I nominate Ron Paul for 2010 Caffeinated Conservative of the Year. Official voting for this award can be found here. Let me first say, he is not perfect. We have discussed his introduction of earmarks to spending bills that he ends up voting against. He has a defense for this, but I still don’t think it is right. That being said, I think the following heavily outweighs that weakness and I would put the following conservative record against any other nominee.
1. Ron Paul is leading the way against the unconstitutional, out of control, unelected, unaccountable Federal Reserve. His H.R. 1207: Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009 had nearly 3/4 of the congress as cosponsors (316). Although an alternative watered down bill got passed in the end, he still moved a majority of congress and the American people to the conservative position when it comes to the fed. Although less supportive (at this time) he also introduced H.R. 833: Federal Reserve Board Abolition Act to end the fed.
2. Ron Paul has recently been promoted to Chairman of the House Domestic Monetary Policies Subcommittee. In short, he is the leader of the committee that oversees the Fed. When the new congressional session begins, this could have a HUGE impact on the size of government.
3. Ron Paul overwhelmingly won the CPAC Straw Poll with 31%. (Romney was 2nd with 22%, Palin with 7%), Winning polls is not new for Dr. Paul, he wins nearly every online poll because his supporters are quick to spread the message and move people to the internet polls. But this was different; voters had to be there in person, taking time away from their regular lives to attend a weekend long conference. He is either getting better at mobilizing people to physical polls or is gaining significantly more support than he received in 08 caucuses, primaries and straw polls. I think it is a little of both, which will make the upcoming Iowa straw poll interesting if he chooses to run in 12′.
4. Although Ron Paul’s foreign policy is different than that of many so called “conservatives” he continues to get huge support from the troop themselves, those who are the protectors of America seem to think he has the right answers on how to keep it safe. During his 08′ run he received more donations from service members than any other candidate. He continues to gain support from veterans. Retired U.S. Army Major Don Vandergiff is the military leadership consultant for the conservative leaning Washington Post recently wrote that Dr. Ron Paul should be named Leader of 2010.
I would also say that Ron Paul’s noninterventionist foreign policy is conservative, it is the policy of our founders, the amount spent on our overseas intervention is out of control and not fiscally responsible, and many civil liberties are being violated in the name of national defense. Out of control spending overseas and violation of civil liberties at home should not be the conservative position, yet it is the position of most of the other so called conservatives.
5. Speaking of which: Ron Paul is leading the way against intrusive TSA searches. Remember the quote by Ben Franklin: “he who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” While other politicians were trying to decide if they are on the side of liberty or little temporary safety, Ron Paul took pen to paper and introduced HR 6416 the American Traveler Dignity Act. He took to the floor to give this powerful message as he introduced the bill. He also introduced H.R. 3023: Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009 which: “Bars a federal agency from prohibiting an airline pilot, copilot, or navigator, or law enforcement person specifically detailed for protection of an aircraft from carrying a firearm.”
6. Ron Paul wrote and sponsored HR2533 the Sanctity of Life Bill of 2009: “To provide that human life shall be deemed to exist from conception.” He introduced the same bill in 2005 and 2007. He introduced H.R. 1233: Taxpayers’ Freedom of Conscience Act of 2009 which would strengthen the Hyde amendment prohibiting federal funds from going towards abortion and other population control measures both domestic and foreign.
7. Ron Paul is a supporter of education freedom, including home schooling. He introduced the.Family Education Freedom Act of 2009 – which amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax credit of up to $5,000 (adjusted for inflation after 2009) per student per year for the cost of attendance at any educational institution (including any private, parochial, religious, or home school) organized to provide elementary or secondary education, or both. He also introduced this same bill in each session of congress since 1997.
8. While other Republicans were merely speaking against Obama care (both before and after passage) Ron Paul was introducing solutions to problems in healthcare. His solutions reflect a conservative way of dealing with the problems, namely a limited government and free market solution. His bills included HR 4995 the End the Mandate Act of 2010. “To restore the American people’s freedom to choose the health insurance that best meets their individual needs by repealing the mandate that all Americans obtain government-approved health insurance.”
Other health care bills:
- H.R. 1495: Comprehensive Health Care Reform Act of 2009
- H.R. 1496: Child Health Care Affordability Act
- H.R. 1497: Treat Physicians Fairly Act of 2009
- H.R. 1498: Freedom From Unnecessary Litigation Act of 2009
- H.R. 164: Seniors’ Health Care Freedom Act of 2009
- H.R. 163: Prescription Drug Affordability Act
- H.R. 5444: Private Option Health Care Act
- H.R. 3395: Health Freedom Act
- H.R. 2630: Protect Patients and Physicians Privacy Act
- H.R. 2629: Coercion is Not Health Care Act
- H.R. 2218: Parental Consent Act of 2009
9. While other conservatives are busy simply speaking out against embryonic stem cell research, Ron Paul introduced H.R. 1654: Cures Can Be Found Act of 2009 supporting stem cell research not from embryos via tax credits and makes those who deal with embryonic stem cells unable to gain federal support.
10. Ron Paul introduced H.R. 539: We the People Act which limits the federal courts’ judicial activism and restores power to the states.
11. Ron Paul is a strong supporter of the second amendment. He introduced H.R. 3022: Second Amendment Protection Act of 2009 which restores the second amendment, repealing all the little restrictions that have added up resulting in the second amendment being nearly meaningless. Also, ever wonder why teachers or administration never have any firearms available to deter school shootings? Well the government thought it would be a good idea to make it illegal to have any guns near schools, for some reason they thought school shooters would abide by this law. Well they don’t, and the result is a defenseless zone where they can enact whatever violent revenge they can think of. Ron Paul introduced H.R. 3021: Citizens Protection Act of 2009 to repeal the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 and allow well trained school officials to bear arms.
12. Do you want congress to read the bills they are voting on? So does Congressman Paul. Ron Paul introduced H.Res. 216: Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to ensure that Members have a reasonable amount of time to read legislation that will be voted upon.
13. While others seek to tinker with the tax system, Ron Paul knows that the only way to kill the monster that is an out of control federal government is to eliminate its food. He introduced H.J.Res. 48: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to abolishing personal income, estate, and gift taxes and prohibiting the United States Government from engaging in business in competition with its citizens.
The text of the proposed amendment is as follows:
Constitutional Amendment – Prohibits the U.S. government from engaging in any business, professional, commercial, financial, or industrial enterprise except as specified in the Constitution. Prohibits the constitution or laws of any state, or the laws of the United States, from being subject to the terms of any foreign or domestic agreement which would abrogate this amendment. Requires any activities of the U.S. government which violate the intent and purposes of this amendment to be liquidated and the properties and facilities affected to be sold within three years from the date of ratification of this amendment. Repeals the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution three years after ratification of this amendment and thereafter prohibits Congress from levying taxes on personal incomes, estates, and gifts.
WOW, doesn’t get more conservative/limited government than that! An amendment the founders would be proud of.
If you would like to support Ron Paul for 2010 Caffeinated Conservative of the Year, please vote here and tell all your friends.