Person of the Year: Ron Paul
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People often mistake being named Time’s “Person of the Year” as an honor, but that men as sinister as Adolph Hitler, Josef Stalin and Rudy Giuliani have all been given the title suggests otherwise. According to Time, the award is primarily a recognition of influence and by that measure the 2009 selection of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke makes sense. Explains Time, the Fed is “an independent government agency that conducts monetary policy, which means it sets short-term interest rates – which means it has immense influence over inflation, unemployment, the strength of the dollar and the strength of your wallet.” Powerful and influential indeed.
But using Time’s reasoning, the same award could have been given to Alan Greenspan, Paul Volcker or any other chairman in the history of the Fed. It is amusing that if simply being in charge of the powerful institution warrants such recognition, a Fed Chairman has now received it during a time of serious economic downturn and Bernanke likely won the award because his celebrity had been elevated due to the economy going south. It’s sort of like giving special recognition to Tiger Woods for making so many headlines recently, while ignoring that it is his personal recklessness and infidelity that has contributed most to his career and marriage going south.
So instead of giving props to Fed chairman who’ve screwed up the economy, why not praise someone who’s spent his entire career opposing the central bank, not to mention being ahead of the curve-often alone–on some of the most pressing political issues of our day? In terms of elevated profile and increased influence, it’s hard to imagine a better candidate worth recognizing as “Person of the Year” than Texas Congressman Ron Paul.
For starters, Paul agrees with Time that Bernanke should be “Person of the Year,” because he truly is “the most powerful man in the world.” Paul notes that Bernanke can “create a trillion dollars in secret without any monitoring of the Congress, so there’s no transparency, and I think he’s more powerful than the president.” And yet for years, decades even, Paul was virtually alone on Capitol Hill in calling to rein in the Fed. Today, the once “extreme” notion of auditing the Federal Reserve has become mainstream amongst Republicans and more than a few Democrats, due in no-small-part to Paul’s lead. Reports the Houston Chronicle:
“As odd as it may seem, (Paul) has become one of the most influential Republicans in a capital city dominated by liberal Democrats… The subject that has brought him to prominence is the same issue that subjected him to ridicule from establishment Republicans for years: his long-standing opposition to the nation’s monetary system and the Federal Reserve Board that prints money and controls its supply. ‘On economic matters, he was seen as a way outside the mainstream,’ University of Houston political scientist Richard Murray said. ‘His views were somewhat 19th century in the view of a lot of economists.’ Well, they say history repeats itself, and suddenly Paul’s “19th-century” thinking seems appealing to those suffering through the first economic meltdown of the 21st century.”
While many now embrace Paul’s “fringe” thinking on the Fed, many Americans have also migrated closer to the Congressman’s thinking on foreign policy. When during the George W. Bush years, the Republican Party exchanged its traditional limited government rhetoric to advocate for war, Paul vocally opposed nation building in Afghanistan and the invasion of Iraq, ventures he believed were unjustified, unwinnable and too costly. When running for president in 2008, many saw Paul as simply the antiwar Republican, a seemingly oddball position at the time, particularly amongst a field of GOP candidates whose platforms consisted mainly of trying to outdo each other in their enthusiasm for war.
And yet as Obama continues with an almost identical foreign policy agenda as Bush, polls show that many Americans-including many Republicans-are now war weary and skeptical as to what the US endgame might be in the Middle East. Many are realizing there probably is no real “end” or no true “victory” in Afghanistan or Iraq. And many now realize that Paul had been right all along.
Given the anxiety over economic downturn and costly military overstretch, it is not farfetched to say that popular American opinion is likely now closer to Paul’s thinking on those two major issues than that of either major party nominee for president in 2008 and particularly President Obama, whose poll numbers continue to plummet. Says the Houston Chronicle “it’s not that Paul has gone mainstream. Rather, the mainstream has gone Paul-ite.”
Not bad for a guy who just two years ago was considered persona non grata by his own party. And not bad for a man who continues to change hearts and minds, not because of any grand strategy or particular political savvy, but mostly because against overwhelming odds–he’s refused to change one bit.
Filed under: Economics, politics
Bravo, Congressman Paul.
If it is possible to find heroism and principle among our elected representatives in Washington, this person may be it.
Dr. Ron Paul is the man for 2010!
Dr. Ron Paul,
Is wihtout doubt my favorite US politician.
Good to see that the US congress has at least one member with principles.
Jan Flohr
Dr Paul will be Time’s Man of the Year when he is elected Speaker of the House! and he leads the Republic out of its morass of unconstitutional regulations, special-interests’ laws and constitutionally aberrant amendments. The Tea Party hopefully will organise a greater-than-grass-roots ability to elect constitutionalists – whether repubs, dems, indies, conservs or libs – to fill House seats who, because of a lack of a majority by either the Rep’s or Dem’s, will have to form a coalition to govern. And therefore, elected Dr Paul as Speaker. Now that would be “progress”. The explosion of laughter you hear is really the reverberations of money bombs inspired by the idea of having Dr Paul become Speaker of the House.
Now we need to get Ron’s son Rand and his ally Peter Schiff elected to the Senate!
Dr. Ron Paul deserves to be in the White House. I’d love to see a Gary Johnson / Ron Paul (or Ron Paul / Gary Johnson) ticket in 2012!
I thank Mr. Hunter for raising several good and often thought-provoking points in his article.
Well written indeed.
Best regards,
Charles
Great piece, thanks.
Ron Paul is a true American hero, always staying true and fighting against all odds and sides for our good and our freedom. Good on you for giving him credit.
Best
Great article!
Ron represents truth and reason. If you are in to those two things, you will probably like what he has to say.
Why do you say ‘Adolph Hitler’ but ‘Josef Stalin’? Hitler’s Christian name was Adolf.
If Time magazine were a true reflection of a person who represents the very best of mankind, Dr. Ron Paul would be a front-runner for that award. Unfortunately, Time has lost their credibility over the years, and the yearly awards bring only a realization of ever-decreasing confidence in both politicians and the main stream media. God bless Ron Paul for all he is doing to win back our Republic.
Great Stuff!
Great job and everything, Rep. Paul. He’s a great American.
But if Ron Paul retires tomorrow, the American Conservative is gonna have a lot of empty space to fill. Maybe it’s time to find a second (!) person to talk positively about.
The sad thing is that so many, many people in this country get 95% to 100% of their so-called knowledge about politics and the economy from watching their favorite leftwing / rightwing newscasters on the BigScreen DopeTube on a daily basis. NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING could be a more misleading and harmful source of information than the “daily news” — on any channel, ABC, msNBC, CBS or FOX. The biggest part of the “daily news” is either pushing a leftwing agenda or a rightwing agenda. The news is driven, not by a desire to tell the truth, but by a desire to get emotional reactions from people and therefore ratings and therefore big profits, and to Hell with the truth. An honest and accurate understanding of a politically driven economy can only be got from diligent study of the subject in your local libraries, if you really want to know. 95% of the so called experts on the subject of economics and politics seen on TV have never read John Maynes Keynes or Ludwig Von Mises, nor even know about or understand their similarities and differences. People come home, grab a super-size soda, a big cheese pizza and plop down in front of the bigscreen DopeTube and then permit themselves to be repeatedly brainwashed with the same old propanganda that the conniving media and the self-serving politicians have been palming off on us for the last 40 years. TURN OFF THE DOPETUBE and get yourself to your local library and study (diligently) these subjects before offering an opinion. 95% of all opinions in these forums obviously come from watching a favorite television newcaster personality.
Turn off the DopeTube and begin a serious study of these subjects in your library, if you do have the money to buy the books yourself. Diligently study these subjects and you will some learn that Ron Paul is telling you the truth!
Ron Paul for US President in 2012!
I agree completely. “The most powerful man in the world” has virtually absolute power and therefore must be absolutely corrupt. I don’t understand how people have not realized this.
Ron Paul must be the most persistant and patient man on this planet to be fighting a battle that is virtually unwinnable, much like the middle east. He has the greatest intentions, the biggest heart and the most brilliant mind af any government official. Ron Paul has more support for his cause than ever and he is more optimistic and enthusiastic about it than I have ever seen.
Unfortunately, with the masses reading articles like the one printed in “Time” and a power as great as the “Federal” reserve, victory for Paul is still a ways away. Fortunately you and I have a platform such as this. I hope the people realize the situation and something can be done before the collapse of the dollar. Sound money leads to sound growth.
Dr. No’s prescription for our one-party condition is Revolution and it’s coming! Great article, Mr. Hunter.
Nice, keep up the good fight , LIBERTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HELL YA!!!!!!!
Ron Paul is the man! He truly inspired a Revolution.
Congressman Ron Paul is a shining beacon in the morass called Congress.
And thank you to Mr. Hunter for his article recognizing that Ron Paul is the true man of the year–in fact, of this decade or maybe this century.
(Ron Paul is the only Republican I would vote for President.)
good stuff, SA
[...] Ron Paul should NOT be person of the year Paleo-Conservative Jack Hunter thinks that Ron Paul should be person of the [...]
Mainstream Democrats take your tax dollars and waste it on worthless public works programs. Mainstream Republicans take your tax dollars and give it to Israel. Ron Paul doesn’t want your tax dollars. But if you so much as oblige, then you know they will come straight back to you. End the Fed. End the Wars. Congress should stop worrying about the Mid East, and start worrying about the Mid West. Ron Paul for America.
[...] Read Article [...]
As usual, job well done sir. Video posted at ron-paul.us too.
Keith,
It’s been a while since I saw a Democratic-backed public works project beyond maybe road renovation. I wouldn’t mind if they did (since it produces something tangible, it is not comparable to giving money and weapons to Israel), but they don’t….
Lead, follow or get out of the way of this revolution.
Ron Paul the only hope for America 2012.
Hes da man! nuff said
Ron Paul is an inspiration to humanity, he really is
I love him, I hope he runs again
True Blue America is embodied in him and thats why he can’t be stopped.
We need more like him in the world. If the world was run by more people like him It would be a far better world
2012!
I would like to see Dr. Ron Paul/ Rand Paul on the 2012 ticket … Two paul’s for the price of one lol…
Ron Paul for president in 2012. He’s the true person of the 21rst century!! End the fed!
Excellent piece my friend. I took a lot of heat when I told everyone to vote for Ron Paul here in CT. I remember when a friend and me held up a 15 foot long sign when Bill Clinton came to Yale university for a visit. The sign said “Abolish The Federal Reserve”. Bill & Hillary saw it and pointed to it as they passed in a limo. A lot of good it did. But thanks to guys like Ron Paul the public is becoming more and more aware of the evil federal reserve. If only more could truly understand the criminal nature of this beast within our midst. It’s pretty much invisible to most people. But Mr. Paul has done much to shower light on this cancerous growth. Thanks again for a good article.
I would vote for him again. I love a politician with cahonies. You are either hot or cold. Lukewarm will be vomitted out.
See how Dr. Paul”s campaign was sabotaged by the media and the political parties in 2008. See the documentary: http://www.forlibertymovie.com/catalog/
Idol worship is not what is needed…. we are grateful for his voice of reason and liberty.
Dr. Paul’s reminders of what a constitutional republic is and how it goes about controlling it’s own currency need to be echoed to the masses in this time of economic crisis.
It’s the message that will allow us to regain control.
Dr. Paul is one man with some powerful common sense messages, still he is incapable to fixing all our woes.
You all had your chance and blew it in 2008. The America sheeple get what it deserves. America certainly doesn’t deserve Ron Paul, the last true American who supports and defends the Constitution.
God Bless and protect Ron Paul, cause God has turned his back on this country.
The only thing I take issue with in this article is the statement that the Federal Reserve is and independent government agency. It is not a government agency. It is a central bank owned by ‘unknown entities’ masquerading as a Federal Agency. It answers to no one save the unnamed wealthy elite. Whoever holds the gold makes the rules. And we don’t even know who the rule makers are. But we do know they own Congress and the Presidency. As long as the Federal Reserve (central bank) exists, America will continue to fall under its domination. Look into the History of the Money Changers and you will come to understand your economic enslavement.
Congrats Ron Paul. Hopefully you are one of the avatars of a coalition of the anti-globalist right and left that saves the Republic(or should I write -”restores”?).
Prooves how stupid the hacks and rank and file of the GOP are: Ron Paul was THE one who could had taken down Obama in ‘08, but instead they nominated McMummy/Evita Palin. There was probably more young people enthusiastic about Paul than there was Obama, and Paul was the real McCoy “maverick”.
Ron Paul is grounded in ethics and the Constitution. He also is a student of human nature. There are a few others in DC whom I admire for standing up and speaking out against the oligarchs.. Marcy Kaptur, Chuck Grassley, Brad Sherman..
We have a Constitutionalist running from Idaho against Simpson who is proud that we are sending raw materials to China to polish computer screens. When told of the criminal activity (naked shorting) on Wall Street which seemed to escape him, he told me to talk to his wife who takes care of their investments.
@Mary Helburn – Uh … Chuckie Grassley is right in bed with the oligarchs – namely the Credit Card Lobby. You do Ron Paul a disservice by putting that scumbag in his league.
Geoff Balaigh SAID IT ALL!
My 18 year old was screaming for Ron Paul. So was I, a democrat.
The republicans stuck up their noses and went typical fashion. Ignorant as it was.
I also love Ron Paul and wish that there were more leaders with his understanding and integrity. America is being run by secretive well-organized criminals who have murdered, lied, cheated, stolen and used every conceivable criminal method to gain high and low official positions of power, authority, leadership and ownership in government, education, media, religions, and corporations throughout America and the world; I know that it is only by the grace and protection of Almighty God that Ron Paul and others like him have not already been murdered. As we turn to God for protection and deliverance from the hands of our oppressors and give obedience to Divine Law, we will be delivered out of the hands of the evil ones who are running and destroying our nation and all the nations of the world. Ron Paul is one of the leaders who can lead us in rightousness.