Before his speech at the Iowa straw poll today, Ron Paul was greeted with a loud and enthusiastic ovation by his supporters. Dr. Paul talked about his presidential campaign being based on freedom, prosperity, and peace. He spoke of his belief that, “live begins at conception,” and his legal obligation as an OB to protect life. He said, “That horrible ruling” Rowe v. Wade must be eliminated. He talked about his view that the Constitution was written to “protect liberties and restrain government.” Paul said that we are not handling terrorism very well, and suggested that 9/11 could have been prevented with more respect for the Second Amendment. He advocated allowing passengers to carry guns on planes.
He said the answers to our problems as a society can be found in a “return to law and a strict interpretation of the Constitution.” Paul also argued on behalf of the people who home school and private school their kids. He is an advocate of school choice. What makes Rep. Paul different from his fellow Republicans is that he would promote choice, yet would not give federal dollars for to support this philosophy. Paul said that America has become overtaxed and overrun by bureaucrats. Paul promised to, “rid the country of the IRS, and repeal the 16th Amendment.” He said the neoconservatives don’t respect national sovereignty and called for an end to US participation in free trade agreements, and international organizations.
Paul then talked about returning the U.S. back to the gold or silver standard. He described the currency policy in this country as overtaxing, over borrowing, then the government prints more money, which according to Paul, is ruining our financial system. He said that if America is spending beyond its means, then we should tell the government to only do what they are supposed to do. Paul said that America could save $1 trillion if they stopped being the policeman for the world. He made a great point about our bridges collapsing at home, while we are paying to build them in Iraq. Paul warned, “This country is returning to tyranny, with more government and more control.”
As an example of his view of the government’s return to tyranny, Paul mentioned his opposition to the proposed national ID card. Paul concluded by saying that as president he won’t run your life, your family, and your religious beliefs. He also doesn’t have an interest in running the economy or policing the world. This story comes from my own notes during Ron Paul’s talk. I think I hit the high points of his talk. If anybody was wondering what Ron Paul is really about, he did a great job of laying out his positions and beliefs today. He really is more of a Libertarian trapped in the Republican Party, which means that his campaign is out of step with the GOP mainstream. I still think he will struggle with GOP primary voters, but Dr. Paul is doing his best to drag his party back to their conservative roots.
Jason Easley is the editor of the politics zone at 411mania.com. His news column The Political Universe appears on Tuesdays and Fridays at www.411mania.com/politics
Jason can also be heard every Sunday at 7:00 pm (ET) as the host of The Political Universe Radio Show at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thepoliticaluniverse
Loading ...
18 users commented in " Highlights of the Ron Paul speech at Iowa straw poll "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a Trackback“He advocated allowing passengers to carry guns on planes.”
Try pilots. Pilots were not allowed to carry handguns to protect themselves and the passengers.
Which of his views are “out of step” with the Republican Party???
-Small government
-Following the Bill of Rights
-Pro-life
-Non-interventionist foreign policy
-Lower (no) income tax
Sounds exactly Repulican to me.
Pilots allowed to carry weapons to protect the aircraft. Stupid !
The GOP will
(A). Never adopt the flat tax.
(B). Adopt a non interventionist foreign policy.
(C). Seriously shrink the size of government.
Maybe you haven’t been paying attention to the GOP for the past 20 years?
Dr. Paul didn’t say only pilots. He just said the Second Amendment. Either way, piliots with guns is a dangerous and stupid idea. Why not just have better security on the flight? Remember, the 9/11 hijackers used box cutters not guns.
Please don’t say things that he is not saying…..It’s the PILOTS that should be carrying guns. His point is that the airline itself should be regulating guns on the airoplanes, NOT the federal government.
Jeff - it would be up to the airline, and you would have a choice of which airlines to fly on - ones that had armed pilots, and ones that didn’t. He isn’t trying to force airlines to do it, only for it to be allowed as an option. I see nothing wrong with that, but I think locked and secure cockpits is more important.
Ron Paul represents true conservatism, and this should go to show that the current crop of republicans who claim to be conservative aren’t by example of their actions. If people only stick to the most important and serious issues of the day, then any logical, rational person would vote for Ron Paul even if they disagree with some of the fringe issues. Fry the big fish first, then worry about whether or not the Madagascar three toed tree frog has viable habitat… Don’t let side issues distract from the important ones.
“Either way, piliots with guns is a dangerous and stupid idea. Why not just have better security on the flight? Remember, the 9/11 hijackers used box cutters not guns. ”
Yeah, but the hijackers would have thought twice, knowing they could have been walking into a plane full of people packing heat. Legally owned guns are not problem and have always constituted a ridiculously small percentage of handgun and other firearm-related deaths in this country. I tire of the philosophy of “more guns = more crime”. It’s just not true. Google Kennesaw, Georgia, and see how mandatory gun ownership has caused the murder-free crime rate to plummet in the past 25 years.
Liberal douche.
I watched Ron Paul speak in Pittsburgh. In Pittsburgh, he said that pilots should be allowed to carry protection, too. He never mentioned that passengers should carry arms on planes.
He felt that anyone wishing to take over a plane that knew there were guns on the other side of the door would most likely think twice. I agree.
Paul has never stated he would allow passengers to carry weapons/guns on planes. He stated only PILOTS and trained CREW !!!
As for the national id card, what is “proposed” about it? The real id act is to take effect in May of 2008. Four (4) states have passed laws against it! http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=198900558
Everyone, please take the time to view this video, you will be shocked!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFfdB5OzlyQ
Ok….there are 2 planes in front of you that you can choose to board. Plane A has a pilot with no pistol to protect his passangers. Plane B has a Pilot trained in small arms, goes to a pistol range 3 times a month to practice, and is packing the weapon on board the flight “just in case” someone slips thru the now famous “Airport Security”.
Which plane would you prefer to board on? Gimme a break….the purpose of the 2nd ammendment is custom made for a “local” (and simple) solution that we now throw billions of dollars at in “hopes” that our government will protect us.
Ron’s solutions always make so much sense to me.
Here’s another one,
He proposed and submitted to Congress in OCTOBER 2001! a bill that Congress should issue a Letter of Marque and reprisal against and naming Osama Bin Laden and Al Queida. It is a constitutionally authorized power given to congress to simply put a BOUNTY for the kill or capture of an enemy. No….too simple….. instead of just offering a 2,3,5 Billion dollar bounty to exact vengeance upon the people who actually DID 911…..we go to war with Iraq and spend 500 billion annually.
Ron Paul’s intellect and common sense is what I’ve been looking for in a candidate for EVER!
Do your OWN homework.
NOBODY explains Ron Paul
BETTER than Ron Paul himself!
Here is an interactive audio archive of
Ron Paul speeches and interviews as a resource in chronological
order.
http://www.ronpaulaudio.com
FOX is reporting there were “problems” with the Diebold machines, possibly due to “humidity.”
Geraldo has not mentioned Ron Paul ONCE.
Paul made a crappy speech. He could have done much better.
I’m a retired American Airlines Pilot. I was still working when the events of 9/11 occurred. At that time pilots were trained not to resist. Now that I’m just a fellow passenger I would feel much more at ease if the crew were armed and any passenger who had a license to carry a concealed firearm were so armed while on board given the same restriction that all armed individuals have to have it concealed and not be served alcohol. Unfortunately many people are so conditioned by the influence of big government they have no faith in either themselves or God for protection.
If the airplane and passengers are being threatened, the pilots could simply initiate a temporary sleeping gas for all the passengers and terrorists. Everyone takes a nap. The airplane returns safely. Problem is solved!
This may sound fringe or scary but bear with me.
I think we need to return to a society that is accustomed to being armed. Not only does the Second Amendment allow everyone to protect themselves in the case of imminent attack, but it would just be like carrying a cell phone or credit card. Each item has a purpose. If terrorists or bank robbers or muggers or anyone that commits a crime knows the whole country is armed and knows how to shoot their weapon are they really going to take the chance on doing their dastardly deed? I doubt it. Even crazies like the Virginia Tech madman would be taken out long before 33 people ended up dead. At most I say he kills 5 people before someone kills him. It doesn’t help those 5 but it helps the other 27 he killed. I’ll take those odds when some people are just nuts. I don’t think it is enough to have some people carry concealed weapons. Regular holsters like police have is a much better deterrent. Also, ending the oppressive and expensive war on drugs would do a lot to lower gun violence numbers. Who is going to mess with a violent drug dealer when they could walk into Bob’s Narcatopia and buy their habit just like cigarettes or beer? We are too programmed to be passive. We need to be vigilant. I don’t even own a gun now because I couldn’t take it out of my closet safe. What’s the point? Yet, a burglar could come into my house and I’d be incapacitated before remembering the combination. That’s just stupid.
At least using the second amendment i would be able to protect myself, and if necessary other passengers.
its about responsibility one takes when carrying a firearm, if i’m willing to go to the sherriff and ask them to carry a firearm concealed why would i do anything crazy with it? obviously i’ve thought about it a little while.
But yes, RP only meant they should hav ea choice. right now the .GOV makes the choice for you, and so far it hasn’t worked well at all… 9/11 showed who cares about self-defense (not the .gov) and now we can’t even carry 3.1 ounces of toothpaste… pathetic.
Leave A Reply