The Hill reports:
Former Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) is launching a foreign policy institute focused on undercutting U.S. interventionism.
“The neo-conservative era is dead,” proclaims the media advisory on his Facebook page announcing the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.
“The ill-advised policies pushed by the neo-cons have everywhere led to chaos and destruction, and to a hatred of the United States and its people. Multi-trillion dollar wars have not made the world a safer place; they have only bankrupted our economic future. The Ron Paul Institute will provide the tools and the education to chart a new course with the understanding that only through a peaceful foreign policy can we hope for a prosperous tomorrow.”
…..
The iconoclastic former congressman and presidential candidate has long been a thorn in the side of the GOP on foreign policy issues, arguing for a “golden rule” foreign policy that takes a hands-off approach to global politics. That approach sharply contrasts with Republican orthodoxy from the last 30 years, though it’s growing in popularity — his son, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), shares many of his foreign policy views and is viewed as a much more serious presidential contender than Paul ever was.
What’s especially interesting about this is that among the members of the institute is former Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio. Paul and Kucinich, who both left Congress at the end of last year, apparently feel some kinship with each other. While Paul was seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 from the anti-interventionist Right, Kucinich ran for the Democratic presidential nomination from the anti-interventionist Left.
Paul and Kucinich were frequently among a small handful of congressmen who voted against an overwhelming majority on foreign policy matters.
Kucinich and Ron Paul are the only two congressional representatives who voted against the Rothman-Kirk Resolution, which calls on the United Nations to charge Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with violating the genocide convention of the United Nations Charter based on statements that he has made. Kucinich defended his vote by saying that Ahmadinejad’s statements could be translated to mean that he wants a regime change in Israel, not death to its people and supporters, and that the resolution is an attempt to beat “the war drum to build support for a US attack on Iran.” In October 2009, Kucinich and Ron Paul were the only two congressional representatives to vote against H.Res.175 condemning the government of Iran for “state-sponsored persecution of its Bahá’í minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights.”
On January 9, 2009, Kucinich was one of the dissenters in a 390-5 vote with 22 abstentions for a resolution recognizing Israel’s “right to defend itself [against Hamas rocket attacks]” and reaffirming the U.S.’s support for Israel. The other 4 “no” votes were Gwen Moore of Wisconsin, Maxine Waters of California, Nick Rahall of West Virginia, and Ron Paul of Texas.
There was even some bizarre talk last year of a Paul-Kucinich ticket for president and vice president.
One difference, however: while Paul received a video tribute at last year’s Republican convention (note the absence of references to his foreign policy positions), Kucinich received no such recognition at the Democratic convention.
(Hat tip: Adam Holland)
