Tennessee: Ron Paul supporters VS social conservatives

[aGameOfThrones]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-05-22-tennessee-bill-tea-party_n.htm?csp=hf

NASHVILLE — Jon Campbell considers himself a loyal member of the Tea Party.
The Kingsport man is a conservative Christian who wants the government to keep its hands off his wallet and his personal life. And that's why, he said, a bill in the Tennessee Legislature that originally targeted supporters of Islamic law is a bad idea for Tennessee. State officials could have used the bill to punish unpopular groups, he said.

Today, that's Muslims, he said. Tomorrow, that could be the Tea Party. He pointed to a 2009 report by the Missouri Information Analysis Center, funded in part by the Department of Homeland Security, that labeled Ron Paul supporters as potential terrorists.

"If you don't like the ideas that someone supports, how is that illegal?" he said.

The Material Support to Designated Entities Act, proposed by state Sen. Bill Ketron and state Rep. Judd Matheny, both Republicans, exposed an ideological divide in Tennessee's Tea Party. It split Libertarians who supported Paul's candidacy for president from social conservatives concerned about national security who have supported Ketron and Matheny.


The split aligned Tea Party members who strictly interpret the Constitution with some unexpected groups over the bill, which -- until it was amended last week -- would have allowed the governor and attorney general to use secret evidence as proof that a group is involved in terrorism. The bill also would have presumed that any group they designated a terrorist entity was guilty until proven innocent, opponents said.

Libertarian objections helped convince the bill's supporters to scale back the legislation. An amendment leaves decisions over which groups are terrorists to the State Department, which already maintains a list of terrorist organizations. The amendment also toughened state penalties for supporting terrorist groups.

 

[FrankRep]

Note: Ron Paul IS a Social Conservative.

 

[aGameOfThrones]

Note: Ron Paul IS a Social Conservative.

I made the title going by the reference in the article.

 

[FrankRep]

I made the title going by the reference in the article.

It's called Media Spin.

 

[HarryBrowneLives]

I guess that title was better than the truth ... "Tea Party Split Between Consitutionalists and Meatheads that Would Rather Die than Think, Listen to Way too many Local, Mouth Breathing, Talk Radio Hosts, and now have Irrational Fears About Sharia Law Coming to Twang Town Tomorrow Morning."

... guess that title woulda been a little long.

 

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

Do you know any of your family or friends that support Sharia Law? No. Do you know any of your neighbors that support Sharia Law? No. Do you know anyone in your town that supports Sharia Law? No. Do you know anyone in your county who supports Sharia Law? No. -- then you walk away.

Besides, the US Constitution all ready guarantees a Republican form of Government for all States.

 

[FrankRep]

Do you know any of your family or friends that support Sharia Law? No. Do you know any of your neighbors that support Sharia Law? No. Do you know anyone in your town that supports Sharia Law? No. Do you know anyone in your county who supports Sharia Law? No. -- then you walk away.

Besides, the US Constitution all ready guarantees a Republican form of Government for all States.

Sometimes the States have to remind the Federal Government of their Constitutional Authority.

 

[HarryBrowneLives]

Do you know any of your family or friends that support Sharia Law? No. Do you know any of your neighbors that support Sharia Law? No. Do you know anyone in your town that supports Sharia Law? No. Do you know anyone in your county who supports Sharia Law? No. -- then you walk away.

Besides, the US Constitution all ready guarantees a Republican form of Government for all States.

... I would add any Judges, Commissioners, Mayors, Council Members, Attorney Generals??? Fact is, people are more likely to support the Darth Vader Code than Sharia Law.

+177777776

This was/is something being pushed at the legislative level by the Eagle Forum and was taken up here in TN by an opportunistic, State Senator Ketron, who has higher aspirations (let's hope not) and served up as raw meat for the Meathead wing of the Tea Party.

 

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

Sometimes the States have to remind the Federal Government of their Constitutional Authority.

Remind them about what? Sharia Law is all ready illegal.

 

[USAF_Saylor]

Hello all! I'm rather new to the forums (and haven't had the opportunity to read them all yet) so forgive me if the following offering is either already known or has been stated before:

I debate quite a bit with fellow conservatives and, as a result, I hear all kinds of accusations leveled against Dr. Paul on social issues. By "social issues" I'm referring specifically to the subjects of abortion, legalised drugs, and prostitution (many others could fit here as well).

To date, the best argument I have found is simply to state the obvious - the Constitution does NOT give the Federal government or the president jurisdiction over these issues; as such it is ridiculous to even use them as a measuring stick/litmus test for a presidential candidate. In short, these issues are constitutionally irrelevant! These social issues have become points of division among conservatives and continuing with these arguments will only ensure Obama another 4 years.

Would we decide who is going to build our house by looking to how well they cook a burger? No. So let's not divide our conservative vote over items that ultimately do not matter. Socially issues like this are left to the States or the individual, period.