And this is where you lose me every time. We already know what happens with "states rights", and states competing against each other. We get a state passing fucked up credit laws allowing credit card companies to rape customers, and what happens? All the credit card companies go to that state. We get states racing to the bottom to lower their clean environment standards to attract dirty businesses and waste storage, for tax revenue.
Do we? Do we already know that? I don't know that. Seems like a lot of assumption and speculation to me, especially since we have no idea how Ron Paul would have carried out the changes he described on a practical level.
Among the many things I think the Feds should do, is impose a base standard across many varying regulations and laws - something that basically says "You are a US citizen and no matter which state you live in, you'll never have to worry about X". Whether X is poison Tylenol, chemical storage preventing toxic water, police outlawing recording them on duty - whatever.
I agree with you, believe it or not. There are things all citizens should be able to take for granted. But this isn't even how it works now, and it's getting worse.
Yes some of this stuff is gotten around by big corporations (and unions, and special interest groups) on the federal level, but I'd rather fix a broke system than have NO system at all. Hell you already have states fighting the EPA and fighting federal voting laws - protections that would surely disappear in some states with a weak Fed. And sure, you can say it goes the other way too (depending on your viewpoint) in regards to legalization of pot and gay marriage - something some states want that are not yet legal on the federal level. And please don't bring up the whole "well just move to a state with laws you agree with!" because that's imply NOT viable for many many people.
I'd rather fix a broken system too. Any suggestions how? I did ask that several times, but the general consensus, stated either outright or through silence, is that it's unfixable. So we can shit on Ron Paul all we like, but in the end we're just dicking around with our XBoxes, hoping that things will straighten themselves out and assuming that we'll get to retain our current quality of life until they do so. A very real and not at all theoretical growing number of actual Americans do not have this luxury. But they're probably minorities and rednecks so who gives a shit, right?
I completely agree that "ideology interfering with good governance" IS an issue you have. Instead of going "Hey we got a system that mostly works, let's fix it!" you instead go "I want to try something completely new. Even though what evidence we have shows it not working the way we'd like, let's do it anyway!"
See, here's the thing: I don't see it as a system that "mostly works", and neither do the growing number of families being pushed below the poverty line. And I would love to, LOVE TO fix the current system. Give me a reasonable, or even feasible way to do so and I'll have no reason to ever mention Ron Paul again. In the meantime, the 1% have their influence so deeply rooted in the system, they have hoarded so much wealth and power that the scales have not just started leaning, they've toppled altogether. You can't negotiate with these guys. Hell, why should they? What would they possibly have to gain by giving up even a fraction of their power and influence? So yeah, I think we've pretty much reached the point where the most reasonable solution, as far as I can see, is to pull the rug out from under the 1% and start a new system. Is Ron Paul's the best system for us to switch to? Maybe not, but when it comes to democracy his is the alternative that came closest to being legally and legitimately carried out without the need of a single drop of blood being spilled.
Sure, the system "mostly works" as long as YOU have your XBox and food on the table. I can't force you to give a shit about anybody else. Hell, I probably can't convince a lot of you that there's any reason at all for you to give a shit about anybody else. I give a shit, though. When people living in what is supposed to be the "land of opportunity" are actively getting fucked over by a system designed to minimize their opportunities in order to add to the already disgustingly obscene wealth of the richest 1%, it really REALLY bothers me. I'm not even American, but Canada seems to love following your shitty, shitty example and Stephen Harper is currently really high on my "list of people on whose faces I'd gladly defecate".
I don't know what evidence you have that Ron Paul wouldn't have drastically improved some of the biggest problems your country faces, but I've certainly seen PLENTY of evidence that the current system sucks ass, is getting worse and is very likely well beyond the point of repair. You're complaining that the lifeboats are too uncomfortable while your cruise ship is sinking. Maybe they are, maybe they have very limited food supplies, maybe they aren't built to withstand the elements, maybe there are a hundred legitimate reasons to complain about the lifeboats, but none of that changes that your ship is sinking! Tell me how to fix he ship and the lifeboats can go fuck themselves. Until then, any complaints you have are moot because you're still fucked.
