Did anybody else notice Ron Paul's other comment -- "Legalize 'alternative' medicine"

[phantom power]

Really, as a society we've simply forgotten why we invented licensing and regulations in the first place. But we're going to relearn it. The hard way.

:(

[trotsky]

1. Fits into the Republican plan well, though.

Even though "alternative" "medicine" is not illegal.

It's cheaper and people will die sooner.

[MADem]

17. Not always technically "cheaper"--but often not covered by insurance, so it's usually out-of-pocket.

Cheaper...for the INSURANCE companies!!!

[rushmore]

27. I disageee.

It is not legal because you are barred from the public schools without vaccinations. This is an example of regulation creating an environment in which one must consume pharmacutical drugs in order to get an education.

[trotsky]

29. LMAO

You realize that in almost all cases, schools will grant a religious or conscientious waiver for vaccinations, right?

Ron Paul to the rescue!

[On the Road]

2. Where is Alternative Medicine Illegal?

Is he recommending practicing medicine without a license?

[phantom power]

3. He seems to be arguing for no licensing....

being a hardcore libertarian, he seems to be rambling about the usual: Anybody can do or sell or buy anything, with no ground rules or testing or regulation. Like it used to be in his Golden Age, when con artists could take advantage of anybody they wanted to and people died from poison, or simply wasting time on bogus cures.

[jberryhill]

13. Yes

He's a libertarian. Let the market decide.

After the witch doctor kills your first two kids, you won't take your next three, and the market will put him out of business.

Of course, that's why patent medicine salesmen had wagons instead of stores.

[ZombieHorde]

4. I wonder if he was talking about pot. nt

[phantom power]

7. Apparently he also means pot:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_Ron_Paul#Marijuana

[TBF]

24. I thought that was what he meant as well - it's about the only thing he's right on. nt

[eShirl]

5. could he have meant Medicinal Marijuana?

I think as a libertarian he is anti-prohibition.

[Upton]

6. Pot is alternative medicine..

and I'm all for legalization. If that's what Paul was referring too, then I agree with him 100%..

[NNN0LHI]

10. No, I think he was more talking about this kind of alternative medicine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lvU-DislkI

[krabigirl]

18. I agree. I think that's what he meant. Honestly, people should be able to use any type if they

so wish. Homeopathy, I don't think it works, but some people do.

[lynne]

8. I understood it to mean holistic medicine -

- which is many times not covered under traditional health insurance.

[phantom power]

9. What he means is you'll be on your own to sift the real needles from the anarchy haystack

[eShirl]

15. Right. Because it is alternate medicine.

[Turbineguy]

11. In one of my classes (marine engineering), we have a segment

on the CFR's. A whole bookcase full of boring books filled with pain-in-the-ass regulations. The Students' response is always the same. Then I tell them. These regulations have come about because of damage or sinkings. People have died or been injured. People like you. Most of these regulations are based on experience. Regulations on lifeboats came from the Titanic sinking. Regulations about emergency lights came from the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster. If necessary I go on about horrific boiler explosions, turbine over-speeds, piping failures etc.

Yet, in all things we must seek a balance. So yes, there will be terrible lessons to be relearned.

[FSogol]

16. +1. n/t

[Romulox]

12. It's a War on Drugs reference. Deal with it. nt

[FSogol]

14. Aren't Ron Paul and his son doctors? Who the hell would trust that pair?

:shrug:

[FailureToCommunicate]

19. "licensing and regulations" is SO 20th Century!

(just in case)
:sarcasm:

[Lucinda]

20. I also think he's talking about medicinal marijuana for the most part

And I agree it should be legalized.

[LeftinOH]

21. The merchant ads in (very) old newspapers are filled with the kinds of medicines

he is referring to. Cures for everything from aches and pains to cancer to "women's complaints". None of it cured anything, but plenty of people made money selling the stuff -and they didn't have any pesky government regulations to impede their enterprise.

[loyalsister]

22. I've heard that from other libertarians

Some also want to eliminate licensing requirements for attorneys.
There's a role for holistic and alternative medicine. They should definitely be contrasted as buyer beware treatments\medicine vs. tested and retested treatments.

[rushmore]

28. or...

Sure, we could advise people that alternative medicine is buyer-beware... Or we could just have alternative medicine suppliers get insurance policies for when their product/service fails.

[Warren DeMontague]

23. If he's talking about pot

he's right.

[IndyPragmatist]

25. Obviously he was talking about marijuana

It really odd to see people attack him on this. This is something that most here agree with, but because Ron Paul said it, it has to be about some crazy wacky untested drugs?

I've softened on Ron quite a bit the more I listen to him. It seems that almost everything he wants to cut, he wants to cut from the federal government and replace with state level programs. He is against federal welfare, but for state welfare. He is against FEMA, but for state emergency management agencies. He is against war...period.

I completely disagree with his stance on fiat currency, but it's not like if he won the election that he would be able to do anything about that.

I completely agree with his plan to audit the fed. A "independent" authority should not have so much control over our nation. And if they do have that much power, they need to be transparent.


I've come to believe that those who are the most against him haven't listened to him beyond the 30 second spots during debates or the 10 second clip on the nightly news.

I'm at the point (remembering that he would be limited on many positions by congress) that I think he would be the best option if a Republican won. Him or Cain. Everyone else out there scares me to death. Huntsman isn't terrible, but I don't see anyone getting elected on the platform of "I will compromise on everything."

[Warren DeMontague]

26. To be fair, though, he should just come out and say "Pot should be legalized", then.

Personally, I think it should be legal, regulated AND taxed, although the last 2 probably go against Ron Paul's philosophy.

I think 'alternative medicine' is too big of an umbrella term. It can encompass everything from herbal remedies for which there is evidence of a real physiological pathway for efficacy that simply haven't been approved for that use, to homeopathy, which is utter bullshit.

[Syrinx]

30. he came out against licensing doctors so his son could keep his job.