Jefferson Review

"Your Liberty is Our Interest"

Home /  Archives / Search / Links / Quotes / Book Reviews / Advertise /Contact us / Subscribe / Calendar

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul Speaks in Northern Kentucky

By Theresa Fritz Camoriano

On Sept. 12, Congressman Ron Paul addressed a group of over 200 people, including many Kentucky lawmakers, at the Drawbridge Inn in an event sponsored by the Federalist Society at the Salmon P. Chase College of Law.  Dr. Paul said that the proper role of the government is to protect our liberty, and he described ways in which liberties currently are being eroded by the government. As an example, he described the way in which the Patriot Act was introduced to Congress.  The document was not available until 11:15 a.m., and even then no printed copy was available.  The debate began at noon, and the law was rushed through, with legislators having no real opportunity to consider its provisions.  Paul was pleased that Congress had recently repealed the “sneak and peek” provision of the Patriot Act, which allowed investigators to snoop into your home without presenting you a warrant and without even letting you know they had been there, and the “librarian” provision, which allowed investigators to find out what books people had been reading.  Paul said these provisions were repealed because Congress had heard plenty of complaints from the people back home.

Paul said he supported a bill that would require legislators to sign an affidavit saying that they had read a law and understood it and had a way to pay for it before they could vote for it.  However, Paul said there was not much support for such a law in Congress.

Paul described his original decision to run for office in 1974, when he assured his wife that he could not be elected, and how a fluke occurred when the Democrat incumbent resigned and a special election had to be held.  At that time, Dr. Paul was the only ob/gyn in Brazoria County, Texas.  After serving in Congress during the 1970’s, he returned to his medical practice for twelve years, delivered thousands of babies, and then returned again to Congress.  Paul said he has seen some encouraging changes, mostly brought about by improved communications, such as the Internet, which permit people to obtain information from alternative sources.  Indeed, Paul remarked that he had learned about the Patriot Act II from the “Internet underground” just like the rest of us. 

Paul is the leader of the “Liberty Caucus” and is often the lone dissenting vote in Congress, earning him the title of “Dr. No”, because he insists upon legislating in accordance with the Constitution.  He said it is unfortunate that most other legislators do not think they need to be concerned about the Constitution, and he asked, why else would we take an oath to uphold the Constitution?  When the U.S. was preparing for war in Iraq, Paul introduced a declaration of war, in accordance with the constitutional requirement that the U.S. enter into a war only upon a declaration by the Congress.  However, leaders of both parties said such a declaration was an anachronism or unnecessary.  Paul noted, “We amended the Constitution right there!”  He explained that the founders considered a declaration of war by the Congress to be very important, because it prevented the President from acting unilaterally to commit the country to war, as if he were a king.  Paul said it is very wrong for laws to be made by unelected bureaucrats or by the courts, when that is the constitutional responsibility of Congress. 

Paul also discussed monetary policy.  He said he supports tax reductions, but a reduction in taxes does not mean very much without spending reductions, since the government then simply takes money from our pockets by inflating the currency.  Paul said we need a gold standard.  Paul’s remark that he had introduced legislation to remove the U.S. from the United Nations received with a loud round of applause.  

Paul said he is pleased that he won reelection in the most recent election by a greater margin than ever, showing his colleagues that you can stick to your principles and be re-elected.  He said he is in a rural district, and the farmers do not like his opposition to farm subsidies, but they appreciate his positions on other issues, such as support for low taxes, opposition to the inheritance tax, opposition to government intrusion into their land, and defense of U.S. borders.  The character of his district may change, however, if Texas undertakes the redistricting it proposes, in which case it may become more urban, taking in parts of Galveston and Houston. 

When asked about businesses moving to other countries with a resulting loss of jobs, Paul said much of the problem is due to government regulations.  For example, the shrimp boats in his area have to use special nets that are not required in other countries.  Paul said he does not support protective tariffs, which are a tax that benefits one business at the expense of another.  He does not believe it is the job of government to reduce our freedom by preventing us from buying products from whomever we chose.  In fact, if we can buy a product cheaper from another place, we have more money left in our pockets, which raises our standard of living and is a good thing.  He said free trade promotes interdependence and peace.  It also encourages U.S. companies to improve their products, as, for example, competition from Japanese automakers caused U.S. automakers to improve the quality of their cars.  He strongly opposes U.S. subsidies that encourage companies to move overseas, such as the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and IMF.  Paul said U.S. taxpayers should not be subsidizing the investments of private corporations in China and other countries. 

When asked what can be done to restore liberty and respect for the Constitution, Paul said it will require a change in people’s minds, because Congress simply reflects the will of the people.  He is optimistic that, with more sources of information, with groups such as the Federalist Society on campuses, and with an increase in alternative types of education, such as home schooling, young people will learn an appreciation for liberty and for the Constitution.

Weather (Louisville) / Mapquest / Search / White Pages / Business Search / CNN / Dictionary / E-card / MSN