Ron Paul and the Puffendorf Proof Test

Silverwolf once learned that the purity of precious metals is presented in percentage parts known as proof.  For example, almost pure bullion is called “triple-nine” or 99.9% proof. Even purer is “four-nines” or 99.99% proof. The testing of the bullion is done with acids that show the true worth of the metal by eating through its base accretions.

Silverwolf thinks it regrettable that such proofing cannot be done on political candidates, and a warranting extended to the public as to their purity. And in the current batch of untested coin being tossed into the cash register of politics, there is only one that Silverwolf deems to be “triple-nine”: Representative Ron Paul.

Silverwolf was pondering what simple mechanism might be utilized by the public at large to test the proof and worth of their political candidates, and he thinks he may have found one: The Puffendorf Proof Test.  This is a test which can be applied to any political candidate, at any time, to gauge his worth and his sangfroid under pressure.

Now briefly, Puffendorf was a political theorist who had a profound influence on Jefferson’s thought. He cites Puffendorf more frequently than any other political thinker in his writings. Puffendorf helped develop the theory of Natural Law and Natural Rights, and his work on that subject contained voluminous references to other works on Natural Law and political theory which sent Jefferson’s brain scurrying to and absorbing these subsequent tomes. The Declaration as we know it most certainly wouldn’t have been as it was, if not for the influence of this man.

So now you probably know more about Puffendorf than 90% of our current  candidates. Knowledge is power.

 Simply put, (and it is Silverwolf’s original invention), the Puffendorf Proof Test consists of asking the visiting candidate, seemingly out of the blue, “Ah, Senator, (Gov., Rep. ,you supply the appropriate appellation) I’d like to know what your opinion is of the validity of Puffendorf’s Natural Law Theory, what influence you think it had on Jefferson, and how that influence manifested itself in Jefferson’s composition of the Declaration of Independence?” Yep, just throw it at them, try to keep a straight face, and see if they squirm. Mark their reactions well. 

There is only one candidate that Silverwolf is confident he could ask this question of, and get a quick, concise, and coherent answer in return (hint: it’s not Duncan Hunter or Alan Keyes): You got it right,  Representative Ron Paul.

If this blog does nothing else, it may force the campaign blog scanners for the collectivist candidates to report back to headquarters, and force those candidates to use a tiny portion of their grey matter in perusing Puffendorf, and preparing an answer, just in case one of those Liberty-Loving Ron Paul  ‘Nuther Mothers for Peace should try to subvert our democratic process by asking a question not pre-approved by the candidate. How dare you! How dare you!

Some dare because of the guarantees warranted in the Declaration, that’s how they dare, Mr. Clinton.

So let’s see how these professional politicians — a choice between cancer and polio, in the accurate words of Sir Mick — react to the Puffendorf Proof Test.

And Silverwolf himself is wrong again. He referred above to Rep. Paul as being “triple-nine”, but on further rumination he thinks “four-nines” is a truer description of this very brave man from Texas.

For the Golden Friends of Liberty, this Sterling howl of Freedom. Hoooooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwww.                — Silverwolf

Tags: , Natural Law, Puffendorf, Ron Paul