Thread: Ron Paul announces White House bid

Ron Paul announces White House bid
Texas Republican says nation has strayed from Constitution
Posted: March 12, 2007
2:00 p.m. Eastern

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul

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.

(Story continues below)


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.

Central planning is "intellectually bankrupt" and has undermined the moral principles of the United States," he said. "Our planners and rulers are not geniuses, but rather demagogues and would-be dictators – always performing their tasks with a cover of humanitarian rhetoric."

He said the collapse of the Soviet system surprised many, but not devotees of freedom.

They, he said, "have understood for decades that socialism was doomed to fail. Communism, like all socialism, failed intellectually and failed practically. And so too will the welfare/warfare state fail, and then our cause will be heard. The love of liberty will not die."

He said a free society is based on the key principle that the government, the president, the Congress, the courts and the bureaucrats are incapable of knowing what is best for each and every one of us.

"They don't know how to run the economy, regulate our lives or manage a world empire," he said.

Government as "a referee" is fine, but not more.

"The time has come for a modern approach to achieving those values that all civilized societies seek."

Paul long has been an advocate of strict constitutional adherence and belief in a small government, including low taxes, individual liberties and less Washington influence.

The National Taxpayers Union consistently ranks Paul as a leader on the issues of taxation, and he advocates more controls on immigration.

Representing the 14th district in southeastern Texas, he believes amnesty is not the solution to the flood of illegal immigrants moving into the nation today. He opposes abortion and supports the use of vouchers that parents can use for private and parochial schools.

He's supported a resolution to abolish the Department of Education so states, cities and communities can resume control of educating their children.

He's been especially vocal in his denunciations of plans such as the "Trans-Texas Corridor," a superhighway project that opponents argue would be used to bring Chinese goods through Mexico directly into and through the U.S.

Why? The ultimate goal, he said, is not simply a superhighway, "but an integrated North American Union – complete with a currency, a cross-national bureaucracy and virtually borderless travel within the union. Like the European Union, a North American Union would represent another step toward the abolition of national sovereignty altogether."

Plans for such a "North American Union" were cited as the No. 1 story on WND's list of 10 most underreported stories for 2006.

The January 2007 edition of WND's monthly Whistleblower magazine, which explores this topic in-depth, is titled "PREMEDITATED MERGER: How our leaders are stealthily transforming the U.S.A. into the North American Union."

Paul would join a field that features John McCain, Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani, but also could include Newt Gingrich, Tom Tancredo, Duncan Hunter, Sam Brownback, Mike Huckabee, Tommy Thompson, John H. Cox, Alan Keyes and others.



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The North American union is real as hell, the whole world seems to be doing it. We need a president to stand in its way. If you love American don't vote for Hitlery or rudy, they are chosen by the NACC group hand picked. No more clintons or Bushs.

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.a ... E_ID=54660

Liberty once again must become more important to us than the desire for security and material comfort

I always get a chuckle from myself when I see that. I imagine hordes of fat, lazy, and misguided "overworked" Democrats and Republicans sacrificing their McMansions, Expeditions, Explorers, Escalades, and Humvees, Grand Slam breakfasts, Nutri-System Lunch, and Lobster Bisque!

The reason this country is in such piss-poor shape is that this lazy cluster shops at Wal-Mart, eats at McDonalds, drinks Miller Beer, banks with Bank of "America", worships Hollywood, and pretends to be Christian!

To think that the population as a whole is capable of any type of selfless act or sacrifice is ridiculous! There is a better chance of success by putting a Rubik's Cube in front of any common barnyard animal!

Not until this country goes hungry, and it's citizens are gnashing their teeth, will any type of call for action or for salvation become a reality. Face it---those who are here reading this are in the minority!

I'm very happy that he announced he's running, but where was it on the news?? I was watching several news shows yesterday and all they showed was Thompson and Hagel. I think that they are really scared of Ron Paul and are intentionally making sure they don't cover him at all!.

Originally Posted by ThomasMoore

Liberty once again must become more important to us than the desire for security and material comfort

I always get a chuckle from myself when I see that. I imagine hordes of fat, lazy, and misguided "overworked" Democrats and Republicans sacrificing their McMansions, Expeditions, Explorers, Escalades, and Humvees, Grand Slam breakfasts, Nutri-System Lunch, and Lobster Bisque!

The reason this country is in such piss-poor shape is that this lazy cluster shops at Wal-Mart, eats at McDonalds, drinks Miller Beer, banks with Bank of "America", worships Hollywood, and pretends to be Christian!

To think that the population as a whole is capable of any type of selfless act or sacrifice is ridiculous! There is a better chance of success by putting a Rubik's Cube in front of any common barnyard animal!

Not until this country goes hungry, and it's citizens are gnashing their teeth, will any type of call for action or for salvation become a reality. Face it---those who are here reading this are in the minority!

Be careful with your generalizations. I don't shop at WalMart. I had rather eat from a dumpster than buy a Big Mac. I have probably had a Miller beer at some point in my life (because I seem to recall that it was as bad as any of the standard American beers), but I can't recall having ever bought the swill. I don't bank with B of A. Not only do I not worship Hollywood, I left a lucrative career in Hollywood because I couldn't stomach that environment. And lastly, I don't "pretend" to be a Christian - I AM a Christian and pretty much every decision I make reflects my devotion to my faith.

You may feel free to "imagine" whatever your mind can conjure up, but I know plenty of Americans who are in fact overworked - they're mostly the self-employed Americans like myself who voluntarily put in 50-70 hours in an average week because that is what our work ethic compels us to do. If the result of my labors is that I may enjoy a roomy home, a nice car or two and "lobster bisque" (I have no idea how you end up with NutriSystems, Grand Slam breakfasts and losbster bisque in the same breath unless you are merely repeating the prejudices of the Leftist professor who fed you this list during your indoctrination), that's nobody's business but mine, and you can shove your sanctimonious attacks up your arse sideways! The great thing about a free country is that we are indeed free to pursue our dreams, whatever shape they may take. Real Americans don't need to be guilt-tripped by some socialist on a crusade to put us all in hybrid econoboxes and have us reduce our "carbon footprint."

I'll tell you what, buck-o, it will most likely be the self-same Average Joe Americans you choose to deride who WILL BE the ones to turn this mess around while you socialist utopians continue to be duped into serving as useful idiots for those who wish to reshape the world into a new global feudalist system.

In the event that I have mistunderstood your intent and that you were being sarcastic rather than intending your rant to be taken at face value, then accept my apology for misconstruing your words. If, as I suspect, you intended for your indictment of Joe Sixpack to come off exactly as it has, then kindly revisit my invitation to shove your condescending manure back into the orifice from which such manure emanates.

Face it---those who are here reading this are in the minority!

As usual---you missed the point, Dallas! Goes to show Texas is filled with non-thinkers and reactionaries LOL!~! (the place that gave us "W" will keep on giving non-sense---enjoy!)

Here Crockett---read it to be wise....

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... &p=313862#
313862

If you were to start "huffin' n' puffin" at our "elected leaders", (and "Joe Sixpack") instead of floundering retorts to dead-obvious issues, perhaps we could make some progress!

I stand by my post---looks like you belong to the category that took offense---heheh! Now get going and be an activist, not a whining armchair quarterback---go get 'em Jackson!

Originally Posted by ThomasMoore

Here Crockett---read it to be wise....

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... &p=313862#
313862

If you were to start "huffin' n' puffin" at our "elected leaders", (and "Joe Sixpack") instead of floundering retorts to dead-obvious issues, perhaps we could make some progress!

I stand by my post---looks like you belong to the category that took offense---heheh! Now get going and be an activist, not a whining armchair quarterback---go get 'em Jackson!

Who the HELL are you to call me an armchair quarterback, fella? I don't know you from Adam's housecat, and you have NO IDEA what I am doing or have done for this cause. Why don't you knock off with your judgmentalism and see to your own house?

Easy boys, there's no need to raise the anger level.

How about y'all take a break for a minute and catch your breath.

We're all teammates here... Well, except for the trolls.

Originally Posted by PinestrawGuys

Easy boys, there's no need to raise the anger level.

How about y'all take a break for a minute and catch your breath.

We're all teammates here... Well, except for the trolls.

Sorry, PSG, but I get angry when I see people getting on a high horse and gratuitously attacking other Americans they don't even know. I get even angrier when some mook who doesn't know the first thing about me calls me, of all people, an armchair quarterback.

I also find it shameful that it takes a rank and file member of the site like myself to take someone to task for the harsh denigrations included in the post that started this exchange. The way to bring people into the fold on this issue is scarcely calling them names in an elitist rant. Furthermore, I find it appalling that a comment such as "Goes to show Texas is filled with non-thinkers and reactionaries," which goes far beyond a personal attack on me and becomes a wholly unacceptable attack on an entire state (the sort of comment that I have seen moderators pounce on in other cases) just sits there unchallenged. I'll bet if someone had authored a post suggesting that Carolinans were just a bunch of tobacco-chewing halfwits that the comment would have been stricken and the poster banned in the blink of an eye! Is Thomas Moore someone's brother-in-law?