Then again, Victoria seems to have bred a very special kind of conservative. The kind that we all gasp at in horror on the news. The kind of large browed ditto-monkey that would make it's own children lie in the driveway of an abortion clinic to keep innocent children from being slaughtered by their careless parents. The kind of people who refuse to vote for Bob Dole because he's too liberal. Victoria is the largest city in the district that twice, TWICE mind you! Twice elected Ron Paul onto the Hill. Ron Paul, the 1988 Libertarian Presidential Candidate, affectionately known by his colleagues as "Dr. No". Ron Paul who claims to fight for the rights of all people, while representing only a few rabid loudmouths.

Paul is one of President Clinton's most outspoken critics. Be it giving a speech or declaring war on Iraq, it seems that Clinton cannot make a move without Paul saying he's wrong. Like most of the GOP, Paul is completely out of touch with reality and honestly believes that most people are "immoral and confused" if they would rather have a sleezeball President who can keep the budget balanced than a senile old man who can't keep his own balance (physically, or financially).

First of all, Paul, a doctor, doesn't seem to have much interest in his patients since he has been one of the most ferocious fighters in the battle against HMO reform and Clinton's Bill Of Patient's Rights. He's also voted against allocating more money for research into breast cancer and many infant diseases, all while giving his famous rallying cry for why he votes against many things... "If it's not in the Constitution, I don't vote for it!"

Secondly, Paul has for several years, voted to cut funding for FEMA. Even this past year, when Victoria, Cuero and many other towns in his district were suffering severe flooding, even as FEMA was waiting for the flood waters to recede so they could survey the damage, Ron Paul was on the Hill, insisting that Disaster Relief be cut even more. And then he had the gaul to drive around Victoria, having his picture taken with people who had lost their homes (and if Paul had his way, would not ever have one again) and talk about what a great tragedy it is. Amazingly, he got re-elected. You'd think he's have lost a few rich white folks votes. Then again, I guess since the Country Club Golf Course dried up after a week, the rich didn't have much to complain about.

He also was one of a handful who voted to cut $102 million from the agricultural appropriations bill: a cut that would put more burdens upon an already hard-hit costal farming district which Paul (serves.

With service like this... Third, I'd have serious doubts about anybody who bases his entire campaign on a slogan that does little more then make fun of his opponents name. For a time, the local TV stations would play his ad every five minutes, of a kindly old woman saying "I'd be leery of voting for Sneary." Thankfully Loy Sneary was a tasteful enough man not to respond with the traditional response of "Nanny-Nanny-Boo-Boo, Stick You Head in Doo-Doo" or to use a slogan of his own. I'm apPAULed by Ron Paul comes readily to mind.

Fourth, Paul is a racist and is almost certainly a Nazi. In his newsletter, Paul has called for the destruction of the Federal Government

The right of secession should be ingrained in a free society. There is nothing sacred about large units of government. And there is nothing wrong with loosely banding together small units of government. With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, we too should consider it. Why not think about getting rid of the federal government, returning to the system of our Founders and breaking up the United States into smaller government units?"

Paul's Newsletter, Freedom Watch, is also on a list published by the Canadian-based Heritage Front listing "racialists" that included Paul's political newsletter with the American Nazi Party, the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan and various Aryan groups. Here are a few choice quotes from Paul's writings.

"If you have ever been robbed by a black teen-aged male, you know how unbelievably fleet-footed they can be."

"Opinion polls consistently show that only about 5 percent of blacks have sensible political opinions, i.e., support the free market, individual liberty and the end of welfare and affirmative action."

"Politically sensible blacks are outnumbered as decent people... I think we can safely assume that 95 percent of the black males in that city [Washington] are semi-criminal or entirely criminal."

"We don't think a child of 13 should be held responsible as a man of 23. That's true for most people, but black males age 13 who have been raised on the streets and who have joined criminal gangs are as big, strong, tough, scary and culpable as any adult and should be treated as such."

"By far the most powerful lobby in Washington of the bad sort is the Israeli government and that the goal of the Zionist movement is to stifle criticism."

Inexplicably, Paul was also voted against awarding Rosa Parks (the African American woman who helped start the civil rights revolution for refusing to go to the back of a bus) a Congressional Gold Medal.

Fifth, Paul claims, on his own webpage that he "was the first person in modern history to author term limits legislation, then lived under them by stepping down from his seat in 1984 " Well, he must not have been too strict about the term limits since he ran again in 96' and again in 98'. He says he will run again in 00'.

UPDATE! 12/23/00: Ron did run again and will soon be starting his third term as a US Rep in Texas. Like most of the Freshman of 1994, he's ignoring his apparently deep held belief in term limits.
He still continues to vote no, even on things which no reasonable person could object to. The most grevious example of this, which netted him a "Bum Steer" award from Texas Monthly Magazine, was his being the only member of the House to vote against awarding a Congressional Medal of Honor to the late and great Charles M. Schulz.
Now granted, this is not nearly as grevious an offense as voting against numerous agriculture relief bills in a time of drought in the area he represents... but you have to wonder about what reason someone could have against giving an award to a good man who brought so much joy and hope to others through his cartoons.

What a Hypocrite! Ron, you well deserve this award... and we're sorry you didn't beat out Rush in the contest to name the award. But rest assured that if I ever see your mobile office drive past, I'll show my respect to Dr. No by giving you the Goldfinger salute.