Ron Paul isn’t sure that he’ll get a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention this coming August, nor has he asked for one, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to fade away quietly.
Appearing on Morning Joe Wednesday, Paul said what he wants is for the Republican Party to recognize the legitimacy of his supporters and their ideas.
“Our goal, if I’m not going to be the nominee, the goal is to show there’s a political benefit to accepting some of the views we have or all the views that we have. If [the Republican Party] would look to us for guidance and to accept some of these things, they might have an easier time winning.”
Paul has steadily been gaining additional delegates in states such as Maine and Nevada and making noise at the state and local levels of government. While not nearly enough to be the nominee, it is possible that his supporters will be able influence the Republican Party platform on some of their core issues, such as government spending.
“I’m not sure I will have a public presence [at the convention], but we will have a presence as an organization,” Paul said.
He added that he has “not asked specifically” for a speaking slot, nor has the assumed GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney “asked me” to speak.
The Paul campaign and supporters have scheduled several rallies to take place just prior to the Republican convention.
Paul, as he did throughout the Republican presidential primary, complained about what he sees as hypocrisies in the current GOP.
“Do the Republicans really stop welfare expansion? No. Do they really cut back and balance the budget? No. They usually introduce bigger budgets generally over the years whether it was Reagan or Bush—they spent a lot of money,” he said.
More than just changing the party platform, Paul said in his characteristic enthusiasm, that he’s more interested in a hearts and minds campaign.
“I want to work on the platform, but we know platforms don’t change people’s attitudes and that’s what we want to do,” he said. “We want to get attention to change the attitude so that we who are perceived as outliers become the insiders. That’s what’s happening. We’re winning state delegations, state chairmen and small offices from city councils to county commissioners…There’s so much excitement out there.”
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At the end of this interview some jackwagon asked about Ron Paul collecting social security. Does he not think a person that had this money picked from his pocket for over 50 years should not collect it when it is his/her turn? He could have worded his question that would begin by stating that he knows that Ron Paul is not taking part in the congress pension fund. He could have also mentioned that he knew that he did not take (bribes) aka lobbiest money. Get it in your head, not everyone trusts your government, so not everyone would want to partake in social security.
Social Security is a pension fund just like any pension fund except it is much more efficient as its overhead is only 3% as opposed to 14% or higher. Our illustrious politicians have been stealing from the fund, much like our corporate criminals such as Romney and Bain who buy companies, bankrupt them along with their pensions (steal the pension funds for themselves) and then force we taxpayers to bail out the pensions that people have paid into.
Stealing from the SS pension fund is illegal (strictly speaking) and Congress is required to pay back the funds they have stolen. Additionally they have passed tax law that says wages over $106,400 don't pay SS tax like the rest of us. If they did there would be no problem with SS. It would be solvent forever.
As an American I don't want to see elderly Americans who have worked here their whole lives, served in the military, or as cops or firefighters or whatever living their final days freezing to death on the streets in a cardboard box. I saw that overseas in third world countries. That's what the Republicans have turned this country into. A banana republic. Not my America. Go hang yourselves you greedy bastards. Raise the SS wage ceiling and fix the problem. Just like Medicare. Take out the phrase that says we can't negotiate for discounts on prescription drugs. That would save us hundreds of millions if not billions. Stop the Republican nonsense. These problems are easy to solve. Greed, corruption and sociopaths have taken over the Republican party. Thirty years of power has been far too long. It's time to put the Dems in control and swing the pendulum back to the left.
sedwinmars, do not say that this is 100% republicans faults. It is the fault of WE THE PEOPLE for allowing this to go on. The false two party system that we have is ruled by corps and criminals who use that kind of wording to divide us. If you care like you claim then STOP PLAYING their divisive games and untie with the rest of us who are awake. You are half awake, wake up all the way.
Your right and your wrong. Right now there is one party the Republicans who are ABSOLUTELY refusing to do anything in Congress. Zero cooperation with the other side. Even when they held power during the Bush administration they refused to allow the Dems to participate frequently shutting off the power to the lights and microphones and walking out of committees when it was the Dems turn to speak.
So yes I am blaming the Republicans! They are infantile. Thirty years ago if you are old enough to remember we decided the Dems had been in control for too long and were acting EXACTLY like the Republicans are now so we threw them out and put the Republicans in power for thirty years. It's time to throw the Republicans out and put the Dems back in. Every thirty years we go through this because the pendulum of power swings too far in one direction.
The Republicans keep trying the same failed policies over and over again and again expecting different results. Reagan, Bush Sr, Bush Jr all failed to balance the budget and now Romney wants to try the Bush plan again. Who did balance the budget? Clinton. How? Raising taxes by 4% just like Obama wants to and just like when Clinton wanted to the Republicans claimed it would be bad for the economy and bad for the job creators but what happened? Millions of jobs created, huge small business growth, massive wall street profits and a balanced budget. Still the Republicans wont listen to or believe in empirical evidence.
That idiot Sam Stein asked the most honorable politician in this congress about social security. What a pompous pr--k.
Ron Paul is beating a dead elephant. You can’t effect reforms from within the Republican Party. Nothing is going to change with either a Romney or an Obama win. Let’s send a message that the American People are serious about change and vote for Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Candidate for President. Learn about Gov. Johnson at www.GaryJohnson2012.com.
Ron Paul is beating a dead elephant. You can’t effect reforms from within the Republican Party. Nothing is going to change with neither a Romney nor an Obama win. Let’s send a message that the American People are serious about change and vote for Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Candidate for President. Learn about Gov. Johnson at www.GaryJohnson2012.com.
Gary Johnson is no Libertarian. His foreign policy scares me, which is the reason I will write Ron Paul in on my ballot in November. They won't count write ins and they won't count Gary Johnson votes, so I will sleep well at night knowing I voted my conscience and for the only person who has ever fought for us. Go Dr. Paul.
This is the part that people don't often see right away. When you pay into social security all your life, you should get it back, right? But if the dollar is being devalued because of the Federal Reserve's money-printing (inflation), it is reflected in the prices you pay. Basically, you are paying more into social security for years but getting less back because the Fed has devalued your money. That's what Dr. Paul is referring to. The more the Federal Reserve prints money for an out-of-control federal govt, the more the dollar goes down in value and the more prices go up on everything. The money you get in social security buys less everyday. Dr. Paul is right. He has put in money his whole life and gets back less than what he put in. That's what is so amazing about Ron Paul, he can peel through the layers of history, bills, currency, etc and show you exactly how the motor is working. He wants to offer young people (I think he was suggesting 25 and under) to opt out of social security and invest their money in better places. Dr. Paul has paid into social security his whole life and he strongly believes in Constitutional contracts. Although he knows social security is not Constitutional, it is a contract. And he feels that you should get your money back if you paid into it. But unfortunately, we aren't because we are paying more for everything.
Ha Ha Ha! You really have no clue do you? How old are You? Why don't you ask someone who gets SS or call the SS administration and ask how much you've paid in and how much you are getting back or will get back? Do you know how pension funds or insurance funds work at all?
Your money is invested. It earns interest. You pay a fraction of what you get back THATS why the Republicans claim it's going bankrupt! It amazes me that you people argue issues and don't even know the fake arguments your own side lays claims to.
As far as constitutionality goes you do know the preamble right? Specifically the phrases, "insure domestic Tranquility" and "promote for the General Welfare?" Under Article I Section 8 General Welfare and taxes the Supreme Court found Social Security CONSTITUTIONAL in 1937! I love how Republicans claim they love the Constitution but just ignore it and the law whenever they want to!
Obviously, you are younger than me. ha ha. And believe it or not, I do know a lot of the preamble (maybe not perfect but better than most politicians). You may not believe this but without looking it up, here's as much as I know of it by memory. "We the People of the United States of America, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the general welfare, provide for the common defense. to our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America". Now they may not be perfect but it's probably close (again, better than most politicians can say it). I do have a clue. The inflation of the dollar by the Federal Reserve is far faster than anything it would earn. And anyway, the Fed rates are 0. We are bankrupt honey. The world has started dumping dollars because they have lost confidence in it. We have one country loaning to us for sure and that's China. But even China is dumping dollars. China just worked out a pact with Russia to start trading between themselves with roubles. Iran trades with China/India/ and Russia using gold. No one wants to be left standing with the bad currency. We are heading towards a hyperinflation great depression, you haven't heard? Where have you been? ha ha. The dollar is only worth 2 cents of it's original worth since the Federal Reserve was started in 1913. The dollar is about to collapse. What else is funny is I'm not a Republican ( you assumed dear). ha ha. The more dollars the central bank prints (or digitizes), the more the dollar is devalued. This is reflected in prices. Have you not noticed prices going up?? Again, where have you been? We are seeing the results of QE2 money-printing and the Fed is discussing QE-3. Who suffers the most with inflationary prices? The poor and middle classes. When the dollar collapses, all commerce will be affect (including social security, welfare programs, foreign subsidies, and wars - not that that's a bad thing). It doesn't matter that the Supreme Court found "general welfare" as "constitutional". Read original documents man on the subject! Read them! How about read James Madison's speech on the cod fishery bill, February 3, 1792. Do you have the guts to read this? Learn about the fact that Madison said that there would be idiots like you who believe "promote the general welfare" means legal plunder to pay lazy people money they don't deserve.
Actually we're probably around the same age (I'm betting). Your assessment of the American dollar is wrong, dead wrong. I'm sorry you should stop watching so much corporate news. Yes we are indebted to China, but that's not quite the whole picture. Monetary policy is very complicated. The American dollar is actually very strong. Why? The Euro is very weak for one reason. Right now there are at least ten European countries and the corporations therein who are asking/demanding to be paid in American dollars because our economy is so strong. Yeah despite the fact that our corporate media constantly tells us how lousy our economy is Europe is doing far worse because at least ten nations adopted a "Ryan like" or Republican recovery plan that has caused a double dip recession and unemployment as high as 25% over there. Former doctors, lawyers and executives in Italy are living in cardboard boxes on the streets there! Don't worry we're doing all right and if we get some level headed people in power here to correct the Bush Medicare mess and remove the SS wage ceiling we can solve the safety net problems. As for lazy people like me as a twelve year naval officer and ten year Fortune 500 executive I'm betting you and all your family combined can't hold a candle to anyone in my family.
Your assessment of the dollar is dead wrong. For one, you blame the media for constantly saying that our economy is in bad shape. It is bad. Look at unemployment. Look at the number of people giving up on their job search or are underemployed. Look at the types of jobs that are being created. We don't need more shovel ready jobs or service sector jobs. We need lasting jobs where the US produces goods. Secondly, you made me laugh when you say 'Ryan like recovery plan.' You mean a plan that will balance the budget in 38 years? That plan is a farce, and even the European 'austerity' measures aren't even real austerity. They are still spending and taxing at high levels. Thirdly, Jane is right. The dollar is slowly going to lose its Reserve currency of the world status. If you had not heard, google BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa). These countries with large economies are already making headway in doing business NOT in dollars.
Yeah that's all he wants, a little attention. He wants and will get a lot more, stay tuned. Dr. Paul 2012
I don't know how the conversation degenerated into a Social Security discussion, but there has never been a "fund" other than future generations' ability to pay it. End of discussion.