On the Tom deSabla radio show Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform backs Ron Paul as most fiscally responsible candidate! (source 7/20/2007)

Filed under: President 2008, Ron Paul

One of Ron Paul's men in the field is worried about the nice group of followers the candidate has attracted:

Caldwell notes that the head of the Pasadena Meetup Group, Bill Dumas, sent a desperate letter to Paul headquarters: "We're in a difficult position of working on a campaign that draws supporters from laterally opposing points of view, and we have the added bonus of attracting every wacko fringe group in the country....We absolutely must focus on Ron's message only and put aside all other agendas, which anyone can save for the next 'Star Trek' convention or whatever."

Paul also said that he sees no problem with the John Birch society -- a group of conspiracy theorists who see bogeymen every where.

The Paul campaign has been interesting to watch. He has amassed a strong core of zealous supporters who act within seconds to engage anyone who they perceive as wronging their man. The problem is that -- just as described above -- the people he is attracting are fringe lefties and righties who have no where else to turn. A substantial portion of the groups believe that 9/11 was an inside job and rabid Israel haters.

I know this is a hit piece by the Times and they would never attack an John Edwards, Hillary Clinton or Baracl Obama. But what they are saying is pretty damning. The facts are the facts and it paints a picture of a campaign that has been somewhat successful in organizing, but not in appealing to mainstream America. Paul's positions are not the norm and as such he has attracted a following that is dedicated, vigilant and small.

 

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(posted in the New York Times) By CHRISTOPHER CALDWELL The most radical congressman in America is a Republican from Texas. And he’s running for president.  Whipping westward across Manhattan in a limousine sent by Comedy Central’s Daily Show, Ron Paul, the 10-term Texas congressman and long-shot Republican presidential candidate, is being briefed.  Paul has only the most [...]

Ron Paul's second quarter fundraising helped to separate him from the other second tier candidates, and his prudent financial management moved his campaign into the top tier in net cash on hand, according to FEC filings and news wire reports.

Net Cash on Hand, 6/30/07

$18.3M -- Rudy Giuliani
$3.2M -- Mitt Romney
$2.4M -- Ron Paul
$1.4M -- John McCain
$0.6M -- Tom Tancredo
$0.5M -- Sam Brownback
$0.4M -- Mike Huckabee
$0.2M -- Duncan Hunter
$0.0M -- Tommy Thompson

Second Quarter Fundraising

$17.5M -- Rudy Giuliani
$14.0M -- Mitt Romney
$13.3M -- John McCain
$2.4M -- Ron Paul
$1.5M -- Tom Tancredo
$1.4M -- Sam Brownback
$0.8M -- Mike Huckabee
$0.8M -- Duncan Hunter
$0.5M -- Tommy Thompson

Ron Paul had ranked sixth in first-quarter fundraising despite a late start, but passed Brownback and Tancredo in the second quarter to move into position to become a serious contender. Fred Thompson has not filed any fundraising results, since he is officially just "testing the waters." Jim Gilmore has already dropped out of the race, and lackluster results are reportedly raising concerns for McCain, Brownback, and Huckabee, while Hunter and Tommy Thompson are also lagging. Next month's Iowa straw poll could thin the field a little more.

Ron Paul's total is remarkable, if you believed the early media reports that he was a "fringe candidate" who was "little known outside his home state." He has raised more than three well-known Republican governors (Huckabee, Thompson, and Gilmore), more than a prominent, socially conservative Senator (Brownback), and more than his two fellow Representatives (Hunter and Tancredo), who supposedly had higher national profiles.

Below are the totals for amount of money raised in the second quarter for Republican candidates and the amount of money they have on hand. All information comes from the FEC website. Candidate 2nd Qtr Total Cash on Hand(Start) Cash on Hand(End) Change Romney $20,997,715.31 $11,863,652.79 $12,121,553.85 $257,901.06 Giuliani $17,599,291.85 $11,949,734.51 $18,326,220.29 $6,376,485.78 Huckabee $765,873.13 $373,918.28 $437,169.08 $63,250.80 Gilmore $187,796.16 $90,107.13 $61,764.66 ($28,342.47) Thompson $486,554.82 $139,723.45 $121,647.67 ($18,075.78) Brownback $1,425,766.58 $832,962.52 $460,236.39 ($372,726.13) Paul $2,369,452.95 $524,919.38 $2,354,855.32 $1,829,935.94 Ron Paul is 3rd behind both Romney and Giuliani for both money raised during the 2nd quarter [...]

The Ron Paul quotes in my March 31st entry have proven quite popular around the web, so I've found a few more to distribute. (And a few more here.) All are sourced from Ron Paul's Congressional web site, except as noted.

Foreign Policy

Intervention, no matter how well intended, inevitably boomerangs and comes back to haunt us. Minding our own business is not only economical; it’s the only policy that serves our national security interests and the cause of peace. (9/8/05)

The non-interventionist foreign policy, over a period of time, is the only compassionate policy... That is the maximum compassion that one can have, is to have a policy that really keeps us out of war. (7/11/07, interview on MSNBC)

Terrorism

The best news is that if stopping suicide terrorism is a goal we seek, a solution is available to us. Cease the occupation of foreign lands and the suicide missions will cease. Between 1982 and 1986, there were 41 suicide terrorist attacks in Lebanon. Once the U.S., the French, and Israel withdrew their forces from Lebanon, there were no more attacks. (7/14/05)

Racism

Racism is simply an ugly form of collectivism, the mindset that views humans strictly as members of groups rather than individuals. Racists believe that all individuals who share superficial physical characteristics are alike: as collectivists, racists think only in terms of groups.... The true antidote to racism is liberty. Liberty means having a limited, constitutional government devoted to the protection of individual rights rather than group claims... Rather than looking to government to correct our sins, we should understand that racism will endure until we stop thinking in terms of groups and begin thinking in terms of individual liberty. (4/16/07)

I hope all Americans will take the time to commemorate Juneteenth. Friends of human liberty should celebrate the end of slavery in any country. The end of American slavery is particularly worthy of recognition since there are few more blatant violations of America’s founding principles, as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, than slavery. (6/21/05)

Foreign Aid

Something has gone terribly wrong with our foreign policy when we feel we must take almost 21 billion dollars out of the pockets of the American taxpayer and ship it overseas.... The trillions of dollars we have shipped overseas as aid, and to influence and manipulate political affairs in sovereign countries, has not made life better for American citizens. (7/20/05)

Welfare – Personal and Corporate

I also question the priorities of singling out programs, such as Medicaid and food stamps, that benefit the neediest Americans, while continuing to increase spending on corporate welfare and foreign aid... I find it hard to believe that federal funding for Fortune 500 companies and China is a higher priority for most Americans than Medicaid and food stamps. (11/18/05)

Stem Cell Research

While I sympathize with those who see embryonic stem cell research as a path to cures for dreadful diseases that have stricken so many Americans, I strongly object to forcing those Americans who believe embryonic stem cell research is immoral to subsidize such research with their tax dollars. (5/24/05)

Privacy

One of the most disturbing abuses of the Social Security number is the congressionally-authorized rule forcing parents to get a Social Security number for their newborn children in order to claim the children as dependents. Forcing parents to register their children with the state is more like something out of the nightmares of George Orwell than the dreams of a free republic that inspired this nation's founders. (1/6/05)

Iraq War

All the reasons given to justify a preemptive strike against Iraq were wrong. Congress and the American people were misled.... We shouldn’t wait until our financial system is completely ruined and we are forced to change our ways. We should do it as quickly as possible and stop the carnage and financial bleeding that will bring us to our knees and force us to stop that which we should have never started. We all know, in time, the war will be de-funded one way or another and the troops will come home. So why not now? (4/17/07)

Patriotism

Who are the true patriots: those who conform or those who protest against wars without purpose? How can it be said that blind support for war, no matter how misdirected the policy, is the duty of the patriot? (5/22/07)

Though opposition to totally unnecessary war should be the only moral position, the rhetoric is twisted to claim that patriots who oppose the war are not “supporting the troops”… Unsound policy can never help the troops. Keeping the troops out of harm’s way and out of wars unrelated to our national security is the only real way of protecting the troops. (5/22/07)

Veterans

It’s easy to talk about honoring veterans and their sacrifices, even while the federal government treats veterans badly. Congress wastes billions of dollars funding countless unconstitutional programs, but fails to provide adequately for the men and women who carry out the most important constitutional function: national defense. (4/4/05)

Much of the media focus in the 2008 US presidential election is on fundraising, poll results, and occasionally, where the candidates stand on the issues. Rarely covered is the idea of what are the most important qualifications for the presidency, and which candidates are the best qualified.

Without question, the most important qualification for the presidency is sound judgment. When the nation is divided on questions from war or peace to security or liberty, the President is the one who must weigh the facts, benefits, and costs of each issue, and make the final decision. A quick review of Ron Paul's record shows that his judgment has been consistently superior to that of his fellow presidential contenders, and that Americans could rely on his continued sound judgment if he should win the election.

Unlike some of the other candidates in the presidential race, Ron Paul was not fooled by trumped-up intelligence reports into voting to authorize the Iraq war. He showed sound judgment in evaluating the facts at hand, and the likely outcomes of the war.

I rise to urge the Congress to think twice before thrusting this nation into a war without merit- one fraught with the danger of escalating into something no American will be pleased with.... There are even good political reasons for not initiating this conflict. War is not popular. It may seem popular in the short run, when there appears to be an immediate victory and everyone is gloating, but war is not popular. People get killed, and body bags end up coming back. War is very unpopular, and it is not the politically smart thing to do. (9/4/02)

Why are we taking precious military and intelligence resources away from tracking down those who did attack the United States- and who may again attack the United States- and using them to invade countries that have not attacked the United States? Would an attack on Iraq not just confirm the Arab world's worst suspicions about the US, and isn't this what bin Laden wanted? (9/10/02)

Recent news reports confirm that Ron Paul was correct in his analysis, and that our military focus on Iraq has done little to prevent Al Qaeda from re-emerging as threat to our national security, and has in fact helped in recruiting more terrorists because of our military intervention:

A new threat assessment from U.S. counter terrorism analysts suggests that the global network of al-Qaida, that launched the most destructive terror attack on U.S. soil, has been able to regroup... Findings of the study titled "Al-Qaida better positioned to strike the West" reveals that the terrorist group has used its safe sanctuary along the Afghan-Pakistan border to restore its operating capabilities to a level unseen since the 9/11 attack.

Ron Paul was right about both the outcome of the war and the political consequences of supporting it. Shouldn't Americans give his predictions concerning what might happen when US forces are removed more credit than the predictions of those who forecast an easy victory?

Ron Paul gains most of his attention for his stance on the war, foreign policy, and civil liberties, but his judgment in the economic arena has been equally sound. He predicted the current housing bubble long before most economists, let alone presidential contenders:

However, despite the long-term damage to the economy inflicted by the government’s interference in the housing market, the government’s policies of diverting capital to other uses creates a short-term boom in housing. Like all artificially-created bubbles, the boom in housing prices cannot last forever. When housing prices fall, homeowners will experience difficulty as their equity is wiped out. Furthermore, the holders of the mortgage debt will also have a loss. These losses will be greater than they would have otherwise been had government policy not actively encouraged over-investment in housing. (7/16/02)

When President Bush pushed through the prescription drug plan, Ron Paul rose in defense of limited government, and accurately predicted what would result:

All of us, including seniors, will pay for the drug benefit in the form of higher taxes. Congress claims the program will cost $400 billion over the next 10 years, but government cost projections cannot be trusted. Medicare today costs seven times more than originally estimated.... Under both the House and Senate proposals, however, millions of American seniors will end up paying more out-of-pocket for drugs than they do now, while having worse coverage. (10/6/03)

Why has Ron Paul's judgment proven so reliable over the years? The obvious response is that his natural intelligence and his broad knowledge on a range of topics from health care to history to economics allows him to more accurately judge the likely results of a given policy proposal. An equally important reason is that his judgment is not influenced by special interests, whether they be pharmaceutical lobbies, defense contractors, oil companies, or the lending industry. Since Ron Paul is in Congress to defend the interests of the American people while respecting the constitutional limits on his office, his decisions are inherently superior to those of politicians who pursue the largest campaign donations from the biggest corporate interests.

When making your decision about which candidate to support in the 2008 US presidential election, why not focus on what is most important in a President -- sound judgment and the ability to make the right decisions? Why not support the candidate with a proven track record of exceptional judgment on issue after issue? Why not support Ron Paul?

Filed under: President 2008, Republicans, Ron Paul

We've known for quite some time that Ron Paul is a "9/11 Truther" (or at least supported by those who are)--one who believes that 9/11 was done with the knowledge or complicity of the Bush administration. Now he's agreeing that conspiracies that have not yet happened will in fact come to pass:

Speaking to The Alex Jones Show, the Texas Congressman was asked his opinion on Cindy Sheehan's recent comments that the U.S. is in danger of a staged terror attack or a Gulf of Tonkin style provocation that will validate the Neo-Con agenda and lead to the implementation of the infrastructure of martial law that Bush recently signed into law via executive order, as well as public pronouncements from prominent officials that the West needs terrorism to save a doomed foreign policy.

"I think we're in great danger of it," responded the Congressman, "We're in danger in many ways, the attack on our civil liberties here at home, the foreign policy that's in shambles and our obligations overseas and commitment which endangers our troops and our national defense."

He believes that a terror attack will be staged to allow the evil Neo-cons of the Bush administration unimpeded access to attack Iran.

OK, I've had serious issues with Ron Paul's campaign. Besides his hypocrisy on earmarks and other issues, he's pretty much been...well, sane. Now, I'm not quite sure.

Here we have a presidential candidate (sure, one who is polling at 0%) who is saying on the record that he believes the current administration is capable of faking a terror attack, which will kill people, simply to advance their ideology. That's not campaigning, that's in the realm of JFK conspiracy theorists and Heavens Gate.

I was a huge critic of Bill Clinton and his policies -- including his non-action when the embassies and the USS Cole were attacked. I would never, ever, suggest that Clinton was capable of staging an attack to push his policies through. Maybe I'm naive in that assumption about any government official, but for Ron Paul to even consider this -- let alone say it out loud and on the air--is inconceivable to the average American.

Ron Paul's campaign has attracted a large Internet following, one that is boisterous and vocal (watch the comments to this post), but to think that they could defend this is preposterous and downright scary. The thought of the Ron Paul Brigades in tin hats is, of course, amusing though.

 

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Ron Paul's detractors continue to cast about for some argument that will stick, and must be finding themselves increasingly frustrated. Initial attempts to portray him as a fringe candidate have been discredited by his fundraising lead over the second-tier candidates, and his volunteer lead over the entire field. The latest attempt to hold back the Ron Paul phenomenon is the suggestion that he is so uncompromising in his devotion to principle that he hasn't accomplished as much in Congress as he might have, and that his ideals might hamper his effectiveness as the President.

The argument is wrong on three counts. First, Ron Paul's record of accomplishment is quite impressive in its own right. Second, most of what Congress has done in the past few decades has increased the size and scope of government, and reduced individual liberty. Not racking up those types of "accomplishments" is something to celebrate, not criticize. Finally, President Ron Paul wouldn't have to compromise his principles to accomplish a great deal, for those who love peace, liberty, and smaller government.

Ron Paul's record of accomplishment stands on its own. He graduated from Duke University medical school, served honorably in Vietnam as a US Air Force flight surgeon, and went on to a lengthy career as an obstetrician, delivering over 4,000 babies. He is the author of several books, on subjects such as liberty, foreign policy, and monetary policy. He has been elected to Congress ten times from a conservative district in Texas, often by large margins and once without any opposition, demonstrating that his constituents are quite pleased with his record.

They're not the only ones noticing. The National Taxpayer's Union has awarded Ron Paul their "Taxpayer's Friend" award for the past ten years in a row, and doesn't hesitate to explain why:

“If every member of Congress voted like Representative Paul, Americans could enjoy much lower taxes and less waste in government,” stated NTU President John Berthoud. “Overburdened taxpayers in Texas and across the nation owe Mr. Paul a debt of gratitude for his hard work on their behalf. While many Members of Congress talk about reducing the size of government, Representative Paul backed up those words with votes. This award proves that he is a consistent and effective ally in our battle to restore fiscal responsibility to Washington."

The respected magazine Human Events ranked Ron Paul first as a tax-cutter out of all 435 members of the House of Representatives in 2006, and offered very similar praise of his efforts:

“[Paul] is a co-sponsor… of a constitutional amendment to repeal the 16th amendment and end income, gift, and estate taxes. Regularly pushes for tax cuts. Sponsor of bills to allow tax credits for private school tuition, to permit tax deduction of college tuition, and to stop all taxation of Social Security benefits. Opposes all unconstitutional spending programs.”

Ron Paul serves on the Financial Services, Foreign Policy, and Joint Economic Committees, reflecting his expertise in those areas. He is among the more active members of Congress in terms of sponsoring new legislation, with dozens of bills each term, focusing on cutting taxes, introducing new tax credits for education and medical care, protecting American sovereignty, and promoting individual liberty.

Granted, many of Ron Paul's proposals have been ignored by his big government colleagues from both the Democratic and Republican parties. So what has been gained? He has proven to skeptical politicians that it is possible to get reelected while running on principle, without buying votes with taxpayer money. He has served as the conscience of the House, reminding his colleagues relentlessly of their duty to uphold the Constitution. He has served as a shining example to the next generation of pro-liberty Representatives who will undoubtedly follow him into Congress. And the numerous bills he has authored will be there waiting for them to enact, once a true pro-liberty majority is elected.

Americans who want peace, liberty, and smaller government can look forward to an active ally in President Ron Paul, once he is elected. A President who stubbornly stands on principle is far superior to one who is eager to compromise with those who don't share our ideals. Since he has never voted for a tax increase or a new tax, he is certain to veto any that venture across his desk. After warning us about the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act, and the Real ID Act in Congress, President Ron Paul would finally be in a position to prevent the further loss of our Constitutional liberties.

The President has broad authority over American foreign policy, and Ron Paul could launch a new era in American diplomacy, with or without the consent of Congress. By withdrawing our troops from Iraq, and backing off from the current threatening posture toward Iran, President Paul could assure the American people that peace is at hand, and start restoring the good will America once held around the world.

Ron Paul's critics imagine a big-government Congress fighting his presidency at every turn, and hampering his progress toward smaller government and greater liberty. Undoubtedly, there would be resistance, but wouldn't it be great to see a President who stands up for the taxpayer for a change? Who actually vetoes legislation that takes away our freedoms, or consigns our children and grandchildren to a crushing burden of debt?

And don't think for a minute that it would be business as usual if Ron Paul were elected to the White House. After the shock wore off the faces of the establishment politicians, and the mainstream media furiously backtracked to explain how they could have been so mistaken, the professional politicians in Washington would begin to understand that "freedom is popular", and that many Americans want a smaller, less intrusive government, a more humble foreign policy, and the blessings of prosperity that peace and liberty bring. And if they want to get reelected, they are the ones who will have to compromise, because "Dr. No" isn't going to start now.

Texas Congressman Ron Paul's bid for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination is awash in good news in recent days, and gaining momentum that must be the envy of the rest of the field. Following up an impressive show of real-world popular support in Iowa last weekend, the first fundraising reports for the second quarter put the campaign's cash on hand ahead of one-time front-runner John McCain's, while straw polls across the country are beginning to show that Ron Paul's days as a "fringe," "long shot", or "second tier" candidate could be coming to an end. Capping off an incredible week are an appearance today before another large crowd in a key early primary state (Nevada this time), and a fifteen-minute interview on ABC's "This Week" tomorrow morning.

Ron Paul's growing band of supporters stepped up with $2.4 million in campaign contributions in the second quarter, nearly quadrupling his first quarter results. Prudent financial management and an enthusiastic volunteer base allowed Dr. Paul to run a cost-effective campaign, passing McCain in cash on hand despite raising substantially less. Ron Paul's first-quarter results were downplayed in the mainstream media, but had put him in sixth place in the field of ten, just behind Tom Tancredo and Sam Brownback. All of the second quarter results are not yet in, but Ron Paul has clearly moved to at least the top of the second tier, outraising Brownback by nearly a million dollars.

Another indication of the growing strength of the Ron Paul campaign is a series of impressive showings in local Republican straw polls around the nation. He placed a solid fourth (and ahead of Giuliani) in a California Republican Assembly straw poll on July 1st, with 12% of the vote. He placed an impressive second (behind only Fred Thompson) in the historic Cobb County Georgia Republican Party straw poll on July 5th, earning 17% support. A group that might be expected to like Ron Paul, the Coalition for New Hampshire Taxpayers, gave him his biggest win so far, a 62% blowout win today over the rest of the field. His closest competitor was Rudy Giuliani, at 8%.

The Ron Paul bandwagon keeps on rolling, with an appearance at Freedom Fest in Las Vegas today. His speech on "How to Win Without Compromising" drew a reported crowd of around 600, and was followed up by a separate rally at the Paris Hotel and a debate on the global war on terror with Dinesh D'souza of the Hoover Institution as this evening's headline event for the 1,000 participants at Freedom Fest.

Finally, Ron Paul breaks into the mainstream network news with an appearance on ABC's This Week on Sunday morning, in an interview with George Stephanopoulos. Those who get their political news solely from network TV should be seeing more of Ron Paul, given the momentum building around his campaign. That momentum continues next week with a visit to Google headquarters in California, broadcast to all Google employees worldwide, and accompanied by a Ron Paul rally in Charleston Park in Mountain View.