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Political/Philosophical Mismatch of the Week: Ron Paul Radicals Court Hutterite Vote

The sneaky Ron Paul fantasists are busy recruiting South Dakota's Hutterite vote:

From Ron Paul "South Dakota for Liberty" Facebook page, 2012.05.29
From Ron Paul "South Dakota for Liberty" Facebook page, 2012.05.29

In case your browser blocks images, here's the text:

This past week, 398 Hutterites registered to vote after grassroots supporters of Dr. Ron Paul met with leaders of two colonies in southeastern South Dakota. It is important for Hutterites -- who are normally not very politically active -- to get involved in the process so that their views are represented. Dr. Paul's moral character as well as his message of limited, Constitutional government, pro-life beliefs, support for homeschooling, pro-peace foreign policy and less federal intrusion are particularly appealing to the Hutterites. Above all, they value the sovereignty and independence of their colonies.

Just as I suspected: Ron Paul's "sovereignty" and "independence" are code for local theocracy.

But just wait until the Hutterites learn Ron Paul will end farm subsidies and welfare payments. And just wait until the Ron Paul people realize they are courting the votes of religious folks who reject the principles of private property and individualism.

10 Comments

  1. testor15 2012.05.29

    " And just wait until the Ron Paul people realize they are courting the votes of religious folks who reject the principles of private property and individualism."
    .
    What? Isn't this a definition of Karl Marxist socialism?

  2. Barry Smith 2012.05.29

    Kudos to the Ron Paul folks for getting the Hutterites registered, they need to be involved. Its going to take more than 400 Anabaptists to beat Romney though.

  3. Vickie 2012.05.29

    So,they got some folks from a couple of the colonies registered to vote. Good for them....but how do they know that those newly registered voters will actually vote the way they want them to. There is plenty of time yet for the Hutterite voters,or any voter,to change their minds and vote for someone else.

  4. Steve Sibson 2012.05.29

    Your link to the "Daily Beast", as in the Beast of Revelation? Makes your anti-Christian bigotry understandable.

    [CAH: Steve, seriously?]

  5. David Newquist 2012.05.29

    It is a false notion that Hutterites are politically naive and have no interest in politics. They also have internal factions, just as the political parties do, that can become stridently divisive. The recent dispute at the Hutterville Colony near Stratford between the Kleinsasser and Wipf factions is a case in point. As a friendly advisor to members of the Kleinsasser faction, which favors education for all Hutterites and now operates a high school at the colony, I sat through many hours of court proceedings and testimony during the last two years after a circuit court ordered the church's nonprofit corporation to be dissolved. I was approached because I have had some members involved in the dispute as students and, as one member bluntly put it, because I am connected to the Democratic party.

    The State Supreme Court remanded the dissolution order, finding that the civil courts had no business involving themselves in the internal affairs of a religious order. One of the factors that energized the more progressive faction was that the trustee appointed take control of the corporation and manage the dissolution, who happened to be a member of the Board of Regents, took a very partial and arbitrary stance in discharging his duties, which strongly reflected a Republican corporatism in the way he regarded the church members.

    While Hutterites have no individual property rights, and no member, officer, or director may receive compensation or corporate assets, they do have many benefits that are managed at the family level, not the least of which is health care. The colonies also engage in many business enterprises which are developed from the interests and talents of members who have pursued individual interests--from, in the case of Hutterville, making window blinds to the raising of tilapia fish. The success of these ventures accrues to the general membership.

    In managing colony business, the members know who their elected representatives are and which ones operate on principles that allow the Hutterites to maintain their community of goods but to enhance and develop that community for the benefit of all. They understand capitalism, but reject its predatory aspects. The role of business is to contribute to the community.

    My Hutterite friends have informed me about the consequences of political stances and which representatives maintain what stances. They are not bound to any partisan interests, but they know which party has served their interests and maintained their freedom to live their way of life.

    They do vote. And knowledgeably.

  6. caheidelberger Post author | 2012.05.29

    I wondered about the Ron Paulites' apparent naïvété about the Hutterites. Here in Lake County, we always expect the local colonists to come in en masse and vote. Of course, the rumor among "the English" is that the head man tells the members which to vote, and they vote in bloc. They understand how the system works, and they understand which candidates represent their interests. I'll be curious to see if they really think Ron Paul has their best interests at heart.

  7. Taunia 2012.05.29

    Fascinating. Will they also be registering for the selective service, or is Ron Paul swaying them with his whole anti-war meme (except when he voted to for the war in Aghanistan. Shhh)? Are they paying personal income taxes and withholding taxes (specifically Social Security) yet?

    I've been gone long enough from SD that I've lost track of the Hutterites and colonies. They seemed to have the biggest, newest farm equipment available and always a bumper crop of the tastiest diamond watermelons.

    What do they think of Ron Paul pushing for legalizing marijuana? Are they seeking a new crop?

    Are they donating campaign money to Ron Paul?

  8. larry kurtz 2012.05.29

    "In the narrowest sense, she's yet another working mom opening up her life to the camera. But Hofer is part of an unusual and intriguing world, a small Montana religious commune depicted in National Geographic Channel's "American Colony: Meet the Hutterites."" AP.

  9. Douglas Wiken 2012.05.29

    Are Hutterite "religious" operations exempt from taxation?

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