Why Ron Paul Doesn’t Endorse Romney

Posted on Oct 12, 2012

mattmarket (CC BY 2.0)

Mitt Romney shares none of the libertarian Republican congressman’s misgivings about escalating war in the Middle East, and on the marijuana question, the “famously puritanical Romney would likely bring us back to the era of ‘Just Say No.’ ”

At a town hall event in Ohio last month, Romney running mate Paul Ryan was asked why Ron Paul’s supporters should back the GOP candidate against President Obama. Ryan bristled at the question—“Do you want Barack Obama to be re-elected?”—before claiming that Romney and Paul agree on many issues.

But a brief consideration of foreign policy and the issue of drug prohibition shows that that isn’t true.

—Posted by Alexander Reed Kelly.

Michael Tracey at the New York Daily News:

President Obama may have authorized a drone war and escalated ground troops in Afghanistan, but at least he has avoided launching another full-scale invasion.

This is not a petty distinction. Romney routinely gives assurances that he’d be far more likely to appease Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has designs to attack Iran — perhaps in the coming months. Paul’s passions seem to be most enlivened by his unflinching opposition to aggressive war; for him, this dark prospect would be a nonstarter.

… Many [Ron Paul] supporters were first attracted to the congressman for his blunt words on the scourge of drug prohibition. Romney has failed to evince an iota of rationality on this front. In May, he was asked for his view on the legality of medical marijuana. “Aren’t there issues of significance you’d like to talk about?” he rebuffed.

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