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Ron Paul’s Freedom Rally Draws Thousands to D.C.
By Mike Finch
Ron Paul supporters rallied in Washington July 12 as thousands from around the country showed that the Campaign for Liberty is a real movement that will carry on Paul’s message beyond the 2008 election.
“Some people thought the enthusiasm was going to die down after the primaries, and I think I am on the record as saying it’s only the beginning, folks!” Paul said.
The crowd was littered with Ron Paul signs, some homemade, some printed, one on a huge helium balloon. Huge banners with Paul’s signature “REVOLUTION” logo were held by faithful supporters.
“I thought it was a nice crowd . . . it was empowering being around people that were of the same mindset,” AFP worker Steve Lombardo said. “I came away more dedicated to fighting tyranny and world government.”
The 17 speakers, including Paul, ripped into big government, the war and the loss of civil liberties. Speakers like Constitution Party presidential nominee and pastor Chuck Baldwin pushed for Americans to get back to constitutional laws and realities in the U.S.
“It’s not a matter of conservatives or liberals; those classifications mean nothing today; what we are dealing with is you are either an American or a globalist, and I am an American,” Baldwin said. “Congressman Ron Paul has been at the forefront of this battle for all of these years; now the rest of us are joining him in this fight for freedom and constitutional government.”
Paul’s speech was delayed for several minutes as the crowd chanted, “Ron Paul!” and “Freedom!” Paul’s speech returned often to the foibles of the Federal Reserve.
“The government hasn’t even admitted there is a recession yet. All they have to do is get out of this town and find out how American people are forced to live in this country, and they’ll realize that we are not on the right track; and we know where the right track is, and that is to follow the Constitution,” Paul said.
Later in the speech, Paul mentioned “the Fed” and the crowd started chanting, “End the Fed!”
Then Paul reminisced about a previous rally when he spoke about the Fed and students began burning Federal Reserve notes (dollars).
“Probably the ashes are going to be worth more than the paper at the rate we are going,” Paul said.
He talked about the cost of the war in Iraq, a war he said we never should have gotten into. He said that “the facts are out there” and that is why the younger generation is waking up to the message that Paul has been carrying forward for years.
“We as a nation have obligated ourselves to approximately a trillion dollars a year to manage our empire, and it’s money we don’t have, it’s money we tax the people till we can’t tax anymore, we borrow until we can’t borrow anymore. Then, of course, you know their answer. They go to the Fed and print more money, then they wonder why we have problems.”
Paul said that focusing on drilling for more oil is a “distraction” from the real issue that is causing increases in the cost of most commodities and oil: the devaluation of the dollar.
“Obviously, our policy of going into the Middle East to protect ‘our oil’ didn’t work out so well,” Paul said. “Our foreign policy has pushed the cost of energy up, and then, again, the value of the dollar has gone down.”
Paul spoke out against HCR-362, that would “advocate a blockade of Iran.” Paul has been speaking out against the resolution in Congress. “We don’t have to endorse pre-emptive war.” (For more on the resolution, see page 8.)
“The message of liberty and the Constitution brings us together, regardless of our beliefs,” Paul said. “If we did the right things, if we restored freedom, restored sound money, went back to work, believe me it wouldn’t take long. We would be back on our feet in no time.”
(Issue # 30, July 28, 2008)
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