by Jonathan Farrell
Sounding the alarm for citizens to be on their guard and take responsibility for the nation, grassroots libertarian Ron Paul and his supporters held a rally in front of San Francisco’s City Hall on Sat, Sept. 4, 2010.
Paul is touring the nation garnering support for his desire to become president of the United States. Paul has been trying to make an impact on the national political scene over the past 10 years.
At that Saturday afternoon rally, crowds gathered. His supporters, former SF Supervisors Tony Hall and Matt González as well as congressional candidate hopeful, John Dennis introduced Paul to enthusiastic cheering and applauds.
Hall, González and Dennis praised the libertarian in his effort to wake the people up and to join “the revolution” in Paul’s “Campaign for Liberty.”
Hall sees Paul’s campaign as “a new beginning,” as he said to the crowd.
Paul proclaimed the rally that Saturday as “principles over political parties.” He heralded individual freedoms, free enterprise and commerce and a return for government to safeguard the nations civil liberties and to stop big government from policing the world.
He pointed out that much of the failure of government in this recession has been the “political football back and forth” game of bipartisan (Republican & Democratic) party tactics.
Paul told the crowds that this fight between the two parties often defined in terms of liberals versus conservatives or the right versus the left is really a fi ght over power and which party gets to have
control over government spending.
Hall, Dennis and former SF mayoral candidate González pledged their support in Paul’s effort as they agreed with Paul that the U.S. Government in Washington DC is getting too powerful, having too much control over people’s individual lives, while governmentspending spirals. Paul noted that the situation with our government in
Washington DC is in bad shape.
According to Paul the military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan were unjust and not offi cially declared by Congress, which makes them unconstitutional. Justifying the confl icts as a “war on terrorism is illusive,” said Paul. These two wars over the past eight years have drained the nation financially as well as morally. He feels that
military troops marched in, “they can march right on out, it is not that complicated,” said Paul.
González agreed as he told the crowd, “this war is draining with less money, the right and left factions fight over funding,” he said.
Paul asked the crowds to question the current Obama Administration and look carefully at exactly what has changed in our nation since taking office from George W. Bush.
He noted that the national debt is a major concern and that deficit spending continues. There has been no real improvement. “It is just one huge dip and its straight down.”
Paul questioned the validity of the financial bail out and the ill-liquid assets. Paul expressed doubts about the efforts to stimulate the economy. Those efforts “didn’t do much…what did the people get?” Paul asked, as he emphasized that theAmerican people got nothing as the money spent on the bailout went to the bankers and
corporate giants.
Paul mentioned in his speech that the U.S. Government and the Federal Reserve Bak are not being realistic in the excessive use of the fi at currency as money. Paul traces some of the present economic situation to the dismantling of backing up the U.S. dollar with gold or silver. Paul fears simply printing up money without substance will cause U. S.
currency to fail.
“Our job as citizens is to hold politicians accountable and to question the role of government,” said Paul. He hopes that his “Campaign for Liberty” will grow and that a progressive spot like San Francisco will send out his message promoting genuine political change for the entire nation. For more info about Ron Paul, his “Campaign for Liberty” as well as his presidential aspirations visit: http://www.ronpaul.com/
