Posted on 12/27/2017 7:21:22 AM PST by EdnaMode
Former Texas Rep. Ron Paul says a yearlong economic boom under President Trump is “a bit of an illusion” and that debt, inflation, and inequality could cause turmoil that benefits a “hardcore nucleus” of libertarians.
The libertarian Republican leader told the Washington Examiner that Trump could face a strong challenger in the 2020 GOP primary, especially if “things are really much worse."
“The big opening for us is the fact that this system is coming apart. We’re on the verge of something like what happened in ‘89 when the Soviet system just collapsed,” he said. “I’m just hoping our system comes apart as gracefully as the Soviet system.”
Paul doesn’t believe the U.S. will break into separate countries, but instead expects a rethink of monetary policy and an end to what he considers a U.S. “empire” overseas.
“We have ownership of these countries, but it’s not quite like the Soviets did,” he said. “I think our stature in the world and our empire will end, and that’s when, hopefully, the doors will be open and [people will] say, ‘Hey, maybe these libertarians have some answers to this.’”
Paul said “the country’s feeling a lot better, but it’s all on borrowed money” and that “the whole system’s an illusion” built on corporate, personal, and governmental debt. “It’s a bubble economy in many many different ways and it’s going to come unglued,” he said.
The former congressman for years has presented issues in stark terms, refreshingly so for supporters and with an alarmist edge in the eyes of detractors.
Paul rose to prominence with 2008 and 2012 GOP presidential bids, running on an anti-war, pro-civil liberties message. When his son, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., appeared well positioned for a 2016 presidential run, news outlets declared the country was experiencing a “libertarian moment.”
“The appearance of the libertarian movement has been set back partially because of Trump, but intellectually we’ve been doing well,” Paul said, describing a large "hardcore nucleus" of conference-attending enthusiasts.
Although broadly critical of Trump, Paul likes the president's talk about removing government regulations and implementing tax cuts.
“Trump’s being a good cheerleader. He’s a cheerleader for Wall Street, and I keep my fingers crossed, maybe lowering some of the taxes will help, certainly lowering the regulations. But I think the problems are so deep and structural,” he said.
Paul said he's disappointed with Trump's foreign policy, especially his approach toward North Korea and his support for Saudi Arabia's military role in Yemen.
“I think the foreign policy is a total disaster. Trump’s approach sounds good one day but the next day he’s antagonizing everyone in the world and thinks we should start a war here and there," he said.
Domestically, Paul views Attorney General Jeff Sessions as a threat to civil liberties and said he would be “delighted” if Trump fired him, though he’s not hopeful the replacement would be better.
The former congressman said he continues to view the U.S. as being on a path to fascism — on a long historical arch featuring authoritarian policies of Presidents Lincoln and Wilson.
“This time when we have a permanent war on terrorism there’s no backing off — and with the war on immigrants, and the borders,” he said. “Anybody who thinks we’re not doing too badly has not been flying on an airplane lately. That’s about as authoritarian-fascism as you can get.”
Paul said government policies that steer money to the wealthy create understandable anger among poorer Americans — pointing to the success of Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont socialist, in his 2016 campaign for the Democratic nomination. Paul said a libertarian answer, halting inflation and "crony capitalism," would result in more freedom.
“We as libertarians have some work to do before [voters] are going to accept a true-blue libertarian,” he said, “but I think moving in that direction and having a popular candidate [in 2020] is very possible.”
"If they only hear our message, I know they would choose liberty and sound money and freedom and peace over the mess we have today," Paul said.
Was that "President Ron Paul" speaking?
Yeah, I thought so.
Speak to me when you know how to get there, Ron.
Ron Paul is a worse idiot than Rand Paul
After the ‘90 to ‘91 war in the Persian Gulf, Ron Paul appeared on the morning talk shows outlining the position that using armored bulldozers and tanks with plow attachments to clear Iraqi trench lines had been tantamount to war crimes. What, we were supposed to charge them on foot and jump in with bayonets and trench knives?
Ron Paul is a bad person, and it takes someone with the same mentality which he displays to defend him.
You are correct. Had my Pauls confused.
RON is a blithering idiot. Rand is OK.
It wouldn’t surprise me at all. He will have kept most of his promises and set the table for his successor. He’ll want to spend the remaining years with his family and not being subjected to daily hate.
RON is jealous of PRESIDENT TRUMP’S success.
He’s gotten more done in one year than others did in their 8. Maybe he won’t need a second term. But those are going to some tough shoes to fill IF and only IF, he decides that he only wants one term. If he goes for a second term, I’m in!
Ron’s out gassing again
He’s 71 now. So in two years he’ll be 76? Oh.
Honestly, I have no idea how he puts up with so much hate from the left.
“What, we were supposed to charge them on foot and jump in with bayonets and trench knives?”
If the nation is going to war, we were supposed to have an actual declaration of war by Congress as the Constitution requires, not military action ordered by the President. The joint resolution of Congress in 1991, authorizing the use of troops, after President George H.W. Bush placed 500,000 US troops in the region, did not meet the requirements of the Constitution for a declaration of war.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!
Trump is at almost 90% among republicans....these are historic, lengendary times....i literally wake up every day waiting to see what he does today. We finally got a guy who did what he said hed do...his take down of the media will be talked about years from now. The FBI and the CIA basically committed sedition against him, yet look what hes accomplished....easily the best vote i ever cast..he literally saved this country...i mean..the guy is getting standing ovations in his church!!!!
TRUMP BEAT 16 other Republicans when he had no HISTORY of Conservatism!
With 4 years of Conservative Policies under his belt, WTF can beat or PRIMARY TRUMP?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Have you seen #NeverTRUMPers like Michelle Malkin & Dana Loesch talk about TRUMP now?
They LOVE him!! LOL
I hate to interrupt your selective information rant (you being all head up in your self righteous steam and all) but Congress had ratified a mutual defense treaty with Kuwait. That is why they didn’t have a military to speak of.
When Iraq rolled into Kuwait we were effectively in a war that Congress (following Kissinger’s stupid mechinations) had commited us to years before.
Herbert Walker Bush did intend to reneg on the agreement, but the terrified Saudi government provided Ted Turner’s nascent CNN with global transmitting cameras and personnel inside Kuwait to broadcast footage which politically cornered Bush into honoring our commitment.
Did you think that just because the press and the schools don’t discuss these factors that the people who went over there wouldn’t remember them? Or were you so clueless about the Middle East at the time that you weren’t really following what was going on?
Those are the only two possibilities.
Or several more times.
Trump is a natural campaigner. It’s what he does best. A primary challenge would force the media to focus completely on him—again—as in 2016. And for whatever reason, many people enjoy that circus. A majority finds Trump especially compelling when he goes mano-a-mano against the pompous establishment RNC, DNC and their media creatures, even outside his hardcore group of followers.
The only way President Trump does not get re-elected is if he betrays US with amnesty for illegal aliens.
Ron Paul’s starting to sound like a sore loser... move over Al Gore...
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