to draw attention to the fact that the actions of the Democratic Party bear little resemblance to the credo. An Israeli I know told me a story that Israelis tell each other. Politicians are like dogs. They like to think they lead the pack but turn the corner and they will rush to catch up. Everything you guys say is correct and it's up to you to let your representatives know what you think and let them know that unless they do what you want them to do they cannot count on your support or your vote. If you don't do this you are like the tree that falls in a forest...no one hears you so you may not exist.

by Jeanne Doyle (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 2 comments) on Tuesday, Dec 26, 2006 at 3:54:45 PM

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