I arrived in the United States in Dec 2003 and as I rolled through my grad school years, I took a detached interest in the 2004 Presidential primaries and the elections that followed. As an Indian, I guess my "natural" naive inclination then was towards the democrats. Over the course of the next 4 years, I took an interest in understanding many political ideologies and schools of thought: Socialism, Communism, Objectivism, Libertarianism, Anarchy, Monarchy, Democracy, Fascism/Totalitarianism, Pragmatism, and different economic ideologies such as Free-market Capitalism, keynesian and their numerous morphed versions...in this endless battle between the "Haves" and "Have-Nots".
I have taken a particular interest in the Libertarian ideas -- coupled with the idea that the individuals can make better decisions for themselves than the government can make for them, Constitution and the rule of law, and in the ideas of Free-Market Capitalism. I have also been particularly fascinated by the Austrian school of economics. It also coincided with an introduction to the 2008/2009 republican presidential candidate Ron Paul and his ideas for a free and just society. I was totally blown away by the sophistication of the American/Western political thought, the wisdom of it's founders and their understanding of the value of freedom and liberty.
In 2008/2009, it was surreal to watch Barack Obama galvanise the Americans as he "rode the wave" into the White House. Having watched him talk from a few feet away, I could sense the excitement and inspiration he had on his audience. Surely, Obama was smart, articulate, young, inspirational, but the main question was: will his government-solves-everything policy work? Can an entity such as the government manage trillions of dollars in capital investment or is it best left to private enterprise? I thought Americans missed a trick by not understanding and voting for the Ron Paul revolution. I think a majority of the world's political problems could have been solved with Ron Paul as president. He seemed to have the most sensible, logical non-interventionist foreign policy. He is a fiscal conservative, a constitutionalist (with the belief that the individual should be protected from the government, not the other way round), a proponent of individual liberty, lower taxes (it's possible!), free market and sound monetary policies. But then he is not the president, and maybe, just maybe, the World and the United States missed it's best chance for peace and prosperity.
At the 2004 Republican National Convention, Arnold Schwarzenegger gave a speech and explained why he was a Republican:
"I finally arrived here in 1968. What a special day it was. I remember I arrived here with empty pockets but full of dreams, full of determination, full of desire. The presidential campaign was in full swing. I remember watching the Nixon-Humphrey presidential race on TV. A friend of mine who spoke German and English translated for me. I heard Humphrey saying things that sounded like socialism, which I had just left.
But then I heard Nixon speak. He was talking about free enterprise, getting the government off your back, lowering the taxes and strengthening the military. Listening to Nixon speak sounded more like a breath of fresh air. I said to my friend, I said, "What party is he?" My friend said, "He's a Republican." I said, "Then I am a Republican." And I have been a Republican ever since."
I have taken a particular interest in the Libertarian ideas -- coupled with the idea that the individuals can make better decisions for themselves than the government can make for them, Constitution and the rule of law, and in the ideas of Free-Market Capitalism. I have also been particularly fascinated by the Austrian school of economics. It also coincided with an introduction to the 2008/2009 republican presidential candidate Ron Paul and his ideas for a free and just society. I was totally blown away by the sophistication of the American/Western political thought, the wisdom of it's founders and their understanding of the value of freedom and liberty.
In 2008/2009, it was surreal to watch Barack Obama galvanise the Americans as he "rode the wave" into the White House. Having watched him talk from a few feet away, I could sense the excitement and inspiration he had on his audience. Surely, Obama was smart, articulate, young, inspirational, but the main question was: will his government-solves-everything policy work? Can an entity such as the government manage trillions of dollars in capital investment or is it best left to private enterprise? I thought Americans missed a trick by not understanding and voting for the Ron Paul revolution. I think a majority of the world's political problems could have been solved with Ron Paul as president. He seemed to have the most sensible, logical non-interventionist foreign policy. He is a fiscal conservative, a constitutionalist (with the belief that the individual should be protected from the government, not the other way round), a proponent of individual liberty, lower taxes (it's possible!), free market and sound monetary policies. But then he is not the president, and maybe, just maybe, the World and the United States missed it's best chance for peace and prosperity.
At the 2004 Republican National Convention, Arnold Schwarzenegger gave a speech and explained why he was a Republican:
"I finally arrived here in 1968. What a special day it was. I remember I arrived here with empty pockets but full of dreams, full of determination, full of desire. The presidential campaign was in full swing. I remember watching the Nixon-Humphrey presidential race on TV. A friend of mine who spoke German and English translated for me. I heard Humphrey saying things that sounded like socialism, which I had just left.
But then I heard Nixon speak. He was talking about free enterprise, getting the government off your back, lowering the taxes and strengthening the military. Listening to Nixon speak sounded more like a breath of fresh air. I said to my friend, I said, "What party is he?" My friend said, "He's a Republican." I said, "Then I am a Republican." And I have been a Republican ever since."
