by William John Cox
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
www.thevoters.org
March 1, 2011
Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr
During a wide-ranging interview prior to taking the stage at the Tea Party Patriots American Policy Summit in Phoenix this week, likely presidential candidate Ron Paul stated he “encouraged a write-in vote” as a protest against the existing corrupt “single party system” consisting of Democrats and Republicans. Responding to questions from Voters Evolt, Texas Congressman Paul said he would not “discourage” any votes cast for him. However, fearing it would “glorify the majority,” Paul did not favor a National Policy Referendum.
Paul believed the Tea Party movement has worked to excite people and help define issues and that any Republican “would have trouble winning primaries” in 2012 without its support. Paul “assumes” he will have Tea Party support, “if he decides to run.”
While agreeing with Tea Party Patriots that government and its debt was too big, Paul decried the rampant militarism of the right saying that it “does not produce defense.” He believes that fighting wars overseas makes the U.S. more vulnerable and less secure. Congressman Paul faulted Democrats, such as Obama, for doing too little about militarism because “they have to prove they are not weak on defense.”
Paul is opposed to “empire,” the Military Industrial Complex, the Federal Reserve System and the PATRIOT Act, clearly stating, “We are living in a police state.” According to Paul, “The sole purpose of government should be the protection of liberty,” and “we want our privacy back.”
Although Paul lost the presidential straw poll of the 2,000 “patriots” attending the conference to businessman Herman Cain and former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty, he was the favorite of almost half of the 2,300 who attended the “virtual summit” online.
He closed by saying, “remember an irate minority can accomplish a whole lot when you’re determined to do it.
William John Cox is a retired prosecutor and public interest lawyer, author and political activist. His efforts to promote a peaceful political evolution can be found at VotersEvolt.com, his writings are collected at WilliamJohnCox.com and he can be contacted at u2cox@msn.com.
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[DS added the video.]
Ron Paul Speech At 2011 Tea Party Patriots Summit
robpepedotcom | Feb 27, 2011
see
The Punk Patriot: Working People vs Wall Street
Ironically, Anti-Union Republicans Need Unions by Walter Brasch
Fascism in the U.S.: Are We there Yet? by Steven Jonas, MD, MPH
Ralph Nader and Ron Paul on The Federal Reserve, Military Spending, WikiLeaks and Health Care
Socialism Can Save Our Cities & Small Businesses by Philip A. Farruggio
Dandelion Salad 
I am a Socialist–I am not kidding about that?? Why in hell would I support something just because Nader does??
I worked on 3 campighns as a volunteer for ralph nader to become president . he knows how to build broad based coalitions . why would you something just becuase Nader does. it is not about supporting ”something” , but rather how be effective without comprimise. Nader has never comprimised , and yet he has accomplished so much for progressive reform
he is working with Ron Paul in the areas of more reform . and agreeing to disagree on the rest.
Well, we just have to agree to disagree…Nader has compromised over and over again…yes, he has done some good things, many….but I do not support what he does….Nader does not have a broad based coalitions and the Paultards would never, ever vote for him…they just want to drag naderites into naivity
from these comments it seems that you all dont know enough about this man . the first thing he said he would do if made president is to dissolve the CIA . why ? because they cause all the wars overseas.
then he would bring the troops home everywhere.
read his book –the Revolution –it is a true toure de force.
I am not reading that book, but I do know alot about Ron Paul–far more than I wish to…..I didnt read Obama’s arrogant books, either…
I just heard him mentioning to Clinton in a Hearing today, that he would rather we did not intervene for Imperialist dictators in the Middle East–the number one reason he gave (and always gives) MONEY ..that is all he cares about…him and his son named after a bitch who named herself after a typewriter!
A doctor that thinks that health care is a “privilege”—he can go to hell More like the hypocritic oath
Kyle , i have never heard anyone running for office in the 2 party system or for that matter in a 3rd party say that they would first dismantle the CIA.
is not the CIA the root of our problems ? overseas wars , be they covert or overt are because of the CIA .
Gore Vidal in his book ”perpetual war for perpetual peace” lists almost 300 of them .
i have alot of differences with Ron Paul ( and he is nothing like his son ) , but the fact that he had the balls to say we need to get rid of the CIA is amazing !
Yes, but the fact that he doesnt think I have a right to survive if I have nothing to offer a rich person is a really big issues with me….cause, see, if I die, i prob wont care what is going on
i understand , i am a socialist . but i am looking at what issues we can make alliances with him on . he is working with ralph nader and other progressives on these isssues that they agree on . there are many .
1. stop all american wars around the globe
2. bring the troops home .
3. electoral reform , open debates.
4. abolish the patriot act , and FISA.
5. audit the federal reserve.
6. no corporate welfare.
7. no corporate bailouts.
there is enough here to work with ron paul on . we can agree to disagree about the rest.
No, I am not sure you understand…see, if I am dead (which I would be if they cut off my Medicaid, which Kasich is busy doing right now) I wont care nearly as much about those issues, I dont think…I have heard this “work with libertarians” shit before and that is just what it is……
You “work with scabs”–I dont compromise my principles that far for anyone..but I realize that most USAns do….
i forgot to ad that Ron Paul would decriminalize ALL drugs.
Kyle — you have not heard about building ”broad based coalitions ”? that is what Ralph Nader has done and why he has been so effective . that is not compromising principles at all.
it is finding what we can agree on and working together , and agreeing to disagree on also .
I have come to the conclusion of a strong moral objection to Ron Paul, the Tea Party and so-called Libertarianism….I am disgusted with our government…but we cannot fix it on the backs of workers and the poor….
Writing in a candidate that cannot win is no solution, no matter how you feel…our electoral system is broken and we need a Constitutional convention—states so disagree about the “role of govt”, that I see absolutely no point in states like Texas (or the entire Confederacy) remaining a “country” which includes Vermont or Massachusetts….it is like staying married because you signed a papaer. And most of us know how that works out…..Secede, rewrite, start over!
In spite of some of his “progressive libertarian” views, Ron Paul has taken the most extreme anti-choice position possible, federal protection of life at the moment of conception.
I continue to believe we can adjust our system of government in lieu of giving in to a Constitutional convention, which I fear would either lead to a loss of most, if not many of the protections we currently enjoy, or a civil war.
Not if the country was split up…..there is not enough electoral change in the world to save this country….neither party gives a damn about the people….I would rather give it a try than just let things go…
What would we fight a “civil war” over this time? Texas’ right to secede? We should NOT kick their ass this time…instead, dont let the door hit them in the ass….good Texans can move here, we are losing population here…
The fact that the Koch brothers and people such as Dick Armey are behind the Tea Party “movement” is enough of an indictment of it. That they are anti-union only makes it worse. They seem to be willfully ignorant not only about corporate power and oppression and how corporations are inherently antithetical to democracy and a deadly threat to civil liberties as well as to the planet, but about U.S. history, especially labor history, as well. Such “libertarians” who focus only on the individual but exclude the Commons are too narrow-minded and selfish (“Galtians”) to sustain a true democracy.
Those who attended the Tea Party Patriot, contrary to the organizers, appeared to be retired, White middle-class and deeply afraid. Those who organize and run the Party play on those fears.
Tommy, Voters Evolt! encourages everyone to “make the pledge” to write in the name of the person they want as president, even if the name is on the ballot, AND if there is no trusted candidate available, to write in their own name or their Uncle Pete, or whoever.
Kyle, a major subject of the Summit Conference was how to break labor unions, public and private, even though most of the attendees were obviously retired middle-class people who profited greatly from the labor movement.
They didn’t want to give up THEIR social security and Medicare which they had earned, they just didn’t want to give the new generation of workers the same protection.
It would be great if instead of writing in yet anther politician, the people would write in themselves to govern themselves via direct democracy.
Thanks, Tommy!
I am infuriated by this–truly! I know the AFL-CIO is a sell out….but you do NOT break a strike action..shame on you, Paultards….
After the so-called tea Party patriots (lol) broke a strike action? I dont think so! Dont have to ask which side they are on anymore!