It has begun in the fall of 2003. A then 18-year-old student from France, I was reading about the California gubernatorial recall election. Not for my studies, but because of my longtime interest in the United States, its culture, its history, its political life, not to mention my interest for the English language, in large part thanks to my teachers. My readings drove me to notice that there were many candidates in this election. So many names which would never be really covered in the big media. Actually, there was not much more than a listing concerning those "small" candidates on the page I read (I think it was CNN.com). A listing... and, a link to each one's website... I decided to elaborate a questionnaire, and I sent it to many, if not all of them. As a political interest - who were they, what were they proposing for California ? As a personal challenge, too - were they going to comply, given I was going to publish them in French, on an amateur webzine, certainly not read by any Californian ? The answer was definitely "yes". I received many mails, and many of those candidates accepted to play the game. To be sure, none of them was either incumbent governor Gray Davis nor his successor-to-be, movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger. But they gave me some of their time. They told me about them, their ideas, some of them... pretty unexpected. And I appreciated very much. I became fully aware of the potential of Internet for who was open-minded, interested to know about other peoples.
This was the first act in my long journey with Americans through the Web. I've never been to the U.S. yet. But for the past eight years, I've had many contacts with some of its citizens. I wrote and sent questionnaires on Ronald Reagan (after his death in 2004), on the 9/11 attacks (the French text can be read here), on the 2004 presidential election. I'm still in touch with some of them. Other contacts include "small" candidates to the 2008 presidential election, who had the kindness to answer my probably overlong questionnaire. ^^ They all have my gratefulness, and I'm happy and proud to have had so many great, interesting contacts.
As time went by, other tools appeared. At first reluctant to enter the Facebook frenzy - actually, because of the frenzy - I finally surrendered. Facebook is a great tool to chat with the world. Another tool, for a different time. This one seems to be pretty grim for the United States. The world's lighthouse for most of the twentieth century now seems to be exhausted. Shattered by the crises it has faced for the past decade, strongly challenged by emerging powers in the global stage, its people seemingly divided, we hardly hear about an American dream anymore. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter told his audience about the "crisis of confidence" hurting the nation in his so-called "Malaise" speech. What about malaise now ? What's next ? One year to the next presidential election, I wrote messages on campaign pages for major candidates, including President Barack Obama, inviting those who'd be interested to receive my questionnaire. Actually, two questionnaires. There's a specific one for Ron Paul supporters... Donc ask me why... or ask me why if you want ! ^^ Here's what you say about it all...
Thank you so much for everything. For your answers, for your kindness. For our friendship, for some of you, as much as possible, I hope. This time, as a sign of respect to you, I'm publishing the answers to my questionnaire in English first. A less honorable reason : it takes a huge time to translate it all in French (often for rare, poor feedbacks). Since I want in no way to betray or cut any of your ideas, your words will be transcripted here the way you wrote them. For the next year, this article will be in permanent evolution. If you want to change anything, you're welcome. If you're reading it and want to answer my questions, you're welcome. Here's the end of my - oops I did it again, sorry - overlong intro. I'm sorry for any fault of english in it. You know this is not my real name, but my Internet signature remains the same. Now, the interesting part. No censorship, you'll notice fast... Merci, et bonne lecture ! Phil Defer DOCUMENT
U.S.A. : 2011, 2012...
and beyond...
(Photo picked from : http://www.jazzhostels.com)
"BASIC" QUESTIONNAIRE
- Could you please introduce yourself in a few sentences ? What's important, or just interesting, to know about you ?
- What's your reading of the current state of the United States ?
- On a 1 to 10 scale, how would you rate Barack Obama's tenure as president ? The plus and the minus ?
- Next year, the election. Who's your candidate, and why do you think this candidate should be the next President ? What would you say to "sell" this candidate to your fellow American voters ? Are you gonna involve yourself into the 2012 campaign, if yes, how ?
- The bitter fight over the debt ceiling in the Congress, the rise of hardline voices from both sides strengthen the impression that bipartisan dialogue, negociation and compromise are less and less part of the culture in Washington. What do you think about that ? Do Democrats and Republicans have so little in common ? Is today's America, as President Lincoln said on a fundamental issue, "a house divided" ?
- From your point of view, what should be the priorities of the next President of the United States and the Congress ? How do you think they should be addressed ?
- Let's go further. How do you expect the situation of the U.S. to be in, say, 25 years, both internally and externally ? What will be the fundamental challenges the country will have to face ? And, how to face them so the American Dream remains alive - if you believe in any "American Dream" ?
- Last question. Actually, more what we'd call in France a "carte blanche". If you want to add anything about those topics, if you want to tell me about something completely different, if you want to share something with me... or anything else... it's up to you !
"RON PAUL" QUESTIONNAIRE
- Could you please introduce yourself in a few sentences ?
- In the most honest way possible, how would you rate Barack Obama's tenure (scale from 1 to 10) as President ? The plus and the minus ? Simply said, would you say the country's on the right track ?
- Categorization, sometimes, is not easy. How would you differenciate Paul from both the Tea Party and the Libertarian Party, which is likely to have a candidate next year ?
- It appears to me that Ron Paul seems close on many points to Ronald Reagan on the idea that, as the 40th President said, "Government is the problem". But with many major differences : Reagan was conservative on social issues, Paul is for large liberty. The differences are more obvious concerning foreign and military policy. Military expenses were very important under Reagan, they seem to be evil for Paul. Could you please tell me what you think of President Reagan, and how you explain those different views ?
- If you had to summarize Ron Paul's platform, what would you say ? Why do you believe so strongly in those ideas ?
- More specifically, what's your reading of America's current economic woes ? Do you equally blame Republican and Democratic administrations and Congresses for them ? What should be done by a Paul-led U.S. government to address them ?
- To what extent do you think the goals Paul and you share can be achieved ? Don't you fear, especially in the state of Washington's finances, and because of the political constraints there, that any Paul presidency would be doomed to disappoint and, more than that, to damage his ideological purity ?
- Liberty is an extremely important value in Paul's philosophy. What do you think should be its limits ? Maybe you have some differences with your candidate on the issue ?
- Ron Paul is a great orator and debater, with a true ideological constancy and many faithful followers. But he is far from being the frontrunner in next year's presidential election. What is the strategy of the campaign to win the Republican nomination ? How do you intend to help ? Do you believe he will get it ?
- What do you think about the 2012 Republican field ? Would Paul not win the nomination, could you imagine yourself supporting another candidate, Mitt Romney for example ? In such a case, would you tend to vote more for Romney or for the Libertarian Party candidate in the general election ?
- Now, imagine Ron Paul gets the Republican nomination. Imagine he faces Barack Obama on November the 6th, 2012. Given that Independents often decide of the winner with their votes, notably in "swing states", do you think a candidate with stances as radical as Paul would have any chance to win the election ?
- Finally, after all those words... why do you think Ron Paul should be the next President of the United States ? What do you like in the man, in the politician, what would you say to Americans so they vote for him to get the G.O.P. nomination and the 270 E.V. ?
- Last question... Not a question actually but a tribune, if you want to add anything to this interview. Or if you want to tell me about anything else you'd like to share.
ANSWERS
(CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF RECEPTION)
October 26
Sara P. (BASIC)
Ronald Reagan was an asshole who destroyed millions of lives by helping implement the Shock and Awe campaign under the direction of Milton Friedman... as did Maggie Thatcher. The difference being that Reagan did it in another country. Reagan implemented horrible economic policies that are elitist in nature and stepped back what people have been fighting for since there were people and governments --- equality.
9/11 was a conspiracy. Any building containing millions of dollars worth of gold (that was never recovered... ever) that falls to the ground as if demolished by a demolition company when it was never on fire, and in the same manner as the other buildings was not destroyed accidentally.
People don't want to believe their governments do horrible things. But seriously, Bush Jr. said there was a shadow government - it came right out of his mouth. Don't give me this shit that they didn't know. It's too ironic that drills were being run on the same day.
And isn't it ironic that drills be being run when London was bombed? Spain? Also Norway? Yeah... not buying their "terrorists" cover.
What else did you want to know about?
If you want an opinion from an "American" on stuff happening, it's all over the news on Occupy and it's all over Facebook.
This country's government has been a joke for the past 80 years. And it's had the same families running it for that time frame. It's not a coincidence, and it's not just in this government.
Peace, Nic. Hope you find what you're looking for...
After I sent her the link to this article... (Day of its publishing, two answers the day after, December the first)
Dear Nic,
Apologies for the long wait - I, like so many others, have so much going on in my life that it's hard to write.
Sometimes I imagine what it must have been like before the internet: the long process of delivery, and the trip across the Atlantic... Anyway. I have lately been really thinking about running for Congress in my district. It seems that we elect people who have been bought.
There is nothing wrong with the free market, there is only something wrong with the free market when it places a government of the people under an impairment. The purpose of government it to create rules that are fair to all the people. The age of question of consent amongst the governed must be addressed to the this point.
We are seeing so many uprisings that I have to wonder about the End-of-days Prophesies that exist in so many religions and cultures. Maybe it was more of the people rising up against those that take advantage too greatly upon the hospitality of the masses.
I'm grateful for what you've done. I think we can affect great change individually if we put our minds to it. Indeed, history has only proven this to be correct.
I can't predict what people will do - but I can predict what will happen based upon our actions now. We need to change our way of treating not only one another, but the things that sustain our life. Those two are directly linked together, too, by means of energy, and monetary value.
I want to take back my government from those in the free market who would enslave not only the market and government. I can only hope that there are those out there who are willing to stand with me (as I stand by them) in this effort to create a more perfect union.
Thanks again, Nicolas,
By Threes May it be Returned -
Sara
Then...
Could you please introduce yourself in a few sentences ? What's important, or just interesting, to know about you ?
I'm 33. Although I grew up roaming the woods and streams near Lake Michigan, in my latter years I have lived in a variety of different places across the United States and have spoken to people from all walks of life. I never attended University as I think it a sham. I think the whole education system is designed to do little in the way of producing thinking people, but more to do with producing mindless yes-men who do not think at all but to think of what they have been told to think: Obey...
What's your reading of the current state of the United States ?
The United States government is a bully and a thug. The people of the United States are puppets who don't even know they're on stage.
On a 1 to 10 scale, how would you rate Barack Obama's tenure as president ? The plus and the minus ?
I give Obama a 4. There are few issues in which I think the interest of the people is served; On the whole, however, he is as bought and paid for as the rest of "our" elected officials. I say "our" in the sense that as they do Not serve our public interest, they cannot be the public servants they were hired to be, but hold the people's will ransomed.
Next year, the election. Who's your candidate, and why do you think this candidate should be the next President ? What would you say to "sell" this candidate to your fellow American voters ? Are you gonna involve yourself into the 2012 campaign, if yes, how ?
I don't know who my candidate it. I have faith that there will be someone I can trust will not be there for the money, but to truly fight to regain a sense of why, exactly, government exists (though, to some, that may not be an exact thing).
The bitter fight over the debt ceiling in the Congress, the rise of hardline voices from both sides strengthen the impression that bipartisan dialogue, negociation and compromise are less and less part of the culture in Washington. What do you think about that ? Do Democrats and Republicans have so little in common ? Is today's America, as President Lincoln said on a fundamental issue, "a house divided" ?
On the contrary, Democrats and Republicans have too much in common and that is the problem. There is only a difference in the meaurable amount of destruction to the individual between them. That they both are guilty of destruction is not debatable. ... This whole thing about 99% to 1%... it's more like 80% to 20%. Republicans want an imbalance, but they recognize that this is Too great an injustice. Democrats seek to utterly wipe out the 1%. They don't even recognize how that doesn't serve even their interests. They are in the 20%, many of them, and they fight like dogs to climb higher. While they do so, they further that field and that affects millions and millions of people. The differences are somewhat great.
It's their likeness that are truly scary.
The people are not divided. They have only been taught by the politicians to focus on their differences. Occupy has grown because it celebrates the ways in which we are alike rather than how we are different.
From your point of view, what should be the priorities of the next President of the United States and the Congress ? How do you think they should be addressed ?
The priorities of the people are not making weapons and exporting them to other countries and fighting wars to attain resources. The priorities of this county are these:
***Creating/supporting sustainable energy - it's how we power business and education. It's a resource we have.
***Funding education that is not built upon the creation of wealth, but the creation of knowledge.
***Restoring a larger portion of production back to the people by disallowing products made through means that harm the people of the country it was made in and harms the environment. ...We are funding the profits of these corporations by not only allowing them to pay people less than their worth, but by polluting grossly the very things we need to live (not want): our air and water. We also do this at the expense of ourselves.
***Ending the Federal Reserve.
***Stop putting our fingers into foreign pies we don't belong in because the oil's good.
Let's go further. How do you expect the situation of the U.S. to be in, say, 25 years, both internally and externally ? What will be the fundamental challenges the country will have to face ? And, how to face them so the American Dream remains alive - if you believe in any "American Dream" ?
I don't know what the situation will be in 25 years. A lot can happen in 25 years. I would hope that those issue I just spoke of would be addressed.
Last question. Actually, more what we'd call in France a "carte blanche". If you want to add anything about those topics, if you want to tell me about something completely different, if you want to share something with me... or anything else... it's up to you !
Where we spend our money is what affects change. We can't legislate where others spend their money, but as a government, we can outlaw practices that are harmful to the consumers. That's the point of government. None-the-less.... don't buy stuff you know to be junk.
October 27
Marianne D. (BASIC)
Nice to meet you, enchanted. I am as old as your grandmother, but I live a young life. I have a large family and I raised excellent kids, so I am proud of my life. I live by the ocean and belong to Mensa. What is my read, not lecture. I think we are in trouble as is Europe. For some of the same reasons. I had hopes for Obama but he quickly disappointed me. Barack Obama is a 2 out of 10. He has moved the country toward Socialism and that is a travesty, we are not fated to be Socialist by the very nature of our Constitution: limited government, low taxes. If I want to add how dangerous he is we would grade him a minus. I like Santorum because he speaks his values, Cain because he is man of accomplishment, Romney because he is strong and knowledgeable, Gingrich because of his beautiful mind. Bachman because she serves a good cup of tea, anyone but Obama. I will end here because I'm sleepy and won't put the effort out that you deserve. I will do my part by keeping informed, extremely open-minded, to the point that if Obama can help this country I would not even fight his re-election. But that is so unlikely, he has done nothing right. Bon soir.
After I sent Marianne the link to this article, Nov. 30, here's her answer, same day...
My candidate is now Gingrich, he has been using his wits and not making blunders, that's what it takes to win this electon. The press is like a pool of sharks, they have no intenton but to shred any Republican candidate.
On the debt ceiling the clay feet of members of both parties is in strong evidence. We cannot literally afford to fail on this issue. Hopefully a new president will hold everyone's feet to the fire and yes, it will be painful. We are so polarised it is a house divided, one side does not venture into the publications, literature, media of the other side. I think Gingrich has the right priorities, God is in control of this country and that concept is paramount to our success. I agree with all his points, especially his emphasis on American exceptionalism. I agree we should be celebrated, and not go around apologising to the world for our existence. Repeal Dodd-Frank and try to erase everything those two have ever done.
October 30
Lannie M. (BASIC)
My name is Lannette and I am an elementary school teacher. My husband Jim works in the security field of computers. We are both registered 'republicans.' We respect the office of the president of the USA but we do not respect, nor support our current president. There are many like us here, our media is biased and you will not hear of it.
We believe the USA is a great country, and in serious trouble. You can call us believers in the tea party. We are not the radicals as our media portrays us but are taking a stand in what we believe. We basically believe we have been taxed enough. We believe that the principles on which our country was founded have been lost. WE do not want a larger government, we believe the money we work for is ours to do with as we see fit. We will gladly pay taxes, but when they keep rising, it's time to take a stand. Enough is enough. We do support various charities, we do not believe that people who do nothing to support themselves should be rewarded with entitlements. We DO believe in helping people who do try and help themselves but are in difficult situations. We have morals, Christian beliefs and values and honor what we say, and follow through with what we do.
We would both rate Barack Obama as a 1. Again, we do not believe in his ideals and strategies on what made this country great. We will both be involved in him NOT being reelected again-a 1 term president. I can't tell you one thing that we believe our current president has accomplished on a positive note. We have been called racist, and bigots because we do not agree with our current president. We do not care what 'color' the man is, we do not agree with his policies. There has been much talk that our economy will collapse due to the frivioulous spending of our 'leaders.' Jobs are difficult to find, unemployment is the highest it's been in years, prices are going up and up with no end in sight. Honestly, we believe things will get worse before it gets better. Our faith and confidence is not in 'man' but our God.
We do believe in the American Dream-people have lost what that means when we can't work and pay for basic necessities. We believe that we have opportunities to find our own energy and should be supportive of our own people first. I would agree that our country is a house divided right now. It's sad that agreements can't be made. We call it the 'game' of politics and big money. Our government doesn't care for the people anymore.
My husband favors Mitt Romney right now. Personally I like Newt Gingrich as a candidate. At this point, we will vote for anyone that runs as long as they go back to the same principals of our forefathers. Those who started our country. We would like our next president to work on our economy. It is horrible right now. Our national security is also at risk. We welcome people to come here, as long as they follow our laws to do it.
I tried to be basic. I guess to finish, we are saddened that our current situation has become an argument between the races instead of what is right. We are still proud to be Americans. I wish we could speak in person as it's much easier to know us than to make an opinion of us through words. Until then, I'd be happy to help you further if you so desire.
After a message from me in which I tell her about the vision we often get in France about the "tea party"...
I'm not at all surprised at what you hear about the Tea Party. I have a good friend who lives in Mexico and she was under the impression that the majority of Americans are supporters of Obama, due to their own Mexican media. This is far from the truth! There are many, MANY who are like us.
I would tell you that the now protesters on Wall Street are more radical than the tea party protests ever were. This unfairness is exactly what makes us so angry! We can not even have a discussion with any who support Obama as we are immediately called racists! My own daughter is a minority in this country! My husband and I are not closed at all, nor are our friends, we can discuss and present facts and proof on what we believe and why we believe so. If you watch the 'Accomplisments of Barack Obama' page on facebook, you will see that comments against the current presidents policies are deleted or countered with name calling! I have never in my life seen so much anger among the people against our current government. It is a scary time for us. I do believe it will get much worse before it gets better.
Andrew H. (RON PAUL)
I'm a senior at Sparkman high school. I live in Alabama. I've been interested in politics and the economy for about two years now. I consider myself a conservative, but after studying Dr. Paul and his ideals i would say i'm more of a libertarian.
I would give Obama like A 2-. The only reason he has that high is because he got Osama Bin Laden and Gaddafi and I have to give him some credit there. Other than that, I feel like he's done terrible on the economy and his foreign policy is horrible. I didn't even agree with going after Gaddafi mainly because I don't feel we should interject ourselves in other countries affairs, although my heart goes out to the people of Libya and their suffering. No, the country isn't on the right track, in my opinion, and Obama hasn't done much to turn it around. And umm, I'm not really educated on Reagan and his policies, so I couldn't really comment on that.
I agree so strongly with Dr. Paul because I don't think that the government should be as big as they are. Everything the government interjects itself in slowly because more expensive or worse, or both. The people of America should be totally free to make their own decisions and accept responsibility of their actions. We don't need the government to force us to buy health care, or tell us what substances one can or cannot put in its body, or if women have to have a child or abort it. Although I am pro life and believe life is incredibly important, it's not the government's choice to make that decision.
I think our economic woes is too much regulation and taxation on businesses. Let the free market work it's course. Get government out of health and let the people of America buy private health care if they want. Get the government out of student loans, because students can easily get federal loans, so of course the prices of college goes up. If you stop the loans, then the market will regulate the prices down to a sustainable price that the people could afford. Lower taxes and less regulations. Give companies tax cuts if they hire workers who have been unemployed for and extended period of time. Abolish the federal reserve, they have devalued the dollar and it is unconstitutional. Go back to sound money ad the gold standard. Stop taxing the people so much. If we have more money to spend, businesses receive more income and can therefore hire more workers and the likes. And yes, republicans and democrats and congress are all to blame. This is the build up of many years of bad policies.
I think liberty should be limitless as long as you don't harm anyone or anyone's property or do any damage to other people and their family, etc. I don't necessarily like legalizing all drugs, but I understand that it puts to many people non violent criminals in prison, which comes form the taxpayers pockets, and we've spent a trillion dollars on the drug war and it is a complete and utter failure.
The strategy of spreading the word of Dr. Paul is mostly grass roots by word of mouth from supporter to undecided, because of the media black out. The message of Dr. Paul needs to spread by his supporters. I talk about Dr. Paul all the time and tell all my friends about his message. And yes, I believe with all my heart and soul that Dr. Paul can get the republican nomination. His supporter base is ever-growing, and once you believe in Dr. Paul you don't switch to anyother candidate. He holds on to his supporters because his message is true and he's and honest man of integrity and doesn't change his viewpoints.
If Ron Paul doesn't get the nomination, I honestly don't know who I would vote for. I guess Herman Cain would be alright, and Gingrich is okay. I'm not really a fan of Mitt Romney, myself. I would vote for Ron Paul hands down if he was the libertarian candidate. I guess it would depend on who was running.
I think that he could win. In a few polls, he's been very close behind Obama if not ahead. Unless Obama pulls of miracles within the next year I don't think he has a chance to win. People will be so sick of Obama I hope they would vote for Dr Paul. But we cannot rely on that. Hopefully by that time, people will come around to his message.
I like his message of liberty and his knowledge of the constitution and his knowledge of Austrian economics. I feel like he's an honest man and he means he says. I feel he's the best man for the job, based on what he says and his voting record as a congressman. And I wouldn't say anything specific thing. I would explain his ideals and why they are important and why they would help us as a society.
October 31
David C. (RON PAUL)
In the most honest way possible, how would you rate Barack Obama's tenure (scale from 1 to 10) as President ? The plus and the minus ? Simply said, would you say the country's on the right track ?
I would rate Obama's tenure with a 3/10. I judge him harder because of the promises he made during the 2008 election. To start with the positives, he supported the end of "Don't Ask, Dont Tell" which was a major civil rights issue for me. He also has made it clear that he doesn't support the Defense of Marriage Act, which I'm extremely opposed to.
A few of the issues that bother me about Obama is the people he's included in his cabinet and not ending the war in Afghanistan while also being involved militarily in Libya, Yemen, Syria and Pakistan. I believe a president should seek congressional approval before joining major conflicts. The same issue happened with Bush before invading Iraq. He cared more about the approval of the United Nations than his own congress. As for Obama's cabinet, it's filled with so many Wall Street and Federal Reserve sympathizers that it's no wonder the bail outs went through. Bush had the same kind of cabinet. They're one in the same.
Categorization, sometimes, is not easy. How would you differenciate Paul from both the Tea Party and the Libertarian Party, which is likely to have a candidate next year ?
I honestly think of Ron Paul as a Libertarian. The only reason he runs as a Republican is because its the closest of the two major parties to his ideals. The two party system is a shame. All you have to do is follow the money and you'll see who props up both parties. Look up the top donors for McCain and Obama in 2008 on opensecrets.org and you'll see the same companies. The big banks, insurance companies and the military industrial complex. That's who runs the politics of this country. Ron Paul would be a fool not to run in the Republican primaries, it's the only way to get his voice heard.
It appears to me that Ron Paul seems close on many points to Ronald Reagan on the idea that, as the 40th President said, "Government is the problem". But with many major differences : Reagan was conservative on social issues, Paul is for large liberty. The differences are more obvious concerning foreign and military policy. Military expenses were very important under Reagan, they seem to be evil for Paul. Could you please tell me what you think of President Reagan, and how you explain those different views ?
I believe Reagan and Obama are very similar in that they ran on ideas that excited the people but then fell through on them. Reagan wanted to end the Department of Education, among other departments, at the beginning of his presidency. I think a lot of the issues we see today in the Middle East can be directly tied to Reagan. Whether it was supporting Afghanistan against Russia or both sides of the Iran-Iraq war, which killed millions of people, to overthrowing nations in Central America, Reagan was not the small government minded individual people credit him as being. If you look at our national debt, it doubled during his 8 years. As for Ron Paul's view on liberties, people seem to have him confused for this pro-drug/prostitution radical but all he's really saying is that he believes in state's rights. End the DEA which wastes billions of dollars and hasn't made a dent in the nation's drug use. Let's the states compete with ideas. If one outlaws abortion and is for capital punishment, let another state have the exact opposite stance and have the people decide where they want to live/what is right.
If you had to summarize Ron Paul's platform, what would you say ? Why do you believe so strongly in those ideas ?
If I had to summarize Ron Paul it would be he believes in the common phrase, "live and let live". Live your life the way you want to and don't infringe on other person's life. It means laws that protect people's rights, not nation building and taxing the entire country by bailing companies. It's to believe in a free market with respect to people's rights to Unions to stand up to corrupt corporations. Let the market/people decide on what is right. Nothing should be too big to fail.
More specifically, what's your reading of America's current economic woes ? Do you equally blame Republican and Democratic administrations and Congresses for them ? What should be done by a Paul-led U.S. government to address them ?
Yes, I believe both parties are at fault because they no longer have the control of our currency so don't feel the need to have a balanced budget. 14 trillion dollars of debt didn't happen because of one political party. It happened because we live beyond our means. Militarily, we're spread thin throughout the world. At home, over 40% of our debt is to social programs that mean well but aren't sustainable. It also doesn't help that the Federal Reserve is sending trillions of dollars to banks throughout the world behind everyone's back. In a Ron Paul presidency I see the Federal Reserve slowly dissolving while a new currency is issued that is actually backed by something real instead of just printed out of thin air. I also see a major portion of our military bases being closed and major departments like the Department of Education, Energy and Commerce being slowly dissolved as well. Drastic changes are needed during drastic times. The idea of more moderate politics isn't going to fix anything, and I'm betting we'll see the national debt reach 20 trillion in the next 5 years.
To what extent do you think the goals Paul and you share can be achieved ? Don't you fear, especially in the state of Washington's finances, and because of the political constraints there, that any Paul presidency would be doomed to disappoint and, more than that, to damage his ideological purity ?
I don't see a Paul presidency as all sunshine and rainbows. But I can't imagine what will happen at our current pace. This debt will never be paid off. Not even the interest alone on the debt will be paid off if we don't do something. For anyone who wants an easy way out of this, they're living in a pipe dream. I believe more than anything, there will finally be some honesty in the White House on what is really going on in this world monetarily and with our foreign policy. The majority of the time I talk with strangers about where this country is going, they have no clue how fragile it is, how far removed we are from this free and prosperous country that everyone preaches about.
Liberty is an extremely important value in Paul's philosophy. What do you think should be its limits ? Maybe you have some differences with your candidate on the issue ?
As long as it doesn't hurt anyone else, I believe you should be able to do whatever you want. I have certain things that Dr. Paul and I wouldn't agree on. He's extremely pro-life while I believe abortion is a civil rights issue and the only law that should be in place is not having abortions after being pregnant for 8-9+ weeks. He's also not for the use of drugs while I honestly think of some drugs as medicinal that shouldn't be used recreationally but can very beneficial under the right circumstances. He was asked once about his views on evolution and he said it was just a theory that he didn't agree with. I see evolution as one of the most important ideas we have as humans, whether it be our humility to respect one another or respect every life form, it is the quintessential idea that says that we're all connected. I'm also agnostic and a vegan so there's two more differences we have.
Ron Paul is a great orator and debater, with a true ideological constancy and many faithful followers. But he is far from being the frontrunner in next year's presidential election. What is the strategy of the campaign to win the Republican nomination ? How do you intend to help ? Do you believe he will get it ?
I think the best strategy is continuing to donate to his campaign, tell everyone you know about his views and organize heavily in the early primary states of New Hampshire, Iowa and Nevada. The majority of Americans are against the wars and the bailouts, yet most of the Republican candidates and Obama support them. It doesn't add up, and it's our job to continue to show people it doesn't have to be like this. I honestly believe he can become the president, maybe not by winning the GOP primaries but as an independent anything can happen.
What do you think about the 2012 Republican field ? Would Paul not win the nomination, could you imagine yourself supporting another candidate, Mitt Romney for example ? In such a case, would you tend to vote more for Romney or for the Libertarian Party candidate in the general election ?
I couldn't vote for any of the other candidates besides maybe Gary Johnson or if Dennis Kucinich ran against Obama. I'm just hoping Dr. Paul will run as an independent. I can't imagine how ugly the Democratic and GOP conventions will be next year. This Occupy Wall Street movement is just a taste of things to come.
Now, imagine Ron Paul gets the Republican nomination. Imagine he faces Barack Obama on November the 6th, 2012. Given that Independents often decide of the winner with their votes, notably in "swing states", do you think a candidate with stances as radical as Paul would have any chance to win the election ?
Numerous polls have already shown that Ron Paul matches up with Obama. So yes, they match up very well.
Finally, after all those words... why do you think Ron Paul should be the next President of the United States ? What do you like in the man, in the politician, what would you say to Americans so they vote for him to get the G.O.P. nomination and the 270 E.V. ?
I think Ron Paul should be president because the system is corrupt. From the bailouts, to endless wars, to 14 trillion dollars of debt and a dollar that has dropped 96% since the enactment of the Federal Reserve, people are sick and tired of this unsustainable government. Where is the honesty? Where is the urgency? Doesn't anyone see how far removed we are from the country we were raised to believe in? In what dream world are we now the moral compass of this world ?
After he reads the article, David tells me "I've noticed a trend in the people who don't vote for Ron Paul (they don't have any specific complaints about their government)." (30/11/11)
November 1
Sam J. (RON PAUL)
My overview of the situation of the 2012 election is that Ron Paul is the only one with a strong enough conviction to be a President. When I listen to him debate the other candidates he sounds like the only adult on the stage. Mitt Romney, Herman Cain are the new "front runners" according to most major news sources. However when you really examine them they are just greedy men looking to benefit themselves first. Mitt Romney has $250 million in the bank, Herman worked for our private central bank, the Federal Reserve. They would both just use the POTUS position to continue make laws that benefit them. They offer no real conviction or record to run such a high position. We need a statesman like Ron Paul. Since the Bush Presidency there has been an erosion of civil liberties and increase on a police state. There is an oligarchy that controls this country by feeding of the population of the world. We pay taxes for rich men to spend, often benefiting them. When Ron Paul says he will get rid of the Federal Income Tax he means it and he will get it done. However, Herman and Mitt would just continue to print and spend money, and continue making laws to help them make money. Ron Paul has a lot of experience dealing with the Federal Reserve, he understands Austrian Economics, and he lives his life by a set of unwavering principles. He is truly a revolutionary figure who will be remembered by history as one. The United States Constitution is the most sublime government contract ever conceived by a group of men. However some of the top officials break that contract of small government and liberty; sometimes in the name of bringing more security and safety from a foreign group, sometimes to keep you "safer" from internal dangers. Big government which we have now can only run by tricking the masses into supporting it. If we all had our freedom and our money back we could survive better without supporting this huge government and their wars.
Reggie C. (BASIC)
Could you please introduce yourself in a few sentences ? What's important, or just interesting, to know about you ?
Hi Nicholas, I am 26 years old, I have a degree in Business Administration. I am a bar manager living in Worcester, Massachusetts.
What's your reading of the current state of the United States ?
The deregulation that has been passed by congress over the last several years has caught up to us and hurt the world economy. We have no system to take big corporate money our of our politics. Candidates need big money to run for office. The money comes from the big corporations and then the laws are passed to benefit the companies not the people.
On a 1 to 10 scale, how would you rate Barack Obama's tenure as president ? The plus and the minus ?
I would give Obama a 7 out of 10. I think he has done a good job in foreign policy. I like that he is ending the Iraq war, I think finding and killing Bin Laden was a good thing for the world. I like the way he handled Libya and the entire Arab Spring situation. He bailed out the American auto industry and they are slowly recovering, so we will continue to build cars in America. He passed health care legislation so insurance companies can no longer deny coverage for pre existing conditions or cancel your policy just because you are ill. Many want to blame Obama for the economy, but you can't take a hit like we did from the Wall Street mess and not feel it. I give Obama 7 because I would like to see more investigation of why the large financial institutions were allowed to make a casino game out of the mortgage market. I would like to see more regulations put on the financial institutions that caused this mess so we know that the system is fair and this can't happen again. I would take more points of Obama but gets no cooperation from the Republican congress. They don't want to see any success for Obama and they do not care if this harms the Country. They like to brag that they are the. "party of no".
Next year, the election. Who's your candidate, and why do you think this candidate should be the next President ? What would you say to "sell" this candidate to your fellow American voters ? Are you gonna involve yourself into the 2012 campaign, if yes, how ?
I will vote for Obama. I will donate money but that will be the extent of my involvement.
The bitter fight over the debt ceiling in the Congress, the rise of hardline voices from both sides strengthen the impression that bipartisan dialogue, negotiation and compromise are less and less part of the culture in Washington. What do you think about that ? Do Democrats and Republicans have so little in common ? Is today's America, as President Lincoln said on a fundamental issue, "a house divided" ?
The Republicans aren't shy to tell the American people that their number one priority is to get Obama out of office. The President has tried to work with Congress but they refuse to work with him and admit that is their plan. Obama has introduced legislation that the Republicans have pushed for in the past but they now reject it because it is from him. Obama's health care plan is very similar to what Bob Dole (ran against Bill Clinton - 1996 election) proposed for a solution to our health care problem. Mitt Romney passed the plan as a republican solution in Massachusetts. Obama pushed for the current plan instead of a single payer plan to appease the Republicans.
I send her a message saying the Obama supporters haven't constituted a majority of responders to that point
I think (maybe a better word is hope) the Obama supporters are a little less vocal on Republican candidates Facebook pages. I am on the pages a lot as I find it very interesting how people can support candidates who are for policies that will hurt these very same people who support them. The Republican candidates use this pro gun, pro life, anti illegal alien mantra to convince people to vote for them. Then these same Republican elected official spend the bulk of their time trying to gut social programs and get rid of taxes on the wealthy. People who benefit from what Obama is trying to accomplish want to replace him with someone who wants to raise their taxes and cut their social programs and they are for it because they have been told that a wall is going to be built on the Mexican border. It is a fine example of marketing. You can sell people anything.
Anthony T. (BASIC)
Could you please introduce yourself in a few sentences ? What's important, or just interesting, to know about you ?
My name is Anthony T. and I am a Veteran. I have just been seperated from my wife, We have two children that I love dearly and they are both girls. I am a very honest and forth comeing person and it is interesting to know that I one day want to start a non-profit organization to help African Americans.
What's your reading of the current state of the United States ?
I believe that America will be OK. it seems to be a lot of talk about how to solve America's problems and I believe if our political leaders as well as the citizens work together then we would be in much better shape.
On a 1 to 10 scale, how would you rate Barack Obama's tenure as president ? The plus and the minus ?
I would rate him a 10 and it's not because he's an African American.
Next year, the election. Who's your candidate, and why do you think this candidate should be the next President ? What would you say to "sell" this candidate to your fellow American voters ? Are you gonna involve yourself into the 2012 campaign, if yes, how ?
My candidate is Barack Obama. He is working very hard to solve problems that are no so easily fixable, I believe he gives effort to his position as President. I would say choose wisely and fairly and that the choice is not a hard one to make, and that most republican candidates seem to be unfocused on doing the things it would take to get the country back going. Yes I will involve myself, I plan on volunteering in anyway that I can.
The bitter fight over the debt ceiling in the Congress, the rise of hardline voices from both sides strengthen the impression that bipartisan dialogue, negociation and compromise are less and less part of the culture in Washington. What do you think about that ? Do Democrats and Republicans have so little in common ? Is today's America, as President Lincoln said on a fundamental issue, "a house divided" ?
There seems to be no compromising between parties, I sincerly believe that it's partially a racial thing and partially a difference of opinions. Yes I do believe that America is divided.
From your point of view, what should be the priorities of the next President of the United States and the Congress ? How do you think they should be addressed ?
Entrepreneurship should be at the top of the list, everyone is talking about jobs but how can every person have the same job. There is hardly any growth in Small Businesss. The problems should be addressed by finding ways to stimulate Americans to become entrepreneurs and focus on a better method of how to Educate young and older Americans.
Let's go further. How do you expect the situation of the U.S. to be in, say, 25 years, both internally and externally ? What will be the fundamental challenges the country will have to face ? And, how to face them so the American Dream remains alive - if you believe in any "American Dream" ?
Honestly I have enough problems on my own and enough on my plate thinking about where my kids and I will be in 25 years, so I will pass on that question. I think that the fundamental problem that Americans face is Race relations and I hope it is addressed appropriately. There is an American dream but because of the difficulty that African Americans face, I believe we can as African Americans achieve it but it is very tedious.
After I ask Anthony about the wars he's a veteran of, and the way he's considered as a veteran in the U.S...
I will have to say that it is a great thing to serve your country, but I would have to say that being a Veteran has been hard after serving, it is difficult to deal with the VA. I have been many places Saudi Arabia, Bosnia, Germany, ect. Yet getting help is very hard for me, but I suppose things will work out.
November 4
Tom R. (BASIC)
Hi Nicolas. Here are my initial answers. Please let me know if you need anything clarified, or developed further.
Could you please introduce yourself in a few sentences ? What's important, or just interesting, to know about you ?
I’m just an average American who lost all the money he had saved from working for 20 years when I lost my job at a polyester polymer manufacturer at the end of 2006. I run my own business, which is struggling terribly as the Depression continues. I’m a massive sports fan, especially football (soccer), Formula One, ice hockey, baseball. I used to love cycling, until it was overrun by doping scandals. I’m not married but I enjoy the company of women. I cook dinner for myself, my brother and his wife, and my mother every day. I enjoy baking sweet things.
What's your reading of the current state of the United States ?
It’s sad, the current state of the United States. This could have been an amazing country, almost a paradise on earth, given its tremendous natural advantages (e.g. friendly nations on its north and south borders, oceans to the east and west, varied climates, abundant fertile soil, etc.) Instead, it has become a paranoid, frightened faded power, controlled by a very small minority of extremely wealthy people, who have no genuine idea how the world works and is chiefly concerned with amassing more and more wealth, at any cost to people in any country of the world. Our Congress is beholden to corporate interests, and it has alienated the masses of the American people who were supposed to be represented by Congress.
On a 1 to 10 scale, how would you rate Barack Obama's tenure as president ? The plus and the minus ?
3. Obama didn’t fool me with his “Change you can believe in” crap. He had a record in the Senate as a middle-of-the-road, corporate Democrat, who accepted plenty of campaign donations from the finance, real estate and insurance industry donors. He lied about closing Guantanamo Bay, he expanded the insanely stupid war in Afghanistan, he kept on fighting the insanely stupid war in Iraq, he took sides in the Libyan war for no good reason, he supports capital punishment, he opposes equal rights for homosexuals, he supported the ridiculous Farm Bill, he has perpetuated the U.S.’ blind support of Israel, even as it pursues policies that frustrate the peace process and deny the humanity of the Palestinian people.
Next year, the election. Who's your candidate, and why do you think this candidate should be the next President ? What would you say to "sell" this candidate to your fellow American voters ? Are you gonna involve yourself into the 2012 campaign, if yes, how ?
I am a member of the Green Party. I have been since 2000, when I realized that neither the Democrats nor Republicans gave a damn about working people, they were only interested in helping the already wealthy to amass more money, and to pursue the same idiotic policies that made so much of the world hate the U.S. I will either support the Green Party’s candidate, or whichever 3rd-party candidate best supports my beliefs, be it a Socialist Party candidate or someone else. I won’t support the Democratic Party anymore. It has failed.
The bitter fight over the debt ceiling in the Congress, the rise of hardline voices from both sides strengthen the impression that bipartisan dialogue, negociation and compromise are less and less part of the culture in Washington. What do you think about that ? Do Democrats and Republicans have so little in common? Is today's America, as President Lincoln said on a fundamental issue, "a house divided" ?
Don’t be fooled by that little charade. Democrats and Republicans agree on so many things, it’s absolutely ridiculous. The disagreements are minor, usually at the fringes. The fight over the debt ceiling happened in part because the “Tea Party” wing of the Republican Party didn’t understand what raising the debt ceiling actually meant. Those people thought that if we refused to raise the debt ceiling, we’d somehow be conducting our affairs in a more honest way. In actual fact it didn’t matter much that we raised the debt ceiling, because as a country, we haven’t come to the decision that we should pay for what we have now, instead of deferring that cost to our children and grandchildren. We’re a nation of spoiled brats, and it’s a damn good thing we don’t have to storm the beaches at Normandy and Omaha today, because we wouldn’t be able to pull it off. America today should replace its flag with a picture of the dollar bill, because that’s what this country is about: the all-encompassing pursuit of wealth.
From your point of view, what should be the priorities of the next President of the United States and the Congress ? How do you think they should be addressed ?
For far too long, the political class in the U.S. has been captured by the already wealthy. It has been obsessed with policies that served to make the already wealthy even wealthier. The next president of the U.S. needs to understand that for too long, the U.S. has been about pursuing an agenda that only really benefited those who already had more of everything than the masses of the people. Whether it is allowing oil companies access to lawmakers crafting our energy policy, or always bowing to the Israel lobby on policy in the Middle East, or perpetuating the system whereby the workers are crushed with health care costs, bank fees, continually rising prices, etc., while the already wealthy get even wealthier, the next president needs to understand that the world is changing, and the U.S. will be passed by if it continues to pretend that the world is how the already wealthy perceive it, as opposed to how it actually is.
Let's go further. How do you expect the situation of the U.S. to be in, say, 25 years, both internally and externally ? What will be the fundamental challenges the country will have to face ? And, how to face them so the American Dream remains alive - if you believe in any "American Dream" ?
There is no “American Dream”. That is one of the fantasy stories we tell children so that they won’t lose their minds until they’re in their 20s, and they start to understand the lies and myths they’ve been told all their lives, and begin to understand the real role the U.S. has played in the world. I despair every day for the state of the U.S in 25 years, when my very gifted and intelligent niece will be in her supposed prime. We have so failed her, and her friends, it’s atrocious.
Last question. Actually, more what we'd call in France a "carte blanche". If you want to add anything about those topics, if you want to tell me about something completely different, if you want to share something with me... or anything else... it's up to you !
I chose to respond to your questions because I felt that your initiative was precisely what the World Wide Web was supposed to be about: Normal citizens wherever they may live, breaking down the barriers that once existed between us, so that we started to act as citizens of one world, as opposed to this country or the other. I have so much respect and admiration for France, how its workers have remained strong and how you have tried to remain relevant in a world dominated by the arrogance of the U.S. I still watch the Tour de France mostly to see not just the natural beauty of France, but the creativity of its people who sometimes create novel ways to welcome the race to their little villages. While France has done good things and bad on the world stage, much like the U.S., I hold out hope that the U.S. can learn from France’s experiences, and maybe we can help each other to navigate a rapidly changing world, drawing on our histories, the values we hold in common, and our hopes for a better, more peaceful and less-contentious world as the 21st Century plays out.
If there is anything I said that you did not fully comprehend, or if you wish to pursue these or any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am but one voice in 300 million, but I very much appreciate your effort to reach out across the many miles to engage me in thought about such matters of importance. I applaud your initiative, and I hope that you get a great many people to answer the questions you have posed.
Best regards.
Forza France!
After I asked him about a possible Ralph Nader candidacy in 2012...
As much as I love Ralph Nader (I voted for him in 2000, 2004 & 2008), I believe he deserves a rest, and I don't believe I would vote for him in 2012. For someone whose politics are so left like me, the choices in America are generally poor. This country is about wealth and preserving the status quo, even if it means pursuing the same failed policies which we're now seeing rejected in places like Egypt, Palestine, and Occupy Wall Street.
I'm sure you've seen the news that the "Supercommittee" has failed to achieve a deficit reduction agreement. No big surprise there. The Republicans will not risk doing any deal that might make Obama look good, and the Democrats get to pretend like they're looking out for the interests of the common working American without having to make any agreements. Our system needs something like an invasion from Mars to shock it back into reality. People need jobs, and need to have a chance to enjoy their lives while they are still alive. It's all there in the Preamble to our Constitution, only no one truly believes that stuff anymore. It's all about corporate profits.
November 6
James C. (BASIC)
Hello Nicolas, thanks for your interest. To begin, I'm a citizen of the United States who was born, raised, & has lived in the Midwestern state of Illinois for all of my 44 years. As a Midwesterner, I value hard work & independence. I eventually moved to Chicago to become a High School World History teacher. Married for 16 years, no kids, a homeowner, I guess you'd say I'm just a typical American guy in my interests: reading a lot, biking, following pro-sports teams like the Chicago Bears & White Sox (though I have acquired a taste for international soccer), going to bars & music concerts, etc. At the same time, because of my job & personal financial situation, I've been able to travel around the world & see things most people in America aren't able to see.
The current state of the United States is poor in some areas yet rich in others. Socially, we are a nation obsessed with getting rich & being famous. I consider this to be a weakness of our culture that manifests itself in what we see, hear, & do. Politically, we see a divided electorate. Our diplomacy has collapsed for reasons I'll explain later. We do have some strengths; we are an incredibly inventive nation with some good fundamental values that we ought to return to.
For 2012, I'll be voting for President Barack Obama. I am a member of the Democratic party, so I would say that my views are closely aligned with his. I was a strong supporter of the President in 2008; I guess I'd say I'm less so today. If I had to convince another to vote for President Obama I'd say that fundamentally, he has worked hard to benefit the ordinary American in such areas as education, health care, & job creation. Not all of his initiatives have worked, but I'd argue that they were preferable to the alternative Republican prescription for what ails us. Mainly, I'd argue that the alternative side suffers from a bankruptcy of ideas to such an extent that the ideas they are left with (tax cuts/less government) would only reinforce and exasperate our problems.
1-10 scale: a 7 for Obama, and remember that 7 on a 10 scale would be only a 70% or a C- on the American system of grading. An AVERAGE President at best. While he has worked very hard to accomplish a number of objectives, he has failed to inspire America in the way that I thought he would. From my perspective, the greatest weakness has been his propensity to continue standard American foreign policy of the post-World War 2 era. I voted for Obama in 2008 largely because he convinced me that he would change our direction of repeatedly interfering in the affairs of other nations. Instead? We see more of the same...bombs over Libya, more troops in Afghanistan, more $ for dictators. When there has been change, it seems to have been forced upon him to such an extent that he is leading from the back of the parade. The Arab Spring is a perfect example of that; only after it was clear that change was inevitable did the Obama administration jump on the bandwagon to pull the rug out from under our "ally" Mubarak. The only good thing I've seen in this area is his announcement that we'll be leaving Iraq & his efforts to reduce nuclear stockpiles with renewed arms control negotiations with Russia. Domestically, I voted for Obama because I thought he'd be able to overcome the partisan divide. He hasn't been able to. However, I don't perceive that right now anybody could do it. Again, I'll still vote for Obama in 2012, but I'll do it with less enthusiasm.
We are most definitely a house divided politically. My perspective of why that is happening goes back to my critique of American society. We have become so obsessed with money, with fame, with winning that it has seeped its way into our politics. There are too few statesmen and too many poseurs. Let me tell you what I mean by that. In my hometown of Pekin, Illinois we had a famous politician named Everett Dirksen who was a Republican leader in the US Senate during the 1960s (before I was born). Dirksen led many Republicans to abandon their resistance to the Civil Rights Act which greatly expanded voting rights for all US citizens and reduced discrimination. He compromised which is something I don't see enough of today. He wasn't on TV all the time trying to pose for cameras & spout off with meaningless soundbites. He wasn't working 1/2 of his time to get campaign donations from large corporations. Even though I'm a Democrat, I can say we need more politicians like Everett Dirksen (R). Most politicians today make me want to puke.
Greatest priority for the next President: There needs to be a return to a "level playing field". Right now, I think that most Americans believe that the 'game' is rigged in favor of those with power. Americans will take economic inequality because we believe that our system affords the ability to overcome our economic challenges to rise through hard work & effort. But the moment that's not possible, the moment people perceive that the game is rigged, that's the moment we'll walk away from the table. In those moments, you'll see labor unrest, street protests, or 'occupations'. That's what you're seeing now. It could get worse if the American people don't perceive that economic mobility is possible. Tax reform would be something to start with that I think everybody can agree on. The challenge will be getting that through Congress.
25 years out is a long time. Economically, we'll probably be ok because I think we're going through a typical supply side recession. We have had a 60 year run of such amazing abundance, that we have so much...houses, cars, clothing. What more 'supply' is there to have? America needs this moment when we just kind of 'chill' on the spending and overconsumption of 'stuff'. I hope that we start saving and investing more 25 years from now rather than spending & wasting. Internationally, I'm kind of optimistic. I think that the Iraq war has so poisoned our appetitite for foreign intervention that it's possible that 25 years from now we'll see what I want to see. I firmly believe that we need to return to George Washington's admonition: it is wrong for America to act in the manner of an empire & we ought to avoid foreign entanglements. Obama has started this off with our withdrawl from Iraq by the end of 2011. We need to continue in the future by withdrawing our troops from EVERY nation which they are currently stationed in: Germany, Japan, South Korea, the Middle East, etc. I believe that WW2 so warped American attitudes to the use of military force that we have spent the last 65+ years becoming what we have historically despised--an empire. Hopefully we can get away from that.
Hm, the American Dream. Do I believe in that? That's a tough one because I'm pretty atypical in that regard. I've got no children...by choice, which I guess is a big part of the American Dream. I live in the city of Chicago, in what some would call a "bad" neighborhood, so I guess I'm also not typical for someone of my income class who has typically moved out to more prosperous & economically well-off suburbs. Yeah, I guess I don't really believe in the whole "American Dream". I think people should aspire to better things, but they need to have the self-control to be satisfied with what they have because we truly are a blessed country compared to many. Basically, I think people need to put their heads down, do the best job they can, work hard, be independent, & quit complaining so much that they don't have this or they don't have that. That's my American dream.
Hm, a blank check you say? Ok, I guess I'll talk about my trip to France 2 years ago. I loved Paris even though I was there over Christmas break; it was crazy cold and snowy. I greatly enjoyed the culture, all of the museums, the ballet. But I was most impressed by the Palace of Versailles. I'd heard about it as a history teacher of course, but to see it up close was just...stunning. Hopefully the elite of our times will make the right decisions to understand that something has to give. Or they might just "lose their heads". I like to ponder history in this way...what it has to teach us & whether or not we really learn from it.
November 9
Sarah G. (BASIC)
Mon Plaisir :) My name is Sarah...I am from Ibiza Spain, but currently live in America. I LOVE politics :)
I love Obama... I like all the real changes he has made and the fact that he has so many, many people trying to stop him and yet he STILL gets stuff done... I do not like some of the people he has chosen for his cabinet... like the head of Monsantos was a very, very bad choice... but he will learn that soon enough. I give Obama a 9 on that scale.
Next year I will be voting for ALL Democrats including Obama... Obama will be very effective next time because he won't be running for office again as president... he has nothing to lose by being the best President we can possibly have... I am very active in my state helping the Democrats get elected and reelected... this is the most important election of my lifetime... the Republicans must NOT win.
Our Congress is very VERY divided right now and some of the Democrats are at fault here too... but the most divisive people are the Republicans who want ONLY what the big Corporations want... money. They fight for the rich and have been fighting for the rich for a long time. They have a lot of money that they use to corrupt our Supreme Court Judges and they use it also to influence the votes.
Obama has tried to get a Jobs bill passed and the most important issue (in my opinion) is to make sure that Obama gets reelected so that HE can pick the next 3 (THREE) Supreme Court Justices. Before that however is the need for more jobs... the Republicans REFUSE to help Obama get more jobs for the people because they think it will be bad for him when it comes time to vote in 2012... but the people are the ones who are paying for that by becoming homeless and 1 out of every 4 children go without food too... it's very, very sad to see this happen in this once great country.
I expect this country to once again be the world leader in all sorts of things like education and industry..we are not scared of hard work and it is very important to become self sufficient and not have to use oil etc to be able to live both safely and progressively. The American Dream is still alive... but people are starting to see it as just a dream, because the top 1% refuse to allow anyone else to actually have decent dreams... they offer us nightmares instead.
And "Mon Carte Blanche"? Would be to PRAY that Obama gets reelected, because while we know things are not good right now, they can get much worse especially if the Republicans win in 2012... Thank you for the opportunity to share my views... "Merci"
November 21
Travis S. (RON PAUL)
I'm Travis S and I am a practicing chiropractic physician in Texas. (01/12/11)
Currently the US and it's currency are in for a shock. The system will soon come down because the only thing left to do is borrow, but there is really nowhere to borrow anymore. Most other countries are going to start using other currencies for trading and at that point we will have to call it quits as the world super power. (01/12/11)
Democrats and Republicans have everything in common. Both owned by Big business and the Democrats are pushing for bigger gov't as the Republicans are pushing for more war. Same story... (01/12/11)
Obama is one of our worse Presidents I have ever seen. Our country was founded on a constitution and merely everything he does is against the const. Our founding fathers wanted our Federal gov't to protect us from foreign enemies only. It was up to the States to represent the people and take care of everything else. Our nation has become so federally dependent that it takes away power to the people. Obama, just like the previous 5-6 Presidents are puppets to Wall Street and the bankers. His staff was mostly GoldMan Sach and others and his campaign was financed by Goldman Sach. Ron Paul's campaign is funded by the people olny. He does not take corporate money! Obama's decisions rarely go through congress anymore. example: Attack on Libya. He never vetos bills that hurt the people, always in favor of big business and big govt! Scale from one to 10, I honestly give him a 1. You can look at a countries national debt, housing, and unemployment too. He says nothing about all the money we print from the Fed. Inflation, inflation, inflation !!! Hope and Change was just a rhetoric, nothing more...
For now I should say that I don't think Ron Paul is at all "radical" or "crazy." He's the ONLY one with good solid ideas. He's the Champion of the US Constitution! The media just blacks him out because they're afraid of him. In reality he's the best candidate for the job & probably in the lead.
Obama is exactly the same as George W. Bush- no good. They are both presidents who are bought and sold by special interest groups. They're just marketed differently. They are both to blame for America's economic woes. People are delusional if they think that there's any difference between the two.
No I would not want to support Mitt Romney. I'm tired of both Republicans AND democrats equally. For years I was a democrat but when I voted for Obama I noticed that nothing changed and in fact everything got even worse.
The thing is Ron Paul really CAN get the nomination. He has the largest grass roots support of any of the candidates. He wins all the straw poles by landslides. He's been nicknamed, "Ronstoppable." If you don't think he can win you've just been watching too much mainstream news & you don't really realize what's actually happening. Most of the people who support Ron are former democrats, people in the military and YOUNG people. Young people LOVE Ron Paul. Most of them don't watch TV- they get all their news from youtube & the internet. They are EXTREMELY passionate about Ron Paul. Don't ever underestimate the power of large numbers of young people with a unified idea !!!
All the best,
Marie
November 22
Kate V. (RON PAUL)
Could you please introduce yourself in a few sentences ?
I'm a 28 year old female living in MI. I'm happily married to my high-school sweetheart and define myself as a conservative leaning libertarian and a Christian. I am generally optimistic about life but have found it very hard to be optimistic in light of everything going on in the world. I strongly believe that the entire meaning of life is to leave the earth and those we leave behind just a little bit better off because we were here. It really is as simple as that.
In the most honest way possible, how would you rate Barack Obama's tenure (scale from 1 to 10) as President ? The plus and the minus ? Simply said, would you say the country's on the right track ?
I'd give him a 1 (as in worst). Unfortunately, I wouldn't rank any of the recent presidents much higher. We've had an ongoing/long standing political environment where all leaders, regardless of party, are bought and owned by major corporations and special interest groups that pull the strings of these puppets that we've elected. I have little issue with Obama as a person but feel that he has been more manipulated by these outside sources than a few more recent presidents. I almost feel bad for him in that I truly feel he came into office with good intentions but had to give those up to the real powers that be. Basically, the USA is so far off of the right track that we need extreme changes to get anywhere near where we need to be moving.
December 6
Patricia M. (BASIC)
Briefly - I live on coast in New England. Age : 66, female. Democrat. Obama fan. 3 grown children. Really was at Woodstock. The country has moved to right. Middle class endangered. The Tea party are idiots. Ron Paul is for all sorts of freedoms but not for women or the poor. Personally I think he is an idiot. He believes in gold like some King Midas. Isolationist. The right are closet racists homophobic cultural illiterates. Internationally arrogant. Have I said enough bad things? Oh and they dont like non-Christians. are afraid of Islam. Newt Gingrich gets them all riled with fears of the 'other'. They are xenophobic. I like science fiction. Was a computer programmer and systems designer. I have a son your age. Be well. Live long and prosper.
December 13
Eric C. (BASIC)
I'm Eric & 20 yrs old, and I have a large family on my dad's side. Roughly about 150 people. I'm very Irish and Polish, and a smidgen of Russian lol. I live in a rural part of Pennsylvania and I love it! I prefer rural places over cities, because to me cities are just for visiting. I'm am somewhat of an environmentalist and try my best to recycle everything I can. I love Nascar and Football. Family and music are most important.
I listen to all types of music such as Big Band & Swing, ambient, electronica/techno, classic rock, (some) modern pop, Irish, Reggae, and Indie. Some of my favorite bands are The B-52s, Phoenix (from France), the Head and the Heart, The Guess Who, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Norah Jones, Enya, Aerosmith, MGMT, Animal Collective, YeahYeahYeahs, Talking Heads, Foster the People, Bjork, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Florence and the Machine and so much more. My favorite TV shows are Dead Like Me, Harry's Law, Adventure Time, Merlin, Invader Zim, Revenge, Red Green, Monty Python, Twilight Zone and Doctor Who.
Anyway, that was a lot. I get carried away haha. The current state of America is a bit grim, yet hopeful. It seems when other countries are in trouble, than we're also effected. Poverty here isn't as bad as other nations, but still on the rise.
I'd give Barack Obama a 4. It's a shame he hasn't accomplished much. I partly blame the Republicans for blocking everything he tries to pass in the White House. Both parties argue constantly and I've been fed up for years. I hate the 2 party political system we have here. It's killing America.
My candidate for next year is Ron Paul. He's a pure genius and understands what's going on in the world. His message has been the same for 30 years and never flip flops unlike another GOP candidate Mitt Romney, and even Newt Gingrich. This man may be 76 but he is brighter than all the ones running for 2012. He has the biggest support from young voters and Veterans. I have donated to his campaign in the past few months. I have a Ron Paul 2012 "Defender of the Constitution" T-Shirt. I have a large pin on my bookbag. I have 2 bumper stickers as well. I have recently ordered 50 Paul brochures at a low cost and a few slim jim cards so I can go mailbox to mailbox to put them in.
Dems and Republicans have little in common, other than they like to fight verbally every day and not get anything passed. It's no secret the Republicans lean toward the rich more. America IS a nation divided it seems.
The priorities of the next president should be never declaring war unconstitutionally and getting out of all these nonsense wars. We should cut military spending and bring troops home to defend our own borders. We have over 600 bases across the world, AND FOR WHAT?!?... America should not be policing the world. If we have military bases in France than you know what I mean. I wouldn't want Chinese bases in my country. Also, illegal immigration is way out of hand here and should be a major priority, and the economy. I would like a gold standard and less government.
25 years from now I think it will be better. We would have better policies to tackle Global Warming and deforestation. I think more products in America will be made in USA and not China and Taiwan. The American Dream will be much different, but I don't know how much. I see better border control and less useless wars in the future. Also, more peace with other countries.
Thanks for letting me in on your survey! 
Eric
P.S....I'm an Independent and don't affiliate myself with Democrats, Republicans or any other party. However, if more people in the country belonged to the Constitutionalists Party or Green Party, I would be in one of those.
December 19
James H. (BASIC)
Could you please introduce yourself in a few sentences ? What's important, or just interesting, to know about you ?
I’m James and I come from Alabama. I have a bachelor’s degree in science for psychology. I enjoy life and all the achievements that I have been given the opportunity to get.
What's your reading of the current state of the United States ?
The United States is in a very interesting part of its brief history. We are in a state of flux, meaning that the people of this nation are at a crossroads of where to go. One way leads down the same path that we have traveled. A status quo that we know will lead us to where we are now. The other way goes in an entirely new direction. It is something new and intriguing. The American people have made the choice to go a new way. Factors that attributed to that are the economy, and tons of corruption in D.C. A new day is dawning for the United States, and the people are ready to close the book on the black days of government corruption.
On a 1 to 10 scale, how would you rate Barack Obama's tenure as president ? The plus and the minus ?
I give Obama a solid 5. He was responsible for the mission that found and killed Osama bin Laden. He has ended the War in Iraq and our troops will be home in time for Christmas.
The major problem for Obama has been filibuster from the House Republicans. No matter what idea he comes up with (whether it be based off of previous Republican ideas or not) is blocked by the House. Congressional Republicans deserve a lot of blame but certainly not all.
Obama has also increased government spending despite the fact that our country is badly in debt. We continue to spend as if we have no debt and it is constantly hurting our country. The people who pay for government spending is the American tax payers. Obama has increased government and it is the exact opposite of what our country needs.
Next year, the election. Who's your candidate, and why do you think this candidate should be the next President ? What would you say to "sell" this candidate to your fellow American voters ? Are you gonna involve yourself into the 2012 campaign, if yes, how ?
My candidate for the 2012 Election is Dr. Ron Paul. I think he should be the next president because he has been steadfast in his beliefs and has not wavered on them in the 30+ years as a Congressman. Ron Paul stands for civil liberties and is a strong proponent of the Constitution. Most recent candidates and former presidents have been following a Hamiltonian principle. That means that they believed a strong central government was necessary to keep the nation strong. Ron Paul follows Jeffersonian principles which mean he opposes a strong federal government and reserves most authority to the state level. Ron Paul wants to put more power at a local level which would mean more power to the average citizen. Ron Paul supports the restoration of our civil liberties and would abolish unconstitutional laws such as the Patriot Act. I am going to try and get involved with the 2012 campaign by drawing support here in Alabama. As soon as the primaries get close, I would like to set up a base in the capital Montgomery or Birmingham. He needs to have a base here in the southern states which a typically red states.
The bitter fight over the debt ceiling in the Congress, the rise of hardline voices from both sides strengthen the impression that bipartisan dialogue, negociation and compromise are less and less part of the culture in Washington. What do you think about that ? Do Democrats and Republicans have so little in common ? Is today's America, as President Lincoln said on a fundamental issue, "a house divided" ?
I think the politicians in Washington could care less about the greater good of our country and care more about their own personal agendas. Democrats and Republicans by definition have little in common, but the one thing that was usually there was middle ground to lay something out to improve our country. I think “a house divided” describes today’s America very well. Complete indecision by both parties and utter failure for the past decade has grown tiresome for the people. I honestly think that at the rate both parties are going that an independent third party can emerge to challenge them.
From your point of view, what should be the priorities of the next President of the United States and the Congress ? How do you think they should be addressed ?
The next president and congress must address our national debt problem. They should do this by cutting government spending by a large margin and ending the Federal Reserve System that allows us to print money at will. We must end the American occupation of foreign nations and end our worldwide empire. It is entirely too expensive and we are following a history of other failed empires. We are stretching ourselves far to thin across the world which eventually leads to collapse.
Let's go further. How do you expect the situation of the U.S. to be in, say, 25 years, both internally and externally ? What will be the fundamental challenges the country will have to face ? And, how to face them so the American Dream remains alive - if you believe in any "American Dream" ?
This question poses the thought that America will still be around in 25 years. If our problems aren’t fixed in the near future then our collapse will happen before a quarter century. We are looking down a barrel of a gun and a finger is on the trigger. That finger belongs to China and if they choose to shoot then we’re done. Our challenges are before our eyes now, and if we don’t address them then there is no future to ponder about. The so-called “American Dream” was a creation of big businessmen and a ruse to make people work harder and have greater production. This idea that “the harder you work then the more success you will achieve,” is just downright false. You can work your whole life doing something extremely hard and achieve very little. It was a way for manufacturing companies to keep their workers in line and production up. They knew that there was no way for an average worker to reach any sort of glory or riches. This “American Dream” was a creation and it never really existed. In fact, now companies continue to promote this false dream to cloud the nightmare of reality.
Last question. Actually, more what we'd call in France a "carte blanche". If you want to add anything about those topics, if you want to tell me about something completely different, if you want to share something with me... or anything else... it's up to you !
I think it is time for the average American to realize the state of our country and the brink of collapse that we are at. It is time to act and not sit around and allow things to happen. Change is something that has to be done, and it doesn’t just happen. We must come together and return America to what it was meant to be… a country of the people by the people and for the people.
I.O. (BASIC)
First off I am a Conservative troll on the DCCC page. I am part of the Tea Party. I work in the medical profession here in the South.
The current state of this U.S. is obviously not very good. I believe the Housing Market crisis has led to many of our problems. Politician encouraged banks to lend money to people to buy houses they couldn't afford. This overly inflated the market. Also allowing commercial banks to act like financial banks really screwed things up. See Glass-Stegall Act.
Obama has been a complete failure as POTUS. Not only because I don't agree with his policies, his own party considers him incompetent. So and 1 would be generous.
I will support whomever is nominated for the Republican ticket. I have predicted Romney/Gingrich for 2012 for sometime. How would I "sell" them? By saying they are not Obama... lol
The bitterness in Congress, I believe, is all part of the process. The way our Founding Fathers designed the system is that if there is not a general consence of what actions to take, then no action should be taken at all. Having said that, the atmosphere has been worse in Washington since the Republicans took over the House of Representatives in 1994 for the first time in 40 years. This was always a Democratic stronghold.
Also since 9/11 many of the politicians travel to their homes on weekends and holidays. Because of 9/11, Congress passed a bill to grant money to themselves for increased travel on private jets instead of commercial airlines. So now they spend less time fraternizing with each other.
The priorities of the next POTUS and congress should be job creation and the economy. I believe tax cuts will help achieve this. If you look at the unemployment rates after tax cuts have been implemented, you will see they have gone down. Immigration reform, energy security, and the war on terror should be addressed also.
I don't know what our situation will be like in 25 years. I am a little worried because most governments evolve into socialism over time. I do have faith in the American people and our ability to face challenges though.
My carte blanche point would be this:
Over the past 30 years or so the bureaucratic environment has grown in this country. Many new rules and regulations have led to more and more regulators or bureaucratic in many industries. Specifically Medicine and Education. Medical and tuition costs have risen more than anything else in this country. Hospitals and school now employ more people that don't really contribute to the overall service provided than every before. This change has occurred in virtually every industry. Many of these positions need to be eliminated before our economy can fully recover.
December 25
Christian A. (RON PAUL)
Well Nick, my name is Christian A. I'm 17 and am very involved with politics, I'm quite bright unlike most 17 year olds. My family is from: England, Spain, and Jamaica.
As for Obama, out of a 10 he would be a 2, he has not helped the country in any way. He has driven this country into a hole, the debt this country has is over trillions and still counting.
I think Paul is libertarian more then the tea party, they both have one thing in common, their " FOR THE PEOPLE".
Libertarians will most likely have a candidate next year.
Reagan was a very good president and his military choices were solid in the people's eyes, he knew what he was doing, Paul having military experience as a surgeon for the airforce, also knows we've been in war for too long, I call it the war on oil not terrorism, we've been In the middle east for too long
Ron paul believed in liberty, he wants to take away the federal reserve and stop taxing the poor and start taxing the rich, he understands the point of view of the poor.
Tina K.C. (BASIC)
I am a 38 year old stay at home mom to two young daughters, ages 1 and 5. When I did work, I worked for the private sector, including the federal government. I grew up in NYC and I consider myself liberal. I also am bi-racial, Filipino and Caucasian.
I am extremely concerned about the state of politics in US today. Everything seems to be split between two extremes: the conservatives and the liberals. Unfortunately the conservatives seem to be more vocal than any one else.
I would rate Obama at 8/10. The biggest disappointment was bailing the banks out with taxpayer money. The highlight was passing Universal Healthcare legislation. I support Obama in the next election. I can not involve myself in the campaign since I have no time. I really don't feel the need to sell Obama to any one else. I think people make up their minds and they do not change it.
I think Congress is so dysfunctional that it literally can not get anything done. I support term limits for all members of Congress. They can serve one 4 year term and and they are out for at least 10 years, and then they can run again. We need new blood and new ideas.
Priorities should be 1) economy 2) overhaul of the tax system making taxes more progressive and taxing the rich more 3) social policies that will help the poor 4) more regulation of the financial industry 5) education
In 25 years I don't see much changing. I think politically we are stuck in a rut. If we are going to keep the American dream alive, we have to be compassionate toward those people who are different from us, and uphold freedom of speech and religion.
February 23
Mary K. (RON PAUL)
Could you please introduce yourself in a few sentences ?
My name is Mary, and I am 29 years old. I’m a late bloomer on the college-front since I spent most of my 20’s working in Hollywood, but I recently started working on a bachelor’s degree in Energy & Sustainability Policy from Penn State. I am very happily married, for two years now, and we enjoy the company of our three dogs and two turtles.
In the most honest way possible, how would you rate Barack Obama's tenure (scale from 1 to 10) as President ? The plus and the minus ? Simply said, would you say the country's on the right track ?
I used to like Obama, but it has become apparent to me over the past 3 years that he lacks the experience and integrity to lead this nation. I would give him a 4.
Categorization, sometimes, is not easy. How would you differenciate Paul from both the Tea Party and the Libertarian Party, which is likely to have a candidate next year ?
I am Libertarian myself, so I see a lot of similarities between Ron Paul and the Libertarian Party. However, I respect his decision to be a Republican and I will put my principles before party. When it comes to the Tea Party, that is a different story. The Tea Party isn’t officially a party, but a movement of conservatives that started a couple years ago. It used to be that the movement shared the same ideals as Ron Paul, and he is often times referred to as the “grandfather of the Tea Party.” However, it is widely considered to have been hijacked by neoconservatives. No longer does the movement stand for limited government, reduced government spending, and the Constitution. Many people who consider themselves Teapartiers now support Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum. These are candidates who favored TARP, the Patriot Act, government healthcare mandates, and the wars. One notable example of how different Ron Paul is from this movement that he founded? He was booed emphatically at a Tea Party debate for saying that we should not go to war, and treat other countries how we would like to be treated ourselves.
If you had to summarize Ron Paul's platform, what would you say ? Why do you believe so strongly in those ideas ?
At the heart of all his issues stands the principle of responsibility. He wants to put an end to the wars. He wants to put an end to the war on drugs. He wants to cut $1 trillion from the budget. Doing these things will result in less money being spent and more lives being saved, and I think that in the face of the irresponsible and reckless actions of our government, that these may be the only actions that put us on the right track again.
More specifically, what's your reading of America's current economic woes ? Do you equally blame Republican and Democratic administrations and Congresses for them ? What should be done by a Paul-led U.S. government to address them ?
Yes, I do hold both parties responsible for the mess we are in. Following Ron Paul’s “Plan to Restore America” would reign in spending. Also, he wants to end the Federal Reserve and bring us back to a Gold Standard, which would prevent us from flippantly printing money whenever we need it. I was watching television a few months ago, and the former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Alan Greenspan, was speaking seriously about our overseas spending. He said, “We never need to worry about debt because we can always print money.” With people like him running the show, this country will be bankrupt in a matter of another century (and that’s being generous). The ignorance of history will be the damnation of this country. Nations have risen and fallen for many centuries, and to think that this cannot happen to us is foolish.
To what extent do you think the goals Paul and you share can be achieved ? Don't you fear, especially in the state of Washington's finances, and because of the political constraints there, that any Paul presidency would be doomed to disappoint and, more than that, to damage his ideological purity ?
I don’t fear this at all. Realistically, the battle does not end when he becomes our president. The battle will really just be beginning. I do believe that Ron Paul is outspoken and influential enough to make an impact. If you look at the talking points of the other candidates right now, they are all mimicking Ron Paul because they see it is popular. I think that this phenomenon will be present in President Paul administration.
Liberty is an extremely important value in Paul's philosophy. What do you think should be its limits ? Maybe you have some differences with your candidate on the issue ?
I’ve been following Ron Paul since 2007, and so far, I do not disagree with him on much. I had questions about his stance on the environment, but after some research, I can see where he is coming from. And one thing that I have learned during my educational pursuits so far is that government intervention is an ineffective way to fight pollution as Congress and Senate are so susceptible to the influence of energy industry lobbying. The shale natural gas industry is a prime example. They have paid off Congress for years to make themselves exempt from the regulations of the Clean Water Act. $747 million over the past 10 years, to be exact. The only thing that is making an impact on the potential for fracking pollution is that private citizens are filing lawsuits. Ron Paul says, “The more socialized a system is, the worse the property is, and the worse the environment is. We should never be bashful about saying we believe in property rights ... and we don’t have to give one inch and say that we’re careless with the environment, because you don’t have a right to pollute your neighbor’s property.”
Here is a report on lobbying in the energy industry: http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7Bfb3c17e2-cdd1-4df6-92be-bd4429893665%7D/DEEP%20DRILLING%20DEEP%20POCKETS%20NOV%202011.PDF
Ron Paul is a great orator and debater, with a true ideological constancy and many faithful followers. But he is far from being the frontrunner in next year's presidential election. What is the strategy of the campaign to win the Republican nomination ? How do you intend to help ? Do you believe he will get it ?
Ron Paul is second in total delegates right now (as of 2/23/2011), only about 8 behind Mitt Romney. His delegate strategy is the same one used by Barack Obama in 2008. While the media may say he is not the frontrunner, it is clear to us that do not tune in to the news and do our reading online and watch foreign news sources that Ron Paul has a high likelihood of becoming the GOP nominee. You know those caucuses and primaries where you hear that so-and-so came in first place? None of that matters, because they are technically straw polls. What matters is when the faithful supporters volunteer to become delegates.
My husband and I have been helping by donating on a regular basis, talking to our friends and family about him, and we plan on becoming delegates in our caucus.
What do you think about the 2012 Republican field ? Would Paul not win the nomination, could you imagine yourself supporting another candidate, Mitt Romney for example ? In such a case, would you tend to vote more for Romney or for the Libertarian Party candidate in the general election ?
Ron Paul all the way! I will not compromise my values by voting for another candidate. I will write his name in, just as I did in 2008. A vote for anyone else is a vote for the same: big spending, war, and less freedom. I will go to my grave supporting this man. There will never be another Ron Paul.
Now, imagine Ron Paul gets the Republican nomination. Imagine he faces Barack Obama on November the 6th, 2012. Given that Independents often decide of the winner with their votes, notably in "swing states", do you think a candidate with stances as radical as Paul would have any chance to win the election ?
Ron Paul is beating Barack Obama in 4 state polls right now, including Ohio, which is the biggest swing state of them all. Many former Obama supporters are turning to Ron Paul, including high-profile people such as Oliver Stone. I think that Ron Paul has a better chance than anyone to beat Obama, and there are lots of current polls to back this claim.
Finally, after all those words... why do you think Ron Paul should be the next President of the United States ? What do you like in the man, in the politician, what would you say to Americans so they vote for him to get the G.O.P. nomination and the 270 E.V. ?
I think Ron Paul should be the next President of the United States because 1) he predicted the financial crisis back when everyone else was laughing at him, 2) he is realistic about our capacity for national defense, 3) he follows the Constitution and supports personal liberty, 4) he has supporters all over the world and he would help restore our place in the world as a beacon of true hope and freedom.
Last question... Not a question actually but a tribune, if you want to add anything to this interview. Or if you want to tell me about anything else you'd like to share.
I think that many people say, “Ron Paul is weak on defense!” For those people, I say: Canada minds its own business. Does anyone attack them for being free and prosperous? No! But if they policed the world, murdering millions of people in the name of “freedom,” then maybe they would have as many enemies as we do.
And for those that say we need to attack Iran: there is no proof that they have a weapon, yet we were diplomatic during the Cold War with Russia when they had hundreds of thousands of nuclear weapons. What is the difference?
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To be continued...
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V1, date : 30/11/11, 20h25, French hour. Please tell me if something's wrong with your text. Or if you wanna change anything.
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Your turn to propose your answers ?
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Thank you so much, once again, to you all, for your truly interesting, kind answers...
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Amitiés de France.
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November 30 : initial release (including the writing of the introduction)
December 1 : many corrections, editions, additions (20h30)
December 25 : four additional contributions added
February 28 : three additional contributions added
July 8 : "lecture" and article general presentation fixed
October 5 : "it has begun"
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Note : This document will constantly evolve (corrections, editions, additions...). I will try to tell you about all the changes very regularly. If you want to react to any of the responders, please don't hesitate, contact me. I hope we're gonna have debates !!!
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And, if you've enjoyed this article, please share it on your Facebook wall... or wherever you like ! http://parolesdactu.canalblog.com/archives/2011/11/30/22852544.html
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Times New Roman > Georgia : 02/10/12
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