Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself

Oh no! Another blogger! Just what we all need, right?

I thought the same thing. In fact, I’m still thinking it as I write this first ever post. Hopefully the first in a long line of posts. I made a decision tonight that it was finally time to stand up and speak out. We all have access to the same soapbox on the internet - for a while, anyway. It’s December 17, 2007 - one day after the 234th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party. The same one we all read about in our fifth grade history books. The one where a bunch of “unruly” colonists, enraged by taxation without representation had had enough. That is how I feel this evening.

I should probably begin with a bit of personal history. My entire life I’ve considered myself a Republican. My personal values always seemed to mesh right into the message they were sending. Something has since happened to the Republican Party I knew back then. It morphed into a fear-mongering, big government, we-know-whats-best-for-you party that it’s become today. The neocons took it away and made it theirs to run as they see fit. With little, if any, regard to what you or I think.

For the past year or so I’ve been questioning my belief in politics, parties and our country as a whole. I wondered if perhaps *gasp* I had become a Democrat or, even worse, a Liberal!

No, I hadn’t. My views on politics and government hadn’t changed at all. The party did. As it turns out, I really am a Republican. I believe in fiscal conservativeness, smaller government, fewer taxes and more individual liberties. I believe in the free-market system, trade with any and all nations. I believe that it is not our role to fight other nation’s wars or to go looking for them. I believe that in order for us to continue to “form a more perfect Union,” we must take care of ourselves first and others later.

Fortunately, there exists today a candidate who shares the same beliefs as I. His name is Dr. Ron Paul, and he has cured my apathy. I first learned of Dr. Paul here on the internet. It seemed he had invaded everything. His name was everywhere and links to his website were popping up left and right. He had a wildly supportive following, almost rock star like. I decided to investigate further.

Dr. Paul believes in the same ideas in which I believe. He ran in 1988 as the Libertarian candidate with little fanfare. He has an impressive history. As an OB/GYN he delivered over 4,000 babies. He served as a flight surgeon in the United States Air Force during the 1960s. He’s served multiple terms as a United States Congressman from the 14th congressional district of Texas. He’s never voted once to raise taxes. He voted against the Patriot Act and the war in Iraq. He believes in the United States Constitution.

Here’s the best part: if you disagree with something that Dr. Paul does, he’s a big enough man to be okay with that. He understands that it’s your right to choose. He’s a Christian and that is his right, but he’ll never force it on anyone. Atheists, Baptists, Catholics, Jews, Muslims - whatever! It’s your decision, not the government’s! What a concept, huh?

As Americans, we all did what we thought was the patriotic thing to do after September 11th. We allowed the Patriot Act to be passed. We were sold on a war we thought was the right thing to do at the time. I freely admit that I was duped. I bought it hook, line and sinker like so many others.

Well, I’ve had enough. I refuse to sit on the sidelines and watch our country slide in to the cesspool further and further every day. Our dollar is at an all time low. Our national debt continues to climb to ridiculously new heights. China has a $1.4 trillion stake in this Great Nation. As a young person, I have a say in the direction of our country and it’s time I voice my opinions.

That’s why I’ve decided to start writing. I might not be the best at it, but I’ll improve. It might even help me to dust off the parts of the brain that remember what infinitives and conjugation are exactly. If nothing else, I have a place to collect my thoughts and to, hopefully, connect with others. If you’re still interested, there is more about me on the aptly titled page About Me. It’s a little more personal and less political.

On a side note, in just twenty-four hours yesterday, the Ron Paul campaign raised over $6,000,000 United States dollars online from over fifty-eight thousand Americans. I’m not the only one who feels this way. I hope it’s a sign of things to come.