A Word From Ron Paul

Forbes ^ | 04 Mar 2008 | Ron Paul

[BGHater]

Trailwatch reached out to each of the remaining presidential campaigns and offered them an unedited forum in which they could address voters. As he was when we requested information for our Candidate Screener, Ron Paul was the first candidate to respond to our offer. We asked each campaign to submit 500 to 1,000 words on the issues they believe are the most important ones facing the nation at this moment in time. Here is what Ron Paul had to say.

--Paul M. Murdock

America became the greatest, most prosperous nation in history through low taxes, constitutionally limited government, personal freedom and a belief in sound money. I decided to run for president because I am deeply concerned that the conservative movement has drifted away from these principles that we once so fiercely defended. Deficits have exploded, entitlements are out of control and our personal liberties are threatened like never before.

The current state of our economy drives home the hard truth that living beyond our means has caught up to us. Oil is over $100 a barrel, the housing market is in sharp decline and the dollar is in a free fall.

The national debt now stands in excess of $9 trillion, more than $30,000 per person. The total future debt obligations of the United States, including entitlements, are estimated at around $59 trillion, which equates to over $500,000 per household. Social Security and Medicare will likely consume the entire federal budget by 2040, threatening the average American with an impossible tax burden.

[ex-snook]

The President does not have a private army at his disposal. A declaration of war unites the country. We should declare war on every country we bomb before we bomb them. Not like a Pearl Harbor. Bush already said any country that harbors terrorists is a terrorist country. So a WOT is just a war on words. involve Congress, Declare War, Unite the Country.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

...Dennis Kucinich's race in Ohio and Ron Paul's race in Texas. Both of them will win. Sources in Paul's campaign were tight-lipped, but they expect to know they've won within 30 minutes of the polls closing. Also, they expect Republican turnout to be high despite GOP voters dabbling in the Clinton-Obama race. What about Chris Peden's boast that the GOP committee in Aransas County has endorsed him? "Six precinct chairs in the county that makes up one of the smallest parts of our district? No, we're not worried about that." On the local sherrifs who endorsed Peden? "They've endorsed against Dr. Paul in the past, and Republican voters aren't moved by their sherrifs or by party officials they've never heard of." Bottom line: Eric Dondero probably doesn't need to update his resume for a new Congressional job tomorrow.

The Mini Tuesday Primary Thread: Paul and Kucinich Triumph...

[xzins]

Article 1, Section 8, Subsection 10- Congress is authorized to define and punish offenses against the laws of nations

That and the sections about letters of marque and reprisal are also operations less than all-out war. The Founders knew that there were situations that were best handled by strategies other than total war.

Congress' letter of authorization on Sep 18, 2001 constituted a letter from Congress to do whatever it took to destroy anyone or anything that had any part whatsoever, even peripherally, in the attack of 9/11.

Getting even, revenge, etc., are synonymns for "reprisal."

The Constitution Party is in the same boat. They would be appealing if they would recognize this same thing. The Constitution permits military action less than all-out war.

Also, there are reasons -- good ones -- for thinking this War on Terror should have been an all-out war. It should have been declared against Afghan, Iran, Iraq as the primary national sponsors of terror.

[Revelation 911]

LOL - an oxymoron

[mnehring]

The President does not have a private army at his disposal.

Exactly, that is why Congress passed an Authorization for the Use of Force for both Iraq and Afghanistan.

[rb22982]

What is wrong with what he said or do you prefer to attack the person instead of the substance?

[rb22982]

That be bad for both Republicans and Paul if that happens.

[spanalot]

Does any one here think that these are not the major issues of the day?

[death2tyrants]

“our personal liberties are threatened like never before”

Yeah, we can’t even communicate with Al Qaeda operatives overseas without worring about being wire-tapped./s

[rb22982]

I might add Ron Paul is up by more than double in the only real poll out so the odds of him losing is very unlikely.

http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=b904696a2b4d2a3e

[tacticalogic]

..and just to expand on the previous comment, even Paul himself found the 'authorization to use force' instead of a declaration of war completely fine when it came to Afghanistan; he voted for that.

I'll expect all future reference to the ongoing conflict from you to be termed "the authorized use of force in Iraq", and "the authorized use of force against terrorists". Quit lying about this imaginary "war".

[mnehring]

Imaginary...nice... I guess I would expect as much.. Off to caucus.. enjoy the imaginary world.

[ovrtaxt]

People are afraid of freedom- it’s easier to have your decisions made for you. That’s why they run from common sense policy like Paul’s.

Either that, or it’s just a tragic ignorance of history.

[tacticalogic]

Imaginary...nice... I guess I would expect as much.. Off to caucus.. enjoy the imaginary world.

Better than the the "it's whatever you want it to be right now" dog and pony show.

[TWohlford]

Didn’t Ron Paul once run for some office?

I seem to remember that he had a bunch of jerks spamming us here about it....

[GulfBreeze]

Thanks Mnehrling...

Wished I had figured this guy out sooner.

[Alex Murphy]

Ping to read later

[glorgau]

...while better candidates have been kicked to the curb.

No, the "better" candidates quit.

[murphE]

This is the first time in over 100 years that monetary policy is being discussed in earnest during a presidential campaign.

ping

[Perdogg]

Ron “Shrimp boats are coming” Paul. I went to a Ron Paul rally one day, they gave me a pair of white Nikes and an purple jumpsuit and offered to shave my head.