Channel: CBS News
Date: 03/03/2010

Transcript coming soon

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He said that if the GOP wants to be a major party they must return to constitutional conservative values and work on ending the wars, balancing the budget, guaranteeing civil liberties, and auditing the Fed.

Ron Paul also invited progressives who are concerned about civil liberties and warmongering to join his growing movement.

Show: Dylan Ratigan Show
Host: Dylan Ratigan
Channel: MSNBC
Date: 02/23/2010

Transcript coming soon

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Show: Morning Joe
Channel: MSNBC
Date: 02/23/2010

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Show: Rick’s List
Host: Rick Sanchez
Channel: CNN
Date: 01/20/2010

Transcript

Rick Sanchez: Alright, joining me now are two congressmen who’ve had some of the most colorful quotes, to say the very least, on this story so far. Republican Ron Paul of Texas, Democrat Anthony Weiner of New York. My thanks to both of you.

I’ve been trying to figure out what happened last night at Massachusetts, just like both of you have. And I’m wondering whether this really was a repudiation of Democrats and an embracing of Republicans.

Ron Paul, I want to ask you first, congressman. First of all, do you see yourself as a Republican or more as a Libertarian? I’ve never been able to figure you out.

Ron Paul: Yes. I think both. You’re allowed to be a conservative Republican, you’re allowed to be a liberal Republican, why can’t you be a libertarian? Libertarian just means you’re a constitutionalist.

Rick Sanchez: I’m not taking anything away from you. I’m just thinking that you’re in a unique position to try and define for us whether these folks in Massachusetts last night were saying, “Look, we don’t care, we don’t like either of you, and we’re tired of the same old stuff. And we’ll vote you out no matter who you are”. Or whether they were really saying, “We don’t like Barack Obama”, as the Republicans are telling us today that they are. What’s your take?

Ron Paul: Well, my take is that I’m apolitical and I think right now that’s very popular: the people that say they’re independent. I’ve never thought a whole lot of the political parties, though some of my legislation gets as much support from the Democrats as they do from the Republicans. So no, I think the issue is whether you’re right or wrong. And I happen to believe strongly in transparency and privacy and lot of liberal democrats will support me on that. And they will support me on foreign policy as well.

Rick Sanchez: What are Democrats like Anthony Weiner wrong about that cost them Massachusetts last night? What are the Democrats wrong about right now? What’s Obama wrong about?

Ron Paul: Well, I don’t know whether I’ll use the word ‘wrong’, but I think where they’re missing it is that what the people are upset about is that the government no longer can function because it fails. They’re incapable of doing this, they take on too much.

It isn’t who’s going to manage the right way or the wrong way, it’s just that’s its unmanageable. It’s sort of like directing traffic for every single person in the country. It doesn’t work. Markets work better than government.

Government bureaucrats and politicians tend to be political and they tend to mess things up and prices go up and become inefficient. So the process is wrong and I happen to believe in the marketplace; that they’re more capable. I’d like to see people at least consider delivering medical care like we deliver cell phones. Prices go down and quality goes up. But no, when the government does it, the opposite happens.

Rick Sanchez: Alright, Anthony Weiner, you heard that. That’s an interesting analysis he provided you with, giving you perhaps some information you could use as a Democrat. What’s your take?

Anthony Weiner: Well, the only problem with that is if you look at the places the government has entered, we’ve actually done, in many cases, a better job than the private sector. You ask people whether they like Medicare, 96% of people on it say they like it. It has an overhead rate of 1% compared to the private sector, which has an overhead of about 30%. And in terms of containing costs, actually we’re doing a better job on Medicare despite the fact that they’re all senior citizens.

Look, the problems the Democrats have had recently is that we’ve kind of gotten away from the things that we know work and the people like. You know, we’ve made compromises to get rid of the public option, and that would have been competition, more choice going in the direction that Congressman Paul wants to go into. We jettison that on the altar of getting 60 votes from our senators, and we forgot that the American people are pretty smart. They watch these things and they say, “What is it exactly that the Democrat healthcare plan is supposed to be about, if not something like the public option or expanding Medicare?” That, I think, is the mistake we’ve made.

You know, Congressman Paul is one of the rare, truly consistent guys in Congress, and we all respect him for that. I mean, sometimes I’m not sure he’s in touch with the mother ship on some of the things he proposes, but he’s always consistent. But in this case he just happens to have it wrong.

Rick Sanchez: Go head, Congressman Paul.

Ron Paul: On the Medicare: Yes, some people are satisfied with Medicare. But what he failed to say is that it’s bankrupt. The end stages are there, you just can’t whack away like they propose taking away some of the Medicare benefits. Take the housing, you can say public housing is great; everybody gets a wonderful house, we made interest rates low, we give them no down payments, and everybody is happy, until they lose their house and we bail out Wall Street and big banks. So it’s a failed system.

Rick Sanchez: Congressman Paul, you don’t want government in anything?

Ron Paul: Yeah, I do. I want them to play an important role. They should be enforcing contracts. We’re in charge at the federal level on bankruptcy, for instance. We bail them with the money from the people that were successful. So we have everything turned upside down.

Rick Sanchez: That’s a good point, sir. Anyway, Anthony Weiner, how do you argue with the fact that maybe we try and manage too much, which is his principled point?

Anthony Weiner: Well, perhaps that’s right. But I got to tell you, the schizophrenia of our Republican friends when it comes to Medicare… they believe it’s terrible to have government run healthcare, except for this healthcare plan, which covers about 45% of the American population. They don’t like healthcare, but when you try to mix it to get some waste out of Medicare, they scream.

Look, the fact of the matter is you can’t just simply say, “Government is good or bad.” There are some things we do well, some things we don’t do as well. But healthcare is a case that we know the free market is never going to be able to solve every the problem, because they’re never going to cover sick people.

Rick Sanchez: We’re going to have to leave it there, gentlemen. Congressman Ron Paul, Congressman Anthony Weiner. You guys are great.

Ron Paul: Up until 1965 they did.

Rick Sanchez: Thank you both. There you go. That’s Ron Paul, getting a last shot in. We appreciate both of you.

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Show: The Rachel Maddow Show
Channel: MSNBC
Date: 1/6/2009

Transcript

Rachel Maddow: There’s Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, whose daily schedule now consists of waking up, eating breakfast, and then getting censured by his own state party. After already getting censured by the Charleston County Republican Party back in November, Mr. Graham has now been censured officially by the Lexington County Republican Party this week. They voted to censure Mr. Graham for his work on Cap and Trade legislation. The official resolution reads in part,

“U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has repeatedly demonstrated contempt and belligerence towards those members of the Republican Party who support freedom, a constitutional government, and the Republican Party platform.”

For his part, Lindsey Graham is not taking this censure sitting down. He knows who’s responsible, saying,

“You have these Ron Paul guys show up and try to take over the party. They are not reflective of the Republican Party, and I hope this serves as a wakeup call to Republicans that they need to get involved.”

Mr. Graham there referring to the author of the censure resolution against him in Lexington County, a man named Talbert Black, who is the interim South Carolina state director for Ron Paul’s Campaign for Liberty.

Joining us now is Republican Congressman Ron Paul of Texas. Congressman Paul, thanks very much for coming back on the show, it’s nice to see you.

Ron Paul: Thank you, Rachel. Nice to be with you.

Rachel Maddow: I have to ask your reaction to Senator Lindsey Graham saying, “Ron Paul guys are not reflective of the Republican Party.” What do you think?

Ron Paul: Well, in a way that might be good. The Republican Party isn’t exactly the top party in the country right now. But I think Lindsey is giving me way too much credit. But if he wants to give me a lot of credit that I now control the Republican Party in South Carolina, I consider that rather amazing.

But no, I don’t think you can talk about the tea party as a party. It’s made up of a lot of different people and I don’t even see them as being Republicans. I think they’re unhappy; they’re unhappy with the establishment party, and that’s made up of the Republicans and the Democrats. I mean, think of the factions in the Democratic Party. The base of the Democratic Party that would have liked to see a change in foreign policy and less war, not expanding the war in Afghanistan, they’re disgruntled. Some anti-war people do come to some of the tea parties; at least the tea party types that I have. You know, the original tea party was held in the campaign; we had a lot of anti-war people there.

So, in many ways the people are speaking out. They’re very, very angry and upset. They’re upset with the establishment; they’re upset with the Republicans and the Democrats. But I think this is a natural consequence of the insolvency of the country. That’s really the basic problem. The politicians are used to promising and just passing out favors, taking care of the military-industrial complex, or any domestic need at home, and not have to live up to the responsibility of paying for it. And it’s coming to an end.

So we’re facing a bankruptcy, and that’s why I think you’re seeing this anger and hostility and this fighting and bickering. But I do not think the real fight is between Republicans and Democrats. I see the establishment Republican and the establishment Democrat as being one because the foreign policies don’t differ, and the monetary policy doesn’t differ. And you put Republicans in office to balance the budget and promote personal liberty, and they don’t do any of that. You put the Democrats in to protect civil liberties and wind down the war and not have any secret rendition. Things don’t change. And the American people are just catching on.

Rachel Maddow: Congressman Paul, I think that you’re right that there is a bit of an insurgency happening on both sides. But it seems to be manifesting differently in the two parties. The base seems unhappy and a lot of people unaffiliated with either party seem unhappy with both parties right now. But on the Republican side, that’s translating into censures at the county party level for sitting senators. It’s translating into primary fights in places like Florida, upstate New York and other places. As somebody who’s run for president, both as a Libertarian and as a Republican, do you thing the fights within the right right now are a danger to the Republican Party’s future strength? Or do you think it’s going to ultimately make the Republican Party stronger?

Ron Paul: It all depends. I thing in some areas with the right candidates it will help. But, quite frankly, I don’t think about the strength of parties. I don’t worry about these strength or the weakness of the Democratic Party. I don’t thing about the strength or the weakness of the Republican Party. All I thing about is trying to get people to accept certain ideas, and these ideas permeate both parties.

You know, we had a Keynesian revolution in economics where everybody is a Keynesian. We had Woodrow Wilson make the world safe with democracy. He was the first neocon. We’ve been living with that. So that’s the only thing that counts. This fighting; I’m sorry I can’t enter into these really partisan fights, but really the fight is more philosophic. And I think this is a distraction. Sometimes I think it’s deliberate. Because, you know, when these races come up: Obama versus McCain – a big difference. And they both run off and vote for Bush’s bailout. And the people are catching on to this.

So as frustrated as you might get or think how poorly the tea party people act, they get frustrated, they act out and sometimes they act too angrily, and it doesn’t come off well. And the answer to your question is, if they keep doing that, yeah it might not necessarily build the party, but the important thing is we change the ideas in this country that we have sound money, balanced budget, live within our means, take care of ourselves, and protect civil liberties.

If we don’t think that way, and we narrow it down to this contest between one candidate against the other one, we won’t really see any changes because the party leaderships all supporting the same issue, this country will continue down the road of bankruptcy. And then the big revolution will come. I mean, when a dollar crisis comes because we can’t afford this, then we will have major social and political changes and we’re on the verge of this. Within several years I can conceive of this coming, and we ought to be aware of this and this partisan bickering about candidates one versus the other; I think that’s a side show.

Rachel Maddow: In terms of people who have legitimate, I think, grassroots ideologically driven followings on the American right (very broadly defined) I really think that’s it’s you, and I think that it’s Dick Cheney. And the former vice president Dick Cheney has really made a name for himself being declared Conservative of the Year by one publication at the end of the year, on national security and foreign policy issues and issues of war making. You, obviously, have been a leader on issues of fiscal policy, you’ve really brought a lot of your party’s leadership and your rank and file around on fiscal issues.

Do you think there is a coming battle between fiscal conservatism and foreign policy perspective that Dick Cheney represents, in terms of what the future is going to be of the Republican Party, the conservative movement? Which direction things are going to go? Are you guys at loggerheads?

Ron Paul: Oh, I think so, not personally. Because I have never had a discussion with him. But I go to the campuses. I think all revolutions, all significant changes occur with young people. And I go to the campuses. Liberal or conservative, I can get large crowds out, and the foreign policy issue is the very big issue. The money issue is a very big issue, and that’s a popular issue because if you’re for the Federal Reserve and all the shenanigans, you’re for big banks and big businesses and the military-industrial complex and the deficit.

But the young people aren’t for these things. They want personal liberty, they want to change foreign policy, and they want to look into the Fed’s secrecy. And if the Republicans don’t catch on to that, they can’t build their party. And they’re not interested. I mean, Lindsey Graham, I have to give him credit. He’s rather typical of most Republican establishment. They don’t want to have any part of what I am doing, because they don’t want an answer to that, because they don’t want to have to go to the campuses and explain why we have to have more kids go overseas, or why we might need a draft and why military spending is okay, but spending money on child healthcare, that’s bad, and we have to stop that.

The kids see this, young people, and they’re inheriting this mess. And that’s where I get excited and enthusiastic when I go to the campuses. Because, believe me, the young people are responding very favorably to this message.

Rachel Maddow: Republican Congressman Ron Paul of Texas, consistently one of the most intriguing and interesting and unique people in American politics. It’s always a pleasure to talk with you, sir. Thanks for your time.

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The following question was asked: “Thinking ahead to the 2012 Presidential election, who would you vote for as the next Republican nominee for President?”

1,757 CPAC attendants answered as follows:

1. Mitt Romney (20%)
2. Bobby Jindal (14%)
3. Ron Paul (13%)
4. Sarah Palin (13%)
5. Newt Gingrich (10%)
6. Mike Huckabee (7%)
7. Mark Sanford (4%)
8. Rudy Giuliani (3%)
9. Tim Pawlenty (2%)
10. Charlie Crist (1%)

9% were undecided.

Several other questions were asked during the poll. Click on the presentation below to see all the slides.

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In his commentary, Ron Paul asserts that America wants change and that is why Barack Obama won the election. But:

“It mattered not that the change offered was no change at all, only a change in the engineer of a runaway train.”

To regain credibility and implement real change, GOP leaders should take a long hard look at the problems of the entire country, instead of restricting themselves to musing about the future of the Republican Party:

“Once it’s figured out what is fundamentally wrong with our political and economic system, solutions can be offered. If the Republican Party can grasp hold of the policy changes needed, then the party can be rebuilt.”

In 2000, when the opportunity came to finally do something about the cancerous growth of government, most elected Republicans concentrated only on political tricks in order to maintain power and neglected the limited-government principles on which they were elected:

“The Republican Congress never once stood up against the Bush/Rove machine that demanded support for unconstitutional wars, attacks on civil liberties here at home, and an economic policy based on more spending, more debt, and more inflation — while constantly preaching the flawed doctrine that deficits don’t matter as long as taxes aren’t raised.”

Ron Paul remains hopeful that real change is indeed possible:

“The problems are easily understood and the answers are not that difficult. Abusing the rule of law and ignoring the Constitution can be reversed. If the Republican Party can grasp hold of the needed reforms, it can lead the way and regain its credibility. If power is sought for power’s sake alone, the Party will never be able to wrench away the power of the opposition.”

But he ends the article on a somber note and reminds us that the future of our country is up to all of us:

“To ignore the political struggle and only “hope for the best” is pure folly. The march toward a dictatorial powerful state is now in double time.

All those who care — and especially those who understand the stakes involved — have an ominous responsibility to energetically get involved in the battle of survival for a free and prosperous America.”

Read the entire article here.

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