Ron Paul is Right on FEMA and Hurricane Disasters

By Grant J. Kidney - August 28, 2011

Ron Paul, who's always been in favor of downsizing the federal government to levels perceived "unimaginable" by the stupid, was recently asked if he felt that FEMA was a necessary institution- especially in light of Hurricane Irene. Of course, Ron Paul responded "nay".

The biased, corporate controlled media- which ignores Paul unless it finds some way to grill him- is totally abuzz over how "evil" the man must be since he doesn't think that disaster zones should receive any federal assistance.

Here's a shocker. FEMA wasn't even established until 1979. Hurricanes have been occurring for how long? Before 1979, how did folks cope with damage wrought by mother nature? Easy. Local and state officials, as well as community volunteers banded together for the mutual good of all and took care of their problems.

When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, folks waited for days to get the promised federal assistance. If such assistance didn't exist, local and state authorities would've gotten to work much quicker to combat nature's destructive hand. Instead, many lives were lost as people just sat around on their cabooses waiting for the cavalry to come.

When federal assistance did arrive to the disaster stricken New Orleans in: Continue Reading

Polk GOP picnic: Ron Paul

By O.Kay Henderson - August 27, 2011

Texas Congressman Ron Paul was the first presidential candidate to speak at tonight's Polk County GOP picnic.

Paul began by saying a reporter this past week had asked him a question, predicated on a stat that nearly half of Americans don't pay the federal income tax.

Paul told the crowd here he had told the reporter this: "We're halfway there."

Paul would abolish the federal income tax. With fewer federal taxes, Paul says, 'We wouldn't have the entitlement system. We wouldn't be the policeman of the world…Our problem is government is too big. As government gets bigger, our personal liberties are diminished."

Taxation is a symptom of what the nation's addiction to "entitlements" according to Paul.

"The people have to change their appetite for government," Paul said..

Paul said he wasn't one to be "nipping at the edges".

"I do not believe entitlements are rights….people who claim they're entitled: Continue Reading

Ron Paul says U.S. intervention motivated 9/11 attacks

By Josh Hafner - August 27, 2011

Two weeks away from the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, presidential candidate and Texas Rep. Ron Paul says that U.S. intervention in the Middle East is a main motivation behind terrorist hostilities toward America, and that Islam is not a threat to the nation.

At a campaign stop on Saturday in Winterset, one man asked Paul how terrorist groups would react if the U.S. removed its military presence in Middle Eastern nations, a move the candidate advocates.

"Which enemy are you worried that will attack our national security?" Paul asked.

"If you're looking for specifics, I'm talking about Islam. Radical Islam," the man answered.

"I don't see Islam as our enemy," Paul said. "I see that motivation is occupation and those who hate us and would like to kill us, they are motivated by our invasion of their land, the support of their dictators that they hate."

Regarding 9/11, Paul said that attacks against the U.S. from Middle Eastern groups at home and abroad can be traced to the foreign presence of U.S. troops, as well as America's relationships with dictator regimes. Continue Reading

Republican Party Dream Candidate

by Jim Cox and James W. Harris - August 27, 2011

The Republican Party is desperately seeking a candidate who can unseat Barack Obama.

What qualifications would the ideal candidate have? How about these?

1. He should bring to mind popular past Republican presidents and leaders, to prove his authenticity and excite the Republican base.

2. At the same time, he should be able to win the support of a large number of Independents and disaffected Democrats.

3. He must provide a sharp and positive contrast to Obama. The country is souring on Obama – polls show him at all-time lows. Obama's youth, once appealing to voters as freshness, is now looking more and more like inexperience and uncertainty. A mature GOP candidate, with successful experience inside and outside of politics, would provide a sharp and appealing contrast.

4. He must have a solid record of foresight on the economy. As in past elections, the phrase "It's the economy, stupid" may decide the election.Continue Reading

Rick Perry, Ron Paul and a tea party

By Bud Kennedy - August 27, 2011

So much for that predicted epidemic of "Texan fatigue."

Gov. Rick Perry leads by double digits in the campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, according to one poll due today. But that's not the most surprising news.

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul has tripled his support in Iowa since the 2008 election and has pulled into contention nationally alongside Minnesota Republican Michele Bachmann, based on the Iowa straw poll and a new Gallup Poll.

According to Gallup, either Perry or Paul would finish in a virtual tie with President Barack Obama today on an imaginary presidential ballot, and Paul draws more Democratic and independent support than Perry or Bachmann.

Paul, a Lake Jackson obstetrician, former Libertarian candidate and favorite of some Tea Party groups, has already joked to crowds that Perry's early Texas tough talk "makes me sound like a moderate."

Wharton Republican Debra Medina, a Paul campaigner and 2010 Perry opponent, said the governor's early speeches reminded her of the "blustery day" in a windblown: Continue Reading

Paul: America must return to 'the basics'

By Deborah Mcdermott - August 27, 2011

Texas Congressman Ron Paul has been calling for the same things for a long time — significantly smaller government, no war funding, elimination of the federal income tax over time, development of homegrown energy, and that's just for starters.

Now, he believes, the people of America are ready to listen, and that's why he's running for president.

Paul sat down with the Portsmouth Herald editorial board Friday, after spending several days campaigning in New Hampshire.

"We don't have to invent anything new. We just have to return to the basics our country was founded on: minimal government, free market," he said. "We've rejected that as a people, and it's consumed our wealth, it's consumed the value of our currency. But we can't afford to reject it anymore."

Unfortunately, he said, the country's downward spiral has been aided and abetted by Congress, which has "offered very little in the way of alternatives, except what got us into trouble to begin with: more money, more debt, more wars." Paul said it's time to pull out completely from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and spend the money on Americans. Continue Reading

Yes, Ron Paul Is "Top Tier"

By William F. Jasper - August 26, 2011

As noted here recently ("Lame and Lamer: Media excuses for ignoring a surging Ron Paul"), Rep. Ron Paul has undeniably eclipsed many of the GOP presidential candidates formerly accorded "top tier" status by the major "lamestream" media, according to an August 24 Gallup Poll.

The new survey of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents shows Paul with 13 percent support, barely trailing former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (17 percent), with Texas Governor Rick Perry, who only recently announced his candidacy, strongly in first place, with 29 percent.

This puts Ron Paul three points ahead of Rep. Michele Bachmann (10 percent), who narrowly beat Paul (by less than 1 percent) in the Ames, Iowa Straw Poll on August 13. The other contestants, some of whom have been touted as "top tier" in the past, fade into the distance in the new Gallup Poll: Herman Cain, 4 percent; Newt Gingrich, 4 percent; Rick Santorum, 3 percent; Jon Huntsman, 1 percent; Tim Pawlenty, zero percent (he dropped out).

Ron Paul's showing in recent polls is all the more remarkable considering the extraordinary media bias against him, both in terms of ignoring him, as well as skewing what little media coverage he is given with a decidedly negative spin. The recent Gallup Poll results came just a day after a Rassmussen Poll showed Dr. Paul running almost dead even: Continue Reading

Is Ron Paul Finally Attracting the GOP Mainstream?

By Paul Stanley - August 26, 2011

Texas Republican Ron Paul, who finished a strong second behind Michele Bachmann in the Iowa Straw Poll earlier this month, has now leapt over her in a recent Gallup poll. According to the poll released on Wednesday, Paul is now in third place, behind Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Governor and former front-runner, Mitt Romney. Bachmann is in fourth place.

Perry captured 29 percent of the vote with Romney at 17, Paul at 13 and Bachmann with 10 percent. None of the other candidates came in above 4 percent.

What political pundits are wanting to know is if Paul's recent surge is a sign that mainstream Republicans are starting to take notice of his candidacy or if they are simply dissatisfied with the other contenders. The latter doesn't seem to be the case according to an Associated Press-GfK poll saying that two-thirds of Republicans and GOP-leaning independents are pleased with the field of candidates seeking the GOP nomination.

So, Paul is now a mainstream candidate, right?

Not hardly. Paul has run against the grain of the GOP platform for many years and has been quoted as saying the mainstream "is frightened by me challenging the: Continue Reading

Low-key Ron Paul keeps it brief at New Hampshire golf event

By Rachel Streitfeld - August 26, 2011

The big draw at the New Hampshire Sheriff's Golf Tournament luncheon were the prizes, including a car, a variety of athletic wear and golf equipment.

Diners representing all 10 of the state's sheriffs' departments dressed in polo shirts and shorts hoarded piles of little red tickets for an upcoming raffle and jumped up to collect their spoils as an announcer called out winners in that morning's golf tournament.

Into the mix walked presidential candidate Ron Paul, the congressman from Texas, to deliver the keynote address.

While attendees filled their plates with barbecue and made announcements about the ice cream table, Paul shook hands with several enthusiastic supporters and posed for pictures with children.

After a brief introduction, Paul approached the podium.

"My personal beliefs are that of defending personal liberties," he told the audience. "It's your life. You ought to be able to live your life as you please. It's your money. You ought to be able to spend your money as you please." He said he was encouraged that citizens were beginning to notice and worry about problems with the country's financial system: Continue Reading

Ron Paul on Fox News with Neil Cavuto

August 26, 2011