CONGRESSMAN RON PAUL, M.D., FOR PRESIDENT

By Dave Buhlman

If you feel that the country's government only needs a little trimming around the edges, a policy touch-up here and there, most of the candidates for president will satisfy your desires. Their voting records, speeches, and responses in the debates have indicated essentially more of the same, maybe with a little different twist, or just an adjustment of the deck chairs on the ship of state.

If, on the other hand, you feel that our problems run deeper and require significant shifts in the way the federal government is operating, then Congressman Ron Paul should be your choice on January 8. He is the only candidate calling for sharp turns in the direction we have been traveling for at least several decades. The policy reversals supported by Congressman Paul include ending the undeclared war in Iraq, pulling out the troops that we now have in 130 countries, and drastically cutting foreign aid to governments around the world. Trade deals, such as NAFTA, that hurt American workers would be jettisoned, and relationships with other sovereign countries would proceed on a mutually beneficial basis that helps ordinary Americans. If terrorists persist in their cowardly murders after these changes, Congressman Paul will deal with them swiftly and effectively without committing thousands of our troops to the effort.

Because the federal government has no constitutional role in many arenas, including education, funding for the massive federal Department of Education, and a number of other unconstitutional federal agencies, would not be included in President Paul's budget. With these sensible changes, billions of dollars would not have to be expended, which would reduce taxes, and the weight of the enormous public debt we are putting on the backs of our children and grandchildren.

With the liberty enshrined in the Constitution as the underlying theme, Congressman Paul would carry his efforts into the Oval Office against the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act , the War on Drugs, and other laws which allow the federal government to snoop into the lives of ordinary Americans. Using the billions saved from cutting back on government expenditures here and abroad could result in the elimination of federal income taxes on wage earners. With these readjustments to expenditure priorities, no one would have to be cut off from benefits, although a phasing out would have to begin to stop the government from being used in so many arenas to redistribute wealth, as is done in communist and socialist systems.

Over six million dollars was raised for Congressman Ron Paul in one day on December 16, which broke the one-day record for donations. On November 5, over four million dollars was raised for the campaign of this medical doctor, who has delivered over 4,000 babies and is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. So, although much of the mainstream media has Congressman Paul stuck in the second tier of candidates, the thousands who donated, along with thousands of others who desire deeper changes, could result in some welcome surprises on election day.

As a former two-term New Hampshire Republican State Representative, I respectfully urge you to join me on January 8 to give this very decent man and trusted leader a victory in New Hampshire. Let's again show the pundits how off base they can be.

Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.

Dave Buhlman is a former two-term New Hampshire State Representative, a published author, and a strong supporter of our Constitutional Republic.