Thread: Ron Paul on the Issues

The Fed in a Vice: an Ugly Jobs Report, Romney, & Obama

Submitted by testosteronepit on 06/02/2012 15:36 -0400
Wolf Richter www.testosteronepit.com

The ugly jobs report gave Mitt Romney’s campaign what it had been waiting for: a huge boost. And they’re out making hay. Romney called it "devastating news for American workers and American families.” An army of Republican talking heads swarmed over the land and pummeled President Obama with the jobs report. And just as Republicans see victory edge closer, shrill voices are now calling for the Fed to launch the next round of quantitative easing.

On Thursday, Romney, in California to rake in the big bucks with a series of high-dollar fundraisers, took some time out for a news conference in Fremont, in front of a weedy property dominated by a shuttered office building. Parched hills in the background. “Solyndra” a sign said. The company isn’t famous for its special thin-film solar cells that proved to be uncompetitive, but for the scandal surrounding the $535 million in federal loan guarantees it had received as part of the stimulus package. It was one of the ballyhooed "green tech" outfits that were going to revolutionize the American industrial scene, create gazillions of "green jobs," and conquer the world.

“A symbol of a serious conflict of interest," Romney called it as he recapped the sordid affair, one of the worst debacles, though not the only one, of the stimulus bonanza, which, if I recall correctly, had been a bipartisan concoction. When Solyndra went bankrupt, taxpayers had to pay off the loans that the government had guaranteed. The promised green jobs remained elusive.

And there certainly weren’t any signs of them in the jobs report (BLS PDF). Instead of the 165,000 jobs that the Wall Street hype machine had proffered, a mere 69,000 jobs were created in May—corroborating recent data of a wobbly economy. And worse: the April number was whacked down from the original and already disappointing 115,000 to 77,000 and the March number was trimmed from 154,000 to 143,000. The recent trend looks awful:



The headline unemployment rate ticked up a notch to 8.2%, and U-6, the broadest measure that includes the underemployed and those marginally attached to the labor force, ticked up three notches to 14.8%. While the Employment-Population Ratio improved a smidgen to 58.6%, it depicts better than anything else the tragedy of the American employment scene.



After World War II until 1975, the Employment-Population Ratio bounced between 55% and 58%. As women entered the workforce in greater numbers, it edged up; and after the recession of 1983, it went on a bull run that peaked in April 2000 at 64.7%. Then it declined. Whatever the reason. Outsourcing, innovation, off-shoring, tax laws, technological progress, corporate shortsightedness, cheaper labor elsewhere. When the housing and construction bubble took off in 2004, it recovered a bit, but in 2006, it all fell apart. Since the jobs crash of the Great Recession, the ratio has remained close to the lows last seen in 1984.

And this, despite years of gyrations by the Fed as it printed trillions of dollars and inflicted its zero-interest-rate policy on savers, bondholders, and pension funds, thus creating an era of financial repression where investing in relatively safe instruments produces a guaranteed loss after inflation. These policies have led to capital misallocation and outright capital destruction: for one of the fiascos that these policies abetted—capital destruction on a massive scale—and that is now brutally coming to a head, read.... The Natural Gas Massacre Gets Bloodier.
The policies have also created epic bubbles in bonds and commodities, plenty of inflation for the middle class, and an enormous amount of wealth for those who benefitted from them ... but alas, they haven’t created a lot of jobs.

As Romney is trying to use the deteriorating jobs picture as a crowbar to dislodge Obama from the Oval Office, an opposing effort is gaining momentum: getting the Fed to open up the spigot and flood Wall Street with money. On Thursday, Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren spelled out the Fed’s options, from extending Operation Twist to purchasing mortgaged backed securities. So the yield on the 10-year Treasury note plunged to 1.46%, unthinkably low not long ago. Japan comes to mind. But QE3, even in modest form, would be perceived as helping Obama cling to his job. And this would put the Fed on collision course with every Republican.

Interesting times. And now, to top it off, the strongest and toughest creature out there, and maybe the smartest one, that no one has been able to subdue yet.... The Inexplicable American Consumer Has Hit a Wall.

And here is a hilarious, sharp-tongued, but good-natured cartoon by Ben Garrison: “Romney, Taking a Stand on the Issues.” Precious!



The Fed in a Vice: an Ugly Jobs Report, Romney, & Obama | ZeroHedge

How Ron Paul is Injecting Principle into the GOP

This column by Ron Paul activist and delegate Craig Westover in Minnesota’s Star Tribune is a response to accusations that our movement is somehow “fringe” and meaningless. Anybody who truly believes this simply hasn’t been paying attention to American politics for the last four years. Westover makes interesting comparisons, to both religious conservatives and the gay rights movement, and finishes by explaining how we’re injecting genuine limited government principles into the Republican Party:

First, let’s understand what a “movement” or a “revolution” is. All movements — the Pat Robertson Republican coup in the 1980s, gay rights, women’s suffrage, civil rights and, yes, the Ron Paul movement — follow a common pattern.

Movements all begin at the margins with people who have little or nothing to lose. Unsuccessful movements never expand beyond the sloganeering fringe. Successful movements — those with an intellectual and moral basis — mature to attract a mainstream following.

The gay-rights movement is a great example. Shirtless hunks in leather tutus and motorcycling “Dykes on Bikes” are no longer the point of the gay-rights spear. It’s the gay lawyer/gay accountant, lesbian legislator/lesbian physician — same-sex couples with kids and fundamental concerns about faith, family and freedom — who are now the face of the movement.

Focusing commentary on the remnants of the gay-rights fringe is something the media would never do. But focusing on the fringe of the Ron Paul movement is exactly what the Strib and WaPo commentaries actually do.

Libertarians today are on that cusp between being all about the T-shirt and all about ideas. I was a libertarian before it was cool and a Republican when it wasn’t cool.

As a political force in the 1970s, libertarians had little to lose… Times have changed…

Libertarians today are less about provocative issues and more about reversing the expanding scope of government. Government expansion is bad in itself, but the future consequences are worse: Without defined limits on government, our liberties, our American republic, are truly at risk…
The power of an idea, personal freedom, doesn’t lie in manufactured popularity.

What about that Paul-inspired “wacky,” “nutty” “constitutional fundamentalism” found in Republican Party platforms?

Sure, abolishing the Department of Agriculture and the Federal Reserve is not going to happen even under a President Paul. But a political party that seriously considers abolishing cabinet-level departments and unaccountable government entities is a political party that probably won’t advocate for a new cabinet-level “Department of the Internet” and is serious about monetary policy.

It’s a party that stands for something.

That brings us to the WaPo admonition that “Paulites” learn to compromise…

One does not compromise principle. It’s a cliché and a fallacy that, given two diametrically opposed points of view, the “truth” must necessarily lie somewhere in the middle.

The Republican problem is buying into the “compromise is good” argument and declaring victory for every move to the left that “could have been so much worse.”

Paulites won’t make that compromise.

Ron Paul delegates to the RNC will support the nominee. However, integral to that support is holding the candidate and the party to the fundamental principles of limited government and personal and economic freedom. Constancy to principle is the ultimate loyalty.

All that said, I urge our media friends to examine the default position that government is good and invite them to think for themselves. The Ron Paul revolution offers the media, the Republican Party and America that opportunity. Take it.

How Ron Paul is Injecting Principle into the GOP*|*Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign CommitteeRon Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign Committee

Ron Paul Endorsed by Rapid City, South Dakota City Councilman Jordan Mason


“I stand for liberty and I stand for the American dream. And so I stand behind Ron Paul.”

LAKE JACKSON, Texas – 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul was endorsed today by the Hon. Jordan Mason, City Councilman, Ward 4 of Rapid City, South Dakota.

In making public his endorsement, Councilman Mason said he was doing so as a private citizen and not on behalf of any organization with which he is affiliated.

“I stand for strong fiscal policy. I stand for solving our problems at home before we try to solve other countries’ problems abroad. I stand for liberty and I stand for the American dream. And so I stand behind Ron Paul,” said Councilman Mason.


Councilman Mason is the youngest member of the Rapid City Council, which does not hold partisan elections.

Prior to his service as a city council member, Mason served four years in the U.S. Navy as a CTT3 (Cryptological Technical Technician) in the Global War on Terrorism while on a SNMG-1 Tour in 2004-2005, and in the War on Drugs during 2006-2007. During his service he received two Letters of Commendation, a Good Conduct Medal, a Defense Ribbon, and a Battle “E” Ribbon, to name only a few such honors.

Mason was honorably discharged from the Navy as a Petty Officer 3^rd Class and then pursued his college education from 2007-2011. During that time, he ran for city council in 2010 against the sitting President of the Common Council and won on June 28, 2010. Last year Mason graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.S. degree in Interdisciplinary Sciences (Pre-law).

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Ron Paul Endorsed by Rapid City, South Dakota City Councilman Jordan Mason*|*Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign CommitteeRon Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign Committee

Ron Paul Endorsed by South Dakota State Rep. Brian Liss

Sioux Falls conservative declares, “Ron Paul will reign in fiscal irresponsibility and reestablish constitutional government.”

LAKE JACKSON, Texas – 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul was endorsed today by South Dakota State Representative Brian Liss (R-Sioux Falls). Rep. Liss represents the Mount Rushmore State’s 13th House District. The area comprises Minnehaha County including Sioux Falls, the state’s largest city. In making public his endorsement, Rep. Liss is doing so as a private citizen and not on behalf of any entity with which he is affiliated.

“It makes no sense for my fellow South Dakotans to send unvigilant, liberal Republican delegates to the party’s national convention in Tampa. Ron Paul’s delegates understand liberty, and Dr. Paul himself fully understands and appreciates federalism,” said Rep. Liss.

“Ron Paul will reign in fiscal irresponsibility and reestablish constitutional government,” he added.

Rep. Liss personifies the new energy and enthusiasm that will benefit the Republican Party if a welcoming environment persists, as many hope it will. Liss first ran for office as a Libertarian candidate for Lt. Governor in South Dakota in 1994 and in 2006 ran for state representative as an independent candidate. He won office for the first time in 2010 running as a Republican for the House in District 13, and has aided many Republican candidates in various capacities.

Ron Paul Endorsed by South Dakota State Rep. Brian Liss*|*Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign CommitteeRon Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign Committee

Ron Paul supporter has fingers broken at contested Louisiana GOP convention

Angel Clark
Wilmington Elections 2012 Examiner
June 2, 2012



Alex Helwig before his fingers are broken / Photo credit: Youtube

Louisiana's Republican convention in Shreveport on Saturday resulted in unexpected assaults and arrests, including one man who had his fingers broken. Many were expecting disagreements over the choice of delegates, especially after the state party's executive committee issued 16 pages of new rules before the convention, but it's doubtful that many guessed the severity of the disagreements. The Ron Paul campaign team explained the conflicts in detail.

According to Ron Paul and his campaign staff, 113 of the 180 delegates voted to remove the sitting GOP chairman when he refused to respond to requests for information. The 113 delegates than physically moved their chairs away from the "establishment GOP" and started their own convention. The nearly two-thirds of the delegates began their convention, and that's when the mayhem broke out. Security officials, unaware of the newly formed convention, attacked Henry Herford Jr. His prosthetic hip was dislocated and may have to be replaced. Alex Helwig, chairman of the Rules Committee, was arrested after he made a motion to remove the Republican chair. The Shreveport police released him later; however, some of his fingers were broken during his detainment. Video of Helwig being arrested and assaulted has been circulating the internet and has drawn outrage from Ron Paul supporters. Helwig returned to the Louisiana convention later, walking with the aid of a cane. Many are curious about what happened during his detainment.

The rest of the convention apparently went on with little issues as a newly formed convention finished its work. Romney's Louisiana campaign chair, Scott Sewell, claimed he would do everything he could to make sure the delegation was seated in Tampa.

The Louisiana Republican Party chair sent out an email after the convention was over. According to Jason Doré, the Louisiana Republican Party does not recognize the Ron Paul delegates.

Louisiana receives 46 votes at the national convention. Thirty were elected on Saturday. Three are automatic delegates. No one was nominated for the final thirteen positions, which were left vacant and may now be filled by the state party’s Executive Committee. The positions were left open by a majority of the delegates participating in the convention in order to facilitate talks with Ron Paul supporters who refused to participate in the convention in order to protest state party rules requiring presidential candidates to approve delegates allocated to them.

According to a witness at the convention, after Alex Helwig, the newly elected chair, was arrested, another chairperson was elected and the convention continued and finished all business, including electing national delegates. Ron Paul supporters are filing a civil rights abuse lawsuit against the GOP.

Only time will tell which delegates are seated in Tampa at the Republican National Convention. It is becoming more and more apparent that Ron Paul supporters will not vote for any other candidate. Many Ron Paul supporters claim they will write Ron Paul in rather than vote for Mitt Romney.

Ron Paul supporter has fingers broken at contested Louisiana GOP convention - Wilmington Elections 2012 | Examiner.com

Police Assault Ron Paul Delegate at LAGOP Convention

Submitted by RonPaulHemp on Sat, 06/02/2012 - 12:29
Ron Paul 2012
Louisiana

Alex Helwig, Ron Paul Rules Chairman at the LA GOP Convention, elected legitimately by the majority delegation, is thrown out and assaulted by Shreveport Police.




http://www.dailypaul.com/237478/poli...gop-convention

Only 19% See Obama, Romney As Best Possible Presidential Candidates


Submitted by Integrity on Sat, 06/02/2012 - 11:33
Ron Paul 2012
Quicklink

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Mitt Romney may have clinched the Republican nomination this week, but most voters aren't happy with the choices they now face in this year’s presidential election.

Just 19% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Romney and President Obama are the two best people running for the presidency. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 64% don’t believe they're the best possible nominees. Seventeen percent (17%) are undecided.

Only 19% See Obama, Romney As Best Possible Presidential Candidates - Rasmussen Reports™



Only 19% See Obama, Romney As Best Possible Presidential Candidates | Peace . Gold . Liberty | Ron Paul 2012

Updated Delegate Numbers As Of 6/2/12

Submitted by lukegoodyear on Sat, 06/02/2012 - 17:23
Ron Paul 2012




Updated Delegate Numbers As Of 6/2/12 | Peace . Gold . Liberty | Ron Paul 2012

Romney Loses Nomination To Paul



Published on May 31, 2012 by tmotofga

http://www.examiner.com/article/romney-did-not-win-nomination

Poll: Poll: 93% have a favorable opinion of Ron Paul

TMOT works for MSM Now. How do ya like me now? My reporting is off the chain.

Romney Loses Nomination To Paul

L.L. Bean heiress elected to represent Maine on the Platform Committee today

Submitted by MattMcDonald on Sat, 06/02/2012 - 10:22
Daily Paul Liberty Forum

L.L. Bean heiress and long time Ron Paul supporter Linda L. Bean was voted in today by the Maine Delegation to represent Maine on the Platform Committee at the RNC. She beat establishment backed and former National Committee woman Jan Staples with a vote 10-7.

As Maine goes, so goes the Nation!

L.L. Bean heiress elected to represent Maine on the Platform Committee today | Peace . Gold . Liberty | Ron Paul 2012