Monday, November 4, 2024

Ron Paul willing to work with Elon Musk in DOGE

Libertarian icon Ron Paul is interested in playing a role in Elon Musk's proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in a second Trump administration. 

Elon Musk asks this ex-Congressman to join second Trump term to reduce… | Hindustan Times | Tuhin Das Mahapatra: 

November  02, 2024 - "November  02, 2024 - "Elon Musk expressed interest in having Ron Paul in a potential Department of Government Efficiency if Trump wins the presidency.... 'Would be great to have Ron Paul as part of the Department of Government Efficiency!' he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

"Paul approved Musk’s potential role as a government efficiency commissioner, replying, 'I'd be happy to talk with you about it, Elon.' 

"Paul, who previously sought the presidency as a Republican and a Libertarian, noted his willingness to advise Musk on economic policy, emphasizing his dedication to educating the public about government overreach.

"When asked if he would work with Musk to address government waste, Paul said, 'Well I would.... But I wouldn't want an official position, you know, because I've sort of steered away from getting too involved in the politics of it all right now.' He then highlighted, 'I always say young people that were in high school and college, when I was doing all the campaigning, [were] a receptive audience,' contrasting it with his lack of support from business organizations like the 'Chamber of Commerce.'

"Paul advised that Musk proceed with caution if tasked with reducing government spending. 'You know, a position is easy to have and to hold. But the truth is, you know, what if I did get in this position and all I had to do is sign a piece of paper and the Federal Reserve was eliminated, or you cut the budget by $2 trillion … the consequence would be is total chaos and probably civil war and all that,' he remarked.

"Paul stressed that the public should understand the rationale behind reducing government expenditures, especially as economic challenges grow. He sees an opportunity to guide future policies once 'this thing falls apart' arguing that certain political factions benefit from societal unrest. He said, 'The cultural Marxists do it on purpose: the more chaos, the better.' So he remains as a “reluctant optimist,' heartened by the responsiveness of 'a lot of people out there, a lot of young people that seem to be very receptive to what we've been talking about.'"

Read more: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2506968/ron-paul-responds-to-elon-musks-invitation-to-join-trump-administration

Ron Paul, Donald Trump, Elon Musk. Courtesy Spectator Australia

Ron Paul responds to Elon Musk’s invitation to join Trump administration | Express Tribune

November 02, 2024 - "Musk recently posted that he would welcome Paul’s involvement in the department, which he humorously referred to as the 'Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE),' alluding to the cryptocurrency Dogecoin.... Musk’s interest in a governmental role has become increasingly visible, with the CEO explicitly stating his willingness to serve in a Trump-led administration if the opportunity arises. Following Musk’s post, Trump hinted at appointing him to an advisory or official role if elected president.

"Paul’s legacy in politics includes founding the Foundation for Rational Economics and Education (FREE) in 1976 and serving as the first chairman of Citizens for a Sound Economy. Often cited as the 'intellectual godfather' of the Tea Party movement, Paul’s influence extends across fiscal conservatism and anti-interventionist policies. If appointed, the combination of Paul’s libertarian principles and Musk’s tech-driven approach could bring an unconventional dynamic to government operations under a Trump presidency."

Read more: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2506968/ron-paul-responds-to-elon-musks-invitation-to-join-trump-administration

Sunday, November 3, 2024

In search of the real Kamala Harris

After Kamala Harris became the Democratic Party nominee for president, investigative journalist John Stossel set out to answer the question: Who is the real Kamala Harris.

STOSSEL: The REAL Kamala Harris | Toronto Sun | John Stossel:

August 24, 2024 - "Who is Kamala Harris? What does she believe? It’s hard to know. She won’t take questions from reporters. Instead, she reads from a teleprompter and gives the same speech again and again. So, as she gets the nomination, my new video looks at who Harris really is.

"She’s eager to spend other people’s money.... Last election, Stossel TV compared the candidates’ proposed spending.... Trump proposed spending $267 billion more. Biden, $297 billion. The socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders wanted to spend an astonishing $3.976 trillion! But Harris was even worse! $4.162 trillion in new spending. Last week, in her first policy speech, she proposed $1.7 trillion in new spending. At least that’s not as bad as what she wanted during COVID: She thought the government should give every American $2,000 a month. That would have cost taxpayers $21 trillion!....

"A few years ago, she endorsed eliminating private health insurance — having government take it over completely. Now her campaign says she 'no longer supports (entirely government-run) health care.' Who is the real Kamala Harris? 

"In 2019, she said she wanted to ban fracking. Now that Harris needs votes in Pennsylvania, where fracking provides jobs, her campaign claims she won’t ban fracking, and Republican claims that she would are 'false … an obvious attempt to distract.' But what’s false? She told CNN, 'I’m in favour of banning fracking.' She also wanted to force gun owners to sell their guns to the government. Now, a Harris spokesperson says, 'the vice president would no longer require this.'

"She used to brag about being a tough prosecutor, even taking pride in 'prosecuting parents for truancy.' But then, when progressives criticized harsh policing, she flip-flopped. During the George Floyd riots, as people looted and set fires, Harris tweeted, 'help post bail for those protesting.' Now the policing pendulum has swung back. Harris again brags about locking people up....

"Harris ... says radical things, like wanting 'equity' over equality and equal opportunity. 'There’s a big difference,' she says in an animated video. 'Equality suggests everyone should get the same amount. Equitable treatment means we all end up at the same place'.... So, we need even more government redistribution?

"Harris is a big-government, flip-flopping opportunist. It’s upsetting that the main presidential contenders are a cackling, economically ignorant big spender and a crass, self-absorbed bully....

"The best news is that America’s founders wisely created checks on executive power. Foolish people often say the president 'runs the country.' Thankfully, that’s not true.... The president runs only one of three branches of government. Each is designed to be able to stop the other from imposing tyranny. The founders wanted limited government because they’d seen the damage oppressive rulers did. If our next president must be Trump or Harris, I’m sure glad there are limits on their power."

Read more: https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/stossel-the-real-kamala-harris

Kamala Harris’s Track Record: Big Spending, Wokeness, Equity and Flip Flops | John Stossel | August 21, 2024:

Saturday, November 2, 2024

Harris/Biden and the separation of powers

Justin Trudeau's father once said that for Canadians, living next to the USA is like sleeping with an elephant; even if it's the tamest. most well-behaved elephant in the word, “one is affected by every twitch and grunt.” So for the next few days, GDPA will be looking at the American presidential election. For the most part, I'll hold to my 2020 vow to stop mentioning Donald Trump (one can read the blog archives for that), and focus on other, less well-known alternatives. 

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in May 2023. Photo by Joe Biden. Wikimedia Commons.

Harris/Biden and the separation of powers | X | Insurrection Barbie: 

November 2, 2024 - If Trump is a dictator, name one time he usurped power from the other branches of government to enact his will in violation of the separation of powers. 

Here are all the times the Harris/Biden administration did exactly that:

  1. The Harris and Biden administration extended the eviction moratorium after COVID by abusing their emergency powers at the expense of private property rights. 
  2. This administration issued vaccine mandates for workers because their 'patience' had run thin. This was struck down by the courts as unconstitutional.
  3. Our constitution gives the legislative branch the power to pass laws. This administration was not able to cancel student loan debt by getting Congress to vote on a bill to do so. So, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris did this by executive .... fiat. They did this after the Supreme Court said it was unconstitutional. Twice. 
  4. In violation of our first amendment, they tried to enact a disinformation governing board to censor your free speech. Ultimately the public backlash was so great that they scrapped the project for now.
  5. Through executive fiat and death by regulation they have upended our energy policies making our emergency oil reserves drop to the lowest they have been since 1984. They killed the Keystone pipeline and they defied court rulings and continued to opt out against holding oil drilling sales. 
  6. This administration threatened and coerced social media companies to silence the speech of American citizens because it did not agree with the position of the government, in violation of the first amendment. 
  7. This administration has absolutely zero respect for property rights and have publicly announced that they pledge to protect [sic] 30% of land and water by 2030. That is a land grab....
  8. This administration has purposefully ignored our immigration laws and allow 13 million people into the country. They have willfully failed to uphold deportation orders, letting them lapse....
  9. [T]hey have failed to secure our border and have allowed 425,000 criminals who have been convicted into the country.
  10. They have targeted parents for protesting at their children’s school board meetings in violation of their first amendment rights of free speech and have had the FBI place them on a watchlist.
  11. They have targeted pro-life demonstrators and thrown them in prison while letting pro-abortion activists burn down clinics. The executive branch has to faithfully execute the laws without bias.... 
  12. They were not able to pass any legislation in Congress to force their transgender agenda into the school system so they passed it by executive fiat and the courts struck down much of it at this point.

Read more: https://x.com/DefiyantlyFree/status/1852587261650481476