Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX) was the presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party in 1988, and appeared on the 2008 general election presidential ballot as a Taxpayers and Constitution Party in Louisiana and Montana, in addition to running in the Republican primary. He is a life member of the Libertarian Party, and has spoken at numerous Libertarian Party and Constitution Party events over the course of many years. He has many supporters in the Libertarian and Constitution Parties, and has endorsed many of their candidates, including Libertarian Party Presidential candidate Michael Badnarik in 2004 and Constitution Party Presidential candidate Chuck Baldwin in 2008.
Posted to IPR by Paulie.
UPDATE
LP blog also has a reprint of a Ron Paul article about these issues from Texas Straight Talk today:
Ron Paul: Stimulate economy and create jobs through fewer taxes
posted by Donny Ferguson on Apr 20, 2009
Fewer Taxes for Real Economic Stimulus
Taxes are the issue this week as Americans struggle to make the April 15th deadline to file their returns. It is a good time to contemplate the effects of big government and what it does to our country. The income tax is one of the most egregious encroachments on our liberties today. It is a form of involuntary servitude, which was supposed to have been outlawed by the 13th Amendment.
Tax Freedom Day is defined as the day when the nation as a whole has theoretically earned enough income to fund its annual federal tax burden. For all of the days of the year before this day, you are a slave to government. For 2009, Tax Freedom Day will come on April 13th. Almost a century ago in 1910, before the mistakes of 1913-namely the inception of the Federal Reserve and our current income tax, Tax Freedom Day was January 19th, signifying a mere 5% tax burden. Somehow, our country functioned just fine.
If calculated to include government spending and the deficit, rather than just collections, Tax Freedom Day would actually fall on May 29. The annual deficit adds to the growing debt of future generations and adds insult to injury to those that struggle to make this economy work. It is a slap in the face that this is not enough to prevent this crushing governmental burden from falling on the next generation.
For months now, Washington has been desperately throwing taxpayers’ money at various programs to stimulate us out of the recession, to no avail. Seeing hard-earned money confiscated from the people and spent in such wasteful ways, such as the recent bailouts, is almost too much to bear. Getting rid of the income tax altogether, while very beneficial, may be a while in coming. In the meantime, I am fighting for every tax cut or tax credit possible.
I can think of no better economic stimulus than letting people keep their money and spend it how they see fit. For this reason, I am an original cosponsor on a bill that would give Americans a two month employment and income tax holiday, while taking unused TARP money back from the Secretary of the Treasury and putting it in the Social Security trust fund instead.
In addition, I have recently introduced the Child Health Care Affordability Act. If passed this legislation would provide parents with a tax credit of up to $500 for health care expenses of dependent children. I have also re-introduced the Tax Free Tips Act, which would make tips exempt from federal income and payroll taxes. I am also an original cosponsor of a bill that would make permanent the deduction of state and local sales taxes. My bill HR 162 exempts Social Security benefits from income tax.
These are just a few of the many tax related bills I am fighting for in Congress, but without a corresponding cut in the size of government, which I am also fighting for, we are simply adding to the future tax burden of our children.
Texas Straight Talk is published weekly by the office of Congressman Ron Paul. Read more at http://www.house.gov/paul/.
Recall Obama !!!! Americans cant ‘ afford his socialist CHANGES…..Americans do not own the air they breathe, today’s air was in Europe yesterday and in China tomarrow………..
Fix the economy!!!!Dam the green party save our coal mines, drill oil off the coast of California and stop the generous welfare state. Americans deserve a congres who will take the time to read all the political bills proposed by congress for possible future laws.
what if by some devine intervention a new mandate an ominious warning, to all Congressmen harolding (Due to the lack of interest there will be no tomarrow,signed GOD).
Republicans don’t mind when RP is actively eroding the the Dems power base and they don’t mind expropriating his base for their own purposes. I am not a fan but I have to admit it is RP who offers an alternative, not the Republicans who look at him like the Democrats look at Ralph Nader.
@ #11 – Actually Bill, the next round of protests are scheduled for April 25 at each of the Federal Reserve banks throughout the country. http://www.endthefed.us/
The tea parties on April 15th were a resounding success! The next round of protests are scheduled for Independence Day, July 4th. They promise to be bigger and better organized than their predecessors. http://www.reteaparty.com is a great source for tea party news as well as a hub for the organization of Independence Day Tea Parties. You can find and join your local tea party as well as create and organize your own. It is a great way to spread awareness of your event! Check it out: http://www.reteaparty.com
I have shirts I’ve been wearing for 10+ years, probably have one like that myself.
No. I was just being an ass. I have been aware of Ron Paul since at least 2000. He is one of the few ( perhaps only) Republicans I would not seriously apply my comment to.
As for most of the other “conservatives”…
John C @5 Where were you during the Republican primary debates in 2007 and 2008? Yes, Ron Paul spoke out against Bush, and voted against him in Congress.
One might well ask whether you were brain dead for the last 8 years. Were you?
The dollar may or may not collapse…we shall see.
When it does (not if), the blame will fall squarely on “greedy business interests”.
Of course, unions will be “forced” to follow suit, along with governments and their tax bite.
PEACE
Paul spoke out against Bush repeatedly, the media just never listened. He also refused to endorse John McCain.
Just saying.
But where was Ron Paul the last 8 years? Why didn’t he speak out against George Bush Junior? Now that Obama’s in office, all these Republicans decide to say something.
Sure, no problem “talking” about self determination, SO LONG as the process is agreed upon by the parties to the contract.
One of the parties — VA — had this discussion when the contract was ratified. Patrick Henry, rose at the Virginia constitutional ratification convention to say this:
“I rose yesterday to ask a question which arose in my own mind. When I asked that question, I thought the meaning of my interrogation was obvious. The fate of this question and of America may depend on this. Have they said, We, the states? Have they made a proposal of a compact between states? If they had, this would be a confederation. It is otherwise most clearly a consolidated government.
“The question turns, sir, on that poor little thing—the expression, We, the people, instead of the states, of America. I need not take much pains to show that the principles of this system are extremely pernicious, impolitic, and dangerous. Is this a monarchy, like England—a compact between prince and people, with checks on the former to secure the liberty of the latter? Is this a confederacy, like Holland—an association of a number of independent states, each of which retains its individual sovereignty? It is not a democracy, wherein the people retain all their rights securely.
“Had these principles been adhered to, we should not have been brought to this alarming transition, from a confederacy to a consolidated government. ”
The dollar may or may not collapse…we shall see.
…taking unused TARP money back from the Secretary of the Treasury and putting it in the Social Security trust fund instead.
Putting money into the “trust fund” just gives it right back to Treasury in exchange for those ever so popular Special Obligation Bonds (SOB) that we will pay interest on and Government will spend.
Surprised that he said that!
Ron Paul was talking about secession today, in relation to the Texas governor wanting to “declare sovereignty” (I would find these Republicans like the governor much more credible if they hadn’t waited until a Democrat was president to start doing things like this):
Isn’t that the same shirt he wore like 2 years ago? lol