Ron Paul 2012!!! Your thoughts on who we should pick for our "Cause"?

[DiscoBiscuit]

Snoop could be the weed czar.

 

[SacredBreh]

Poopy and Plant Early........Damn>>You may not vote on any more threads today.

That is the point Poopy... I love Ron Paul's message on the Drug War but we are at a point in history that even if that was not his position, I would still be voting for him.

I believe we are at the "make or break" point of America's future.

Peace

 

[puffinpass]

You must not understand the urgency of this election for america and its citizens. Petty issues dont matter anymore... its about the big issue.

Our wilderness area's being sold off are petty issues? So when everything has been turned into a concrete jungle, would it still be a petty issue? When developers have turned every last paradise into suburbs will it still be a petty issue? I understand what you say poopy...i def understand....but I will only vote for someone who I FULLY believe in.....I go to wilderness areas to escape the tensions, and hectic fast paced life of today....If that was gone, in my opinion, America would no longer be America. so the bigger issues obviously would be solving national debt, job creation, and rejuvenating a dying economy.....i get it dude, BUT I WILL NOT VOTE FOR HIM IF HIS STANCE IS TO SELL OFF NATIONAL PARKS. bottom line. this country is already screwed. Our gov't is corrupt, and nothing can be done about it. Biggest problem is the illusion of choice....u think there is a difference between repubs and dems? Bullshit, politicians think with their wallet, and that is the problem. MONEY MONEY MONEY, what ever happened to politicians who served the people? Romney, wont do shit, gingrich wont do shit, obama wont do shit....and ron paul, hmmmmm good luck with that(media portrays him as a crazy). and now I dont know if I would vote for him even IF I could, and thats a big IF he becomes a republican nominee.

 

[whodare]

Our wilderness area's being sold off are petty issues? So when everything has been turned into a concrete jungle, would it still be a petty issue? When developers have turned every last paradise into suburbs will it still be a petty issue? I understand what you say poopy...i def understand....but I will only vote for someone who I FULLY believe in.....I go to wilderness areas to escape the tensions, and hectic fast paced life of today....If that was gone, in my opinion, America would no longer be America. so the bigger issues obviously would be solving national debt, job creation, and rejuvenating a dying economy.....i get it dude, BUT I WILL NOT VOTE FOR HIM IF HIS STANCE IS TO SELL OFF NATIONAL PARKS. bottom line. this country is already screwed. Our gov't is corrupt, and nothing can be done about it. Biggest problem is the illusion of choice....u think there is a difference between repubs and dems? Bullshit, politicians think with their wallet, and that is the problem. MONEY MONEY MONEY, what ever happened to politicians who served the people? Romney, wont do shit, gingrich wont do shit, obama wont do shit....and ron paul, hmmmmm good luck with that(media portrays him as a crazy). and now I dont know if I would vote for him even IF I could, and thats a big IF he becomes a republican nominee.

hey bro i understand your worry but look at it like this....

if our country defaults on its debt those parks will be liqudated to those who we owe the debt...

Ron paul has the only plan to save our economy from certain future default...

and i dont believe he wants to sell the parks but he likely wants to privatize the management...

 

[CannaBunkerMan]

One of the obstacles that RP faces is that most of his positions on the issues require some time to understand the logical underpinnings of his arguments. It is easy to say that RP wants to slash and burn the national parks system, but on further examination of his stance on this you'd realize just what Whodare said,

"and i dont believe he wants to sell the parks but he likely wants to privatize the management... "

I'm sure RP wouldn't settle for anything but the best PRIVATE management firms to handle the park systems, as government programs tend to be wasteful.

 

[whodare]

SINCE FEW SEEM TO KNOW WHERE HE ACTUALLY STANDS

SINCE FEW SEEM TO KNOW WHERE HE ACTUALLY STANDS

from RON's site

http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/

AN EXPERIENCED PHYSICIAN
As an OB/GYN who delivered over 4,000 babies, Ron Paul knows firsthand how precious, fragile, and in need of protection life is.

Dr. Paul’s experience in science and medicine only reinforced his belief that life begins at conception, and he believes it would be inconsistent for him to champion personal liberty and a free society if he didn’t also advocate respecting the God-given right to life—for those born and unborn.

After being forced to witness an abortion being performed during his time in medical school, he knew from that moment on that his practice would focus on protecting life. And during his years in medicine, never once did he find an abortion necessary to save the life of a pregnant woman.

As a physician, Ron Paul consistently put his beliefs into practice and saved lives by helping women seek options other than abortion, including adoption. And as President, Ron Paul will continue to fight for the same pro-life solutions he has upheld in Congress, including:

* Immediately saving lives by effectively repealing Roe v. Wade and preventing activist judges from interfering with state decisions on life by removing abortion from federal court jurisdiction through legislation modeled after his “We the People Act.”

* Defining life as beginning at conception by passing a “Sanctity of Life Act.”

Because he agrees with Thomas Jefferson that it is “sinful and tyrannical” to “compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves and abhors,” Ron Paul will also protect the American people’s freedom of conscience by working to prohibit taxpayer funds from being used for abortions, Planned Parenthood, or any other so-called “family planning” program.

The strength of love for liberty in our society can be judged by how we treat the most innocent among us. It’s time to elect a President with the courage and conviction to stand up for every American’s right to life.

“DO NO HARM”
Dr. Ron Paul spent his entire career in the medical profession working to uphold this simple principle by ensuring his patients received the best care he could give them, even if they could not afford it.

Dr. Paul understands the key to effective and efficient medical care is the doctor-patient relationship. Yet, federal bureaucrats continue to believe that their one-size-fits-all policies will lower costs, increase access, and cure an ailing industry.

Instead, excessive regulation, immoral mandates, and short-sighted incentives have created a system where no one is happy, doctors pass quickly from one patient to the next, insurance is expensive to get and difficult to maintain, and politicians place corporate interests ahead of their constituents.

FREEDOM NOT FORCE
The answer to our nation’s health care crisis lies in freedom – not force.

As President, Ron Paul will fight to put you back in control of your health care decisions, save you money on medical expenses, and institute reforms that will once again make America’s health care system the standard for other nations to follow.

He will work with Congress to:

* Repeal ObamaCare and end its unconstitutional mandate that all Americans must carry only government-approved health insurance or answer to the IRS.

* Allow purchase of health insurance across state lines.

* Provide tax credits and deductions for all medical expenses.

* Exempt those with terminal illnesses from the employee portion of payroll taxes while they are suffering from such illnesses or are incurring significant medical costs associated with their conditions.

* Give a payroll deduction to any worker who is the primary caregiver for a spouse, parent, or child with a terminal illness.

* Ensure that those harmed during medical treatment receive fair compensation while reducing the burden of costly malpractice litigation on the health care system by providing a tax credit for “negative outcomes” insurance purchased before medical treatment.

* Guarantee that what is taken from taxpayers to pay for Medicare and Medicaid is not raided for other purposes.

* Make all Americans eligible for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and remove government-imposed barriers to obtaining HSAs.

* Stop the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from interfering with Americans’ knowledge of and access to dietary supplements and alternative treatments.

* Prevent federal bureaucrats from tracking every citizen’s medical history from cradle to grave by prohibiting the use of taxpayer funds for a national database of personal health information.

Ron Paul proudly worked every day to honor the trust his patients placed in him, and he will do the same as President with the confidence of the American people, who deserve a government that “does no harm” to their health care.

THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW
The severe economic crisis America has experienced over the past several years, including growing inflation, rising gas prices, trillion-dollar budget deficits, immoral bailouts, and the ever-declining value of the dollar, is just the tip of the iceberg if our nation does not immediately change course.

UNHEEDED WARNINGS
As the crash approached, Ron Paul was heavily criticized by the establishment media and even many of his fellow Republicans because he would not back down from his warnings about where big government policies were leading America.

When those warnings came true, however, our President and leaders in Congress didn’t let the crisis “go to waste” and used it as an excuse to expand government intervention and power on an unprecedented level.

Excessive spending, artificial credit, and market manipulation crashed our economy, and no one should be surprised that these same policies continue to prolong the suffering for millions of Americans.

We need a President who is not afraid to make the tough decisions necessary to restore America’s economy and guarantee future prosperity.

REAL SOLUTIONS
As President, Ron Paul will lead the way out of this crisis by:

* Vetoing any unbalanced budget Congress sends to his desk.

* Refusing to further raise the debt ceiling so politicians can no longer spend recklessly.

* Fighting to fully audit (and then end) the Federal Reserve System, which has enabled the over 95% reduction of what our dollar can buy and continues to create money out of thin air to finance future debt.

* Legalizing sound money, so the government is forced to get serious about the dollar’s value.

* Ending the corporate stranglehold on the White House.

* Driving down gas prices by allowing offshore drilling, abolishing highway motor fuel taxes, increasing the mileage reimbursement rates, and offering tax credits to individuals and businesses for the use and production of natural gas vehicles.

* Eliminating the income, capital gains, and death taxes to ensure you keep more of your hard-earned money and are able to pass on your legacy to your family without government interference.

* Opposing all unfunded mandates and unnecessary regulations on small businesses and entrepreneurs.

These are just a few of the steps we can take to put America back in place as the world’s leading economy. Taking a stand for these principles has often been a lonely fight in Congress for Ron Paul, but, now more than ever, our nation needs a President who will champion sound money, responsible spending, lower taxes, and free market enterprise.

PROVEN LEADERSHIP
“Ron Paul is one of the outstanding leaders fighting for a stronger national defense. As a former Air Force officer, he knows well the needs of our armed forces, and he always puts them first. We need to keep him fighting for our country.” – Ronald Reagan

A PRO-AMERICA FOREIGN POLICY

As an Air Force veteran, Ron Paul believes national defense is the single most important responsibility the Constitution entrusts to the federal government.

In Congress, Ron Paul voted to authorize military force to hunt down Osama bin Laden and authored legislation to specifically target terrorist leaders and bring them to justice.

Today, however, hundreds of thousands of our fighting men and women have been stretched thin all across the globe in over 135 countries – often without a clear mission, any sense of what defines victory, or the knowledge of when they’ll be permanently reunited with their families.

Acting as the world’s policeman and nation-building weakens our country, puts our troops in harm’s way, and sends precious resources to other nations in the midst of an historic economic crisis.

Taxpayers are forced to spend billions of dollars each year to protect the borders of other countries, while Washington refuses to deal with our own border security needs.

Congress has been rendered virtually irrelevant in foreign policy decisions and regularly cedes authority to an executive branch that refuses to be held accountable for its actions.

Far from defeating the enemy, our current policies provide incentive for more to take up arms against us.

That’s why, as Commander-in-Chief, Dr. Paul will lead the fight to:

* Make securing our borders the top national security priority.

* Avoid long and expensive land wars that bankrupt our country by using constitutional means to capture or kill terrorist leaders who helped attack the U.S. and continue to plot further attacks.

* Guarantee our intelligence community’s efforts are directed toward legitimate threats and not spying on innocent Americans through unconstitutional power grabs like the Patriot Act.

* End the nation-building that is draining troop morale, increasing our debt, and sacrificing lives with no end in sight.

* Follow the Constitution by asking Congress to declare war before one is waged.

* Only send our military into conflict with a clear mission and all the tools they need to complete the job – and then bring them home.

* Ensure our veterans receive the care, benefits, and honors they have earned when they return.

* Revitalize the military for the 21st century by eliminating waste in a trillion-dollar military budget.

* Prevent the TSA from forcing Americans to either be groped or ogled just to travel on an airplane and ultimately abolish the unconstitutional agency.

* Stop taking money from the middle class and the poor to give to rich dictators through foreign aid.

As President, Ron Paul’s national defense policy will ensure that the greatest nation in human history is strong, secure, and respected.

THE FED: DISHONEST, IMMORAL, UNCONSTITUTIONAL
There is no greater threat to the security and prosperity of the United States today than the out-of-control, secretive Federal Reserve.

Imagine that parents, overwhelmed by debt and months behind on their bills, sent their spendthrift teenagers out each weekend for a night on the town with credit cards and blank checks. Would anyone be surprised if this family never got their finances under control?

Yet that is how a government which is almost 15 trillion dollars in the red behaves by entrusting taxpayers’ financial futures to the Federal Reserve, which pumps money into the economy whenever it chooses and makes secret deals with Wall Street executives, foreign central banks, and other politically-connected insiders without any significant oversight from Congress.

Snuck through Congress on Christmas Eve in 1913, the Federal Reserve Act established the Fed as America’s central bank. The Fed essentially creates money out of thin air, manipulates interest rates, and interferes with the free market. By doing so, the Fed fuels our economy’s boom-bust cycle and has helped devalue our dollar by over 95%.

According to the Minneapolis Federal Reserve branch’s own website, what you could buy with $1.00 in 1913 would now cost you $22.55.

Although Congress and the Treasury helped bring about the housing bubble and financial collapse with legislation, regulations, and keeping the funds flowing to reckless institutions like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the Fed was the main cause of the crisis. Its interference in setting interest rates distorted the market, and its status as the “lender of last resort” ensured banks could hook individuals and businesses for loans on projects that weren’t in as high demand as forecasters believed.

When the crash occurred, common sense dictated a change in policy. But the Federal Reserve only increased its lending and intervention to historic highs.

While selling Americans a bill of goods that the economy would never recover without unprecedented bailouts, we now know that at the peak of its “emergency lending,” the Fed was providing nearly 90% of its discount window loans to foreign banks! This included making over 70 loans to a bank partially owned by the Bank of Libya.

The Fed was able to get away with these actions because Congress lacks the authority to thoroughly and completely audit it. In fact, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke appeared before Congress early in the crisis and was able to refuse a direct request to disclose which institutions were receiving trillions of taxpayer dollars from the Fed.

IN THE SHADOWS
It was only thanks to overwhelming grassroots support for Ron Paul’s Audit the Fed legislation that we have been granted limited insight into the Fed’s operations. If it hadn’t been for last minute efforts to water down his bill, we would have learned even more about the Fed’s actions before and during the crisis.

TIME FOR SOUND MONEY
As President, Ron Paul will work for passage of comprehensive audit legislation, and he will also fight to legalize sound money so Americans will have alternatives to the Fed’s inflated paper money.

Ultimately, he will lead the charge to end the dishonest, immoral, and unconstitutional Federal Reserve System, enabling America to take a giant step toward economic security, financial responsibility, and lasting prosperity.

KEEP MORE OF YOUR MONEY
The power to tax is the power to destroy, which is why Ron Paul will never support higher taxes.

Our national debt is currently over $14 trillion, with the government spending nearly $2 trillion more per year than it collects. The American people should not have to pay for Washington’s reckless and out-of-control appetite for debt.

High taxes stifle innovation, prevent saving, destroy production, crush the middle class and the poor, and discourage investment. Every American is entitled to the fruits of his labor, especially during these tough economic times.

Lowering taxes will leave you more money to take care of yourself and your family, and it will allow businesses greater opportunities to hire new workers, increase current salaries, and expand their companies.

As President, Ron Paul will support a Liberty Amendment to the Constitution to abolish the income and death taxes. And he will be proud to be the one who finally turns off the lights at the IRS for good.

Capital gains taxes, which punish you for success (and interfere with your efforts to hedge against inflation by purchasing gold and silver coins), should also be immediately repealed.

Struggling college students and those working to support their families would be greatly benefited and receive an immediate pay raise by eliminating taxes on tips.

As a congressman, Ron Paul has consistently endorsed legislation to let Americans claim more tax credits and deductions, including on educational costs, alternative energy vehicles, and health care. He also believes it is immoral to tax senior citizens twice by requiring them to include Social Security benefits in their gross income at tax time. A first step to eliminating that requirement would be to repeal the 1993 increase in taxes on Social Security benefits. Then we must abolish that tax entirely.

While a Flat Tax or a Fair Tax would each be a better alternative to the income tax system, Congressman Paul believes we would have to guarantee the 16th Amendment is repealed to avoid having both the income tax and one of these systems as an additional tax.

But there is a better way. Restraining federal spending by enforcing the Constitution’s strict limits on the federal government’s power would help result in a 0% income tax rate for Americans.

The answer to spending and debt is to return to a constitutionally limited government that protects liberty – not one that keeps robbing Peter to pay Paul.

“Ron Paul has been a leader in the fight to defend and restore the Second Amendment.” – Larry Pratt, Executive Director, Gun Owners of America

“No member of Congress pays more attention to Second Amendment issues than Dr. Ron Paul.” – Dudley Brown, Executive Director, National Association for Gun Rights

RON PAUL’S PRO-SECOND AMENDMENT STANDS
As a congressman, Ron Paul has never once voted for any piece of legislation that would infringe on gun owners’ rights or weaken the Second Amendment.

The inalienable right to keep and bear arms is not only essential to a free society, but it is the guardian of every other right.

During his time in Congress, Ron Paul has worked tirelessly to restore the Second Amendment rights of all Americans by:

* Introducing legislation to repeal the “Brady Bill” and the so-called “Assault Weapons Ban.”

* Authoring legislation to end U.S. membership in the anti-gun United Nations to ensure American tax dollars are not used to fund global gun control schemes like the so-called “Small Arms Treaty.”

* Writing a bill that would allow pilots and specially trained law enforcement personnel to carry firearms in order to protect airline passengers and help prevent future 9/11-style attacks.

With our gun rights under constant attack from our own government and the anti-gun United Nations, as well as the threat of rising crime due to our country’s economic woes, Congressman Paul believes it has never been more important that our President be 100% committed to defending our God-given right to keep and bear arms.

In Congress, Ron Paul has stood as a champion for law-abiding gun owners, and he will continue protecting your Second Amendment rights as President.

FORCED UNIONISM VIOLATES THE CONSTITUTION
Freedom of association is one of the foundations of a free society. The Founders clearly understood this, which is why they sought to protect this God-given right in the First Amendment.

While Ron Paul supports the right of every American to join a private sector union if they wish, he believes, like most Americans, that forcing workers to pay union dues just to get or keep a job is wrong.

Unfortunately, over 75 years ago, the right to decide freely whether or not to join a labor union was taken away from American workers by Congress.

BIG LABOR’S FORCED-DUES EMPIRE
As a result, national union bosses rake in $8 billion every year from workers who are forced to pay dues to a labor union just to provide for themselves and their families.

Then, to add insult to injury, Big Labor uses this forced-dues money to bankroll the campaigns of tax-and-spend, big government politicians all across the country like Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and Barack Obama!

A PRO-RIGHT TO WORK RECORD
That’s why Ron Paul has been a strong supporter of the National Right to Work Act in Congress.

Passage of a National Right to Work law would end forced union dues by repealing compulsory-dues provisions in federal labor law.

In addition to his support for a National Right to Work law, he also voted to defeat Big Labor’s “Card Check” scheme.

This bill would have eliminated secret ballot elections for union organizers – allowing union bosses to intimidate workers into signing themselves over to union boss control.

And he voted against the Police and Firefighter Monopoly Bargaining Bill.

This legislation was designed to put all American police and firefighters under the union bosses’ control – just the first step toward forcing all state and local public employees under Big Labor’s thumb.

Ron Paul’s exceptional record on Right to Work issues earned him the prestigious Everett Dirksen Award from the National Right to Work Committee.

And he’s been proud to receive the support of the National Right to Work Committee in each and every one of his Congressional elections over the years.

As President, he will continue to lead the fight to free Americans from the shackles of compulsory unionism by working to pass a National Right to Work law.

HOMESCHOOLING CHAMPION
Ron Paul believes no nation can remain free when the state has greater influence over the knowledge and values transmitted to children than the family does.

And the truth is, no big government spending program can or will solve our nation’s education problems.

One-size-fits-all central planning simply does not work.

As a congressman, Ron Paul has been a consistent supporter of homeschooling and educational freedom.

Being a homeschooling parent takes a unique dedication to family and education.

TAX CREDITS FOR HOMESCHOOLING
In many cases, homeschooling families must forgo the second income of one parent, as well as incur the costs of paying for textbooks, computers, and other school supplies.

And with combined taxes taking almost 50 percent of the average family’s income, there is little left over for low- and middle-class parents to even consider other educational opportunities.

That’s why, during his time in Congress, Ron Paul has introduced legislation to:

* Help parents better educate their children by providing parents with a $5,000 per child tax credit for tutors, books, computers, and other K-12 related educational needs.

* Ensure that the federal government treats high school diplomas earned through homeschooling the same as other high school diplomas.

PUT PARENTS BACK IN CHARGE
Congressman Paul wants parents to have the freedom to choose the best educational options for their children, and his commitment to ensuring homeschooling remains a practical alternative for American families is unmatched by any other Presidential candidate.

As President, he will veto any legislation that encroaches on homeschooling parents’ rights.

Returning control of education to parents and teachers on the local level is the centerpiece of Ron Paul’s education agenda.

A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY
A nation without borders is no nation at all.

It just doesn’t make sense to fight terrorists abroad while leaving our front door unlocked.

Unfortunately, for far too long, neither major political party has had the courage to do what is necessary to tackle the problem.

Instead, we’re presented with so-called “solutions” that involve amnesty proposals or further restricting Americans’ civil liberties through programs like REAL ID.

Ron Paul opposes both of these schemes and believes they will only make illegal immigration and the problems associated with it worse. He has been proud to see states exercising their Tenth Amendment rights and protecting their citizens by refusing to comply with the unconstitutional REAL ID law.

While the federal government neglects its constitutional responsibility to protect our borders, it continues to push mandates on the states to provide free education and medical care to illegal immigrants at a time when the states are drowning in debt. This must not be tolerated any longer.

Like most Americans, Ron Paul also understands just how valuable legal immigration is to our country.

Immigrants who want to work hard, obey our laws, and live the American Dream have always been great assets.

COMMON SENSE REFORMS
If elected President, Ron Paul will work to implement the following common sense reforms:

* Enforce Border Security – America should be guarding her own borders and enforcing her own laws instead of policing the world and implementing UN mandates.

* No Amnesty - The Obama Administration’s endorsement of so-called “Comprehensive Immigration Reform,” granting amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants, will only encourage more law-breaking.

* Abolish the Welfare State – Taxpayers cannot continue to pay the high costs to sustain this powerful incentive for illegal immigration. As Milton Friedman famously said, you can’t have open borders and a welfare state.

* End Birthright Citizenship – As long as illegal immigrants know their children born here will be granted U.S. citizenship, we’ll never be able to control our immigration problem.

* Protect Lawful Immigrants – As President, Ron Paul will encourage legal immigration by streamlining the entry process without rewarding lawbreakers.

As long as our borders remain wide open, the security and safety of the American people are at stake.

As President, Ron Paul will address immigration by fighting for effective solutions that protect our nation, uphold the rule of law, and respect every American citizen’s civil liberties.

FREE MARKET SOLUTIONS
The free market – not government – is the solution to America’s energy needs.

Unfortunately, decades of misguided federal action have helped lead to skyrocketing fuel prices, making it even more difficult for hardworking families to make ends meet.

Washington’s bureaucratic regulations, corporate subsidies, and excessive taxation have distorted the market and resulted in government bureaucrats picking winners and losers.

In fact, much of the “pain at the pump” Americans are now feeling is due to federal policies designed by environmental alarmists to punish traditional energy production – like oil, coal, and natural gas – in hopes of making energy sources they favor more “economical.”

Sadly, even with $4.00 a gallon gasoline, many are attempting to make our energy crisis even worse by working to impose job-destroying carbon taxes, or a “Cap and Tax” system.

As long as we allow federal regulations and bureaucratic red tape to get in the way of energy exploration, our country will never solve its energy crisis, and Americans will continue to pay the price in high costs.

A PRO-ENERGY PRESIDENT
As President, Ron Paul will lead the fight to:

* Remove restrictions on drilling, so companies can tap into the vast amount of oil we have here at home.

* Repeal the federal tax on gasoline. Eliminating the federal gas tax would result in an 18 cents savings per gallon for American consumers.

* Lift government roadblocks to the use of coal and nuclear power.

* Eliminate the ineffective EPA. Polluters should answer directly to property owners in court for the damages they create – not to Washington.

* Make tax credits available for the purchase and production of alternative fuel technologies.

It’s time for a President that recognizes the free market’s power and innovative spirit by unleashing its full potential to produce affordable, environmentally sound, and reliable energy.

“I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, and I endeavor every day to follow Him in all I do and in every position I advocate.”

-Ron Paul

My faith is a deeply private issue to me, and I don’t speak on it in great detail during my speeches because I want to avoid any appearance of exploiting it for political gain. Let me be very clear here: I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior, and I endeavor every day to follow Him in all I do and in every position I advocate.

It is God Who gave us life. As He is free, so are those He created in His image. Our rights to life and liberty are inalienable.

I’m running for President of the United States because I believe that our traditions and way of life are under attack from an out-of-control federal government and reckless politicians who show no regard for what our Founders entrusted to our protection.

America became the greatest nation in human history because a dedicated band of Patriots believed their God-given rights were worth fighting for, even if it meant challenging the world’s most powerful nation in what many deemed a “hopeless” cause.

Being free meant so much to our forefathers that they put everything on the line – and thousands sacrificed their lives – to give the promise of liberty to not only their children and grandchildren, but to generations they knew they would never even meet.

Their courage and determination guaranteed they would defy the odds and achieve victory.

In this critical election, you and I must decide if the principles of limited government and personal freedom are worth fighting for once again.

Since I’m asking for your vote and your trust to lead this nation, let me tell you a little bit about my background and beliefs.

My parents raised my four brothers and me on a dairy near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where they set clear examples for each of us about faith, honest living, and individual responsibility. Their Christian values helped inspire two of my brothers to eventually enter the ministry, and provided me with the foundation I needed to practice medicine and one day become a U.S. Representative.

In addition to my time in Congress, I am proud to have delivered over 4,000 babies as a country doctor in Texas. As I trained to practice medicine, I became convinced without a doubt that life begins at the moment of conception. I never performed an abortion, and I never once found an abortion necessary to save the life of the mother. In fact, I successfully helped women struggling with their pregnancies to seek other options, including adoption.

I am running to Restore America Now, and by that I mean that it’s time to protect and promote the basic God-given rights inherent in the promise of America.

We must pass on our heritage of liberty to the next generation – not tens of trillions of dollars in debt and liabilities.

We must stand for life – not allow millions of innocent children to continue to be slaughtered with the government’s approval.

We must follow the Biblical mandate of using honest weights and measures – not printing money out of thin air in almost complete secrecy and then handing it over to oppressive dictators.

We must only send our men and women to fight for our country when the mission is clear, every necessary tool needed to win is provided, and we respect the Constitution by declaring war.

Once war is declared, it must be waged according to Just War principles. We should only fight when it’s in our national security interest, and we should no longer do the corrupt United Nation’s bidding by policing the world.

In Congress, I never vote for any piece of legislation that violates the Constitution’s strict limits on government power. I also do not participate in the congressional pension system.

As President, I give you my word that I will only exercise my authority within the confines of the Constitution, and I will work every day to rein in a runaway federal government by binding it with the chains of that document.

For my stands and beliefs, I am told that my efforts are “hopeless.” Like those who were proud to stand up for what they knew was right to create our nation, however, I firmly believe that now is a better time than ever before to reclaim our liberties. No situation is hopeless for those who receive their strength from their faith, family, and freedom.

And like those Patriots, I have no doubt that liberty will prevail.

I invite you to join me and millions of other Americans in taking our stand to honor our forefathers’ sacrifices and Restore America Now.


For Liberty,
Ron Paul

 

[whodare]

for all you bean counters...

http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/ron-paul-plan-to-restore-america/

DISCRETIONARY SPENDING

MANDATORY SPENDING

MISCELLANEOUS SAVINGS

REVENUES

SUMMARY TABLE

BUDGET COMPARISONS

AGENCY BUDGET COMPARISON

HISTORICAL SPENDING, REVENUE, AND DEFICITS

CHARTS AND GRAPHS

 

[whodare]

hey bro i understand your worry but look at it like this....

if our country defaults on its debt those parks will be liqudated to those who we owe the debt...

Ron paul has the only plan to save our economy from certain future default...

and i dont believe he wants to sell the parks but he likely wants to privatize the management...

i have to correct myself... he does want to sell a majority of federal land to private owners and states...

if you look at the history though that is how texas works, and you dont see all the vacant land being developed....


sure some might get developed but only were it makes sense, who builds a mall in the middle of a forrest unless there is a profit to be made...

furthermore the federal government shouldn't "own" land it should buy it from rightful owners the "american people" who are "the government"....


here's my point though,
much of the federal land is not parks but huge tracts of land that may have been used for military or just not used at all...

im sure the parks would be turned over to states and all the non park federal land sold off to highest bidders, win win if ya ask me then my tax dollars from MI arent paying to run Yosemite and people in wyoming arent paying for MI fed land



edit: also many of the parks created were created by local people who wanted to save the area, i would much rather that group of people or state have control of that park as the fed is lobbied hard and has their heads up their asses when it come to sensible management practices and environmental protection

what about the hundreds of miles of federal lands/waters that are fenced off or inaccessible except to the crony corporations that get favored usage of timber, grazing, hydropower, mineral extraction, etc?

And what of the wholesale destruction of lands for federal highways, subsidized corporate crops such as wheat, corn, and worst of all, the miles of military lands, bases, atomic testing sites, and all the toxicity by the biggest polluter of all time, the federal government?

Libertarians are inherently environmentally responsible since our fundamental creed is the Nonaggression Principle which includes not polluting other people's property and bodies.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

for all you bean counters...

http://www.ronpaul2012.com/the-issues/ron-paul-plan-to-restore-america/

Don't pretend all that's due to two responsible parties finding the best way to manage government. One side tries to manage what polls say as high as 75 to 80% of Americans want - the other side tries to break it.

Ending agencies and departments is a way of saying, "I can't touch the big three."

Once you get outside of the base, polls to end things like EPA and Dept of Ed look like Ron Paul popularity polls. They're not very popular.

If and when Ron Paul considers fixing problems as opposed to eliminating services, he might attract more than sparse support outside the base.

 

[whodare]

Don't pretend all that's due to two responsible parties finding the best way to manage government. One side tries to manage what polls say as high as 75 to 80% of Americans want - the other side tries to break it.

Ending agencies and departments is a way of saying, "I can't touch the big three."

Once you get outside of the base, polls to end things like EPA and Dept of Ed look like Ron Paul popularity polls. They're not very popular.

If and when Ron Paul considers fixing problems as opposed to eliminating services, he might attract more than sparse support outside the base.

if you consider the two primary political parties responsible there is no point debating you...

but ending departments could be viewed as that, or you could view it like an un-brainwashed person and realized the sates can better handle the things Ron wants to end.

the "base" you speak of is clearly too ignorant to understand the basis of his policies as are you...


edit: he wants to end the federal programs and defer to the states. that isnt ending the program its redirecting to a more appropriate governing body... and maybe if the "base" was capable of CRITICAL THINKING and LOGICAL REASONING they would see RON is THE BEST CANIDATE

 

[Bluenote]

Hmmmmm............ I'll probably only post in this thread a single time , what I'm about to say won't be real popular.

Firstly , I'm originally from Texas , SE Texas , the 14th Congrssional District of Texas.

For those of y'all who are such ardent supporters of Paul I invite y'all to walk down the street in Victoria , Galveston etc and ask the average citizen just excactly how they feel about Ron Paul.


" I hope they send the bastard to Washington so he'll get the hell out of our hair."


Direct quote. FOR THE RECORD: I completely despise both sides in all this , Democonartist , Republiconartist , makes no difference. Don't even bother with the " but you're a ---insert political pigionholing here----"........

And quite frankly why a bunch of otherwise rational logical folks would throw their weight behind someone with nothing more that rehashed , regurgitated Spooner and Rothbard repeated too often and whom has been ( and this is key) *****shoving his nose in th hogtrough inside the Beltway for 24 years*****..........

Why folks would trust him over the rest of the pack of thieves and con artists is beyond me , and don't bother with " Oh but he's better than the rest.".............because at it's most basic analysis that's like looking at a whole slew of hogs and saying " hey that one right there has a bit less mud on it."


TWENTY FOUR years...............in Texas. Nah he's not just as crooked as Prurient-Pandering-Philandering Perry ( is there a SINGLE resident of Austin who doesn't have a "hookers-n-blow" story about Perry? Just one?) , golly he's more " honest" than whatever BushLeague affliction the ghost of Preston Bush has set free upon humanity lately , and gee whiz but we're so lucky to have him instead of the exploitative son-of-a-bitch known as LBJ ( need to dig that bastard up and make sure he's still dead)....

What Ron Paul IS , is the LAST stop on the way to tyranny , the false panacea they'll feed to the people just prior to really yanking the rug out from under folks , he's from the *only* machine in this country more corrupt and evil than the Chicago machine that produced O'Bummer.

SE texas and southern Louisaina machinations and double dealing at it's finest.

Huey Freaking Long with a clean shirt and a populist message.


Me? I don't drink KoolAid.

 

[BrnCow]

If you think about it, governments should not own land but should borrow it from the people through some land lease system with a board and accountability. That keeps them more honest. As far as parks, it would not hurt to close them until the economy gets better except for fire control and animal management issues. Maybe leave some camp grounds open with maintenance and a ranger passing through occasionally. They all need some sort of phone that is free to call them on if someone gets to fucking up stuff. One place I know of had an acceptable john and some asswipe shot it up (remember to never give and ape a shotgun) and they removed it. Was a nice simple campsite too. Nice hike through the woods on a trail. As far as selling, Texas has some real nice parks and lots of private owner land that is being managed for wildlife and native plants. If there was more rain, it would really be one hell of a grassland...and animals love grass...btw - Land taxes = rent. Someone sells us the right to use it and we pay rent through land taxes. If you stop paying the "rent", they repossess the land and resell it to some else...so you don't really own it...

 

[whodare]

Hmmmmm............ I'll probably only post in this thread a single time , what I'm about to say won't be real popular.

Firstly , I'm originally from Texas , SE Texas , the 14th Congrssional District of Texas.

For those of y'all who are such ardent supporters of Paul I invite y'all to walk down the street in Victoria , Galveston etc and ask the average citizen just excactly how they feel about Ron Paul.


" I hope they send the bastard to Washington so he'll get the hell out of our hair."


Direct quote. FOR THE RECORD: I completely despise both sides in all this , Democonartist , Republiconartist , makes no difference. Don't even bother with the " but you're a ---insert political pigionholing here----"........

And quite frankly why a bunch of otherwise rational logical folks would throw their weight behind someone with nothing more that rehashed , regurgitated Spooner and Rothbard repeated too often and whom has been ( and this is key) *****shoving his nose in th hogtrough inside the Beltway for 24 years*****..........

Why folks would trust him over the rest of the pack of thieves and con artists is beyond me , and don't bother with " Oh but he's better than the rest.".............because at it's most basic analysis that's like looking at a whole slew of hogs and saying " hey that one right there has a bit less mud on it."


TWENTY FOUR years...............in Texas. Nah he's not just as crooked as Prurient-Pandering-Philandering Perry ( is there a SINGLE resident of Austin who doesn't have a "hookers-n-blow" story about Perry? Just one?) , golly he's more " honest" than whatever BushLeague affliction the ghost of Preston Bush has set free upon humanity lately , and gee whiz but we're so lucky to have him instead of the exploitative son-of-a-bitch known as LBJ ( need to dig that bastard up and make sure he's still dead)....

What Ron Paul IS , is the LAST stop on the way to tyranny , the false panacea they'll feed to the people just prior to really yanking the rug out from under folks , he's from the *only* machine in this country more corrupt and evil than the Chicago machine that produced O'Bummer.

SE texas and southern Louisaina machinations and double dealing at it's finest.

Huey Freaking Long with a clean shirt and a populist message.


Me? I don't drink KoolAid.

whoah another coherent post from a critic


i guess no one is fit to run the country and we should just live in anarchy....

if you think the last step to tyranny is Paul you must have drank something...

and this is a thread about Paul what the hell does Perry have to do with anything let alone his corruption...

it would be a logical falacy to say because many texas politicians are corrupt so is Paul...

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
Evelyn Beatrice Hall

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

if you consider the two primary political parties responsible there is no point debating you...

but ending departments could be viewed as that, or you could view it like an un-brainwashed person and realized the sates can better handle the things Ron wants to end.

It's a reason to not to have to do anything. Gub isn't popular these days but neither are the problems that arise if and when we attempt to ignore them.

the "base" you speak of is clearly too ignorant to understand the basis of his policies as are you...

I see it as differing opinions.

edit: he wants to end the federal programs and defer to the states. that isnt ending the program its redirecting to a more appropriate governing body...

$?

 

[whodare]

It's a reason to not to have to do anything. Gub isn't popular these days but neither are the problems that arise if and when we attempt to ignore them.



I see it as differing opinions.



$?

gub aint popular cause they have failed the american people for a century....

He isnt ignoring problems he is trying more sensible approach, trusting the american people to make decisions locally...

differing opinions or willing ignorance....

they say its bliss, id have to agree...

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

That's the thing about going back. We've already documented what happened. What's ignorant about recognizing history? That's a rhetorical question.

 

[sac beh]

If and when Ron Paul considers fixing problems as opposed to eliminating services, he might attract more than sparse support outside the base.

Ok, what Disco is saying here helped me realize a nagging concern I have about Paul. For example, Paul's site says: "Cuts $1 trillion in spending during the first year of Ron Paul’s presidency, eliminating five cabinet departments (Energy, HUD, Commerce, Interior, and Education), abolishing the Transportation Security Administration and returning responsibility for security to private property owners..."

I find the idea that a private corporation or individual should handle tasks of great common concern illogical and undemocratic. A transfer of control of things like security, education, military, and energy use from government to private, along with a decrease in regulation of the private sector, could lead just as quickly to corporate tyranny in these aspects of our lives, as dangerous if not more than a government tyranny.

he wants to end the federal programs and defer to the states. that isnt ending the program its redirecting to a more appropriate governing body...

I don't see where Paul says that, but if its true, doesn't transferring control of some of these departments and projects to so many states sound like a logistical and bureaucratic nightmare?

i have to correct myself... he does want to sell a majority of federal land to private owners and states...

But why should a private owner be given ownership of something of value to the whole community, sometimes the whole nation? How does any other individual (real person) participate in the caring for and protection of a park or land that is controlled by a private entity with no democratic structures in place?

sure some might get developed but only were it makes sense, who builds a mall in the middle of a forrest unless there is a profit to be made...

But what makes sense to one person (who happens to own a land) might not make sense to another. In the case of private ownership of a federal or communal land, the private owner has no obligation to consider the wishes of anyone other than themselves with respect to their property, right?

furthermore the federal government shouldn't "own" land it should buy it from rightful owners the "american people" who are "the government"....

This seems like a contradiction to me. The federal government shouldn't own land. Why? The American people are the government, in a democratic society. Government ownership of the land then is a way of communal ownership where the property is of concern and value to a whole community of people and not just one individual.

Transferring ownership of such things to the state pretends to solve this, and probably does in some cases. But rarely does private ownership make sense to me. I would like to see more details about what Paul proposes for certain federal departments, properties, etc. and whether he advocates state or private ownership. If you can point me to these details, I'd appreciate it.

In general my concern is what concerns me about American libertarians in general. The singular focus on individual freedom and private ownership can be a threat to democratic society where it is supposed that a balance between individual interest and communal interest must always be kept, and the structures for such a balance and for the participation of the individual in the interests of the communal is called democratic government. A government that doesn't govern with democratic structures is a tyranny. But the transfer of ownership of communal interests to private entities easily becomes corporate tyranny, which sounds worse in my mind. A corporation doesn't even pretend to be structured democratically, neither inside within the ranks of employees and decision making, nor outside in its complete lack of transparency to the community. Is it that libertarians have completely lost hope in our ability to maintain democratic structures in government, so they just say, to hell with it, the democratic project failed, only the individual's freedom and self-interest remains?

 

[skunkbear]

WELL STATED!

 

[JOE CHRONIC]

RON PAUL 2012 !

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

For the record, I don't imagine Ron Paul wanting free markets to govern. "States rights" means "states" may govern as they see fit.

No problem there.

Then you have interstate commerce. States have no interstate arbitrating power. No problem tying up the courts here - states can't arbitrate betwixt themselves. As for tying up courts, intrastate squabbles would more than take care of that, as happened under the AOC.

Then you have what sac beh already mentioned, 50 different entities for every different thing.

Global trade would be a nightmare if navigating 50 different standards of trade. We'd be like 50 third-world countries attempting to compete with nations.