Paul against the Empire

Fortunately, there are still some members of Congress who truly get it - that the federal government is not omnipotent, that the Patriot Act represents a flagrant assault on the Bill of Rights, that fomenting a "democratic revolution" around the world is not one of the "limited and enumerated" powers delegated to the central state by Article I Section 8, and that the Tenth Amendment really does exist. One such member is Congressman Ron Paul (R-Tx). A staunch defender of liberty under the traditional American definition, Paul is a medical doctor and was the 1988 Libertarian Party candidate for President.

On the topic of foreign policy Paul's views are in the tradition of Old Right stalwarts Garret Garrett and John T. Flynn. Adamantly non-interventionist, Paul often invokes the name George Washington when talking about the necessity of staying out of "entangling alliances" and Jefferson when advocating peace, trade, and friendship with the world's nations. Paul is one of the only members of Congress who sees the folly of the great project of "democratization" - "Democracy is not freedom," Paul writes, "Democracy is simply majoritarianism, which is inherently incompatible with real freedom."

Paul opposes the war in Iraq and was one of only six GOP members of the House to vote against the resolution "authorizing the use of force" against Iraq - citing the fact that Congress illegally and unconstitutionally transferred its sole power to decide whether or not to take the nation to war to the President.

During the run-up to the invasion of Iraq, Paul even tried to bring the whole specter of "just war theory" into the debate. Arguing that the Iraq War violated the principles enunciated by St. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, Paul had a predictable run-in with resident Republican Party shill Sean Hannity on Fox News' debate show Hannity and Colmes:

HANNITY: [...] You have said the Christian definition of war doesn't fit in this example.

PAUL: That is correct.

HANNITY: Hang on. And you said, quote, "It says there has to be an act of aggression, and there has not been an act of aggression against the United States by Iraq." Well, by that definition, your Christian definition, I'm using your words...

PAUL: Not my Christian definition. It's been around since St.
Augustine.

HANNITY: All right, but -- but that's...

PAUL: Sean, you've got recognize that.

Well, Hannity never did, and probably never will "recognize that" - along with legions of other self-described conservatives and churchgoing "values voters" across the country. Rest assured though, they will sleep pleasantly tonight believing strongly that it doesn't matter that the war flouts these traditional concepts. You see, dear reader, all that matters now is that we're fighting for "democracy" and "freedom". The fact that this war was not legitimately declared and that Iraq was not an imminent threat to the United States doesn't mean a thing. Throw all of that out the window - the "global democratic revolution" is on the march and it does not look like its advocates will be halted by the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, or appeals to historic Christianity.