By: Ryan Jaroncyk, THL ContributorThe 2010 liberty candidates are certainly talking a good game thus far: balanced budgets, less debt, a stronger dollar, lower taxes, increased transparency, greater state sovereignty, and a more efficient national defense. But, haven't we heard it all before?
During the Bush administration, Republicans talked about fiscal responsibility, yet national debt doubled, the budget was never balanced, and the U.S. Dollar lost nearly 30% of its value. From 2006 to the present, Democrats have talked about change, yet the U.S. is still bogged down in Iraq & Afghanistan, national debt is skyrocketing, and unemployment is rising fast. So, why should we believe the 2010 liberty candidates will fare any better?
The answer lies in personal credibility. Here are a few examples:
Peter Schiff is a successful businessman. He knows what it takes to create jobs and balance a budget. He's also a prescient economist who courageously and accurately predicted the severe recession, even while being publicly mocked by a cadre of pundits on national television.
Dr. Rand Paul and Dr. Mike Vasovski are successful doctors who run their own medical practices. These guys live health care everyday, and they understand how to balance a budget. Dr. Vasovski also served in the U.S. Army Medical Corp and cared for wounded Marines during the 1983 attack in Lebanon. He's actually lived U.S. foreign policy.
Adam Kokesh and RJ Harris are Iraq war veterans. Kokesh earned a combat action ribbon and Navy commendation medal, and RJ served two combat tours. Like Dr. Vasovski, these guys have lived U.S. foreign policy in the most personal way possible.
Simply put, these are candidates who have walked the walk. Fighting the War on Terror. Check. Sacrificing for their country. Check. Providing top notch medical care. Check. Balancing a budget. Check. Running a small business. Check. Predicting economic trends. Check. Creating jobs. Check.
This is the type of personal credibility Americans are desperately seeking. Let's hope the liberty candidates make personal credibility the focal point of their campaigns.
