Ron Paul tells Iowans he is a “mainstream candidate” for 2012 | Iowa Caucuses

Ron Paul tells Iowans he is a “mainstream candidate” for 2012 | Iowa Caucuses - William Petroski, May 31, 2011:

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul insisted today he’s no longer a fringe candidate and more Americans are embracing his philosophy of personal liberty and limited government... “We are mainstream if you believe in the things that I believe in,” the Texas Republican told an overflow crowd of about 125 people during a mid-day speech in a banquet room at the Rose Bowl lanes in Mason City....

"Paul maintained today that mainstream American political attitudes are changing, and more people are agreeing with his approach. Increasing numbers of independent-minded people and others who have felt disenfranchised by many American politicians are identifying with the Republican Party, he added.

"Paul spoke for about 30 minutes to a crowd that repeatedly applauded his remarks, warning the nation faces serious problems from a federal government that’s out of control. The situation could lead to steep inflation, higher unemployment and a reduced standard of living for Americans, he said .

"The larger the government, the more rules and regulations and the less prosperity the society will have, he contended."

Read more: http://caucuses.desmoinesregister.com/2011/05/31/ron-paul-tells-iowans-he-is-a-mainstream-candidate-for-2012/

Gary Johnson: '50 laboratories of innovation' needed for reform

Gary Johnson: '50 laboratories of innovation' needed for reform - Michael Krebs, Digital Journal, May 29, 2011:

"Given Johnson's track record in cutting spending and in not raising taxes, his candidacy tends to be tethered to national fiscal issues, and he is on the record for saying that the country needs to balance the debt immediately.

"'You got to start out by talking about Medicaid and Medicare, and I'll just throw out some suggestions here,' Johnson said. 'There are others, but I'll just throw out that the federal government could cut Medicaid and Medicare by 43 percent. They could block grant the states. And I'm going to say this throughout my campaign: 50 laboratories of innovation. The notion of best practices. Give it to the states to deliver health care to the poor and those over 65, and do away with the strings, do away with the regulations and the bureaucracies.'"

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/307287

Rand Paul, Tea Party ask for debate on Patriot Act

Rand Paul and Tea Party Ask For Debate on Patriot Act Impact On Privacy : NPR - Liz Halloran, May 28, 2011:

"It's been nearly a decade since Congress, in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, hastily approved the USA Patriot Act and its historic expansion of law enforcement and domestic intelligence-gathering powers.... This week, the Senate failed again to have a robust back-and-forth on expiring provisions of the act that allow wide latitude in surveillance of Americans.

"But freshman Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican and Tea Party favorite, raised a ruckus with leaders of both parties over the lack of debate, and forced the issue into the spotlight briefly but potently....

"Paul has since been hailed by civil libertarians and privacy activists for reinvigorating the debate over what rights Americans, in the name of counterterrorism, may have sacrificed. 'It is amazing how much he's been able to drive attention to this by breaking the cozy agreement between Republicans who didn't want to revisit the Patriot Act, and Democrats who didn't want to call too much attention to it,' says ... a longtime advocate of Patriot Act reform."

Senate Votes on Senator Rand Paul’s Balanced Budget Resolution

Senate Votes on Senator Rand Paul’s Balanced 

Budget Resolution

25 May 2011  Press Release

0

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Senate tonight voted on a motion to proceed with Sen. Rand Paul’s balanced budget plan, which he introduced as a privileged resolution last week. (Click here to view the budget in its entirety)

The only Senate budget plan that follows the guidelines set forth in the Balanced Budget Amendment to balance in five years – a goal supported by all 47 Senate Republicans – would also result in a $19 billion surplus upon balancing, and does so without raising any taxes or changing Social Security or Medicare during the budget window. It also maintains funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs and overseas military operation at the President’s requested levels.

Sen. Paul issued this statement following the outcome of the vote, which failed 7-90:

“I am heartily disconcerted by the inability of some of my colleagues to see how dire our nation’s current fiscal situation is. In order to defeat our mounting national debt and balance the budget, bold action must be taken to make cuts and rein in spending. We cannot continue down this path and I will do all I can to turn our country around.”

http://www.randpaul2010.com/2011/05/senate-votes-on-senator-rand-paul%E2%80%99s-balanced-budget-resolution/

Supreme Court orders California to release inmates - latimes.com

California inmates: Supreme Court orders California to release inmates - latimes.com - David G. Savage, May 23, 2011:

"The Supreme Court ordered California on Monday to release tens of thousands of its prisoners to relieve overcrowding, saying that 'needless suffering and death' had resulted from putting too many inmates into facilities that cannot hold them in decent conditions.

"Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, speaking for the majority, said California's prisons had 'fallen short of minimum constitutional requirements' because of overcrowding. As many as 200 prisoners may live in gymnasium, he said, and as many as 54 prisoners share a single toilet.

"Kennedy insisted that the state had no choice but to release more prisoners. The justices, however, agreed that California officials should be given more time to make the needed reductions.

In dissent, Justice Antonin Scalia called the ruling 'staggering' and 'absurd.'"

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/sc-dc-0524-court-prisons-web-20110523,0,2337401.story

Patriot Act jumpstarts potential liberal / libertarian coalition

Patriot Act jumpstarts potential liberal/libertarian coalition | theCLog - John Grooms

May 24, 2011 - "Vermont liberal Sen. Patrick Leahy and Kentucky libertarian Rand Paul are joining forces to introduce an amendment to the Patriot Act that would phase out some of the worst parts of the law. The Leahy-Paul amendment would let National Security Letters (NSLs) expire at the end of 2013. NSLs are a type of subpoena used by the federal government, which ... doesn’t need to show probable cause for the NSL, and there is no judicial oversight of the process. If you history buffs out there think this sounds a little like the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, apartheid-era South Africa, or recent Egyptian policy, you’re right.

"Leahy and Paul’s amendment would also mandate that the Justice Dept. audit the issuance of NSLs, and would expand public reporting on the use of NSLs.... Rand Paul said, 'We were so frightened after 9/11 that we readily gave up these freedoms. Not only would I let these expire, but I think we should sunset the entire Patriot Act.'”

http://blogs.creativeloafing.com/theclog/2011/05/24/patriot-act-jumpstarts-potential-liberallibertarian-coalition/

Rand Paul’s Balancing Act | The Weekly Standard

Rand Paul’s Balancing Act | The Weekly Standard - Matthew Continetti, May 30, 2011:

"In 2010, as an ophthalmologist who had never run for office, Paul was propelled to victory thanks to connections to his father and the Tea Party. As founder of the Senate Tea Party Caucus, he is perhaps more associated with the movement than any other freshman Republican. He has led opposition to renewal of the Patriot Act, quoted Ayn Rand from his seat on the energy committee, called for $500 billion in cuts in discretionary spending this year, said that to believe in a “right” to health care “means you believe in slavery,” and released a plan to balance the budget in five years....

“'I think he’s been great,' Brian Doherty told me. Doherty’s an editor at Reason magazine and the author of Radicals for Capitalism, a history of American libertarianism. 'He’s been surprisingly excellent as a rhetorician for the ideas.' Doherty’s boss at Reason, editor in chief Matt Welch, has a cover story in the June issue on Paul. 'He has done more to inject libertarian ideas into the Washington debate than any senator I can remember,' writes Welch, 'all within his first three months in office.'”

Read more: http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/rand-paul-s-balancing-act_567612.html