First I want to tell you both that responded that I am truly appreciate your kind words. I've read a couple of other threads where my friend talked about me and I saw the very cruel responses from other people - which were not only heartbreaking, but was surely not a way to convince me to vote for Dr. Paul.
TFH85: I have done some research. I've looked at the main site many times, and went through and read where he stands on all of the issues listed there. I've also watched a few of the debates - and even agree that he had been totally cut off in the most recent one.
There are certain things he speaks of that I truly do support. He is by far my favorite when it comes to illegal immigrants. I also like his thoughts on the environment, energy and national defense. When it comes to personal privacy and liberties, I can support his ideas. As a graduate student in a library and information science program, we learn intensively the right of the patron to privacy and to be able to fine what ever they may need in their library. Of course there are limits in a school setting (like no porn etc) which is very understandable, but generally speaking librarians are BIG fighters for intellectual freedom.
So here is what I have problems with - either I do not know enough, or I just do not agree I suppose. Education - I am a teacher, my mother was a teacher, so this is very near and dear to my heart. The difficulty I am having is that there will be no federal aid. I understand his want to put the power back to the states and the parents - but knowing that my mothers former school district has had a salary freeze for (at least) 3 years now, and is 50 teachers short of a full staff is scary. I am not sure of the politics that surround it - I am new to the system, but if they have that much of a problem now - I can't imagine that it would get better with less aid.
Homeschooling is another issue. No, I do not have a problem with parents homeschooling their children. What bothers me is that people think anyone can do it. They can't. Teaching, no matter it be to 20 children in a classroom - or just your child at home - it's a skill. You need to learn how to do it. What upsets me even more about it is that people who had bad experiences in school will decide to home school their child when they have NO idea what they are doing, they just think it will be better for the child. Are there bad teachers out there? Yes, but there are also bad parents. My main problem here is that there is no "check" system. I know the kids have to take and pass exams just like any other student - but from what I have read, Dr. Paul doesn't say what he would do in the case of a failing home schooled student. Yes, it could be that the child is unable to learn for whatever reason, but I would say it is more likely that the parent is unable to teach. If the child repetitively fails does Dr. Paul think the government, local - state - or federal - should be able to step in then and put the child into a public school?
The war in Iraq: Do I think it's a good thing? No. I accept the fact that we are there though, and I don't think it is a good idea to just leave. I suppose it is more personal than anything else. I don't find it fair that we went in, but I find it even worse to say "opps, our mistake we will just leave after we've totally destroyed your country." I do not want to go to war with any other country either. I admire how the US was a neutral country for most of our years, and I think it would be good to go back to that.
Without getting too much into it - I am pro-choice as well. I'm glad that you could understand my frustration, and can see that I can be a very rational person when I don't feel like I am being attacked
Edit: forgot to mention who I am voting for. Even though I vote on super Tuesday, I am still not sure. I will not vote for Romney, because I do not know too much about him, but I also heard a radio show where he said Dr. Paul deserves to be laughed at. No matter what I may think of Ron Paul, I would never speak that badly about a person, at least not in such a public place. Huckabee is a no go either. I do believe in God and the Christian religion, but I do not think it has a place in politics.