June 30th, 2008
Washington, DC - Congressman Ron Paul, ranking member of the Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy, has written a letter to Chairman Barney Frank of the House Financial Services Committee calling for a hearing on the relationship between the falling value of the dollar and the recent rise of oil prices, noting:
“The price of oil is currently among the most pressing issues to American workers. Congress should be examining all factors contributing to the high cost of oil, and monetary policy is one of the key factors in the run-up in price.”
The letter also points out that the price of oil in dollars has risen 39% this year. Oil in Euros has only risen 30% therefore the degraded purchasing power of the dollar accounts for at least 80 cents of the increased price of a gallon of gas.
“Neither the Federal Reserve nor the Treasury Department have been willing to take responsibility for the dollar’s slide over the past several years, while American consumers have been forced to pay continually higher prices for gasoline, heating oil, and numerous other imported products upon which Americans depend… American consumers cannot afford to allow continued lax Congressional oversight of the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department’s duties as stewards of the dollar, especially since the dollar is a major factor in the skyrocketing price of oil,” the letter concludes.
Besides himself, 16 other Representatives signed on to the letter, including ranking member of the House Committee on Financial Services Spencer Bachus, and Chairman of the Republican Study Committee Rep. Jeb Hensarling.
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June 26th, 2008
Washington, DC - Congressman Ron Paul made the following statement today in reaction to the landmark Supreme Court decision:
“Today is an exciting day for the Bill of Rights as the Supreme Court ruled in a landmark case that individuals do indeed have a Constitutional right to own guns. I am pleased with this ruling. As a strong proponent of 2nd Amendment rights it is encouraging to see the Supreme Court defining this important right as an individual right against federal intrusion. Gun control laws virtually guarantee that only criminals and tyrants remain armed which, like concentration of power, causes crime and tyranny to increase. However, we must now stand guard to ensure this decision does not result in the creeping federalization of gun restrictions.”
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June 20th, 2008
Madam Speaker, I regret that due to the unexpected last-minute appearance of this measure on the legislative calendar this week, a prior commitment has prevented me from voting on the FISA amendments. I have strongly opposed every previous FISA overhaul attempt and I certainly would have voted against this one as well.
The main reason I oppose this latest version is that it still clearly violates the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution by allowing the federal government to engage in the bulk collection of American citizens’ communications without a search warrant. That US citizens can have their private communication intercepted by the government without a search warrant is anti-American, deeply disturbing, and completely unacceptable.
In addition to gutting the fourth amendment, this measure will deprive Americans who have had their rights violated by telecommunication companies involved in the Administration’s illegal wiretapping program the right to seek redress in the courts for the wrongs committed against them. Worse, this measure provides for retroactive immunity, whereby individuals or organizations that broke the law as it existed are granted immunity for prior illegal actions once the law has been changed. Ex post facto laws have long been considered anathema in free societies under rule of law. Our Founding Fathers recognized this, including in Article I section 9 of the Constitution that “No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.” How is this FISA bill not a variation of ex post facto? That alone should give pause to supporters of this measure.
Mr. Speaker, we should understand that decimating the protections that our Constitution provides us against the government is far more dangerous to the future of this country than whatever external threats may exist. We can protect this country without violating the Constitution and I urge my colleagues to reconsider their support for this measure.
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