The other day
I spoke at the Indian association of New Hampshire alongside Presidential candidate Mike Gravel. I spoke first, for about 20 minutes, then Senator Gravel spoke for about the same time. Each of us took questions from the audience and then I had the chance to ask Mike a question:
"Senator Gravel, firstly I'd like to say it's an honor to sit beside you and listen to your ideas. I also wanted to personally thank you for your role in ending the draft in the 70s. The draft is one of the most immoral attacks on personal freedom that one could imagine.
I became a citizen last year because I believe in the principles on which this Republic was founded, and I believe in the Constitution. You've spoken a lot about democracy, but if you look at the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, the word "democracy" is not mentioned a single time. Our nation is a Republic founded to secure the blessing of liberty for ourselves and our posterity.
The 9th and 10th amendments in the bill of rights emphasize that the power not delegated to the Federal government should go to the states, and to the people. The benefit of having little power at the Federal level, and most power at the local level is that citizens have choice. If a citizen doesn't like the community they're in, they can move immediately and they have a large number of states to choose from. In a democracy, voters have to wait four years, and the choice they're given is typically the lesser of two horrible evils.
So my question is why don't you support returning to the principles on which the country was founded with more freedom and less government?
Also, I wish you well in New Hampshire, but if things don't go well, I invite you to endorse Ron Paul for President. He's a man of integrity, he speaks the truth and he's a tireless defender of the Constitution."
Senator Gravel then spent a few minutes waffling about One World Government, and talking about how state governments are often just as incompetent as the Federal government (totally missing my point about competition between the states, and choice for individuals in each state). He smiled at my request that he endorse Ron, saying he invites Ron to endorse him and that Ron would make a great Secretary of Defense in a Gravel administration.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
