Former Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul attended a Mises Institute talk recently. He was asked by Kit Daniels of Infowars as to what he would say to 2016 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and why socialism is wrong.
Apparently, many Ron Paul supporters in 2008 and 2012 went to the Sanders camp this year, which would be very questionable. Sanders is not anti-war (SEE: Bernie Sanders open to taking U.S. to war even when not directly attacked), he is the opposite of a libertarian and he is for big government. Why would any former Paul supporter ever cast a ballot for the socialist senator? Some of them even admit in the comments section of this video that they feel embarrassed supporting him back in the day.
“Back when I was a 15 year old dumbass I liked Ron Paul. Today I would backhand my 15 year old self,” wrote one user.
Oh well. That’s their prerogative. If they want more of the very same system they abhor and criticize then that’s their choice.
The three-time presidential candidate made an excellent point that it’s also a matter of envy on the part of the progressives, which is something talked about regularly by F.A. Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, Thomas Sowell and Ayn Rand. He conceded, however, that he hasn’t been able to convert any of the die hard progressives to the concepts of liberty, freedom and Austrian economics.
Here is what Sowell wrote back in 2003:
“Although the poor are doing better, the “social justice” crowd is in desperate shape. Irresponsible advocacy groups concoct wild statistics about hunger or homelessness, and some of these numbers are reported seriously in the media — at least until someone comes along and shoots them down with the facts.
“The envy advocates have to play games with numbers because they cannot get very far relying on realities. Yes, some people can afford extravagantly expensive designer jeans, while others have to get by wearing jeans without anyone’s signature across their backside. Yes, some people can afford a pricey latte, while others have to go home and open a can of Maxwell House.
“But who is going to get up from watching TV, while eating pizza, to go mount the barricades over that? Let’s face it. Envy has fallen on hard times. It was not even successfully revived during last year’s election campaign.”
Here is the video embedded below:
Leave a Comment