In the last election cycle almost everyone on the center right used “voting for bills without reading them” as a campaign cudgel. So I think it is safe to say that we have some expectation of accountability for what our elected officials put their name to.
When talking about Presidents, we have an equal interest in their having a full understanding of what they are signing into law and every right to hold them to account for everything they put their name to, even though they may not have written a single word of it.
Ron Paul’s name is on the newsletters. He may or may not have written them. He may or may not have read them. His campaign and his supporters do not think he should be held to task for their content. They have even gone so far as to suggest that their is some massive Republican conspiracy to discredit him.
Speaking for myself, I do not blog or comment anonymously. I am held to account for everything I put my name on, for every issue I support or endorse. For every person I back up. And for every opponent I attack. And sometimes I make mistakes. When that happens I take responsibility for it, and either correct it or reevaluate it. I do not deny my complicity or run away. It is a matter of character. So why should I expect less from anyone else?
If you put your name on it, you own it. Period. No conspiracy, just character. But that is not the case for Dr. Paul.
Candidate Ron Paul must be held to a different standard.
Which leads us to this: A president Ron Paul will be asked to put his name to all kinds of things he did not write. Given what we know of his past, why should we expect him to read it, or accept responsibility for whatever he eventually puts his name on, whether he wrote it or not? Are we to assume the high office will correct for past misdeeds? If his campaign and his defenders are to be believed, this standard cannot be applied to his opponents. They are all dodging their past in pursuit of political power, and the office will not “right them,” but not Ron Paul. That newsletter thing is some ginned up plot to discredit him. It is no reflection of his responsibility or accountability. Nor is his running away from them.
So no matter what the mettle of the man, we should have every expectation that no matter what rears it’s ugly head, Ron Paul’s supporters will defend candidate Ron Paul no matter what, and declare his naysayers as conspirators against him.
If I’m not mistaken, we already have a President like that.
