Ichabod!

by Laurence M. Vance
by Laurence M. Vance

DIGG THIS

"And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband." ~ 1 Samuel 4:21

It’s done, it’s over, it’s official: The Republican Party nominated John McCain to be its 2008 presidential candidate. Conversely, and more importantly, this means that the Republican Party failed to nominate Ron Paul to be its 2008 presidential candidate.

It wouldn’t normally matter whom the Republican Party nominated. Bigger government and less liberty have always been the result. And if you think Reagan was an exception then you are sadly mistaken.

This time, however, the Republicans had a chance to nominate the only candidate who embodies everything good that the Republican Party has ever claimed to stand for. Ron Paul is undoubtedly the most pro-life, pro-family, pro-property, pro-liberty, pro-Constitution candidate in history.

The Republican Party and its apologists that write for the red-state fascist blogs and magazines and host the reich-wing nationalist TV and radio talk shows did everything they could to persuade people from voting for Dr. Paul in the Republican primaries.

The nomination of John McCain over Ron Paul means that the Republican Party should never again be taken seriously when it comes to even the slightest pretense of being a friend of liberty, free markets, and limited government.

Ichabod!

In the Old Testament book of First Samuel we read of the death of Eli, who judged Israel for forty years, and the birth of his grandson. During a battle with the Philistines, Israel lost thirty thousand men, including the two sons of Eli, and had their ark of the covenant taken. A messenger ran to the Israelites and, after a tumult was raised, Eli inquired of the man what the problem was. After the messenger told him what had befallen Israel, his two sons, and the ark of God, Eli fell backwards and broke his neck. When his daughter in law, who was great with child, heard that the ark was taken by the Philistines, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she died after giving birth to a child, but not before naming the child Ichabod, because "the glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken" (1 Samuel 4:22).

Whatever glory the Republican Party may have had when it came to liberty and limited government is now departed, and with a vengeance, judging by the treatment given to Ron Paul supporters at the Republican convention

I have written about the evils of the Republican Party here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here. Others, like Thomas DiLorenzo, Clyde Wilson, Jacob Hornberger, and Chris Leithner, have done the same, and in great detail. Here are the Republican Party campaign slogans that you will never hear this year:

• Interventionism, at home and abroad: Vote Republican.
• Nationalism, fascism, and statism: Vote Republican.
• Militarism, puritanism, and collectivism: Vote Republican.
• Debt, deficits, and a declining dollar: Vote Republican.
• Big government, big brother, big budgets: Vote Republican.
• The warfare state, the welfare state, the surveillance state: Vote Republican.
• Corporate welfare, the military-industrial and security-industrial complexes: Vote Republican.
• Compromises after compromise, sellout after sellout: Vote Republican.

There is not a dime’s worth of difference between the Democratic and Republican Parties when it comes to peace, liberty, property, free markets, sound money, and the size and scope of government. The Republican Party is not the lesser of two evils. It is, like the Democratic Party, stupid and evil. Ichabod!

September 5, 2008

Laurence M. Vance [send him mail] writes from Pensacola, FL. His latest book is a new and greatly expanded edition of Christianity and War and Other Essays Against the Warfare State. Visit his website.

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