Transcript
This is a rush transcript. If you notice any errors please report them using the “Help improve this post” link at the bottom of this post.
News Anchor: Ron Paul, Republican Congressman from Texas and candidate for President. Congressman, good to see you.
Ron Paul: Thank you very much.
News Anchor: Congressman, you’ve created a stir by proposing the elimination of an agency that’s gotten very high marks in this part of the country over the last few days. If you were successful in getting rid of FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, what or who would carry out its functions?
Ron Paul: Well, the states would, you know. Your state guards would be within the states and they wouldn’t have to go out looking for more help. Since the helicopters from Vermont are over in Iraq, that would be one thing that could help, we could have the troops here at home that would help with recovery. But not high on my agenda is getting rid of FEMA, it’s just that it’s only been around for a short period of time and it’s developed a very budget reputation. I live in a coastal district and we deal with FEMA all the time. It’s the agency of government that I get the most complaints about. And there are better ways to solve these problems and they don’t have a very good record. All you have to do is go and look at all the articles written about Katrina and some of the mix ups that FEMA got involved in there. I’m just saying there’s a better way of doing it.
News Anchor: But if I may, FEMA has gotten rave reviews over the last couple of days in some of the states and from some of governors, who say they should take over. The Governor of Vermont today, Peter Shumlin, said he’d like to see you come there. The Democratic Governor in Connecticut, as you know, called you an idiot. The Republican Governor of Jersey, Chris Christy, and of Virginia, ridiculed the notion that you and Eric Cantor in Congress are advancing that for every dollar in disaster relief, there should be an offsetting dollar in tax cuts. What do you know that they don’t, Congressman?
Ron Paul: Doesn’t that sound like a rather reasonable thing when we’re in a financial crisis because the debt is unmanageable, nobody will even raise the debt limit. So why isn’t it reasonable to say that if you need it, I’m all for that. Matter of fact, even back when hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and Texas, I proposed that very thing; save a couple billion dollars from overseas, put half of it to the deficit and put the other half towards taking care of the problems we have. When people talk like this and dismiss the deficit as not a problem, I’ve heard this Governor say, “Get the aid here”. What they want to do is they want to pass the buck, that’s why they like the federal government. That means if anything fails, it’s not the Governor’s fault, no local people, it’s always the federal government. Go after the President, if it doesn’t work, it’s the President’s fault.
News Anchor: But it’s even fiscally conservative Republicans who’ve chimed in. Let’s go back, you mentioned your district Galveston, a coastal community is in your district. Totally true to your beliefs, when hurricane Ike hit in 2008 you voted against the multi-million dollar appropriation for federal disaster relief. Despite that, hundreds of millions of federal dollars came into your district, what, a hundred some million were paid for a waste water treatment plant. So didn’t your constituents benefit with funding despite your opposition to it?
Ron Paul: Well, some people think short term and in front of their nose and the next election, and I think when they take your money, you should try to get some of your money back. But I’m trying to reform the system, so it’s more efficient. But overall, FEMA’s broke, they’re 20 million dollars in debt, so for anybody to say, “Well, we don’t want to raise the money, we’re not responsible, the federal government is”. Who’s the federal government? It’s the tax payers. So put them into 10 billion dollars more debt. Eventually that all ends. I’m trying to prevent this catastrophic financial crisis that’s on our doorstep, it’s hardly even gotten started yet, it’s going to get much worse because nobody really cares about the deficit. If they did in Washington, they wouldn’t allow it to happen. And if you get somebody like Erick Canter who gets up and says, “Maybe we ought to pay for this”, and the media comes down hard on him. All he’s trying to do is act responsible. To me, that’s commonsense.
News Anchor: Let’s talk about paying for things if we can. The President’s going to giving a job speech next Thursday, assuming the National Football League doesn’t say no. But putting that aside for a second, I’m assuming he will yet again call for an end to the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy and say, “Let’s use that money for investment in infrastructure and deficit reduction”. The vast majority of American people support raising taxes on the wealthy. Aren’t you out of step with mainstream America on that pretty critical issue?
Ron Paul: Well, if I’d be out of step my numbers wouldn’t be going up and I wouldn’t have gotten re-elected so often with growing numbers. But I would say the better way to do this, rather than destroying the economy by raising taxes on the people who produce jobs, is quit these wars, bring the troops home, let them spend their money here, let us have a real stimulus package. We’re up to our ears in debt, trillions and trillions of dollars and there’s no end in sight for these wars. Then we could take care of our people. Matter of fact, I even proposed on many of these programs that I don’t fully endorse because technically they’re not permissible under the constitution, but taking care of sick people, the elderly and the children, I have nothing against that if you cut the spending. But to raise taxes on the rich and chase more capital overseas, that’s one of the basic problems with the economy right now. 1.5 trillion dollars of capital sits overseas because there’s no incentive to come home here because of all the regulations that are bearing down on them. You have to change that or you’re not going to get any jobs; that’s what my argument is.
News Anchor: Congressman, I cannot agree with you more on the wars, but let’s talk about some people who don’t agree. I think most people agree with you that you’re the founding father of the Tea Party Movement, you support small government across the board. But I think it’s safe to say that many Tea Party members, lots of them, including some Tea Party leaders like Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, want small government here, but want large government overseas, specifically things like support for the Afghanistan war. So isn’t it safe to say that their voice on issues of fiscal responsibility, the Tea Party, is simply not credible when they’re saying, “Let’s continue to spend those tens of billions of dollars that you and I both agree is money wasted”. So who should listen to the Tea Party on money issues?
Ron Paul: Well, that’s one thing for sure, the Tea Party is not monolithic. Obviously, it was started in our campaign 4 years ago, but there were a lot of people who joined who saw a wave coming, which was an anti-Washington wave and it’s an anti-deficit wave. But you’re right, and this is what the election is all about because it’s going to be sorted out. And I think my views will prevail, but I have to prove myself, I have to be credible, I have to get the support, I have to get the votes. If I don’t, then, as I’ve said, well the people want the wars and they want to run up the debt and they want to keep having all these program, and then it’s all going to end because of the financial crisis. When the dollar quits functioning, the troops will come home. Just like the Soviet system collapsed, empires do not last when they’re over extended, and we’re over extended and nobody wants to admit it; this country is bankrupt. So when you’re bankrupt and you’re facing this crisis, you have to admit it and you have to change your ways. And all I’m asking for is to change our ways and solve these problems, and we can do it in a transitional fashion if we wise up and do it gracefully rather than waiting for a collapse.
News Anchor: Let’s talk about consistency and credibility; and you raised the concept a minute ago. I’m a big government kind of guy, but I have a lot of respect for you and a lot of your libertarian views, particularly around foreign policy. But can you explain to me how someone like you, who believes government should stay out of our lives, also believes government should be able to tell a woman that she should have a child that she doesn’t want. I don’t understand how those two things fit together.
Ron Paul: Well, the libertarian principle is you’re not allowed to use aggression against a person. And I’m an OB doctor and to me it was a person because I had legal responsibility for it. A woman that’s carrying a baby that’s 3, 4, 5, 6 pounds, if I do anything to it, I get sued. And if you’re in an accident and you are involved and that baby is killed, you have a big problem on your hands, this is a serious legal matter. So I would say that it isn’t a question of the woman and protecting her privacy, as much as whether or not you can see a 2 or 3 or 4 or 4 pound baby that’s not yet being born deserves legal rights. I come down on the side of saying that it’s a legal person, it’s a human being, and it deserves to live.
News Anchor: But your position goes beyond both, the philosophical and pragmatic, as a former OBGYM. You will see this as a constitutional issue, do you not?
Ron Paul: No, I’ve never brought up the constitution, it’s the pro-abortion people that always bring it up and they introduce this idea of privacy. No, constitutionally I bring it up only in the fact that I say the federal government shouldn’t be in it, I don’t believe in a federal abortion police, I don’t want them to have anything to do with it because I know how difficult it is. And although I think those who believe in abortion have to deal with an 8 pound baby one minute before birth, which they refuse to because right before birth the mother’s body is still precious and you should protect it. But they want to think on the other end. Because there are so many difficult positions on that, I think it should be local. Different states have different viewpoints and I don’t have a monolithic approach and I don’t talk about murder and I don’t talk about putting people in prison. I talk about respect for life. If you do not have respect for life, how can you have respect for liberty? I am the greatest defender for liberty, but I can’t see how I can justify all this defense of liberty if I don’t defend life.
News Anchor: But very quickly, like you said, if you don’t want a federal abortion police, then I believe, why did you vote for a ban on partial birth abortion at the federal level if you want it left to the states? I don’t understand that?
Ron Paul: Because it was already nationalized by the courts, so I was trying to balance out the nationalizations by the courts. They made it a national permission, I wanted to cancel out the national permission and legalization by the courts.
News Anchor: Two final questions if I can just finish up. You have a big debate, obviously, next Wednesday night at the Ronald Reagan Library. Correct me if I’m wrong, when you go there and you shake the hand of Governor Rick Perry, is it true that that will be the first time you’ve ever met the Governor of your state for the last 10 years?
Ron Paul: In my memory. You know, I’ve said that because I do not recall it, but he and I have been in Texas for a long time, and who knows, we might have passed some time along the way and we shook hands. But I honestly do not recall ever personally meeting him.
News Anchor: Do you not find that strange? It seems to me, tell me if you think this is unfair, that it is sort of symptomatic of two men who were more concerned maybe about going their own way than they are about working collaboratively for their constituents. You’ve both served Texans for the same ten years and beyond, no?
Ron Paul: Well, he worked a lot in Austin, I worked a lot in Washington. But it is true, that President both George Bushes, I did get to know them, and I thought they were very cordial and I got along with them quite well, even though we had our same disagreements. You can imagine how much I disagree with their foreign policy. But George Bush Junior, I knew him pretty well, but he was always very cordial and polite to me. But no, I did not have that relationship, but I wouldn’t say it was me deliberately saying, “I’m going my way, he’s going his way”. It just happened that way and I guess somebody else will have to sort it out exactly why.
News Anchor: 30 seconds, if you can. You just had a birthday, correct?
Ron Paul: That is correct.
News Anchor: Happy birthday. So if you’re elected President you’ll be 77 years old when you take office, oldest President to assume the office by far; 7 years. I know firsthand how many young people are huge supporters of yours. But at 77, Congressman, aren’t you too old to be President of the United States?
Ron Paul: No, matter of fact, I’m only 76.
News Anchor: I know, but you won’t be President until you’re 77.
Ron Paul: You know, I think people like you who do this, you should be careful about practicing age discrimination, that’s against the law, you know.
News Anchor: It is. I know good lawyers.
Ron Paul: You know what my answer is? What do I appeal to the young people, because I have young ideas. Freedom is a young idea. A lot of the other ones have old fashioned ideas, they want totalitarianism, they want power in government. So I am the youngest candidate with the youngest idea. And besides, tomorrow, to prove it, I’m having a bicycle ride and you’re welcome to come and I’ve challenged any of my opponents to come to Houston at noon time when the temperature is 100 and humidity is 100, and I’ll ride 20 miles with them and then you will the right to ask me about my age or challenge me about my age.
News Anchor: That’s a fair deal, you look fabulous too. Congressman Paul, thank you so much. I hope we get to talk to you a lot of you as the Campaign goes on.
Ron Paul: Thank you.
Processing your request, Please wait....
Whose taking about breaking a nail or working a job? Are you really so arrogant that you can’t think of any other scenario where a woman might want an abortion? Impregnated through rape? Pregnant at 13 years old or younger? Has a serious medical condition and pregnancy places her life at risk?
Until you can prove to me that a fetus is a living, conscious being capable of living outside of the mother’s body, I don’t consider it murder. Sorry. You can think me insane if you want.
»crosslinked«
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I don’t consider it murder. I consider it murder once the baby is developed enough to live outside of the body, but I don’t consider aborting a fetus that has no consciousness or capability to live outside of the body as murder. You’re free to disagree, though.
A baby is a living being. A fetus isn’t. A fetus doesn’t breath air, think, eat or have any consciousness. It is merely a cluster of nerves and cells that are still developing. Again, you can disagree if you want.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Lol, you are insane! You are arguing that a child being abused is better off dead.
She broke a fucking nail so now she needs an abortion? She has to work a fucking job and raise a kid, so that justifies murder? She needs to take responsibility and stop acting like a goddamned 5 year old.
You keep pidgin-holing the ‘murder’ aspect of your argument, and trying to argue irrelevant points of semantics to avoid answering my questions.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
It has a right to life, but what if nobody that wants to care for it? Orphanages in Romania (where my sister’s from) are so busy that babies are rarely held. Most develop psychological issues due to lack of contact.
Babies need attention. If nobody (let alone the mother) is emotionally, psychologically or physically able to care for it, then what’s its quality of life? In my opinion, until it’s developed enough to live outside of her body, it’s HER body & HER choice.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I’m sorry you feel that way, but statistics are a direct reflection of our world whether you like it or not.
I’m saying that there are circumstances that you’re not taking into consideration that might have bearing on the mother’s choice to have an abortion. You don’t know what is happening in that woman’s life, what her circumstances are or the circumstances of her child, so why are you trying to take away her right to choose?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
The real difference here is murder vs not murder. Either the baby survives because he isn’t legally murdered by his parents, or he dies because its perfectly acceptable IF you pretend like the baby isn’t a living human being because ‘he doesn’t pay taxes’, ‘he can’t play a guitar’, ‘hes weighs less than a turkey’ or whatever irrelevant reason you can make up. You’re trying to play god and your support of that perspective is costing lives.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Theres nothing magical about it, except that the baby isn’t murdered and lives on, however he does. I could listen to you throw some insignificant and irrelevant statistic about adopted children being abused and it still doesn’t matter because people can change. An abused child isn’t doomed no matter how idiotic your opinion of it is.
Maybe he’ll be a politician, maybe he’ll be Hitler, or Einstein? Who knows? Not our place to put a pre-emptive value on his life.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
You are trying to argue the value of a life on the basis of abuse as dictated by STATISTICS? Lol, what the hell?
And you ARE arguing the value of a life, lets not try to pidgeon hole that fact. You are putting the value of a baby’s life on the table by saying that ‘they are better off dead than being adopted because abuse could happen blablabla’.
Everyone has rights and up until we entered this age of immoral legalism, abuse was handled by communities rather than bureaucrats.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
You are trying to argue the value of a life on the basis of abuse as dictated by STATISTICS? Lol, what the hell?
And you ARE arguing the value of a life, lets not try to pidgeon hole that fact. You are putting the value of a baby’s life on the table by saying that ‘they are better off dead than being adopted because abuse could happen blablabla’.
Everyone has rights and up until we entered this age of immoral legalism, abuse was handled by communities rather than bureaucrats.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Of course not… If the media wanted a credible poll of who won the debate, they would have a text message poll right after the debate. I was trying to make more people on this webpage aware of the poll, so they could voice their opinion.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
and you actually believe in that POLL?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
POLL!!!!! msn . c om Ron p only at 13%
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Plz go to MSN(dot)com and scroll down and vote for Ron Paul…
Let Media and America know that –
2012 is for Real Change…2012 for History…2012 for Us…2012 for Ron Paul…
1. Rick Perry – 51,090 votes
2. Mitt Romney – 36,905 votes
3. Ron Paul – 29,146 votes
4. Michele Bachmann – 10,190 votes
“Thumbs Up” so that everybody can see this and vote for Ron Paul…
Let Media know that we are beside Ron Pau
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Plz go to MSN(dot)com and scroll down and vote for Ron Paul…
Let Media and America know that –
2012 is for Real Change…2012 for History…2012 for Us…2012 for Ron Paul…
1. Rick Perry – 51,090 votes
2. Mitt Romney – 36,905 votes
3. Ron Paul – 29,146 votes
4. Michele Bachmann – 10,190 votes
“Thumbs Up” so that everybody can see this and vote for Ron Paul…
Let Media know that we are beside Ron Pau
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Plz go to MSN. com and scroll down and vote for Ron Paul…
Let Media and America know that –
2012 is for Real Change…2012 for History…2012 for Us…2012 for Ron Paul…
1. Rick Perry – 51,090 votes
2. Mitt Romney – 36,905 votes
3. Ron Paul – 29,146 votes
4. Michele Bachmann – 10,190 votes
“Thumbs Up” so that everybody can see this and vote for Ron Paul…
Let Media know that we are beside Ron Paul…
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Plz go to MSN. com and scroll down and vote for Ron Paul…
Let Media and America know that –
2012 is for Real Change…2012 for History…2012 for Us…2012 for Ron Paul…
1. Rick Perry – 51,090 votes
2. Mitt Romney – 36,905 votes
3. Ron Paul – 29,146 votes
4. Michele Bachmann – 10,190 votes
“Thumbs Up” so that everybody can see this and vote for Ron Paul…
Let Media know that we are beside Ron Paul…
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Go to “Rick Perry” Channel (governorrickperry — Subscriber 369) = He doesn’t even have the balls to give readers/viewers the option to Comment or Like/Dislike
Go to “Mitt Romney” Channel (MittRomney – Subscriber 1,386) = seems “Dislike Button” is most popular option.
Go to “Ron Paul” Channel (RonPaul2008dotcom – Subscriber – 99,072) = flooding with Likes.
America! Can you see the Difference?
People are Waking Up
“Thumbs Up” so that everybody can see this Statistic & Difference.
Ron Paul
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Go to “Rick Perry” Channel (governorrickperry – Subscriber 369) = He doesn’t even have the balls to give readers/viewers the option to Comment or Like/Dislike
Go to “Mitt Romney” Channel (MittRomney – Subscriber 1,386) = seems “Dislike Button” is most popular option.
Go to “Ron Paul” Channel (RonPaul2008dotcom – Subscriber – 99,072) = flooding with Likes.
America! Can you see the Difference?
People are Waking Up
“Thumbs Up” so that everybody can see this Statistic & Difference.
Ron Paul
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
for Ron Paul supporters there is a poll for him in the lower right hand corner of MSN dot com homepage. go show your support! Ron Paul 2012. thank you
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
The way that you are asserting your case is insane. You’re making yourself into a god by saying that you speak for the right of the baby in declaring their life worthless. How dare you try to assert your fucking middle class bullshit beliefs unto people you deem ‘less fortuanate’ than yourself. I grew up in poverty bitch, from a family of 6 kids with a household income of less than 40k/yr in a household of 9. And let me tell you something, I made the best of it. I value my life.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
You are good at convoluting your own point. A mother’s wishes to terminate her unborn child and terminating a baby to save her own life are two completely different things, the first happening all the time at the whim of the mother(read: MURDERER), and the other being an irrelevant point in this case.
That you were able to bring these two completely different ideas together to form the basis of your sadistic case against nature, is evidence to me that you are clearly unreasonable.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Your seeming faux pas was just a blatent attempt at smearing your own evidence as so for it not to be used against you.
Alas, It failed.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Shut up and let him answer the question!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
What if that child is 4 years old can they still murder that child because they dont want them and we shouldnt push that child upon them? If there is no black and white then there is no Good or Bad SATAN WINS!!!. Burdens are not to be had but to be TAKEN CARE OF (got rid of) RIGHT!?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Gods blessing can come in rape form. I have been abused personally and can tell you If ever I was pregnant by force or willingly that is GODS blessing to me. I will stand before God and I will be judged. And it will be know that I DREW my lines in the sand and didnt go back and forth back and forth. What if that child is 4 years old can they still murder that child because they dont want them and we shouldnt push that child upon them? If there is no black and white then there is no Good or Bad!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Unbelieveable. a 20 year old that has had sex willingly and got pregnant can go and have the child removed from their body because you dont want to force them to have a baby, that is laughable. If you murder a woman and she has a baby that is 2 counts of murder. You have no since of what is right and wrong. You have no lines in the sand. You could care less about a baby that has yet to be brought into the world! YOU COULD CARE LESS! That woman should be a woman. You choose to have sex
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
There is no gray in what is right and what is wrong. Draw a line in the sand and never cross it.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
The GOOD Dr. Ron Paul is very sexy for 76!!! I will be registering to vote for integrity and sexiness!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Ron Paul will make a great POTUS!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Femas broke, they seemed to have enough money to fund and build the Fusion Centers at least 50 of them. They set fully staffed waiting to confine those who disagree with the New World Order. And for those who are still in the dark about whats going on watch Fall of the Republic on You Tube. And with all those containment centers/concentration camps why aren’t they being used for prison over crowding instead of releasing them early. After all we paid for them. Would some please ask who authorized them?
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
That fat announcer couldn’t ride 10 miles, much less 20. What a tool.
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
If you are angry at the media, for ignoring Ron Paul and the American people let them know!
FOX news room 212-301-5800
CNN news desk 404-827-2751
CNN news desk fax: 404-827-3368
We must make our voices heard, we can make a difference. Call and let them know we see what they are doing and there will be consequences, like not watching their sorry excuse for news. Join the Ron Paul Sign Bomb so that we can show them how much suport Ron Paul has. We need YOU!
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
1 – Google Ron Paul in 60 minutes petition
2 - Petition - CBS News 60 minutes - Get Ron Paul go to change.org
3 - sign the petition
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Im a fit 27 year old and I can’t ride bike 20 miles in a hundred degree weather
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
He’s awesome! =D
Report this comment
Like or Dislike:
0 
0