I have always regarded GOP Presidential Candidate Ron Paul as a small-time grifter whose ability to “talk conservative” won him reelection from his small bible-belt conservative constituency time and time again.

My two basic complaints with Ron Paul center around his lack of any real leadership or achievement in the House of Representatives over his 30-year stint as a “career politician and the racist, bigoted statements that were contained in newsletters which promoted, among other things, financial conspiracies.

While a number of Ron Paul’s musing on the Constitution and financial affairs have value, they are not original with him and I do not believe he has the leadership skills to actually bring about transformational reform in this country.

I am also deeply concerned about his worldview which posits that we should quit attacking other nations and extend the hand of friendship and trade to them – even though their fundamental religious nature demands that they kill or subjugate American citizens.

The Ron Paul Texas Two-step …

While he is one of the biggest consumers of ear-marked pork for his district, he explains it away by saying that he never voted for it and it is better his district use these funds rather than the Administration. If this proves he is a “conservative,” I certainly do not understand his thinking.

As for things written under his name, either he was not responsible and is clearly protecting those who offered-up racists and bigoted views or he really does agree with those views. Personally, I believe it is the latter because he does the Ron Paul two-step taking money from racists, bigots and others (like White Supremacists) while saying that he does not agree with them and will use the money for a good cause.

About those newsletters …

While the newsletters are over 20 years old, I take great offense to the way in which Ron Paul handles the matter; symptomatic of his oft-time schizophrenic views and seemingly passive/aggressive nature.

Ron Paul either allowed others to write scurrilous prose under his name – without any editorial control or review process – or he is disingenuous when he disavows their content. He has refused to identify the “staffers” or others like Lew Rockwell who may have provided content.

But most puzzling of all is that he seems to brush it off as being irrelevant to the discussion of his character.

The interview as characterized by his rabid defenders …

Calling a legitimate journalist/reporter a “CNN Media Whore” for asking a legitimate question is not acceptable.

See the weasel stalk out of the interview …

Bottom line …

I have little or no confidence in the man whose worldview and behavior I cannot trust. To me Ron Paul is another Lyndon LaRouche – another failed Presidential candidate with extremist views; complete with his rabid “walk through fire” young supporters.

I think Ron Paul has been dealt a hand and by circumstance has found himself at the big-boy’s table. And I think his true agenda is to parlay that into a position of prominence, power and profits by threatening to act as a political “spoiler” in these difficult times.

In the final analysis, I cannot trust the man – so my vote must go elsewhere.

-- steve