Thread: Ron Paul on the Issues

ELECTIONS SHOULD BELONG TO THE PEOPLE

By Chuck Baldwin
October 11, 2012
NewsWithViews.com

For most of the Twentieth Century (and now into the Twenty First Century), the American citizenry has had precious little say about who represents them in Washington, D.C., as well as in many, if not most, State posts. Oh, I realize that every two years the American people (well, about half of those who are eligible) go through the motions of voting. (They did that in Venezuela, too, didn't they?) But the truth of the matter is elections have become almost exclusively the domain of the well-financed special interest groups that control the two major parties. The individual citizen has almost no voice--especially in national elections.

Without trying to beat a dead horse, I want to mention again what the national Republican Party machine (along with the national news media) did to Ron Paul and his supporters in this year's primary elections proves beyond any shadow of a doubt the deceit, duplicity, and dishonesty that defines major party politics. Anyone who believes that Mitt Romney won his party's nomination freely and fairly is either totally ignorant of what really happened or is thoroughly deluded. And unless people in Venezuela were killed or imprisoned, Ron Paul's supporters were no less mistreated than were Hugo Chaves' opponents.

When I was nominated by the Constitution Party in 2008, I became one of only six Presidential candidates who were on enough State ballots that year to theoretically have the potential to obtain enough electoral votes to win the Presidency. The others were Bob Barr (Libertarian), Ralph Nader (Independent), Cynthia McKinney (Green), Barack Obama (Democrat), and John McCain (Republican). But of course, the only candidates that were allowed to participate in the national debates were Obama and McCain. Why? The two major parties control the Presidential Debate Commission.

Do readers not find it more than interesting that when the US government took control of Iraq, they demanded that Iraqi elections reflect and represent the entire country and insisted that Iraqi elections be open to "all." That's why you saw over twenty, or maybe even thirty, different political parties participate in Iraq's elections. This was done with the approbation and, in fact, insistence of the US government. Yet, in here in America, only two parties are allowed to fully participate in the election process: the Democrat and Republican parties.

In any given Presidential election only about half of qualified voters in this country (more or less) bother to go to the polls and vote. That means our President is elected with a little over one quarter of the voters' support. That's hardly a majority! And the reason that most of those people who don't vote stay home is because they are totally frustrated with the American political system. They have zero confidence in either major political party or the puppet Presidential candidates that they put before the American people. Who can blame them?

Since the two major parties control the election process, they have made it almost impossible for third parties, or even non-establishment party candidates within the two major parties, to succeed. Election laws at the federal and State levels are so egregiously discriminating that anyone who is deemed an "outsider" (meaning, non-establishment) rarely prevails.

Here in Montana, a Constitution Party candidate, Rick Jore, was elected to the Montana House of Representatives a few years ago. And I'm sure that one could locate a smidgen of local or State races that were won by Libertarian Party candidates. Of course, the biggest prize won by a third party candidate in recent memory was the election of Jesse Ventura (Libertarian Party) as Minnesota's governor back in 1998. But that's it.

Of course, back when America was a lot freer, having multiple parties represented in a national election was much more common. For example, Abraham Lincoln was one of six major party candidates, and he won with only 39% of the vote. And by today's definition, Lincoln's Republican Party would have been considered a "third" party by the political establishment. Yet, the political process freely accommodated no less than six parties in the election of 1860. Is it a coincidence that in 2008 six Presidential candidates met the threshold of being on enough State ballots to theoretically win the election? If the same rules governing national elections that apply today had applied in 1860, Lincoln would have never gone to the White House.

And there is no more egregious example of the way election rules violate a free and fair election process is the manner in which individuals are prohibited from contributing to a candidate's campaign. Both federal and most State election laws set limits (meager at that) on how much money an individual may give to their preferred candidate. Yet, there is absolutely no limit to what the candidate himself or herself might donate to his or her own campaign.


And there is almost no limit to what special interest PACs are able to give. You call this free? You call this fair?

For example, when I ran in 2008, a man wanted to donate $2 million to my campaign (a paltry sum compared to what the two major party candidates receive), but was not allowed to do so, because of federal elections laws--which were put in place by the two major parties, of course. And many others wanted to give generous amounts as well but were likewise prohibited from doing so.

So, the net result is only the rich and powerfully connected good-old-boys are able to prevail in most elections. If one is not extremely wealthy or extremely articulate and charismatic or extremely lucky, the only people who have a chance at winning even local races are elitist establishment types. Thankfully, in spite of the deck being stacked against "real" people, some manage to prevail--mostly at the State and local levels, of course. But almost always after arriving at their State capitol or county seat, they find themselves vastly outnumbered. And, as Sonny and Cher sang, "The Beat Goes On."

And this column isn't even dealing with the subject of vote fraud, which is a real issue that hardly anyone wants to talk about. And, yes, there is enough evidence to dogmatically say that vote fraud was employed in the primaries against Ron Paul in more than one State.

Here in the State of Montana, included on every ballot is a line underneath each race that voters can write "No," or "None of the above." Should "No" receive more votes than the candidates listed, a special election would have to be called with new candidates. I don't mind telling you that I will be voting "No" on several races this year. I wonder what would happen if just one time--one time!--voters rejected both candidates for a given race. Wouldn't you love to see that happen just once? Wow! I sure would. I am sick to my stomach of having to choose between CFR candidate A and CFR candidate B, between elitist establishment candidate A and elitist establishment candidate B. Aren't you?

At some point, the American people have got to take back their elections, because right now they don't belong to the people; they belong to the elitist establishment. And that's why it normally doesn't matter to a tinker's dam who gets elected. And that's why nothing changes. And that's also why about half of the American people don't even bother to vote. But instead of not voting, I wish they would all show up on November 6 and vote "None of the above" and send these elitist creeps back where they came from.

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© 2012 Chuck Baldwin - All Rights Reserved

Chuck Baldwin is a syndicated columnist, radio broadcaster, author, and pastor dedicated to preserving the historic principles upon which America was founded. He was the 2008 Presidential candidate for the Constitution Party. He and his wife, Connie, have 3 children and 8 grandchildren. Chuck and his family reside in the Flathead Valley of Montana. See Chuck's complete bio here.


E-mail: chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com

Website: ChuckBaldwinLive.com


Chuck Baldwin -- Elections Should Belong To The People

Rand Paul Backs Away from Romney’s Neocon Foreign Policy

Kurt Nimmo
Prison Planet.com
October 12, 2012

On Wednesday, Kentucky senator Rand Paul issued a scathing criticism of Mitt Romney’s foreign policy speech delivered earlier in the week.




In August, Paul came out in support of the Republican presidential candidate much to the dismay of his father’s supporters and others who saw him as inheriting Ron Paul’s political mantle.

“Romney chose to criticize President Obama for seeking to cut a bloated Defense Department and for not being bellicose enough in the Middle East, two assertions with which I cannot agree,” Paul said. “In North Africa and the Middle East, our problem has not been a lack of intervention. In the past 10 years we have fought two full wars there, and bombed or sent troops into several others.”

Paul characterized the war with Libya last year as illegal and said the president must consult Congress prior to any military action. “No president, Republican or Democrat, has the unilateral power to take our nation to war without the authority of the legislature,” he said.

The son of Texas congressman Ron Paul came out against military action by the United States in Syria. “I do not… support a call for intervention in Syria. And, if such intervention were being contemplated, it is absolutely necessary that Congress give any such authority to the president.”

“We owe it to ourselves, our soldiers and our children to take a more careful look at our foreign policy, to not rush into war, and to not attempt to score political points with wrongheaded policy ideas,” Paul concluded.

Romney’s foreign policy team is a remix of Bush’s neocons. Fifteen of the 22 members of Romney’s team were policy advisers under the Bush administration and six are former members of PNAC.

More than 70 percent of Romney’s foreign policy advisers worked for the Bush administration.

“Veterans of George W. Bush’s administration pepper the team, including Cofer Black, a former CIA official and executive at the controversial private-security firm Blackwater USA. Also on the list:

Eliot Cohen, who worked in the State Department under Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and Paula Dobriansky, who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, including as undersecretary for democracy and global affairs in the Bush years,” the Wall Street Jounral wrote in July.

“Romney’s malleability is an advantage for his neocon advisers, giving them an opportunity to shape his worldview, as they did with Bush after 9/11,” writes Ari Berman, who has covered the neocons and their agenda extensively. “Four years after Bush left office in disgrace, Romney is their best shot to get back in power. If that happens, they’re likely to pursue the same aggressive policies they advocated under Bush,” including taking out Syria and Iran.

Prison Planet.com » Rand Paul Backs Away from Romney’s Neocon Foreign Policy

Rand Paul Rips Lindsey Graham's Defense of Democrat Joe Manchin

Submitted by P.Au.L on Sat, 10/13/2012 - 07:35
Rand Paul

Politico: Sen. Rand Paul accused fellow Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham on Thursday of providing aid and comfort to Democrats in the fall battle for Senate control.

An outside spending group controlled by Paul, a Kentucky Republican, launched an ad this week attacking Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) for opposing Paul’s bill to block foreign aid to Libya, Egypt and Pakistan. Graham quickly came to Manchin’s defense, prompting a sharp retort from Paul, a tea party freshman who’s considered an isolationist on foreign policy.

“I don’t see myself campaigning against a Republican in a general election ever, that’s why I think it’s extraordinary that Graham is supporting a Democrat in a general election,” Paul told POLITICO. “That’s fairly extraordinary to do that.”

Paul added, “Which is more important: Defending, I think, a failed policy of foreign aid or getting a Republican majority? And I personally think getting a Republican majority, from my perspective, is very important.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1012/82307.html#ixzz29B...

Rand Paul Rips Lindsey Graham's Defense of Democrat Joe Manchin | Peace . Gold . Liberty | Revolution

Greta from Fox News wants to know why we like Ron Paul

Submitted by DeejayG on Sat, 10/13/2012 - 11:53
Video, TV & Movies


http://youtu.be/0sMz5qCdT4Y

Greta from Fox News wants to know why we like Ron Paul | Peace . Gold . Liberty | Revolution

It's Ron Paul or No One

We are Tired of this One Party System that is Out of Control and Corrupt Beyond Repair

What one Veteran wishes the American people knew about "Supporting the Troops"

Submitted by legalizeliberty on Sat, 10/13/2012 - 18:25
Peace / War

What one Veteran wishes the American people knew about "Supporting the Troops"



http://youtu.be/DzKw9FeyRew

What one Veteran wishes the American people knew about "Supporting the Troops" | Peace . Gold . Liberty | Revolution

Tom Woods interviewed by David Ortiz

Submitted by conalmc on Sat, 10/13/2012 - 18:53
Video, TV & Movies

Decent Tom Woods interview




Wake Up America! You're being Duped. HD - YouTube Click here

http://www.youtube.com/wa...

Tom Woods interviewed by David Ortiz | Peace . Gold . Liberty | Revolution

Veterans Groups Urge Soldiers To Refuse Anymore Deployments To Afghanistan...

Submitted by pawnstorm12 on Mon, 10/15/2012 - 09:20
Daily Paul Liberty Forum

Veterans groups are urging soldiers to refuse combat (in this case specifically JBLM’s 4th Brigade - Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State)

This group of anti-war veterans are using leaflets to try to put an end to the re-re-re-deployment of soldiers from JBLM to Afghanistan.

Without a draft, the only way the war-mongering polticians can keep their little war-profiteering charade going is to deploy the same soldiers over and over - sometimes up to 5 times.

So in an attempt to end the madness, this group of veterans is suggesting soldiers go to any length (including going AWOL), to interrupt this process.

The lives they save may well be their own, as it seems at least a couple soldiers die every day over there.

Full story here (From the Olympian):
http://www.theolympian.com/2012/10/10/2279952/veterans-group...


Veterans Groups Urge Soldiers To Refuse Anymore Deployments To Afghanistan... | Peace . Gold . Liberty | Revolution

Help End the Fraud of The Commission on Presidential Debates!

Submitted by Zak Carter on Sun, 10/14/2012 - 12:21
Daily Paul Liberty Forum
DP Original

"The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) began in 1987 by the Democratic and Republican parties to establish the way that presidential election debates are run between candidates for President of the United States.

"Prior to this, the League of Women Voters moderated the 1976, 1980, 1984 debates before it withdrew from the position as debate moderator with this statement after the 1988 Presidential debates:

"the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commission_on_Presidential_Debates

So how do we end the fraud? We have our own debate, and we do our best to let the entire nation know about the debate and the CPD's fraud. But we need Your help!
The debate will take place in Chicago on the 23rd @ 8pm Central Time at the University Club of Chicago

Hosted by the Free & Equal Elections Foundation.

http://freeandequal.org/debates/four-candidates-confirmed-fo...

So far Link TV, Al Jazeera, Russia Today and Ora.tv have confirmed their cameras will be there, and we'll also have an abundance of alternative media there. (Josh Tolley, Restore the Republic and We Are Change, etc)

We are actively looking for more sponsors and more media willing to cover this event, and if you know any media outlets or organizations that would be interested in being a sponsor, (or interviewing Free and Equal's Christina Tobin) we're not looking for cash to be a sponsor, just that they spread word of the debate - please pass the word along! We’d also greatly appreciate it if everyone reading this would pass word of the debate to the MSM via emails and phone calls!

Any help would be hugely appreciated in this effort to make this the most viewed debate with alternative voices ever! Let’s end the fraud!

In Liberty, Zak Carter
206-501-9221

Help End the Fraud of The Commission on Presidential Debates! | Peace . Gold . Liberty | Revolution

Ron Paul's Texas Straight Talk 10/15/12: Despite Claims, Recovery is NOT Around the Corner

Submitted by sharpsteve on Mon, 10/15/2012 - 10:59
Video, TV & Movies
Quicklink

by minnesotachris




http://youtu.be/_ak6jXVZ0Qo

Full transcript coming soon!

Ron Paul's Texas Straight Talk 10/15/12: Despite Claims, Recovery is NOT Around the Corner | Peace . Gold . Liberty | Revolution

Forty Years of Drug War Failure in a Single Chart

Submitted by P.Au.L on Sun, 10/14/2012 - 22:17
Daily Paul Liberty Forum
Quicklink

Via Via Drugsnotthugs.com and Reason Online

Full article here.

Forty Years of Drug War Failure in a Single Chart | Peace . Gold . Liberty | Revolution