Ron Paul And Dylan Ratigan: Who's Regulating Washington?
Ron Paul On Radio Free Dylan - July 13, 2011
This is a longer interview than I normally post, but it's worth setting aside the time. The complete transcript is available inside.
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“I want the government to live up to their promises.”
It’s a short statement, and a simple one — but coming from Congressman and Presidential hopeful Rep. Ron Paul, it’s a definition of a movement. The doctor from Texas attracts a tremendous, highly engaged and often passionate following, but there are many who find that they have a hard time figuring out where he fits into the current “status quo” political debate. A debate which so often rewards those who can spit out soundbites versus those who want to engage and wrestle with the fundamental questions regarding the direction of our country.
This is especially true with the mainstream media, which has a difficult time covering much beyond the “horse race” elements of politics. How often do we hear discussions about freedom and personal liberty and the role of government and governance in our daily lives? Whether or not currency manipulation and financial interventionism are dragging down our economy? Whether regulation is ever appropriate in a free society, and if so, who decides who does the regulating?
These are all serious questions that Rep. Paul has attempted to shine a light on. The debate, he says, is critical.
“We lose our liberties and we lose our prosperity and all of a sudden, we’ve become a debtor nation and we’re indebted to a country that we had ridiculed for years and a bunch of communists in China. What are they doing? They’re working hard, saving their money; they’re buying up natural resources in Afghanistan. At the same time, we get poorer and we are in these endless wars, and it’s all due I think to a flawed philosophy of government and the importance of individual freedom,” says Rep. Paul.
“Individuals can’t use force against their neighbor in order to mold their behavior. The government shouldn’t be able to use force either, and the same way in economics. So it’s this rejection of the use of force and just protecting individual rights, which are so important. Politically, you can’t sell that; that’s theoretical. The only way it is sold is when it is known to the general population that it’s in their best interest to argue the case for a free society than to argue the case for big government,” says Rep. Paul.
He doesn’t think that anyone in government will start a real debate about structural problems in our economy, but is satisfied that we have begun to make some progress. “I wouldn’t wait for the politicians to really initiate it; they’re going to always be putting their finger up to the wind. And see – we have to change the direction of the wind. And I think we’re making a little bit of progress, you know, from my viewpoint, whether it’s economics or foreign policy or monetary policy. I feel like maybe they’re paying a little bit of attention,” says Rep. Paul.
The job isn’t done, though. “We have drifted because we had so much prosperity, but we can’t drift forever. We can’t live on borrowed money and printed money forever. So that’s why I’m delighted that they’re coming to this view that maybe, just maybe the founders were on the right track,” he says.
Jul 22, 2011 at 2:42 PM
Reader Comments (25)
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/holiday-in-scambodia-20110720
[snip]
I passed it off as a bad joke when I first saw news of this a few weeks ago, when it was reported that Wall Street whipping boy Chuck Schumer was seriously considering the idea. Then I read later on that other Senators were jumping on the bandwagon, including North Carolina’s Kay Hagan.
This is what Hagan’s spokesperson said:
Senator Hagan is looking closely at any creative, short-term measures that can get bipartisan support and put people back to work. One such potential initiative is a well-crafted and temporary change to the tax code that encourages American companies to bring money home and put it towards capital, investment, and–most importantly–American jobs.
For those who don’t know about it, tax repatriation is one of the all-time long cons and also one of the most supremely evil achievements of the Washington lobbying community, which has perhaps told more shameless lies about this one topic than about any other in modern history – which is saying a lot, considering the many absurd things that are said and done by lobbyists in our nation’s capital.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/greek-plan-bold-but-maybe-not-bold-enough-2011-07-22?dist=countdown
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/30-international-firm-sign-up-to-greek-bond-swap-2011-07-21?dist=countdown
BOSTON (MarketWatch) — The Obama administration and lawmakers likely will find a way to raise the U.S. debt ceiling and avert the crisis of the day. But there’s another crisis brewing that could affect insurance companies.
A.M. Best Co., which rates insurance companies, said this week that it’s reviewing how exposed U.S. insurance companies are to sovereign debt in Europe and the U.S. In doing so, A.M. Best joined Standard & Poor’s Rating Services, which last week said it placed five privately held insurers with AAA ratings, including Northwestern Mutual, on credit watch with negative implications.
http://tinyurl.com/3zhsj4w
http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2011/07/the-us-tax-burden-falls-disproportionately-on-individuals-and-small-business/
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903461104576463592110417526.html?mod=mktw
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/obama-calls-leaders-to-meet-as-debt-talks-fail-2011-07-22
If any regulator tries to actually enforce the law, the minions for the powers that be get rid of the regulators who dare try to hold the banksters accountable.
For a recent example, note the firing of the attorneys with the Florida Attorney General’s office who exposed the banksters’ fraud in loan origination, servicing and foreclosure.
For another amazing example of a much more powerful aristocrat getting burned, recall what happened after Gov. Spitzer wrote an editorial pointing out that the banksters' crime spree would crash the economy.
It’s too bad that those Framers were so clueless that they didn’t think of any way for citizens to hold criminals, including ones in government, accountable for their crimes.
Oh, that’s right, they did set up a system for the people to control the government and so the people could secure liberty and justice. One which led Lincoln to proclaim that the U.S. government was one of, by and for the people.
Unfortunately, instead of teaching how the Framers intended for us to secure liberty and justice, every school day, the children say a prayer to GOTUS, the giver of liberty and justice, and then, they see a multitude of TV shows where heroic government crime fighters always pursue justice. As a result, most people believe that justice is magically secured if we just beg and plead hard enough, much like the feudal reign which the Framers sought to eliminate.
If you want to know how we were supposed to be able to control the government and prevent tyranny and injustice, see Why Does the Government Ignore Our Wishes? at http://ning.it/arAjdo and don’t miss my short speech at http://markadams.blip.tv/file/2636803/
If you take a look, you’ll learn why those in government and those who can illegally influence them get away with violating our rights, abusing their power, and committing horrible crimes. My article on torture includes a link to the U.S. Supreme Court case which explains how one of our stolen rights makes the difference between justice and injustice, between freedom and slavery.
WARNING: Do not look at this if you cannot deal with reality. It may cause anger, headaches, insomnia, dizziness, difficulty in reciting the pledge of allegiance, a.k.a. the prayer to GOTUS, and result in the awareness that you are not free.
RP has neaver Once waivered on his wish for our country. Every time he gets close to being our man the Democrat-Union Machine tares him down and a John McCain guy gets in, as if JM ever had anything to offer..........
The Rep. took the fall for this Savior of the World, becouse they were told to take the fall........Neaver once did he nor Sara look like a real President or VP......? They looked more like the loosing teem from the get-go.....
Ron Paul will not let the Shadow Goverment tell him what to do. Nor did JFK.........Everyone since JFK has been a SG plant doing what the masters say.
Very Good Questions Norn. Seek the answers so you know he is our last hope........!
I have learned one very important lesson; don't trust what comes out of the mouth of any politician, regardless of who he is! Don't misunderstand me here, I give any serious candidate careful scrutiny when it comes to effecting my future well being.
I do have a question about his position concerning "small government", that being how he would implement such? As we have seen with the present P.O.T.U.S., chaos seems to be the rule with congress. Given Mr Paul's record that I've read so far, it doesn't appear that a lot of his ideas have gone very far. I'm not convinced that he would run up against the same situation that "O" faces today?
These and many other questions need to be answered beyond spin from the campaign P.R. machine. I would also ask just how he would keep funding the Military/Industrial/Financial cartels in this country without funding from tax revenues? One man can't clean house, but it takes a courageous far thinking person to do that, with of course the backing of the population. I might also add, a pair of solid "Brass Balls".
As the saying goes, never say never, whether it's to winning or corruption, as we have seen the status in Congress go from not so to perhaps all. Talk is cheap when it comes to politics, as well as politicians have shown they can and are bought off. Considering that the present thinking says it will cost $1,000,000,000.00 to finance the run for P.O.T.U.S. in 2012, where do you think that amount will come from?
Same as in 2008. Obama got most of it from his Muslim Friends around the world. As he will again get 73% of his money from the Muslims. Look how much their money bought in 2008......
They are now in all big citys and Obama is giving our money to rebuild Mosks all around the planet, all on the American Tax Payers....If he is in for 4 more years evan smaller citys will have mosks......."I know its spelled wrong"
The rest will need to play the game the old way. And think about it. If you clean up goverment, take down all the stuff that just repeats it self over n over. Clean up the millitary and no more $10,000. hammers.
Just clean up the Crap and shut down all the useless goverment. Accorn, is a live and doing as good as they were. Goverment gave it a new name, that all. Gotta Go. RP dose that much and the American People will throw a party in the streets like neaver before........
Goverment would be sized right at 42% at what we have now. Think of the savings......$$$$$$$$$$$$ ? Armed Forces at the strength as we were in 1945........
Shut the borders and make em all go home and make em come back the right way....$$$$$$$$$ ?
Norman, that is just Union Thugery Bull Shit, from the ........"Wizzered of O Bama Oz"..........trying to scare all the little guys on the Rub-a-Dub-Dub, side........
I cant wait till a "Dem-o-Shit" trys to run his ass up aguinst the World Savior...............It I'll be 2 Trillion $.........Catch Me if You Can.....Emmm-Emmmm, Gott-a-Get-a-Move-On.............Sorry, that was a Dave Clark 5 Song i sang when i was 16.........
Obama and his Bull Shit, lyes, cheating, steeling, breaking laws, burrning up Jet-A, ON OUR DIME...... hE IS SOOOO FULL OF HIM SELF HE CAN READ THE TELA-PROMPTER out threw his mouth................
He cant, and nobody else can. We no longer live in America we once knew........
That being said perhaps it would only fair for the question to be raised as why he chose to do so. I believe that he would at least provide an answer. I believe him to be fair in that regard. Since one had donated that sort of money, as I'm sure others have as well, they deserve and answer as to how he came to that decision. Again I believe he would provide an answer.
I certainly do not mean to anger anyone with my views here. I do remember voting for Perot even though he quit and then returned. That was on his dime if you will. I know he lost a lot of votes, perhaps the election as a whole because of it. I also remember people giving up on him for his choices. I remember that my vote was in vain However I didn't want to be the one to give up on what I believed either and be a quitter myself.
It's a tough call. However there are, I'm sure, people unknown who would do well in office. The only chance of them ever seeing office is the right kind of support or they simply will never see any airtime. Certainly will never see a chance to make their voice heard. So I say to those who kept their promise and stood behind who they believed in, god bless you. I don't believe you made a wrong choice at all.
It brings to mind RECENTLY.... a talk show host saying that he "did not know who Ron Paul was literally" as he was a guest on his show. There was a roar of laughter and then the host said in a serious tone "NO! I'm not kidding I really did not hear of you until the the 2010 elections". Can't remember off hand who's show and I'm fairly certain I saw it here on the Daily Bail..... ?? If there weren't people like yourself who donated and stood behind Ron Paul a lot of people would not know who he is today. Including myself. So as one person. I give you thanks for that. However to ease you feelings on the issue perhaps someone can raise the question so it can be understood from Dr. Paul's perspective. It is fair to those who contribute to any candidate. And I do believe and hope that it would be properly addressed. At least I like to think it would.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdJZnFccVnM