WHAT I THINK........THOMAS BROWN

I was reading a great article today that was posted on The Art of Maniless today that really defined how folks should evaluate the candidates in the GOP primary as well as any other election. The article is titled
The 4 Qualities of a True Statesman and points out the difference between a political and a statesman. The article goes through the 4 core qualities that make up a statesman which are as follows;

1 A bedrock of principles
2 A moral compass
3 A vision
4 The ability to build a consensus to achieve that vision

While reading this article I could not help but think of one candidate who embodies all of these qualities. His name is Congressman Ron Paul. I will go through the 4 qualities and show you what I mean.

1. Bedrock of principles

-Ron Paul has had a core set of principles which he has promoted and stood by for over 30 years while in public office. He never once wavered despite many of his issue being unpopular. His principles are as follows, a sound money back by gold and the end of the Federal Reserve. Promoting free trade and diplomacy through ideas and not with interventionism through military or covert means. The steadfast adherence to the U.S. Constitution.

2. A Moral Compass

-As far as Congressman Paul’s moral compass one need not look any further that his 54 year marriage to his wife Carol. But, if that is not enough he always puts things in absolute right and wrong. A few examples are his voting no on every single debt ceiling increase since in Congress as he always stood against deficit spending that is caused by militarism and growing the state beyond the confines of the Constitution. He was one of a very few to vote no on the Patriot Act in 2001 as he saw the implications of voting yes as a path towards a police state that essentially shreds the bill of rights.

3. Vision

He understood that all the spending and manipulation of the dollar by the Federal Reserve would create distortions in the market and has written and spoken extensively about this over his 30 plus career in Congress. He is the only candidate on the stage that understand our foreign entanglements and occupations have consequences and had a role in the terror attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001. He speaks out about this fact despite being ridiculed by his own party and other candidates running against him for the Republican nomination for President.

4. The ability to build a consensus to achieve that vision

Congressman Paul has slowly built up a following of people many of them young people who are not just drawn to his ideas of less government intrusion but allow his economic policies of free markets and the ending of the fraction reserve banking system and the Federal Reserve. He has also gotten folks who are interested in his message to read books and study history and economics so that they don’t just parrot talking points as many supports of other candidates do. But, so they can understand the details of what he is talking about and intelligently discuss it with others to educate and spread this message.

I could list dozens of examples for each quality listed but I think this gets the point across that when talking about a statesman there is only one in the race for President.