I have flipped and flopped quite a bit this year, trying to decide who I would cast my single vote for. At one point I went so far as to write a diary entry titled, Bill Richardson for president. Relative to other Democrats which have a chance to win the Democratic primary, I think Richardson is the best choice. His biggest hurdle is his own party.

Tomorrow people in Iowa go to caucuses and vote. Sean-Paul and Ian (from the Agonist) have endorsed John Edwards. Ian went so far as to call out those on the fence. I was one of those on that fence. Today I have decided to endorse Ron Paul for president of the United States.

I will under no circumstances cast a ballot for John Edwards.

I don’t expect my decision to find favor among my Democrat friends nor among my conservative neighbors and friends either. Most Republicans I know think Ron Paul is a nut case. I don’t have any Democrats for neighbors that I know of. I’m sure they exist, but such creatures tend to keep their heads low in these parts or they move to Austin.

I disagree agree with Ron Paul on some issues, but on the really important ones, he comes closer than the rest to my philosophy on governance. I don’t think he’d save our faltering empire but I think he might save the Republic if we give him the chance. The death of the empire is certain; the only question remaining is the method by which it dies and the time frame of that death—it may or may not be imminent.

Ron Paul and I come from similar roots. He believes in individual liberty and personal responsibility. He believes in limiting the power and scope of government and I believe that given the opportunity, unlike John Edwards and the rest, he would actually take on monopolistic corporations (who could not have become what they are without governmental favors), rather than just talk about it. I am sick of corporatism—the new form of fascism--and both mainstream parties have made deals with these powerful entities.

I agree with Paul’s stance on national defense as opposed to the current policy of national offense, sure to be carried on by any other candidate from either party with a real chance to win the race. Paul would without doubt put an end to our involvement in the war over Middle Eastern oil.

I believe Ron Paul is a man of integrity.

Like Paul, I’d like to see the IRS abolished. I’d like to see the requirement to pay personal income tax abolished. It always has and it always will penalize those that work the hardest. I know that if I kept more of my own earnings (and yes, I earn every cent), I’d be in a better position to help others.

I’d like to see the Federal Reserve abolished and control of our money supply (and public accountability for that control) returned to Congress.

I’d like to see drugs decriminalized and at least half the people in our prisons released. Fire half the prison guards; put half the lawyers and half the cops back into the streets looking for a real job. I’d like to see big pharmaceutical companies lose their monopolies on the health care industry and for standards to be relaxed on who can and how drugs are administered to the public.

I’d like to see our borders secured against illegal immigration or contraband, while at the same time relaxing standards for legal entry and commerce; free trade not only for big corporations, but also for small businessmen. If you bring home American troops from around the world, this can be done without building walls.

Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich also are men of integrity, but I fear Kucinich would steer us toward nationalized socialism, and while I like socialism on a small local level, I don’t like the idea of a national government based on that model. In Texas, I’d bet less that one in ten even know who Mike Gravel is.

I don’t believe Ron Paul is a racist, in spite of the fact that he has drawn people of that persuasion (as have all the rest of Republicans, truth be known).

I don’t think Ron Paul would abolish Social Security for those that have paid in, but I want the opportunity to opt out of the program and I think he’d allow me that chance. His insistence that money dedicated for Social Security be spent on Social Security and nothing else (like goddamned wars and 700+ US military bases around the world), may be the only plan that ensures anyone in this country will have Social Security in the not-so-distant future.

I know we have been conditioned to look to government for our every need, but the government has nothing we haven’t given them, and increasingly our government has proven to be an unfair and biased administrator.

I say fire the bums.

And I think Ron Paul is the only candidate that would do just that.

Presidential power is like Frodo’s ring in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The only person qualified to hold the ring is the one bent on destroying it. Ron Paul is the only man running that would reduce the power and scope of the federal government, thereby restoring power to the people.

I endorse Ron Paul for president.

Don Henry Ford Jr.