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Title: Ron Paul Op-Ed: America is Not a Democracy
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URL Source: http://www.wealthwire.com/news/liberty/3833?r=1
Published: Sep 14, 2012
Author: Ron Paul
Post Date: 2012-09-14 06:33:57 by Tatarewicz
Keywords: None
Views: 301
Comments: 14
From the Desk of Ron Paul: Last week marked the conclusion of the grand taxpayer funded spectacles known as the national party conventions. It is perhaps very telling that while $18 million in tax dollars was granted to each party for these lavish ordeals, an additional $50 million each was needed for security in anticipation of the inevitable protests at each event. This amounts to a total of $136 million in taxpayer funds for strictly partisan activities - a drop in the bucket relative to our disastrous fiscal situation, but disgraceful nonetheless. Parties should fund their own parties, not the taxpayer. At these conventions, leaders determined, or pretended to determine, who they wished to govern the nation for the next four years amidst inevitable, endless exaltations of democracy. Yet we are not a democracy. In fact, the founding fathers found the concept of democracy very dangerous. Democracy is majority rule at the expense of the minority. Our system has certain democratic elements, but the founders never mentioned democracy in the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, or the Declaration of Independence. In fact, our most important protections are decidedly undemocratic. For example, the First Amendment protects free speech. It doesn't - or shouldn't - matter if that speech is abhorrent to 51% or even 99% of the people. Speech is not subject to majority approval. Under our republican form of government, the individual, the smallest of minorities, is protected from the mob. Sadly, the constitution and its protections are respected less and less as we have quietly allowed our constitutional republic to devolve into a militarist, corporatist social democracy. Laws are broken, quietly changed and ignored when inconvenient to those in power, while others in positions to check and balance do nothing. The protections the founders put in place are more and more just an illusion. This is why increasing importance is placed on the beliefs and views of the president. The very narrow limitations on government power are clearly laid out in Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution. Nowhere is there any reference to being able to force Americans to buy health insurance or face a tax/penalty, for example. Yet this power has been claimed by the executive and astonishingly affirmed by Congress and the Supreme Court.Because we are a constitutional republic, the mere popularity of a policy should not matter. If it is in clear violation of the limits of government and the people still want it, a Constitutional amendment is the only appropriate way to proceed. However, rather than going through this arduous process, the Constitution was in effect, ignored and the insurance mandate was allowed anyway. This demonstrates how there is now a great deal of unhindered flexibility in the Oval Office to impose personal views and preferences on the country, so long as 51% of the people can be convinced to vote a certain way. The other 49% on the other hand have much to be angry about and protest under this system. We should not tolerate the fact that we have become a nation ruled by men, their whims and the mood of the day, and not laws. It cannot be emphasized enough that we are a republic, not a democracy and, as such, we should insist that the framework of the Constitution be respected and boundaries set by law are not crossed by our leaders. These legal limitations on government assure that other men do not impose their will over the individual, rather, the individual is able to govern himself. When government is restrained, liberty thrives. *Post courtesy of Ron Paul. +24
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#1. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
(Edited)
Isn't that what your constituents sent YOU to do, Congressman Paul? YOU should have been making your voice heard during every session of Congress, reminding all "that we have become a nation ruled by men, their whims and the mood of the day, and not laws." YOU should have been emphasizing "that we are a republic, not a democracy and, as such, we should insist that the framework of the Constitution be respected and boundaries set by law are not crossed by our leaders." Furthermore, you should have reminded your peers that "these legal limitations on government assure that other men do not impose their will over the individual, rather, the individual is able to govern himself" and to emphasize that "When government is restrained, liberty thrives." You have allowed YOUR time in Congress to be wasted and now you want to advise the nation? Sorry, but you lack the credentials.
And you Sir have been part and parcel of this criminal enterprise for at least the past quarter century. Have you no shame? Go away quietly and gracefully, let us have done with you.
This is exactly what he spent his career emphasizing and reminding. Now, you chastise and berate him because nobody listened or acted. He was our one lone voice in the wilderness on these matters, but rather than honestly looking at his record in Congress you state he lacks credentials on these issues to which he held true and put up the good fight for his entire career. That makes NO sense to me. " If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11 "Life's tough, and even tougher if you're stupid." --John Wayne
No, he was not "part and parcel" for the past quarter century as he NEVER voted for a tax increase or crapping on our Constitution or public funds for parties. Hence, his party treated him like a red-headed stepchild. His record speaks louder than your butt hurt, Cyni. " If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11 "Life's tough, and even tougher if you're stupid." --John Wayne
Ab... I will excuse your gross language. Ron Paul has indeed been part and parcel of this criminal, corrupt government for the past quarter century. His record speaks for itself.
Abraxas: My opinion was formed as a result of the extent of my research of Paul's voting record, his policies and his personal history. I lived in Texas twice during my lifetime and it behooved me to know who he really was.
Please be specific as to his record and your search. When did he vote for a tax increase? On what date did he go against the Constitution? When did his stance change on public monies funding political parties? " If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11 "Life's tough, and even tougher if you're stupid." --John Wayne
His record of never voting for a tax increase or an unbalanced budget? His record of never voting for tax dollars to go to foreign nations? His record of voting for our civil liberties? Please share with the lot of us the record that has been "part and parcel" because the man didn't get dubbed Dr. No for voting "part and parcel." " If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11 "Life's tough, and even tougher if you're stupid." --John Wayne
"Rule of law" is rule by lawyers and judges. There is no law that was not written, enforced, or screwed up but by men. "Mr. Prime Minister, there is only one important question facing us, and that is the question whether the white race will survive." -- Leonid Brezhnev to James Callahan
Once again, Paul has to stand on his record. Twenty five years with zero accomplishments is not a good record. Three times failure rate in running for President is a black mark that can never be expunged. It is all there as recorded by history.
Whew! I can carry on now. Just the mere possibility that Cyni would not excuse me for my "gross" use of...gasp...butt hurt.....in a sentence had me in near tears and pondering the fetal position. What a grand gesture! How considerate! It's so refreshing to have other posters so valiant and considerate as to "excuse" my intolerable and terrible use of butt hurt in a sentence. Thank You!: ) " If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11 "Life's tough, and even tougher if you're stupid." --John Wayne
Never voting for a tax increase is a "zero accomplishment"? I sure do wish we had a lot more "zero accomplishment" in government.....don't you?
" If you cannot govern yourself, you will be governed by assholes. " Randge, Poet de Forum, 1/11/11 "Life's tough, and even tougher if you're stupid." --John Wayne
These legal limitations on government assure that other men do not impose their will over the individual, rather, the individual is able to govern himself. When government is restrained, liberty thrives. Ron Paul has the wisdom to govern according to the wisdom of the Founding Fathers. The rest of Congress is bought and sold to Israel and other corporate and foreign interests and as such should be swinging from lamp posts for their treason. I certainly don't blame Ron Paul for his "ineffectiveness" and for being the lone stranger on Crapitol Hill, the rest of Congress shows their guilt by avoiding him and not co-sponsoring his proposed bills. We should ...
#2. To: Tatarewicz, Christine, Phant2000, Lod, randge, Esso, noone222 (#0)
Last week marked the conclusion of the grand taxpayer funded spectacles known as the national party conventions
#3. To: Phant2000 (#1)
YOU should have been emphasizing "that we are a republic, not a democracy and, as such, we should insist that the framework of the Constitution be respected and boundaries set by law are not crossed by our leaders." Furthermore, you should have reminded your peers that "these legal limitations on government assure that other men do not impose their will over the individual, rather, the individual is able to govern himself" and to emphasize that "When government is restrained, liberty thrives."
#4. To: Cynicom (#2)
And you Sir have been part and parcel of this criminal enterprise for at least the past quarter century.
#5. To: abraxas (#4)
#6. To: abraxas (#3)
That makes NO sense to me.
#7. To: Phant2000 (#6)
extent of my research of Paul's voting record,
#8. To: Cynicom (#5)
His record speaks for itself.
#9. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
We should not tolerate the fact that we have become a nation ruled by men, their whims and the mood of the day, and not laws.
#10. To: abraxas (#8)
His record speaks for itself.
#11. To: Cynicom (#5)
I will excuse your gross language.
#12. To: Cynicom (#10)
#13. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
Sadly, the constitution and its protections are respected less and less as we have quietly allowed our constitutional republic to devolve into a militarist, corporatist social democracy. Laws are broken, quietly changed and ignored when inconvenient to those in power, while others in positions to check and balance do nothing. The protections the founders put in place are more and more just an illusion.
-Alex Kurtagic
#14. To: Tatarewicz (#0)
In the end, RP chose his party over the republic and the constitution.
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