Posted on 03/16/2007 8:13:30 AM PDT by OrthodoxPresbyterian
Ron Paul announces White House bid
Texas Republican says Nation has strayed from Constitution
Posted: March 12, 2007
2:00 p.m. Eastern
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, a Texas Republican known for his libertarian views, today announced he will vie for the GOP presidential nomination next year.
"We have lost our way and strayed from the free society our Founders secured for us in the Constitution, but there's no reason the principles that made us the greatest nation ever can't be restored," he said.
"We merely need to respect and follow the rule of law – the U.S. Constitution – and elect leaders determined to stand firm in its defense," he said.
Paul, 71, who ran for the office in 1988 under the Libertarian Party ticket, made his announcement on C-SPAN's Washington Journal program and immediately afterward filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission.
He said he will pursue lower taxes, to protect the United States from the threat to its independence that various international agreements provide, to secure its national borders, to protect citizens' privacy from government intrusion and to reverse the trend of government taking private property from citizens.
"My concerns for the future of our country are deeply held. The Republican Party has floundered in its effort to shrink the size of government and restore our constitutional republic," he said. "Instead, in recent years our deficits have exploded, entitlements are out of control and our personal liberties are threatened. We have embarked on a dangerous and expensive foreign policy, acting as the world's policeman and nation builder."
Paul, said the U.S. very simply no longer can "afford the extravagance of this ever-growing and intrusive government, both at home and abroad."
"Last year alone our long-term obligations increased by $4.6 trillion dollars," he said.
The problems are not particularly complex, however, Paul insisted.
"Liberty once again must become more important to us than the desire for security and material comfort. Personal safety and economic prosperity can only come as the consequence of liberty. They cannot be provided by an authoritarian government. To expect the government to take care of us from cradle to grave undermines the principles of liberty," he said.
He said the nation's current direction is completely wrong.
"Returning to the dark ages of dictatorship is no substitute for resuming the most modern and grandest experiment known to Man – promoting Human Liberty by strictly limiting the arbitrary power of Government," he said.
ONE DAY after Ron Paul officially annouced, here are the numbers...
CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll. March 9-11, 2007. N=401 registered voters nationwide who are Republicans or lean Republican. MoE ± 4.9.
"Please tell me which of the following people you would be most likely to support for the Republican nomination for president in the year 2008. . . ." Names rotated
(http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08rep.htm)
| Rudy Giuliani | 34% |
| John McCain | 18% |
| Newt Gingrich | 9% |
| Mitt Romney | 9% |
| George Pataki | 3% |
| RON PAUL | 2% |
| Jim Gilmore | 2% |
| Sam Brownback | 2% |
| Chuck Hagel | 2% |
| Mike Huckabee | 1% |
| Tom Tancredo | 1% |
| Tommy Thompson | 1% |
| Duncan Hunter | 0% |
| Unsure | 17% |
RON PAUL -- Already the LEADING Candidate amongst True Conservatives? Not bad for only being officially "in the Race" for ONE DAY! Constitutional Conservatives must get behind ONE Pro-Life, Pro-Borders, Pro-Guns, Pro-Constitution Candidate in 2008 or else we will be rail-roaded by the GOP Establishment AGAIN.
RON PAUL is the MAN! The Biggest Tax-Cutter in all of Congress, the only Republican Candidate with an A+ rating from the Gun Owners of America, the Darling of the Pro-Life Constitution Party, and the Hero of the Libertarians... RON PAUL is the last, best hope of the REAGAN REPUBLICANS!
"The greatest champion of conservative principles we have seen in Congress in the past quarter century."
(David T. Pyne, Esq., Vice President of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies.)
Okay, then... honest question:
Do you believe that the Terrorist-Harboring Government of Iraq is worthy of spending hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of American Lives? Why should the Federal Government continue to provide Military and Financial support to these American-Murdering Terrorist Scum? I honestly do not understand your position. Please explain.
Best, OP
The Republican's record of loyalty to their base has been dismal. They're not owed any loyalty because they don't have any.
Please Ping or FreepMail me to be added to the Great Ron Paul Ping List (GRPPL).
bookmark
You have just given a succinct explanation of the current Wilsonian policy which seeks to turn an area dominated for over a thousand years by feuding Shi'ites and Sunnis into a unitary, pro-liberty, democratic nation. If that utopian dream isn't a "head in the sand" foreign policy, nothing is.
Oh, good grief. I like Ron Paul on some issues, but he is totally hopeless on some of the most important.
For one thing, he's an isolationist, who would pull out of Iraq and everywhere else if he had a chance.
For another, he could care less about the social issues, such as the right to life.
He is totally isolated in congress, a party of one. He has no political connections, and would be unlikely to be able to make any. He would never be a team player or someone who could work with others to achieve his goals.
No, I stand corrected on the right to life issue. Sorry about that.
I read the story and didn't see where he said that Iraqi intelligence was helping him. Could you provide evidence for this?
I hate to break the bad news, but my dog was already leading Tancredo and Hunter.
FYI. As always, I respect you, Lex, and I also like your candidate. There are many good points about Duncan Hunter.
However, Rudy G is at 34%. Conservatives must choose soon, or else pick our spaces at the back of the bus.
Ron Paul is also anti-Israel and voted against supporting Israel last year in it's fight against Hezbollah.
I agree with you as far as the party and its commitment to the base. But I've stayed in the trenches and fought the good fight for our party over the years, and at times Ron Paul wasn't there with me. Instead, he was writing aticles in obscure journals calling me a "sellout" or "liberal neocon" because I held my nose and supported my party's admittedly flawed candidates. That's something I do not quickly forget.
Conservatives must choose soon, or else pick our spaces at the back of the bus.
You mean tied to the bumper?
I like Ron Paul for his "Dr. No" votes. But there are some areas where he does not shine. He has absolutely no support from his peers in congress, rarely gets cosponsors on bills and I haven't found any legislation that he's introduced that actually got passed into law.On Immigration, he leaves a lot to be desired. I find no legislation that he's introduced to control immigration or to secure the border.
Voted on House floor against amendment to increase security with border fence in 2005
Cosponsoring legislation to increase H-2B workers who are present in the U.S. at any one time in 2005-2006
Nearly doubled H-1B foreign high-tech workers in 1998
Voted in 1998 to allow firms to lay off Americans to make room for foreign workers
Voted against amendment to fund program to deny driver's licenses to illegal aliens in 2005
Voted against authorizing the use of the military to assist in border control functions in 2004
Voted against extending a voluntary workplace verification pilot program in 2003
Voted against using the military to assist in border control functions in 2003
Voted FOR Section 245(i), a form of amnesty for illegal aliens in 2002
Voted against authorizing the use of the military to assist in border control efforts in 2002
Voted in favor of a four-month extension of Section 245(i) in 2001
Voted AGAINST killing pro-illegal-alien Section 245(i) program in 1997
Voted in 2000 against authorizing troops on the border.
http://profiles.numbersusa.com/improfile.php3?DistSend=TX&VIPID=787
I don't agree with him 100%, but he's more acceptable to me than the liberal Republican three stooges that the MSM is trying to ram down our throats. Hunter would be OK too.
DAMN STRAIGHT.
"I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent. If I could not go to Heaven but with a Party, I would not go there at all." --Thomas Jefferson
As the Executive, Ron Paul won't need "political connections", nor will he seek to be a "team player" except insofar as Congress in willinmg to Obey the Constitution.
All he needs is a big, fat box of VETO pens. If Congress refuses to Obey the Constitution, that'll keep him happy for eight glorious years.
It sounds like you have resigned yourself to holding your nose for the rest of your life, but it isn't going to get any better if you continue on your course. Next time, the smell is going to be so terrible and unforgettable that you will need to invest in an airtight space suit when you cast your ballot for Rudy or McCain.
agreed and I would add the Republican loyalty to the Constitution is non-existent.
Uh huh? Funny how those silly Iraqis and Afghanis showed up in huge numbers to vote for a parliament and to apporove democratic constitutions. Funny how Turkey, Jordan, the UAE, Morrocco and a handful of other muslim countries have been helping us track down terrorists. Funny how UAE even sent trainers to Afghanistan and Jordan continues to train Iraqi security forces. Funny how Libya gave up its nuke program after we invaded Iraq and busted their program with the help of Pakistan. Funny how even the Saudis have been battling Al Qaeda and assisting us with intelligence. Funny how thousands of taliban and foreign jihadis have been wiped off the face of the earth in Afghanistan & Iraq, never able to plot against the US again. Funny how Pakistan helped catch the fat bastard that plotted 9-11 and is rotting at Gitmo. Funny how the Paks are aiding Britain in its anti-terrorism campaign. Funny how fast the Ethiopians with US help managed to retake Somalia from the AQ linked Islamic Court.
Funny that the Bush doctrine is working despite the flaming liberals and so the defeatist so called "conservatives" who are praying for failure.
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