I believe that a government founded on subsidiarity, in which matters are handled at the lowest competent level, gives citizens greater power to affect affairs at all levels. The US Constitution provides for a federal government with carefully limited powers, leaving the rest to the states, and Ron Paul has defended those provisions without wavering. The federal government’s powers have grown well beyond those provisions, resulting in unchecked spending, unpopular wars, and infringements of civil and human rights. My vote for Ron Paul will be a vote to cut government waste, stop preemptive “police actions”, defend the Bill of Rights, and return power to those whom governments are supposed to serve, their citizens.

On a personal note, I’ve grown increasingly sick of the stranglehold that the major parties have on the government and the resultant feeling that my interests aren’t represented regardless of who I vote for. I’m an “extreme moderate”, a purple-stater, with enough opinions on both ends of the political spectrum to irritate monochromatic members of either side. Since PA has closed primaries, I change parties as needed in the hope of affecting the outcome of elections that matter to me. Ron Paul isn’t strictly speaking an independent candidate, but he’s the closest I’ve seen any major-party member come to representing the best interests of common Americans without catering to special interests, toeing the party line, or flip-flopping in response to polls. He’s a consistent supporter of citizen’s rights and limited, responsible government. That’s why he has supporters from all over the spectrum, and it’s why he has my support. For the first time since registering to vote, I’m actually excited to support a candidate who has the potential to bring respectability and accountability back to the Washington.

Update:I’ve expanded this post, given it a permanent page, and recorded a video of me reading it.