Ron Paul’s Economic Plan Eliminates Department of Education and 5 Others
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(Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo)
Las Vegas is rapidly becoming the land of job proposals after a second presidential candidate unveiled his economic plan there today, a day before the city hosts the sixth GOP debate of the 2012 primary cycle.
One month after and less than 10 miles away from the spot where Mitt Romney laid out his 59-point plan to create 11.5 million jobs, his fellow GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul today put forth a plan that would slash $1 trillion from the federal budget in the first term of a Paul presidency.
“I am absolutely convinced this is the only way to prosperity,” Paul said. “If we want jobs we have to get the government out of our way.”
But where Romney’s plan focused on job creation, Paul’s No. 1 goal is reducing the size of the federal government and balancing the budget, which his plan achieves by wiping out five cabinet departments and gutting funding to many others. Paul claims his plan would produce a budget surplus by 2015.
“I would say it’s an economic growth plan and an avoiding of disaster plan,” said Chris Edwards, the editor of the libertarian Cato Institute’s DownsizingGovernment.org. “I don’t think the government is very good at creating jobs, so I don’t think that should be the focus of federal policy.”
Under a Paul presidency the departments of Energy, Education, Housing and Urban Development, Commerce and Interior would cease to exist. Their elimination would slice about $179 billion from the federal budget and cut about 134,000 federal jobs.
Paul said his plan would not lay people off, but would transfer them to other departments until they retire.
Paul would slash funding for the remaining departments, including a 40 percent cut for the Food and Drug Administration and a 30 percent budget reduction for the EPA. The Department of Defense would see $832 billion disappear from its budget during Paul’s first term in office, most of which would stem from Paul’s plan to end all foreign wars and foreign aid.
“The ideas that Congressman Paul espouses are not unique to him,” said Richard Parker, a lecturer in public policy at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. “They are kind of standard fare for libertarians.”
Parker said Paul’s plans are aimed more at educating the public about Libertarian policies than laying out a solution that could feasibly get him elected. While Paul is running as a Republican this presidential campaign cycle, as he did in 2008, the Texas congressman campaigned as the Libertarian Party nominee during his 1988 bid for the White House.
“His agenda right now is to get that political philosophy floated,” Parker said, ”whereas Romney is cobbling together what needs to be cobbled together to create policies that will assure his election as president of the United States.”
Edwards said he and his colleagues at the Cato Institute have “talked a lot” with Paul in the past about ways to cut government spending. He said Paul’s plan to “cut widely across the board” provides a “menu of options” for the next Republican president.
“[Paul's plan] would change the life of a lot of Americans because unfortunately a lot of Americans now get federal subsidies one way or the other,” Edwards said. “What the federal government does is it takes from one hand and gives back with the other hand so… there would be an adjustment with all of these changes.”
Paul is the only candidate to call for such massive and immediate spending cuts, but on the revenue side of things his plan is quite similar to his GOP rivals. Just as Herman Cain, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich and Jon Huntsman have proposed, Paul calls for eliminating taxes on capital gains and dividends as well as getting rid of the estate tax.
Paul’s plan cuts the corporate tax rate from 35 percent down to 15 percent. Romney wants to drop the rate to 25 percent, Gingrich said it should be 12.5 percent and Cain would put it at 9 percent.
Paul also eliminates taxes on profits earned overseas and brought back into the country, as would Cain and Romney.
The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates this tax holiday on repatriated profits would give an initial boost to the economy but would cost the federal government $79 billion over the next decade in lost revenue.
Chuck Marr, the director of federal tax policy at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, said a tax holiday for foreign profits, which was temporarily implemented in 2008, is “grossly unfair” because it rewards companies who locate overseas.
“It amounts to a new incentive to shift money overseas,” Marr said. “You’re basically saying to companies overseas that are special don’t have to pay taxes.”
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In other words, turn back the clock to about 1895 when the robber barons ran roughshod, and the majority of Americans lived in either abject poverty or very close to it. No child labor laws, no minimum wage, no limit on work hours, no work place safety, no drug or food safety, the dismantling of the national park system, no clean air or water etc…
Wonderful idea, except we are no longer an agrarian society. In those days everyone (even in most cities) had livestock and a garden for sustenance; that does not exist today, so where do all the unemployed people get food?
Oh… that’s right, personal responsibility. Everyone should have a savings, unfortunately, that will all be eaten up paying to support Grandma and Grandpa and their medical bills because there will be no Medicare or Social Security, hence the poverty thing.
I suppose the only real Americans are the ones who are either already rich, or the small minority that can pull themselves out of their circumstances and become rich, the rest are shiftless and lazy and a drag on the economy, so just die already. I think you all have forgotten why these social programs were enacted. Why don’t you research what life was really like for everyday Americans in this Libertarian panacea before we start reminiscing about the “Good old days” before the “that communist Roosevelt” ruined America. If that is what you want 21st century America to look like, then you deserve everything you get.
Posted by: Scott Cramer | October 18, 2011, 6:29 am 6:29 am
The best plan by the best man. Those who wish to remain ignorant and free want what never was and can never be. Help by donating to Ron Paul’s campaign.
Posted by: bill | October 18, 2011, 6:50 am 6:50 am
Finally a REAL plan that makes REAL sense!
Posted by: Steve | October 18, 2011, 6:53 am 6:53 am
Hell, he’s got my vote. Either the federal government has to be trimmed back to its constitutional limits by design… or it will totally collapse sometime during the next several years in bloated bankruptcy, and the ripple effects of that scenario would be ugly.
Posted by: Darryl Schmitz | October 18, 2011, 6:56 am 6:56 am
Man the Jews sure got to this article quickly and left a good, long rant.
Yeah.. the late 1890s. You know, that period between when Andrew Jackson defeated the Jewish-run Second Bank of the United States and prior to the establishment of the Jewish-run Federal Reserve System.
How did America ever manage without a clandestine, crypto-Jew-run financial organization issuing private (non-sovereign) credit for the entire Folk?
Posted by: GUNDISALVUS | October 18, 2011, 7:03 am 7:03 am
Scott Cramer doesn’t grasp that corporations move jobs out of the U.S. because it is cheaper to pay foreign workers and foreign tax rates than it is to settle in the states. End the Fed, end the bailout, end the oligarchy, end special classes. The quest toward a progressive utopia has caused chaos in Europe and it is destroying the U.S.
Posted by: Michael | October 18, 2011, 7:07 am 7:07 am
Hey! The fact that you spend time commenting on news stories on the Internet, which is pointless, makes you shiftless and lazy too. No one cares what any of you think. Go outside and get some fresh air – might help you with your anger.
Posted by: Mark | October 18, 2011, 7:13 am 7:13 am
Paul is exactly right in seeking to abolish any federal department that has no foundation in the powers granted the federal government under Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution. The states and local school districts already have Departments of Education and Boards of Education, why is triplification necessary?
Posted by: Steven G Poyzer | October 18, 2011, 7:19 am 7:19 am
The robber barons did not happen because of free market capitalism. Railroads, for example, were given massive corporate welfare, subsidies, and free land. The corruption was legendary.
But then again, we only learn the statist version of history in our government monopoly schools with their government produced curriculum which only propagates the statist propaganda version of our history.
Posted by: Jose Mora | October 18, 2011, 7:19 am 7:19 am
Finally a leader that has the courage to do what needs to be done.
Posted by: J P | October 18, 2011, 7:20 am 7:20 am
@ GUNDISALVUS, I for one find your fixation on Jews offensive. Are there bad Jews? Of course. But how about not extending their blame to an entire people/religion?
@ SCOTT CRAMER, We are headed toward a horrific economic meltdown that we can only hope to avoid with appropriate action. I swear, you and many liberals, both Democrat and Republican, are like someone about to be swept over Niagara Falls with rescuers throwing you a lifeline and you’re screaming, “Stop throwing things at me! It’s not nice to throw things at people!”
Posted by: McClarinJ | October 18, 2011, 7:29 am 7:29 am
The Following is What is Different and Better About Ron Paul Over All Others:
He has never taken a government junket.
He does not participate in the lucrative Congressional Pension Program.
He returns a portion of his annual Congressional Office Budget every
year.
He has never voted to raise taxes.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He voted no to the bankster bailout.
He voted no to raising the debt ceiling and warned us against
the “Super Congress” part of the legislation that resembles both
an “ Enabling Act” and a “Politburo.”
He has never voted to restrict gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise Congressional Pay.
He never voted to increase Executive Branch Power.
He will Reinstate The Constitution and Save The Republic
He will END the unconstitutional FED.
He will phase out the unconstitutional IRS beginning immediately
He will secure the borders
He will limit Big Government in your private affairs
He will stop Illegal immigration and no amnesty
He voted against regulating the Internet
He is the only candidate for President in 2012 who actually served his country.
He was a flight surgeon during Vietnam.
Ron Paul’s popularity is so high among U.S. service members that the Texas
Congressman’s presidential campaign has received more money from U.S.
soldiers than any other candidate in the 2012 presidential race.
http://www.thestatecolumn.com/…
He voted against the Iraq War and warned us against going forward with
an undeclared war.“Let it not be said that no one cared, that
no one objected once it´s realized that our liberty and wealth are in
Jeopardy” July 10th, 2003
He voted against the unconstitutional and un-patriotic misnomered so called “Patriot Act”.
He supports a non-interventionist foreign policy yet a strong defense
He will end the inflation tax He is a true Constitutional
Conservative
He would have soundly beat Obama in 2008 because Independents trust him and like him.
We could have had a V8 instead of McCain´t in 08
Ron Paul for President 2012
Because no one else can be trusted to say what he means and do what he says like Ron Paul does.
Ron Paul is the man of the hour. They used to laugh him for being way ahead
of the others in his thinking and his warnings. Now, they are not
laughing because what he predicted is coming to pass. Now, he is being called
a prophet for having warned us and still calmly suffered through the
barbs. “First they, ignore you, then they fight you, then you
win.” Gandhi
Posted by: Dave | October 18, 2011, 7:32 am 7:32 am
Scott Cramer is a TROLL. Vote Ron Paul 2012 everyone! I beg you!!
Posted by: Katie | October 18, 2011, 7:33 am 7:33 am
First of all, despite what some professor might *assume* about Ron Paul, he IS seeking the presidency and his plan isn’t some “message”….he wants to help America.
Secondly….robber barrons, seriously? Most of Ron Paul’s “deep” budget cuts only wind back the clock FIVE YEARS: as for the rest, how about reading the plan before making such outlandish comments??
Posted by: Jester2069 | October 18, 2011, 7:44 am 7:44 am
He would let them keep their jobs? awww man. If they cant be productive in one branch, What makes him think they could do better in another? Fire em, Fire em all. No pension of any kind.
The funny thing is, Most of my friends collect welfare. They are 23 years old, Very able to work. No children. Free $500 a month?? I am basically supporting them. My uncle 52 yrs, Use to work for wells Fargo. He quit, Now collect unemployment. He has a physiology degree. Go figure scammed his way into a $2,000 a month social security check?? The government is taking from me and giving to them. If the government disappears, They will come (Jobs) These lazy bums will get off their ase.
Posted by: johneverymann | October 18, 2011, 7:50 am 7:50 am
Dr. Paul speaks the truth while the other candidates promote fairy tales. Bottom line we are bankrupt and going no place until our government spending is under control. The truth hurts and that is why Ron Paul is the man for 2012. No more lies, no more fairy tales and no more spending period.
Posted by: Phil | October 18, 2011, 7:58 am 7:58 am
Scott Cramer – thank you for eloquently voicing what the 99% want to say! I could not have put it better. Ron Paul is an advocate of the past.
Posted by: Bob | October 18, 2011, 8:15 am 8:15 am
What a frikkin’ joke! This zealot will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever be selected by his Party to be their candidate. NEVER! He’s bat-spit crazy if he thinks this insanity would ever be embraced by the majority of Americans. This laughably regressive platform would roll back progress in this nation a century or two. Time to retire, Dr. Paul, your senility is showing……….
Posted by: Searambler | October 18, 2011, 8:24 am 8:24 am
Most companies who move offices or their entire business overseas do so because of excess corporate taxes in the U.S. There is a simple solution to the problem, lower corporate tax rates and keep companies in the U.S. One cannot blame corporations for making sound judgements to reduce their tax burden. The problem is NOT corporate greed, it is a broken corporate tax policy. Wall street protesters are biting the hand that feeds them, and are unclear as a group what they want to change. The protesters are feeling the same frustration that many have in the function? of their government to address jobs, budgets and excess federal regulations. Ron Paul is on the right track on cutting out ineffective, wasteful cabinet positions. Too bad he is not electable. Some of his ideas make sense and that is exactly the reason it would be all the more difficult to implement them.
Posted by: curtis41 | October 18, 2011, 8:29 am 8:29 am
why is this journalist assuming the federal goverments involvement in education and any of these programs is a good idea. The Federal Goverment sucks at education. Their ideas are misguided, stifle teachers and administrators with their regulations…A fine example of allowing federal Gov to run our educational system is the lost generation down @ “occupy wallstreet” everything this present goverment both the dem n rep control is mismanaged…I’m embarrassed to be American today..shame on us for voting these criminals in all of them.. theyre not doing their jobs well. maybe this 12 term congress man can clean this up a bit..
Posted by: speculator | October 18, 2011, 8:32 am 8:32 am
@Scott Cramer – You’re history is weak, and so are your arguements. We are living in 1895 right now, because our politicians, even the hope and change messiah, are in bed with big business. That is the problem, not capitalism. And look at where Europe’s social saftey nets have got them…. looks like that worked out real good… n00b.
Posted by: CommonSense | October 18, 2011, 8:35 am 8:35 am
Bottom line we are bankrupt and going no place until our government spending is under control. Posted by: Phil | October 18, 2011, 7:58 am.
No, Phil, that is NOT the ‘bottom line’. It is the narrative the Republican Party, led by those infantile Tea Baggers, has been feeding you since they lost control of the White House and Congress. Prior to that, as Darth Cheney so eloquently put it, “Reagan proved that deficits don’t matter”. The Republican message ONLY turned to the ‘government is broke’ channel when it became politically expedient for them harp on this. They have now sold that story so well that the rank-and-file believe it and actively fight against their own self-interests in trying to implement what the Koch brothers have been pushing for for 30 years now: less government regulation, less government oversight, less RULES that the rich have to play by. And all the useful idiots on the Right are slogging along in the trenches, mindlessly parroting these talking points without considering who REALLY benefits from all of this.(Here’s a hint: it’s NOT you and me). The GOP has somehow convinced people that if we only cut everything from the federal level, somehow, suddenly, magically, the very people and corporations who are not hiring will start to hire. They will suddenly decide to bring back the millions of jobs they sent overseas in the last 20 years. Their magical wishful-thinking on this is stunning in its naivety, and completely unsupported by ANYTHING resembling facts……..
Posted by: Searambler | October 18, 2011, 8:36 am 8:36 am
You cannot simply shift the entire burden of modern life onto the states, they are bankrupt too. States are slashing education budgets so, who will pay to educate your children? Not everyone can afford private schools.
Jester2069 seems to think that government employees are worthless but are they really? Without the FDA who will ensure that the food you eat is safe? The states? with what money? Without the HHS and CDC Who will ensure that the next flu pandemic doesn’t kill someone you know? Your county Health Department? I could go on.
This plan will add an additional 134,000 people to the unemployed why. These folks are your neighbors and fellow American’s who go to WORK everyday to make modern life possible; you won’t know what you are missing until it is gone.
This plan briefs well and makes all the conservatives feel good but it won’t work.
Do you all really think that any of these “Job Creators” gives a rats a** about you or this country? All their care about is their bottom line and you are the rats on the treadmills making their profit possible. A rat is a rat, why pay an American worker a living wage when they can pay the Chinese .25 a day to do the same job. It is not simply a matter of corporate taxes.
So lets all think about this before we toss the baby out with the bathwater.
Posted by: Scott Cramer | October 18, 2011, 8:37 am 8:37 am
Great…. I used to think I was an anarchist until I started hearing the latest round of loudmouths with no real solutions to anything. These people are so high up in the social order they have no understanding how ANYONE lives their lives on a daily basis. Grand ignorance sowing even grander ignorance for the brainwashed, mindless idiots who eat it up since they have nothing more useful to do with their lives. THE ZOMBIES HAVE ALL STARVED TO DEATH!!!
Posted by: CJ | October 18, 2011, 8:37 am 8:37 am
If we are to truly get out of this mess then we need to face reality. Thus is the only plan with real economic solutions. Stop calling thus man crazy! Are we afraid of the truth?
Posted by: Steve | October 18, 2011, 8:44 am 8:44 am
Richard Parker doesn’t know a damn thing about what Ron Paul really wants. I can’t understand why you would get the opinion of a university professor instead of perhaps, you know, actually interviewing Paul or a member of his campaign staff to find out the reality. The headline of this article is incorrect. It’s five total departments, not education plus five.
Also, Paul’s focus IS job creation, but unlike Romney’s status quo fantasy, Paul’s economic plan would actually help, by stopping the creation of more debt, which is destroying the real purchasing power of the dollar, and allowing businesses to start growing the economy again by removing all of these onerous, complicated, and inconsistent new regulations, which are clearly stifling, giving them a more favorable environment to hire employees and provide goods and services. But this is really an editorial disguised as a news piece, so no surprise it’s slanted to marginalize and attack.
Posted by: Joe M | October 18, 2011, 8:45 am 8:45 am
This article sounds misinformed of Ron Pauls ideas he thinks the states can handle the public schools, I think Educators want the federal goverment out of public schools as well. no child left behind and standardized test haven’t helped the occupy wallstreet? actually sounds like it just left our young people behind with NO jobs.
Posted by: beth | October 18, 2011, 8:45 am 8:45 am
Nobody is talking about how are american dream is getting wasted by inflation!! Our normal salary’s stay the same and we just cut back!!! Keep on producing the the dollar the I wish liberals would understand why rich get richer. It is the government and Federal Reserve! When governement spends more then we have it reduces the dollar… The inflation tax learn it please!!! Liberals fight to spend on social programs with real money not produced… Conservatives fight for defense with real money not printed!!!! Then we will be okay because the ones that work will be able to get ahead!!!!!
Posted by: eric | October 18, 2011, 8:48 am 8:48 am
Some folks evidently believe that progress is a government living your life for you, removing all danger and risk. Why would we allow mountain climbing and sky-diving and yet refuse to hold people responsible for their own existence? Why do the same folks who lament the decline of the America that they used to know continually cry for change to mimic the other failed and failing systems of the world? Why do some folks consider it regressive to return to what works and progressive to constantly pursue what is failing?
Posted by: n'erdowell | October 18, 2011, 8:49 am 8:49 am
Searambler, why are you so afraid of a future POTUS actually trying to fix this country instead of further burying it in mountains of debt? You do realize that we WILL have to account for this debt at some point, and if it gets up into the 20 trillion dollar range which we are headed to, this country will in fact collapse. As of April, we are paying the Chinese (who have a relatively small portion of our debt, about 1.2 trillion) $74 million a day in interest. In total, we are paying about $450 billion a year JUST IN INTEREST on our debt. Paul said yesterday it is costing us over $10 million dollars PER HOUR to fund the war in Afghanistan, and Kucinich said over $30 milllion per hour on all wars combined (of which none are constitutional, by the way.) Think about how crazy this is, and certain military officials say that after 10 years, we are only halfway done? This is unacceptable, and we should not stand for this.
Change is scary, but we can’t bail out a sinking boat with a sifter and claim we’re truly trying to fix anything.
Posted by: R_Dye | October 18, 2011, 8:50 am 8:50 am
@Searabler – I do not have to point out that your rant was nothing more than a factless, brainless, and embarassing piece of writing. What I do have to point out, is that debt has caused more great countries to fall than any other reason in history. Read a book dude. To say that debt doesnt matter is nothing short of sheer ignorance. We can blame the libs and the neocons for our debt problem. Ron Paul is the answer.
Posted by: CommonSense | October 18, 2011, 8:53 am 8:53 am
The greatness of this country did not come from coddling the “99%” – Rather, it came from aspiring to join the “1%”, while recognizing the inalienable rights of the “99%”. I think I would consider Lewis and Clark pretty solid 1%ers, as well as the founders. Followers of Karl Marx – well, there are some definite 99%er types.
Posted by: n'erdowell | October 18, 2011, 8:58 am 8:58 am
@Scott Cramer
Obviously you didn’t look into the plan, nor do you know anything about how these government programs work. The DoE for example, has no other purpose than to pass out money. The states have programs to collect tax dollars and to spend them, but first the money has to go to the federal government to be redistributed. Eliminating these programs only eliminates administration costs. Welfare will be handled through passing out block grants. No need for an over bloated department when congress can just grant them some cash. Social Security, Medicad and Medicare will not be touched. Everyone under the age of 25 will have the ability to obt out of the program if they choose.
Posted by: Nupe | October 18, 2011, 8:59 am 8:59 am
Thank God for you conservatives!!! You’ll save the day for sure! You all have such a wonderful track record with the economy! Deregulate the financial sector, great freakin’ idea there, huh?
And while we are on the issue of spending, why don’t you all do a bit of research on which administration from the last twenty years has added the most to the national debt, then we’ll talk.
Posted by: Scott Cramer | October 18, 2011, 8:59 am 8:59 am
The free market has much stricter regulations than what any central planner can enforce
Posted by: Taylor Greenwood | October 18, 2011, 9:02 am 9:02 am
I think we need to create something called the Department of Debt Management…..
Posted by: newcountryman | October 18, 2011, 9:03 am 9:03 am
“Ron Paul’s Economic Plan Eliminates Department of Education” – ABC News
F I N A L L Y !
Someone with VISION!
We need to cut the wasteful federal government spending.
Education is too important to be in the hands of the feds.
Posted by: Noz | October 18, 2011, 9:06 am 9:06 am
Parker is a shill and a sellout, praising Ron Paul’s libertarian ideals while mock resigning himself to accept he will never be elected.
And at the same time, “accusing” Romney of cobbling his campaign together and assuring himself of the nomination!
Total brainwashing garbage. Parker is a fraud. He’s as much a libertarian as the 99% are bankster criminal collaborators.
Posted by: Reggie | October 18, 2011, 9:08 am 9:08 am
Scott Cramer your post in response to Dr. Paul’s economic plan is laughable and filled with so much misinformation it’s hard to know where to start. You say: “In other words, turn back the clock to about 1895 when the robber barons ran roughshod, and the majority of Americans lived in either abject poverty or very close to it. No child labor laws, no minimum wage, no limit on work hours, no work place safety, no drug or food safety, the dismantling of the national park system, no clean air or water.”
First of all, Dr. Paul is not advocating for the repeal of minimum wage laws, child labor laws, and work place safety laws, etc. yet. These things are not helpful, they prohobit businesses from being as productive as they can through increased costs due to government regulations.
Minimum wage laws cause unemployment – look at the teenage unemployment rates pre and post minimum wage law implementation for example. Child labor laws are a joke as well. Children were working back then because the society they lived in was so physically unproductive they had to work in order for the family to afford the necessities of life. And work place saftey was actually going down before work place safety laws were put in place. I could go on….
Let’s take a look at the so-called Robber Barons. John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carneige are singled out as evil people just trying to take advantage of folks. Rockefeller, with his Standard Oil Company, reduced the price of kerosene by 90% allowing people to light their homes at a substantially lower cost allowing them to stay up later in the night, which in turn allowed them to be more productive. Households used to use whale oil which was immensely expensive when compared to the cost of kerosense. What could you possibly have against that?
Andrew Carneige, through innovation and efficiencies at his steel company, caused the price of steel rails to be reduced by 90%. This means everything that had steel in it (machiery & equipment, cars, home appliances, etc) went down substantitally which helped businesses and families in the form of lower prices for the stuff they bought on a regular basis. What could possibly be wrong with that? Do you complain when the prices of the things you buy go down? Of course not.
You’re way off base. In the end Paul’s plan is exactly what we need. Less government, less taxes, lower government spending, etc and a beginning to returning America to prosperity.
Posted by: Derek F | October 18, 2011, 9:09 am 9:09 am
And again, this is all MOOT! Ron Paul will never be selected by YOUR side to even have the CHANCE to run for president. His ridiculous plan will NEVER be instituted. The Grand Old Party will see to that. Same with Herman Cain. And Rick Perry. And Crazy Eyes Bachman. Your candidate has already been chosen for you, and it’s Mitt Romney. Deal with it……..
Posted by: Searambler | October 18, 2011, 9:09 am 9:09 am
“The Department of Defense would see $832 billion disappear from its budget during Paul’s first term in office, most of which would stem from Paul’s plan to end all foreign wars and foreign aid.” – ABC News
Now there’s an idea both Demos and Repubs can get behind and support.
Why didn’t NoBo think of this?
Posted by: Noz | October 18, 2011, 9:09 am 9:09 am
Please cut the crap with blaming deregulation on Republicans. Larry Summers Harvard educated Clinton lackey was behind repealing the Glass-Stegal Act that kept commerical banks from being investment banks. Now they could take your money, invest it it exotic financial instruments like derivatives which are betts to insure losses in the market. The 1.5 QUADRILLION derivative bubble is empty numbers…. Just ban derivatives, reinstitute Glass Steagal and make the companies pay back the BAILOUTS! Problem solved… Fix the bipartisan Clinton Greenspan Rubin, Summers, Geither, Paulson, Bernanke Ponzi Scheme… Then you can finally “Move On, Move ON!!!”
Posted by: John Titor | October 18, 2011, 9:09 am 9:09 am
“Searambler, why are you so afraid of a future POTUS actually trying to fix this country instead of further burying it in mountains of debt?”
The president CAN’T FIX THIS COUNTRY!!! Geez, you people are really, really thick! It’s up to CONGRESS to make policy. CONGRESS MAKES THE LAWS!!! If the law is good enough, it can even survive a presidential veto. And who pays Congress? Big business and special interests. Don’t you people get it? NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE IN CONGRESS until we remove the influence of special interest money from the equation. Until we do that, we can argue until we are blue in the face. NOTHING will change………..
Posted by: Searambler | October 18, 2011, 9:14 am 9:14 am
DOE failed it’s original mandate of foriegn energy independence and the other DOE speaks for itself when you look at he state of public education.
Posted by: newcountryman | October 18, 2011, 9:17 am 9:17 am
“The Department of Defense would see $832 billion disappear from its budget during Paul’s first term in office, most of which would stem from Paul’s plan to end all foreign wars and foreign aid.” – ABC News
Now there’s an idea both Demos and Repubs can get behind and support.
Posted by: Noz | October 18, 2011, 9:09 am.
Do you honestly believe the Republicans in Congress would ever allow this to happen? Because if you do I have a wonderful bridge in Alaska for sale, and I think it would be perfect for you……….
Posted by: Searambler | October 18, 2011, 9:17 am 9:17 am
The House has been passing legislation. The Democrat Senate has left those bills on the table without a vote. Seems like it’s bigger than money, it’s POLITCS! If you had to vote for Nader or a Republican for President, I bet your so stubborn that you’d stay home… A party without principle is nothing but a harlot!
Posted by: John Titor | October 18, 2011, 9:25 am 9:25 am
Searambler, other than electing Congress(wo)men who are more ethically responsible and willing to ignore the special interests, what exactly are you proposing then? Just throw our hands up and keep heading down the path we’re on because there’s no way we can change it? That’s simply a pathetic and fearful response that you should be ashamed of. If we do nothing and continue on this path, our country will either be nonexistent or a shell of its former glory in 10-15 years. Even though Obama is trying to socialize everything in this country and turn us into a dictatorship, at least he’s trying to do something, even if it is wrong. You on the other hand, seem to just want to cry into your ice cream and give up. Shame on you.
Posted by: R_Dye | October 18, 2011, 9:30 am 9:30 am
Why is it the Left believes their world would fall apart if the government wasn’t watching over every aspect of it?
Posted by: newcountryman | October 18, 2011, 9:31 am 9:31 am
The USA is 14.6 trillion dollars in debt, and there are 307 million citizens. With some simple math you can see that each man, woman, and child owes over $47,000. Since only half of the population actually pay taxes it comes to $94,000 per taxpayer. If we expect just the top 2% of the wage earners to pay for it, they will owe over $2,000,000 each. We have a big problem caused by overspending, not so much because we tax too little. We need to shrink the government and elect people that are willing to make hard choices, not just lip service. Too often we elect people that say one thing and do another. Please vote for the only person that has been talking straight to the American people for 30 years, support Ron Paul.
Posted by: GAM | October 18, 2011, 9:33 am 9:33 am
POSTED BY: SEARAMBLER | OCTOBER 18, 2011, 9:14 AM 9:14 AM
******Agree with you totally, these nitwits are smoking used weed. They
have no idea what they’re talking about. It’s absolutely knee-jerking,
no brain activity comments from Paul advocates on this blog
Posted by: michael | October 18, 2011, 9:35 am 9:35 am
Wow, he has not even been elected and people are already crying about losing their pacifier. You all fail to realize that the federal government has “profited” off our pain but tries to act as our savior. But now it realizes that its counterfeiting/laundering system cannot fix the problem it has gotten itself into due to the debt. Counterfeiting? Laundering? you say? Well, the government printed Trillions in order to expand itself. It used part of those trillions to pay its new employees, and pay for stuff. But, because the jobs created were not “production” jobs the injection into the economy didnt do anything except create more inflation. Additonally, the government gave a lot of that money to banks to dole out in the form of loans etc. However, we all know how that has worked. The banks have reinvested it and posted billions in profits, while also making it harder to get loans something the government forced on them again because the governemnt realized giving everyone loans in this economy is not a great idea.
These days, we all seem to be saying, “we need a businessman” in office because they know how to run things. Well lets take this in a business perspective of a failing company. What would a failing company do first? Would they take out a 80 billion dollar loan to invest in Research and Development? Lots of risk there with no payoff, right? Actually, they would first look at all uderperforming and bloated departments and start reorganizing the company. During that period, they would look at all underperformers and start sending walking papers. They would do this with the perspective of understanding the profits they bring in and get themselves under budget.
Our government does not want to hold its own feet to the fire. Instead it wants to force the american people to support it through more and more taxation. It never ends because the government never stops spending. And it never spends wisely. Any time the rich get taxed more, the poor and middleclass pay for it through inflation and cutbacks. The governemnt will NEVER create a level playing field through more taxation.
Posted by: Joe | October 18, 2011, 9:45 am 9:45 am
Reggie,
Unfortunately, it is not misinformation, I have followed Dr Paul for a number of years and, yes, that is his position and the position of the Libertarian party. If not directly abolish those departments, programs and laws, then question their constitutionality because as Mark stated, they have no foundation in the powers granted the federal government under Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution. I respect Dr Paul immensely because he believes what he believes and is remarkably consistent and always on message. I disagree with everything he stands for but I respect his courage and commitment. Other politicians could learn a thing or two.
As for being a n00b Speculator, my history is not weak, it might not reinforce your arguments but it doesn’t make it any less true.
N’erdowell, I do know how they work, and I agree with you they are managed horribly they should be facilitators not dictators, what I take issue with is eliminating the department is not the answer, the majority of the workers want to do an honest days work for the nation, they are not your enemy, and adding them to the ranks of the unemployed does no one any good.
John Titor, you hit the nail on the head, the minute the Supreme Court institutionalized the concept of money equates to speech and that corporations are people, it was all over, they surrendered the soul of the nation to big business and special interests.
Jut to put this out there, Obama is a joke, I respect leaders; he is definitely NOT a leader.
Posted by: Scott Cramer | October 18, 2011, 9:57 am 9:57 am
America is quickly becoming a sea of blinded bafoon cowards unwilling to call an spade a spade , finding all these hack blinded means of fixing something instead of dealing with the core truth of retrieving back our Made in America jobs, establishing a steel strong tax base , and way of living , remembering what established this nation instead of resecting and amputating because of refusing to deal with the simple truth of whom we have allowed ourselves to become, a Godless self serving nation…………..five hundreds pounds and looking into the same mirror saying..”I`m not fat…I still look good ! ” The girls still adore me !
Posted by: NewUnion | October 18, 2011, 10:02 am 10:02 am
Bottom line people, you can call be all the names you want, call me a Jew, guilty, call me misinformed, whatever.. I believe the strength of the nation comes from the people and anything done to degrade, use, and belittle them does not make us stronger. We are ALL in this togther and should support one another because good time and bad time have come and will come again but at the end of the day, the American people will still be here. So when I see the downtrodden and the poor and the unfortunate, my first instinct is not to turn my back, call them names, my first instinct is to extend my hand to help get you back on your feet and if that means I only bring home $4,000 a month instead of $5,000 then that is a good investment.
Posted by: Scott Cramer | October 18, 2011, 10:02 am 10:02 am
Vanity Fair magazine has a superb article about the deficit and how it was originated in 1780s and WHY it is actually not some horrible thing to be feared. Some people seem to believe that the Constitution is a stagnant document to be interpreted, like the Bible, literally with absolute belief that it is 100% correct and cannot be improved upon or reviewed from time to time as things progress and change. Sorry, but that is not the case. As the world changes so does the Constitution – we now have planes and motor cars and automatic weapons and scientific advances that go beyond bleeding to cure illnesses.
Posted by: pksk531 | October 18, 2011, 10:07 am 10:07 am
Posted by: Scott Cramer—And no one is stopping you from doing that, you can personally give all the charity you have from what you earn, but that doesn’t give you the right to spend what others earn, and that is what the left wants to do. Binging everyone along and maximizing the species is not going to be a good thing for all of America, we don’t have the jobs, and we won’t have the jobs, that the average American can do and make a living until the Chinese and Indians wages rise to what we make or our wages fall to what they make, or somewhere in between. Globalization put us all in the same game, we went from competing in the US with 200 million people to competing with 6 billion people, we are outnumbered by people who can and are doing the same job for less, that s the problem, and the solution is unpleasant. 1) WW3 or 2) Isolation, in either case those at the lower en of the social economic spectrum will not be better off, in war it will be they that fight, with Isolation, they will have jobs making things they can’t afford to buy, pick you poison.
Posted by: snewsom2997 | October 18, 2011, 10:23 am 10:23 am
I don’t know why Paul would want to eliminate all of these government agencies….it’s all working so well.
Posted by: newcountryman | October 18, 2011, 10:28 am 10:28 am
I want my freedom. I’m tired of living in this Marxist police state. The Founders liberated me from tyranny with their blood and gave me the Constitution. The statist can go find some other country to destroy but NOT THIS ONE!
@cramer “In other words, turn back the clock to about 1895 when the robber barons ran roughshod…” It takes the corruption of gov’t to empower corrupt corporatists. Separate the economy from the state. Get gov’t out of the marketplace. Starve the gov’t of money. End the Fed. End the income tax. Restore the Constitution. Restore the Rule of Law. Ron Paul is a great American but his plan doesn’t go far enough. A real revolution is needed to restore our freedom. The Stalinists in Washington must go.
Posted by: parker | October 18, 2011, 10:29 am 10:29 am
“Scott Cramer doesn’t grasp that corporations move jobs out of the U.S. because it is cheaper to pay foreign workers and foreign tax rates than it is to settle in the states”***
So, all we need to do to “compete” with China and India is eliminate corporate taxes, all regulations (workplace, environmental, financial) and work for $1 to $2 a day with no benefits or retirement (pension OR SS)?
Seriously? Because that is exactly what is being proposed here.
Otherwise, it will ALWAYS be cheaper to outsource labor. Could YOU live on $2 a day? Or even $10? Many do, and it is one reason they dream of living in the U.S. or Europe!
We, as a society, decided a long time ago that quality of life, justice, and protections for the weakest among us was preferable to an “everyone for himself” model; we TRIED unfettered Capitalism and hands-off government. The result was massive concentration of wealth, abuse, human suffering, and abject poverty for millions.
No thanks to going back to that.
Posted by: Raven | October 18, 2011, 10:34 am 10:34 am
PARKER: “Separate the economy from the state. Get gov’t out of the marketplace. Starve the gov’t of money. End the Fed. End the income tax. Restore the Constitution. Restore the Rule of Law. “**
You are an ANTI-Constitutionalist.
The Founding Fathers CREATED this government you despise so much and actively seek to destroy, and they would have viewed you as a TRAITOR, not a patriot.
They empowered the federal government (Congress) to 1. levy taxes 2. promote the general welfare 3. regulate interstate commerce, like it or not.
You advocate the destruction of the system they established, in violation of the Constitution. So don’t pretend to be a SUPPORTER of that document or of the Founding Fathers’ vision or intent.
Posted by: Raven | October 18, 2011, 10:41 am 10:41 am
Posted by: Raven—That is what we signed up for when we jumped both feet blind into Globalization. Free Trade and Globalization are at odds with what we we promised to do as a social security net. So now we have to live with the consequences, higher taxes and less jobs, with more people in the net, send the country into a death spiral, or less net and a more competitive economy, and a reduction in the American Standard of living to the Global Norm. The boomers wanted cheaper stuff an they got it at the expense of the kids being able to pay for the entitlements they were promised.
Posted by: snewsom2997 | October 18, 2011, 10:44 am 10:44 am
Will ABC News still try ti censor Dr Ron?
Posted by: nader paul kucinich gravel mckinney baldwin ventura sheehan | October 18, 2011, 10:45 am 10:45 am
Conservatives will never vote for Paul. He wants to end the wars and conservatives love going to war, because it provides big money for their contractors. Haliburton anyone?
Posted by: Sandy | October 18, 2011, 10:46 am 10:46 am
People act like once he is in office, the next month people would be starving on the streets, eating poisoned food, ss cut, welfare taken away…Give this man the respect his 12 terms in congress warrant. Because, Unless you’ve been on the “hill” with him we don’t know his experience in DC BS..just saying…calm down….. the media is scaring the masses..as per usual…
…
“In many of the departments that we cut, there are some important places there that we just don’t close down. Many of those important parts of each of those departments will be held in another department. So nobody gets laid off immediately, they get laid off through attrition,” Ron Paul said.
Posted by: lol247 | October 18, 2011, 11:02 am 11:02 am
Posted by: Sandy—-Obama hasn’t stopped any of them, and has put US troops in 3 more countries in the time being, Libya, Yemen, and Uganda, and has increased attacks on Pakistan, so who loves war? We made a Criminal Act Terrorism and Act of War and when perpetrated by a State it is, when perpetrated by individuals or a group it isn’t. and then sent the Army in to do Police Work, that is not their job, Nation Building is not our job, as a result we are in the same place as the Russians in 1988 and are slowly coming to the realization that Afghanistan, Iraq, and the rest of the World just are not worth American Blood, if the people in the countries cared they would have revolted, they didn’t, and in the process they didn’t earn their freedom, we gave it to them.
Posted by: snewsom2997 | October 18, 2011, 11:09 am 11:09 am
Look up Ron Paul pwns on you tube, he kills about every talking head that tries to drop a bomb on him. Plus they sound effects are funny. He’s the only guy that has the economic experience to make Bernake look like a 2nd grader.
Ron Paul 2012.
Posted by: mikecz | October 18, 2011, 11:18 am 11:18 am
“I can tell you definitively that it costs $1 billion more per factory for me to build, equip, and operate a semiconductor manufacturing facility in the United States,”
That is from the mouth of CEO of INTEL. He says that extra $1 billion is not because of higher wages but all due to GOVERNMENT. Read it for yourself. This is why we have no jobs. Get government out of our lives, buisness and money! RON PAUL 2012.
Posted by: Michael | October 18, 2011, 11:23 am 11:23 am
Searambler, other than electing Congress(wo)men who are more ethically responsible and willing to ignore the special interests, what exactly are you proposing then? Posted by: R_Dye | October 18, 2011, 9:30 am.
LOL! Yeah, that’ll work, attacking me. We need true campaign finance reform. Congress will never propose or enact it, because they benefit greatly from maintaining the status quo. The only way it will ever happen is for the states to get together and call for a Constitutional Convention in order to amend the Constitution. We need 34 states to make the call, and if they do, Congress must, by law, convene a convention. Then we need 38 states to agree to an amendment. The amendment would be simple: ALL federal elections – Congress and the White House – would be publicly funded. No campaign donations, no PAC’s, no SuperPAC’s, no 501(4)c’s, no more donations from anyone to anyone. No more spending on elections by anyone other than by the candidate himself (or herself) with the public funds they get. It HAS to be done via Constitutional amendment, because of the First Amendment and because of the ‘Citizens United’ ruling. We need to remove the influence of big business and special interests from our political offices. If Wall Street can no longer buy politicians (like they have been doing with Scott Brown, for example), and if the politicians KNOW that they are no longer beholden to big money in order to seek election or re-election, then the politicians would start working for the PEOPLE instead of for the rich. “…electing Congress(wo)men who are more ethically responsible and willing to ignore the special interests” sounds great on paper. Problem is, how do we identify these mythical figures during an election? Right now, our political finance election rules allow for legal money laundering of unlimited amounts of anonymous corporate cash to influence who gets into office. THAT has got to stop………..
Posted by: Searambler | October 18, 2011, 11:24 am 11:24 am
I want my freedom. I’m tired of living in this Marxist police state.
Posted by: parker | October 18, 2011, 10:29 am.
You should move here, to the United States. We are a Constitutional Republic. Not sure where you are now, but it doesn’t sound very nice………
Posted by: Searambler | October 18, 2011, 11:26 am 11:26 am
“I can tell you definitively that it costs $1 billion more per factory for me to build, equip, and operate a semiconductor manufacturing facility in the United States,”
That is from the mouth of CEO of INTEL. He says that extra $1 billion is not because of higher wages but all due to GOVERNMENT. Read it for yourself. This is why we have no jobs. Get government out of our lives, buisness and money! RON PAUL 2012.
Posted by: Michael | October 18, 2011, 11:29 am 11:29 am
The president does not have the authority to eliminate departments of the government. Most of what Rep. Paul says he wants to do is beyond the power of the office of president, but all the candidates propose things that they can’t deliver.
Posted by: Greggw | October 18, 2011, 11:37 am 11:37 am
Most of the departments Dr. Paul proposes to dismantle were unconstitutionally developed under the condition of being “temporary” (Jimmy Carter/Dept. of Energy/oil crisis remedy) and they have hung on, wasted huge amounts of money and accomplished absolutely nothing but employ more well compensated people with government subsidized benefits. Our country cannot sustain these ineffective, wasteful government departments. Fannie Mae & Freddi Mac – bailouts. HUD – more government subsidized homes. (We do have section 8 housing available to the less fortunate) Medicare & Medicaid – rampant corruption, no checks and balances and severe financial problems – another example of how poorly the feds control and manage. Dr. Paul is not the enemy. He merely wants to eradicate waste, get the government back to it’s constitutional purpose and allow for private enterprise to grow and employ more Americans. Oh yeah, and while your at it – big corporations – cheap foreign labor (and Americans who think they’re too good for factory jobs) cheap taxes, less government involvement – that’s why they left our soil. For those reasons and because the good old unions that ran them out with outrageous demands – Federal Government has been at the bottom of all these issues. The FEDS are too big, too powerful and too involved with too many aspects of our lives that should be regulated by people themselves.
Term limits, raises for Congress and the Senate when voted & approved by the taxpayers – not the politicians themselves. All government workers should have the same benefits as the taxpayers with the same costs. Wake up people – there is a monster called government running your life and we have created it! Now it’s time to dismantle the beast and take care of each other.
Posted by: Susan | October 18, 2011, 11:50 am 11:50 am
Posted by: Greggw—Congress can though, President is a CEO, he provides direction, the congress acts on that, at least in theory. OF course there is no compromise between the lefts and rights position, so until one side or the other gain 60 seats in the Senates and a majority in the house, no much will get done, but once that happens and one decides to push their platform ahead, the other side will rise up in revolt. We are swinging farther and farther from one common goal, as a result the US is too big and has outlived it usefulness, the two sides don’t want to save the same country, and are willing to PI55 off half the country to make their way the one way, that will only result in Civil War. Our present course is the road to civil war, withe the right will end entitlements, the left will raise taxes, or the government will go bankrupt, in either case 1/2 or more of the country gets the Pooh end of the stick, and we all get to participate in civil unrest not seen in 150 years.
Posted by: snewsom2997 | October 18, 2011, 11:56 am 11:56 am
Posted by: snewsom2997 | October 18, 2011, 11:56 am 11:56 am ************************** The prospects for civil war are extremely remote. As you point out, there are checks and balances that prevent extreme swings. I don’t know why you don’t have confidence in democratic principles and don’t believe in the Constitution, but if you are do not, then you are not loyal to this country.
Posted by: Greggw | October 18, 2011, 12:19 pm 12:19 pm
Those calling for the abolition of the Dept. of Education have no understanding for how poorly some of America’s kids were taught before minimum national standards were created. In addition, many American families move from state to state. If there are no federal standards, those kids will find themselves out of sync in their math and science courses. If there are no federal standards, kids from poorer funded schools -mostly in Red states- will find themselves unprepared to pass college classes.
Posted by: The_Mick | October 18, 2011, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
MICHAEL: ““I can tell you definitively that it costs $1 billion more per factory for me to build, equip, and operate a semiconductor manufacturing facility in the United States,”
That is from the mouth of CEO of INTEL. He says that extra $1 billion is not because of higher wages but all due to GOVERNMENT. Read it for yourself.”****
Read THIS for yourself:
“Intel Reports Fifth Consecutive Quarter of Record Revenue..July 20, 2011…Intel Corporation today reported its fifth consecutive quarter of record revenue, with double-digit revenue growth across all business segments.”
As reported by Forbes: “Intel
Pretax income: $16 billion
Provision for income taxes: $4.6 billion
Net income: $11.5 billion
Tax rate: 28.6%
Intel’s 2010 tax provision was more than three times 2009′s $1.3 billion. But that’s OK — earnings tripled as well. Intel has $12 billion in earnings parked overseas.”
Yes, here in the U.S. we DO have GOVERNMENT regulations which protect the environment, workers, and consumers. Try Somalia sometime; I hear it’s wide open.
But I find his claims dubious, considering that a recent large survey of business owners and leaders found NONE of them citing regulations or taxation as reasons for not hiring or expanding; the top reason cited was LACK OF DEMAND/CUSTOMERS.
Further, as September’s job report revealed, these large companies so championed by the Right are NOT the “job creators”; 60% of the 137,000 private sector jobs created last month were created by SMALL BUSSINESSES, and the rest by MID-SIZED companies. Meanwhile, LARGE compaines ELIMINATED 5,000 jobs, and 54,000 PUBLIC SECTOR jobs were lost.
Regardless, given Intel’s record profits of late, they can well afford the added expense of operating in the U.S., paying living wages and being responsible corporate citizens. They have simply made a CHOICE to pay slave wages and operate without regard for the communities in which they operate to save on costs and increase their profit margin even more.
Like many other large multinationals, they have enjoyed years of record-setting profits, systematically eliminated jobs in the U.S. and Europe in favor of low-regulation, low-wage nations, and are currently SITTING on trillions in CASH. This is NOT a case of companies being driven out of business due to oppressive taxation and/or regulation…it is a case of unfettered GREED and shameless EXTORTION.
I know in Ayan Rand World, there is no such thing as ethics, business or otherwise, but here in the world where the other 99% of us live, work and consume to generate those record profits, such considerations matter.
Posted by: Raven | October 18, 2011, 12:33 pm 12:33 pm
Posted by: Greggw—I do believe in the constitution, we haven’t followed it in my lifetime. The government is working the way it is supposed to, don’t have enough votes don’t get your bill passed. Like I said if the elections go all one way or another, that greatly increases the chance for civil war, the status quo greatly increases the chance for civil war. Like it or not the government is broke, it cannot continue to run deficits, and the people who pay taxes don’t want to pay any more, because they don’t get any benefit from what they are paying for, so the government will shrink and services will be reduced or put on the states or individuals, to manage in whatever way they can. Once the checks stop going out, or purchasing power reduced by inflation, to the 1/2 the country that receive them, those people will want what they think they are owed and will take it from the most convenient person to take it from that being their neighbors. The entitlement programs are not rights, the SCOTUS has ruled it so, when the government runs out of money, it doesn’t matter what previous governments promised.
Posted by: snewsom2997 | October 18, 2011, 12:40 pm 12:40 pm
The problem with Paul’s ideas is that, even if he were elected, congress would never pass any of his ideas. I think they are needed but they are too radical for most of the Washinton good ole boys so his ideas would never see the light of day (sigh).
Posted by: RalphF | October 18, 2011, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
SUSAN: “there is a monster called government running your life and we have created it! Now it’s time to dismantle the beast and take care of each other.”
From the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed..”
Commentary from Founding.com: “The Declaration’s third self-evident truth answers the question, why do men establish government?
The answer: to secure natural rights, or the rights people are born with. The Declaration implies that these rights are not secure outside of government.
Outside of government, people are in what the Founders called “the state of nature.” They have natural rights, but when men live without government, those rights are jeopardized. As James Madison explained in Federalist no. 51, in the state of nature, “the weaker individual is not secured against the violence of the stronger.” In such a state, even the decent may be tempted to act according to their selfish passions rather than their reason and duty.
As James Madison put it in the same number of The Federalist, men are not angels-that is, they are not simply rational. The state of nature is characterized not by life, liberty, and happiness, but rather by violent death, slavery, and misery. Because of this-and so that they can enjoy their rights in peace-people join to form governments.”
We ARE “taking care of one another” via government.
Leaving everything up to “nature”/the “private sector”/charity results in the sick, the elderly, the weak DYING in the streets. We’ve TRIED that, remember? Sure, in an ideal world, everyone would have relatives or kind strangers on hand to take them in/pay for their needs, but this is not an ideal world (never HAS been, all fantasy aside). So we have chosen to set up a social contract among ourselves and institute GOVERNMENT to handle things like building interstate highway systems and other infrastructure, regulate business, make and enforce laws, defend the nation, provide for health care and retirement for seniors with no other provisions (and for widows, orphans and the disabled), and to collect TAXES to pay for it all.
The Founding Fathers realized the need for GOVERNMENT, so they established one.
The Right-wing attacks on that system (seeking not just to REFORM it, but to starve it until it is “small enough to drown in a bathtub”) are UNConstitutional and TREASONOUS, not “patriotic” or a return to “Constitutional principles”.
Posted by: Raven | October 18, 2011, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm
LOL…LOL…just look at all the ‘right wing extremist support’ for a candidate whom . well known conservative columnist (Cal Thomas) recently described as the ‘crazy aunt in the closet’ on many important societal concerns and problems. That is why he (Paul) is totally unelectable on the national stage. However…..he certainly can ‘screw up’ the GOP presidential candidate’s hopes of ever being elected. LOL…LOL…looks good on the GOP for ever pandering to this group of wing nuts that Paul represents.
Posted by: CND FOX | October 18, 2011, 12:57 pm 12:57 pm
“I can tell you definitively that it costs $1 billion more per factory for me to build, equip, and operate a semiconductor manufacturing facility in the United States,”
That is from the mouth of CEO of INTEL. He says that extra $1 billion is not because of higher wages but all due to GOVERNMENT. …Michael… Yup, like those pesky environmental regulations so they don’t destroy the water or ground. Like paying people living wages and not $50 a month like in some of those “wonderful” Asian countries. Horrible regulations that ensure a clean, safe place to work. That is why he is paid the big bucks – in stock, not money so he only pays 15% tax rate, not 35%.
Posted by: pksk531 | October 18, 2011, 1:18 pm 1:18 pm
Well I want to see what Mr. Paul drinks if I were to send him some water regulated by the EPA , and that courtesy of BP. YUM!!
Posted by: MiketheElectrician | October 18, 2011, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm
Ya gotta wonder if Paul really, truly comprehends the limits on the power of the president. Most of what he proposes has to be done by Congress. And they would never do 99.9% of what he proposes. He reminds me somewhat of Don Quixote, tilting at windmills……………..
Posted by: Searambler | October 18, 2011, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
He’s been elected to his seat in Congress 12 times by the people of Texas. He’s run for president three times now. He’s 75 years old. It’s time for this career politician and failed presidential candidate to hang up his spurs and ride gracefully away into the Texas sunset. Mainstream America doesn’t subscribe to his ideology…………….
Posted by: Searambler | October 18, 2011, 1:27 pm 1:27 pm
It is downright silly to say corporations have moved jobs overseas to avoid taxes. They have plenty of tax breaks and accounting tricks to avoid much of that. It is much more about the low wages paid in third world countries and the lax pollution laws. (ever see photos of Chinese cities air quality?)
The sad part is the loyal American companies that try to keep the jobs here are under-priced by the out-sourcing companies until they are forced to go out of business or out-source jobs too. What we need is good old fashioned tariffs to keep certain industries and thus enough jobs for our people here at home.
We can all help by rewarding companies that don’t out-source by reading labels and buying American-made products. The job you save may be indirectly your own.
Posted by: Librarian53 | October 18, 2011, 1:36 pm 1:36 pm
Posted by: Librarian53—Tariffs will work, people will have jobs and not be able to afford anything, we are in a global economy, we either play by the rules or walk away, there is no middle ground, we can either compete and have jobs and not be able afford anything, or we can have cheap stuff, no jobs, and not be able to afford anything. Will Americans read the labels, or will they just grab the cheapest thing in the aisle, they have proven that they will choose the cheapest thing every time. Until American choose to do without or do with less, and stop buying foreign made stuff at the cheaper price, we will not have the low skilled jobs to employ the majority of the unemployed and underemployed.
Posted by: snewsom2997 | October 18, 2011, 1:46 pm 1:46 pm
Posted by: snewsom2997 | October 18, 2011, 12:40 pm 12:40 pm ********************** When one side gest control of the WH and Congress and goes too far, then they get voted out in the next election. There is no need for a civil war. You do not belive in the system of government, ergo, you do not believe in the Constitution and you are not loyal to this country.
Posted by: Greggw | October 18, 2011, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm
Vote for corporate hacks in 2012… use opensecrets.org to see where the candidates money comes from. Corporate Elitests back both Obama and Romney.
Posted by: Liberty/Peace | October 18, 2011, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
I’m afraid some of you liberal Democrats are right about Ron Paul. He’s not one of the Washington insiders so nothing he thinks will see the political light of day. Sad actually.
Posted by: newcountryman | October 18, 2011, 2:19 pm 2:19 pm
I like this, he trims the fat. He gives the states back the right to govern and make laws made by the voters back in their state. New Yorkers take care of New Yorkers, California takes care of California and if Colorado has laws you like better than Vermont then pack up and move there because we are united under the constitution. I mean come on here, this is how our fore fathers intended here. These declarations were made for a reason. He makes a flat tax for government to protect our boarders. I think defense spending is well off at 1.2 trillion, I dont think we need to give more tax dollars. He wants to stop bailing out banks and countries with US tax dollars. He wants to spend the foreign aid we give out here on new sewage systems, new highways which are 7 years outdated I might add. He wants to upgrade our border patrol with new equipment so they can defend our borders. He wants to upgrade the needed US Coast Guard that is completely under funded and staffed i mean come on people open your eyes. He said he would only take a mid class wage of 39,400 vs. the 400,000 salary. He has been married for 50 yrs to the same woman, he has 8 kids, he has 12 grand children and he gave over 4000 births. I think he will be thinking of our children while he is in office. I believe Ron Paul knows we need to fix our system before our children’s are mounted with debt because of our bad decisions. He knows it will not be easy but he knows the seriousness of the outcome of these changes are not implemented. Disabled veterans are voting for Congressmen Dr. Ron Paul.
Posted by: WHEC722 | October 18, 2011, 2:42 pm 2:42 pm
I’m afraid some of you liberal Democrats are right about Ron Paul. He’s not one of the Washington insiders so nothing he thinks will see the political light of day. Posted by: newcountryman | October 18, 2011, 2:19 pm.
He’s a Republican. He’s been a Republican politician for 24 years, from a Republican state. He’s run for the Republican presidential nomination three times, including now, and failed every time, including now. If the Republicans don’t want him anywhere near the White House, then why the hell would the Democrats? And no, this isn’t a case of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’. His ideology is so far removed from the reality of mainstream America that his own Party won’t advance his agenda.
Posted by: Searambler | October 18, 2011, 3:39 pm 3:39 pm
“Paul says his fellow members of Congress have increased government spending by 75 percent during the presidency of George W. Bush. After a 2005 bill was touted as “slashing” government waste, Paul wrote that it decreased spending by a fraction of one percent and that “Congress couldn’t slash spending if the members’ lives depended on it.” He said that during three years (under GW Bush) he had voted against more than 700 bills intended to expand government.” (wiki)
Tell me again why some people view the Republicans as the Party of less government and fiscal responsibility?
Posted by: Searambler | October 18, 2011, 3:41 pm 3:41 pm
Stop letting the Pundits and Major Networks play on your emotions. Don’t react in fear! Educate yourself and listen to what the candidates say in their own words! Ron Paul is not promoting Anarchy, he is standing for the decentralization of power away from the Federal Govt. The solution is not bigger government. Ron Paul 2012
Posted by: Mookie | October 18, 2011, 4:47 pm 4:47 pm
Most of the Federal agencies we believe have “always” been there have only existed since 1970 (EPA, DOE, OSHA, DOE, FEMA & a major labor commission). All have failed at their missions, Progressives (Democrat & Republicans (I prefer decepticon), promote the good they have done to justify even high expenditures. Only government gets more & more money for failure.
There are Fail blog videos that cannot compete with the these agencies ability to reach insurmountable depths of failure while extracting more and more from the taxpayer.
One thought…perhaps we should require politicians to dress like Nascar drivers with the names and logos of those who have bought them right on the uniform.
Obama – AIG, GM , GE, name the defense contractor, name the labor union. Republicans…no better
Posted by: John Ridder | October 18, 2011, 5:07 pm 5:07 pm
@ Searambler, Just want to let you know that this is not 1999 when Clinton increased the debt by 128 Billion $$$, 1.4% GDP to make the total deficit at 5.64 Trillion $$$ and 61.2 %GDP. Those days are long gone and hope you are prepared.. You must like all the Fairy Tales of the last 11 years…
Posted by: Phil | October 18, 2011, 5:52 pm 5:52 pm
Sea Baby you keep forgetting that Bush spent most of his presidency as a RINO.
The thing you hate the most about him, out of control spending, is Demo in nature.
Obama is much better at it than Bush was.
Posted by: Noz | October 18, 2011, 7:57 pm 7:57 pm
“Only government gets more & more money for failure.” – John Ridder
Mr Ridder, you win the Quote-o-da-Day Award™ for October 18th 2011
Clarity such as yours is too rare these days.
Posted by: Noz | October 18, 2011, 10:54 pm 10:54 pm
The money the companies earn overseas are already overseas. You can call it fair or unfair, like it or not but the companies are not going to bring the money home to get penalized by 35% rate. 15% for the future is about right.
Also, few people look at the alternative. The alternative is the destruction of the dollar, complete rip off of anyone receiving income from anything but welfare and by that creating a powerful disincentive for the people to work. When everyone ends up on welfare, there will be no food to “buy” on food stamps, no medical care to get on medicaid or medicare, nothing to buy for welfare or SSI check. This alternative is much gloomier than few sober years with a clear perspective for prosperity and dignity as a reward.
Posted by: Pel | October 18, 2011, 11:06 pm 11:06 pm
Bottom line, if you don’t like to take responsibility for your actions, this plan isn’t for you. Paul will give us a tremendous start, but we’re the ones who have to make it work.
Posted by: Kristi | October 19, 2011, 10:35 am 10:35 am
THIS IS SOMETHING WORTH THINKING ABOUT.
When a company falls on difficult times, one of the things that seems to happen is they reduce their staff and workers. The remaining workers must find ways to continue to do a good job or risk that their job would be eliminated as well.
Wall Street and the media normally congratulate the CEO for making this type of “tough decision,” and the board of directors gives upper corporate management big bonuses.
Our government should not be immune from similar risks. Therefore:
Reduce the House of Representatives from the current 435 members to 218 members. Reduce Senate members from 100 to 50 (one per State). Then, reduce their remaining staff by 25%.
Accomplish this over the next 8 years (two steps/two elections). Of course this would require some redistricting.
Some Yearly Monetary Gains Include:
$44,108,400 for elimination of base pay for congress. (267 members X $165,200 pay/member/ yr.)
$437,100,000 for elimination of their staff. (Estimate $1.3 Million in staff per each member of the House, and $3 Million in staff per each member of the Senate every year)
$108,350,000 for the reduction in remaining staff by 25%.
$7,500,000,000 reduction in pork barrel earmarks each year. (Current estimates for total government pork earmarks are at $15 Billion/yr).
The remaining representatives would need to work smarter and improve efficiencies. It might even be in their best interests to work together for the good of our country! We may also expect that smaller committees might lead to a more efficient resolution of issues as well. It might even be easier to keep track of what your representative is doing.
Congress members have more tools available to do their jobs than they had back in 1911 when the current number of representatives was established. (Telephone, computers, cell phones to name a few)
Note: Congress does not hesitate to head home for extended weekends, holidays and recesses, when what the nation needs is a real fix for economic problems.
Also, we had 3 senators that were not doing their jobs for the 18+ months (on the campaign trail) and still they all accepted full pay. Minnesota survived very well with only one senator for the first half of this year. These facts alone support a reduction in senators and congress.
Summary of opportunity:
$44,108,400 reduction of congress members. $282,100,000 for elimination of the reduced house member staff.
$150,000,000 for elimination of reduced senate member staff.
$70,850,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining house members.
$37,500,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining senate members.
$7,500,000,000 reduction in pork added to bills by the reduction of congress members.
$8,084,558,400 per year estimated total savings. (That’s 8-BILLION just to start!)
Corporate America does these types of cuts all the time. There’s even a name for it:
“Downsizing.”
Also, if Congresspersons were required to serve 20, 25 or 30 years (like everyone else) in order to collect retirement benefits, taxpayers could save a bundle.
Now they get full retirement after serving only ONE term.
Posted by: kathy Rae | October 19, 2011, 9:44 pm 9:44 pm
“Keynesians predicted catastrophe” when federal spending was reduced by two thirds following World War II, even arguing that America should go on building tanks to avert the recession that was sure to follow. Instead, 1946 turned out to be “the single greatest year for the private economy in U.S. history.” Similar concerns about Paul’s plan are, equally misplaced.
Posted by: Ed Howard | October 20, 2011, 8:23 am 8:23 am
I particularly like the line about how Romney is “cobbling together a plan” – I suspect the others are also merely “cobbling”. Ron Paul’s plan is serious and necessary, the others are merely playing with tinker toys. Really, what has the Department of Education done for our kids? There was time before the DoEd came into being that America was #1 in science and math – where are we now? Last I checked it was #17. How can anyone call the DoEd a success? The FDA? How many commercials for law firms do we see who are going after the makers of sub standard drugs that have been foisted upon us? proof that they are not doing a good job. Similar arguments could be made for nearly every government agency in existence.
The choice is simple. Continue to cobble little fixes here and there that don’t add up to much, or take REAL action to right this ship. I vote for the latter.
Posted by: Mike K | October 22, 2011, 2:17 pm 2:17 pm
For Paul’s plan to work, coming from an economist’s view, is to counter his contractionary fiscal policy with an expansive monetary policy, i.e. print money/capitalize banks/or have the fed buy alternative assets. It would be possible, if Paul were not a crazy, deflationary gold nut.
Posted by: John J. | January 3, 2012, 9:53 pm 9:53 pm
Ron Paul 2012 for balanced budgets, state’s rights, sound constitutional money, and PEACE> I’m voting for my family.
Posted by: nick | January 31, 2012, 12:59 am 12:59 am