This At Issue series, featuring longtime libertarian Ron Paul, includes thirteen half-hour episodes, each comprised of: a minidocumentary on a selected subject, responses from a group of ordinary people, and a brief discussion by experts on the subject. [ Ron Paul TV credits: Producer: Jay Bryant/ Host: Ron Paul/ 27 min/ Documentary-Educational/ Libertarianism 101]
Note: This is episode 3, “Casualties of Drug Wars.” Links for the other episodes are below.
The strength of this series is its consistently pro-liberty treatment of a broad range of topics. It’s plain, straightforward advocacy; there is almost no real debate or disagreement, even among the response audience, and the list of panelists and authorities consulted reads like a Who’s Who of libertarian thinkers. But that’s the purpose here: to make the libertarian case. In terms of production values, it’s professional, though not a high-budget network product. Nonetheless, it presents many libertarian ideas and concerns and does so in a bite-size format that should make them digestible for even the shortest attention span.
Episodes of Ron Paul TV: The Complete At Issue Series
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 1: Crisis in Learning
Ron Paul examines the poor performance of the U.S. public educational system. Advocates increased parental control and use of private schools as a solution.
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 2: The IRS and Taxpayer Rights
Ron Paul examines U.S. Internal Revenue Service abuse of taxpayers, linking such abuse to big government, which requires such a high level of funding that it can only be maintained through fear and oppression.
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 3: Casualties of Drug Wars
Ron Paul details the costs of the “War on Drugs” in terms of increased crime and loss of basic liberties, recommends drug legalization and lists the benefits thereof. This is one of the best of the At Issue episodes.
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 4: It’s Only Money
Ron Paul identifies government expansion of the money supply as the root cause of rising prices both here and abroad. Recommends legalizing competition in the creation of money.
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 5: Saving the Second Amendment
Ron Paul advocates gun ownership as a deterrent to both crime and tyranny. Reaffirms the constitutionality of private gun ownership.
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 6: Mail Monopoly
Ron Paul attributes the rising cost and deteriorating quality of the postal service in the U.S. to government monopoly. Recommends legalizing competition and privatizing the USPS.
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 7: FSLIC Fizzle
Ron Paul traces the cause of the 1986-1995 FSLIC crisis (Savings & Loan bailout) to government deposit insurance, which encouraged risk-taking at the S&Ls and which insulated even large, sophisticated depositors from the need to discriminate between well and badly-managed savings institutions.
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 8: The Collapse of Communism
Ron Paul attributes the demise of communism and Soviet power to socialist economics, in particular the absence of a price system. Warns that the U.S. is becoming increasingly socialist.
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 9: Rights and Wrongs
Ron Paul examines the modern concept of “rights,” which require action on the part of others in order to be fulfilled. Points out the essential immorality of such “rights” and blames this concept for the enormous expansion of the welfare state. One of the few films out there to challenge socialism on moral rather than just economic grounds.
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 10: Policemen of the World
Ron Paul likens America’s post-World War II increase in global military interventionism to its increase in personal and economic interventionism. Attributes much of this expansion to the discretionary and unconstitutional use of military force by the executive branch.
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 11: Power to the Jury
Ron Paul outlines the merits of “jury nullification,” the little-advertised fact that juries have the power to disregard the law where they think it in error, i.e., to acquit a defendant even if he or she is unequivocally “guilty.” A few taped lectures aside, this is the only professional introduction to jury nullification out there.
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 12: By Any Other Name
Ron Paul criticizes existing political labels of conservative and liberal as poorly defined. Suggests additional labels of authoritarian and libertarian, with special emphasis on the meaning of libertarian. This is one of the best of the At Issue episodes.
At Issue with Ron Paul, Part 13: What Ails Medicine
Ron Paul lays the blame for the spiraling cost of U.S. medical care on government subsidy, which has resulted in diminished incentives for cost control. Recommends health care spending accounts as the ultimate solution.
Links
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More Films About: Libertarianism 101
More Films About: Libertarian Heroes
Wikipedia: Ron Paul
Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity
Book: The Revolution: A Manifesto
Book: Liberty Defined: 50 Essential Issues That Affect Our Freedom
Book: End the Fed
Book: The School Revolution: A New Answer for Our Broken Education System
Book: A Foreign Policy of Freedom: Peace, Commerce, and Honest Friendship
Book: Pillars of Prosperity: Free Markets, Honest Money, Private Property
