Ron Paul Proposes Elimination Of Education, Energy Departments, Lowering Presidential Salary To $39,336
Today at 3pm on Las Vegas, perpetually ignored by the media on both the left and right presidential candidate Ron Paul will announce details of his $1 trillion proposal in government spending cuts, which will be the start of a process to balance the Federal budget in three . As Politico reports, "the Texas congressman will lay out a budget blueprint for deep and far-reaching cuts to federal spending, including the elimination of five cabinet-level departments and the drawdown of American troops fighting overseas." Amusingly, and if there is anything that will Paul brownie points with an electorate disgusted by those spreading hypocritical class warfare, "there will even be a symbolic readjustment of the president’s own salary to put it in line with the average American salary." Which will simply make it a given that every president going forward will have at least three laid off Hollywood scriptwriters preoccupied as ghost writers and writing presidential "autobiographies." For the royalties. But we digress. "The federal workforce would be reduced by 10 percent, and the president’s pay would be cut to $39,336 — a level that the Paul document notes is “approximately equal to the median personal income of the American worker.” We somehow doubt that even Paul will go as far as proposing a much needed overhaul of campaign finance, which basically forces every politician to wear sponsorship tags of all the Wall Street banks that have "gifted" a given politician and/or president in the past 5 years, but we can surely hope.
More from Politico:
Many of the ideas are familiar from Paul’s staunch libertarianism, as well as tea party favorites like eliminating the departments of education and energy. But Paul goes further: he’ll propose immediately freezing spending by numerous government agencies at 2006 levels, the last time Republicans had complete control of the federal budget, and drastically reducing spending elsewhere. The EPA would see a 30 percent cut, the Food and Drug Administration would see one of 40 percent and foreign aid would be zeroed out immediately. He’d also take an ax to Pentagon funding for wars.
Medicaid, the children’s health insurance program, food stamps, family support programs and the children’s nutrition program would all be block-granted to the states and removed from the mandatory spending column of the federal budget. Some functions of eliminated departments, such as Pell Grants, would be continued elsewhere in the federal bureaucracy.
And in a noticeable nod to seniors during an election year when Social Security’s become an issue within the Republican primary, the campaign says that plan “honors our promise to our seniors and veterans, while allowing young workers to opt out.”
Also, say goodbye to progressive tax:
Paul would also make far-reaching changes to federal tax policy, reducing the top corporate income tax rate to 15 percent, eliminating capital gains and dividends taxes, and allowing for repatriation of overseas capital without tax penalties. All Bush-era tax cuts would be extended.
Lastly, Obama's "revolutionary" healthcare overhaul, will be hauled over.
And like the rest of his GOP rivals, Paul would repeal President Barack Obama’s health care reform law, along with the Dodd-Frank financial regulatory reform law enacted last year. Paul, a longtime Federal Reserve critic, would also push a full audit of the central bank, as well as legislation to “strengthen the dollar and stabilize inflation.”
We look forward to the actual speech and hope to present it live to our readers.
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I propose a errant HTML tax in order to reduce the deficit.
I must say that I was absolutely horrified at the vile insults and threats that have come my way for simply expressing a different opinion on presidential candidate Ron Paul. Clearly many libertarians are not used to having their views challenged with cold hard logic and facts. I and others like me will be thanked by future generations for speaking out against libertarian bigotry and for enduring these appalling attacks. After years of free market failures, smart politicians are beginning to understand the need for global price controls and tighter regulatory frameworks so that our economy can be managed by professionals only. The PROGRSSIVE REVOLUTION is spreading, and the people are finally standing up to the GREEDY capitalists, so that compassionate politicians and smart economists will be able to fairly distribute America's wealth.
You´re calling for your own serfdom. I´m feeling sorry for you.
I would be fine with MillionDollarBonus becoming a serf. I draw the line when he wants to drag the rest of us along. No wonder he has been attacked by those mean, bigotted libertarians. Don't feel sorry for him. He's proposing OUR serfdom too.
MDB wants to level the playing field for everyone, regardless of how much they produce.
What he is proposing is healthcare for no one.
Ron Paul is just another ideoalogue selling dysfunctional illusions.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF US ARE SERFS ALREADY. YOU JUST DON"T SEE WHAT HAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED.
Corporations are the new feudal princes with more rights and privileges than individuals!
Gladly (or sadly), serfdom hasn´t reached AmeriKan levels over here in Switzerland.
Everyone here, MillionDollarBonus guy is just playing on blog. Don't take him seriously, he's waste of reading time and effort.
I sure as fuck hope Ron Paul wins.
and if he doesn't what are you going to do?
Part of me says "Hasten the Collapse, Obama 2012" (he most likely wins anyway) I don't think it really matters anymore, kind of like taking over the wheel of the Titanic after the iceberg was hit.
Everyday the system stays up is a blessing, and allows you one more day to prepare.
Oh, now there ya went and spoiled it. I was enjoying the hyperventilating comments.
Neo: What truth?
Morpheus: That you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else you were born into bondage. Into a prison that you cannot taste or see or touch. A prison for your mind.
The Matrix is so analagous to life today. Sheeple are asleep.The OWS prostestors are protesting 'inside' the Matrix. They haven't figured out that they are still inside the Matrix.
We are all born into debt / tax bondage, even if you paid no tax, the inflation tax imposed is inescapable.
Morpheus: What is the Matrix? Control. The Matrix is an [oligarch]-generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this.
[holds up a Treasury Bond]
Neo: No, I don't believe it. It's not possible.
Morpheus: I didn't say it would be easy, Neo. I just said it would be the truth.
And there you have it, folks :)
Just me talking here...... but I love reading the quotes from either the Matrix, Star Wars, or Star Trek people post here on Zero Hedge.. they're all really amazing and relevent
Kirk: The thralls have no freedom, Shahna. You don't think or do anything but what the Providers tell you.
Shahna: What else would one do?
Kirk: Love, for one thing.
Shahna: What is ... love?
This is some good shit. Better than any of the other candidates has proposed.
As I've said before on a prior thread, most every conservative has NO issues with Ron Paul as it relates to his economic policy platform. He totally rocks in that area. What I disagree with is his philosphy towards the military in that he comes across as suggesting that ANY military strength begets imperialism. I think, with the right leadership, America can have a strong and ready military without a predisposition towards involvement in conflicts outside our borders. Our "stick" needs to be bigger than anyone else's if we're going to maintain a peaceable state.
I think Ron Paul and his supporters (myself included) would agree. However, most of our military money is spent on a global empire. And with all those overseas bases comes a natural desire to stick our noses in conflicts we don't fully understand that have been going on for decades. Our founding fathers understood that the rest of the world is a mess and came here to create a new type of country and escape that nonsense. We probably were needed in the post WW2 era but the cold war is over. It's been 20 years. If we go looking for enemies we'll certainly find/create them. Hell, half the countries in the world are run by nuts inclined towards mass murder.
You and I are in agreement, in large part, in how we think. I don't believe that we need to have military bases throughout the world. Maybe in certain (read limited) strategic areas that support our national security, but nowhere near what we currently employ.
Maybe our Defense Department just actually needs to be about Defense, not Offense. We can't afford to be Lancelot riding in on our white horse anymore, not to mention that the white horse looks like a black stallion to the people getting their skulls crushed via "collatoral damage."
And as for who our military men and women support, it appears to be pretty clear:
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/politics/9044-ron-paul-campaign-receive-most-military-donations
I totally believe that they should apply a clawback feature to congressmen, senators and the president. I knew that people from the tech and healthcare industry could earn as much as them physician assistant salary
Big military = big government........You are either pro big governement or you are a true conservative.....Not both.
Although not a Libertarian, I'm right with Paul on the military and idiotic imperialism.
But there's a little problem with the "kill the Dept of Energy". It sounds like "get rid of Federal school tampering and the hippies over at the DOE" when he puts the bullseye on the Dept of Ed and Energy.
I'd be interested to see how the Educ thing would work out and am for a try at that.
Now, is everybody aware that <10% of the DOE is the dirtworshipping hippies, and the other 90+% is full maintenance and advancement of our entire nuclear arsenal. It's one of those military hidden costs things, it's $30B/yr that the Pentagon doesn't have to pay for in their budget. But that's not my point.
A really fuckin' scary 40% part of DOE is the NNSA. Nat'l Nuclear Security Administration. Which has its own Intelligence/CounterIntelligence unit.
FWIW, most peple shit their pants when they read the listing for the DOE at Wiki and check out its Organization chart. They didn't have a clue.
My point to all of this is that if Paul would end the DOE on the first Friday afternoon in office, there would be a whole shitload of nuclear missiles laying around, with nobody in charge of them. And if Naval Nuclear Powered shit stopped working correctly in an unusual way, there would be nobody to handle it.
I'm all for nuking the nukes, particularly when you go thru all of the budgets in the Executive branch and find out costs have been hidden all over the place to blow up the world faster and in a larger multiple, times over..
But you are going to have to do something with hardware, before ya kill the DOE.
So why has this "ideal" leader never manifested? If someone were capable of being this non-imperialist leader of the largest most expensive military, why have we never even heard his voice, let alone seen his active participation in the political process?
The military is the toy of the military industrial complex which includes the CIA and their bankers and lawyers, who know its just a great con, a way to make fortunes.
It is not up to a single ruler, king, dictator or teleprompter to determine who or what is a threat.
To me Ron Paul always comes across as saying that war can be justified but a just war requires a declaration of war.
The United States spends VASTLY more that it needs merely to defend itself. We spend huge amounts of money defending other countries and fighting wars we don't need to fight. Ron Paul gets more money from active military members than all the other Republican presidential candidates combined. So support the troops by supporting the candidate they support -- Ron Paul.
How's that neocon gruel working out for you?
NOT TRUE!
He has said and written extensively that he WANTS a strong defense! But, as per some above posts, we are living in the matrix of war propaganda that has been shoved down our throat forever! Don't believe me? Read Edward Bernays' "Propaganda"...he was the master, and he will tell you how you have been systematically mind-controlled in EVERY aspect of your life....ESPECIALLY foreign policy beliefs!
Then, you must escape the matrix of the phony and US govt. promulgated "war on terror". Do you know the history of governments conducting false flag attacks on their own countries to justify war? Google "Operation Northwoods", or "Gulf of Tonkin". Continuous and permanent war is crucial for enriching the elites, and creating a global dictatorship. When one speaks out against a war, he/she is labelled "commies" and is accused of being unpatriotic! That is mind control, and simply regurgitated propaganda.
If terrorism was such a big threat to the US, then why did the highest levels of our govt and intelligence agencies ignore voluminous amounts of pre 9/11 warnings from around the world? Why did they knowingly allow the "hijackers" to come and go inside the US while under surveillance? Why, if we are in such daily, mortal danger from terrorism, is our border not secured by either Republicans or Democrats? I could go on, but won't.
Finally, both Washington and Jefferson decried imperialism (they fled it, you know!) and warned against foreign entanglements and permanent alliances.
What professionals do you suggest, to manage our economy? Hank Paulson, Geithner? Or, some secret, undiscovered wizard?
That is a good question. The American people will be offered a fine selection of qualified professionals in the coming elections, many of them with Ivy League degrees and experience in top banking and government institutions. The key is to vote with your MIND AND NOT WITH YOUR HEART. Here are some of the key questions you should be asking before electing a professional politician run the country:
1. Do they have a degree from a top academic institution (preferably an Ivy League college)
2. Are they charismatic and able to inspire and reassure Americans
3. Do they have any experience in politics (this is important as running a country is not an easy job)
4. Are they compassionate enough to consider the poor and disadvantaged members of society
5. Are the strong enough to make tough decisions regarding America's national defence
Voting is a serious business so it is critical the public make informed decisions when picking their candidates.
A modest proposal?
I am deeply saddened to learn that one of my favorite posters (I always give him a +1) is not even an American. For shame! Not only do we no longer have a manufacturing base (except that which supplies military hardware), but we now have to import writers clever enough to use satire as well.
Sheeit, we're done, diddly done for.
Nice to see I'm not the only one who caught that. Given the scores MDB regularly garners, I would say that people on these pages are getting denser by the day...
I am at a loss for words on how to respond to MDB's complete and utter stupidity.
I'm not.. I would say to Megabuck.. or whatever his/her name is.. Isn't that list you have already in place representing our system, that is falling of a cliff??
MDB must be incredibly angry to be this sarcastic.
MDB is approaching hamy in his sophisticated sarcasm. This is funny shit. Step back guys. take a look. I too, think we need some well trained, well educated professionals, preferably ivy league, to take over and make things right. Yeah baby!!!!
You cannot respond to MDB. He/She has taken the gold in the trollage competition. This is clearly USDA grade A troll meat.
It's not stupidity, it boredom. Hey MDB, get off your fucking computer and do something useful.
Sorry Whistleblower.. I don't think he can. He sounds an awful lot like an arrogant academic who can only tell people what to do and how to do anything based off the logic from his twisted, over educated, utterly retarded mind. You know, that usual let's celebrate the capacity of human beings and how we 'ivy leave' people think and are better than everyone and how we can get together and come up with baffling useless theories bullshit.
Either that or he is the one of the best sarcastic trolls i've ever seen anywhere on the internet. He really is just that damn good.
Best part is, until MDB confirms one way or another--as long as there is some uncertainty in the reading public's minds--then he has attained the remarkable state of Superposition: his character now exists in the quantum condition where he is simultaneously both the most insufferable, pompous windbag and also the most sublte and brilliant of sarcastic humorist. If it's the latter, as several here remind, he's the internet equivilent of Colbert.
Puts it pretty plainly, doesn't he?
From point #1 he's trying to assure that we draw our leadership from the same pool that aided in producing our current problems (Ivy League Academics).
From point #2 he's trying to assure that we draw our leadership from the same pool that aided in producing our current problems (gloss over substance hollow shirts).
From point #3 he's trying to assure that we draw our leadership from the same pool that aided in producing our current problems (experienced politicians, i.e. the ones who didn't see the problem coming, and have no clue how to deal with it).
From point #4 he's trying to assure that we draw our leadership from the same pool that aided in producing our current problems (compassionate vote getters).
From point #5 he breaks from the mold and asks for the diametric opposite to what he wants in points 1 through 4, (but only risk being unpopular when it comes to defense).
As long as a simple majority continues to evidence ignorance, we are doomed. MDB is a poster child for the herd-able masses. Lacking knowledge, he is ripe to pursue and support populist pap, to the detriment of the rest of us.
Haha, that Ivy League comment :D
I knew you were a troll!
No real Progressive would actually speak like that.
The troll is strong with this one.
Dudes... Don't feed the troll.
Use your time and energy on productive things.
God Point... Spread the Ron Paul's support without refereing to TROLLs...
In MDB troll post- #5's spelling is classic. De Fence! It's a large item in the Budget let's all pause to spell check that...
I say vote for Morpheus or Neo-
Some people are so plugged in to the system they fight FOR that system.
In all seriousness, clearly the only viable hope is Ron Paul. Why? because the system and TPTB, REALLY DON'T want him to be, and try EVERYTHING, to marginalize him.
Simple but very powerful logic... TPTB are doing all to marginalize him... it should be enough for surfs (like us) to support him... I also support his policies.....
So what?
The system was better than Morpheus's cause. Scurrying around like rats in a cave eating gruel. Oh, right, he was black, so we can't question his words.
What the fuck reality do you guys imagine is so greener grass outside of this system?
Sorry for the delay- it's that the slope we are on 'aint getting better. The system is getting more stratified. All past knowledge of fractional reserve banking and fiat currencies point to that were in the end game now.
CHANGING course would be a better choice than the BULL SHIT, pretend, slow motion death, by inflation and societal breakdown.
MDB,
I think you have left one vital point off your list.
6. Do they play golf?
Aw come on everyone, MDB's troll artistry is fantastic and inspiring! BRAVO! Carry on, we do miss Harry and Hamy around here..
I cannot believe people still don't get it! You drop a clue like using the word 'offered' in "The American people will be offered..." and people still label you troll or stupid. Your posts are brilliant.
Hahahahahahahahahaha...priceless. So damn funny!
Have you been in a coma for the last 10 years?
How about, "Do they understand and actually promise to defend the US Constitution?
That COULD be kind of important....
Mr. [MDB], what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this [forum] is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
"What professionals do you suggest, to manage our economy? Hank Paulson, Geithner? Or, some secret, undiscovered wizard?"
Uncle Stalin, of course.... who else?
How about Barney Frank? He led the effort to prevent the evil Republicans from tightening up Fannie Mae's lending standards before the mortgage crisis hit. Guess who Countrywide sold most of their rotten mortgages to? Government created Fannie Mae. Of course, this doesn't fit the left wing storyline that the mortgage crisis was caused by free markets.
>[Barney Frank] led the effort to prevent the evil Republicans from tightening up Fannie Mae's lending standards
Why is the government involved in the mortgage business?
I think the Nobel prize-winning economists who destroyed LTCM are looking for a new gig.
Gandalf for Treasury Secretary!
stunning return to form lol
Let me guess - you're unemployed? Or are you one of the 47% who don't pay income taxes?
If you actually have a job then how about distributing your income more fairly. You can start by sending me a check.
Check your premise. It's not possible to have "free market failures" when a free market has NOT existed since at least 1913.
and by "free market failures", you mean...
Don't feed this fucker any Nacho's. Just let it go or you'll smell like fucking fish filet all day. h/t robot chicken.
Most in the Zero Hedge crowd are way too prosaic to get this.
But I'm not!
LULZ +1
Indeed.
MDB's irony is always appreciated, but I am shocked that nobody else picks up on it. It's not like his shtick is new. Very sad to see the knee-jerk reaction of ZH posters.
Not only sad, it's downright embarassing. I had higher hopes for the ZH 'community'. I absolutely love the site and would defend it with my dying breath. It has saved me a personal fortune and sent me down a road of preparation and self-prservation for the forthcoming tsunami. It is inhabited, mostly, by intelligent, non-conformists who don't buy into the MSM bullshit. For that, TD(s), I salute you.
TD writes every day using 'irony' as a literary device to reinforce his(their) view on a particular topic. Why is it that when MDB does it, there is a mindless rush to the conformist exit hitting that down arrow and spewing forth vitriol in ever increasing intensity with the next post feeding off the previous one?
Read MDB's posts very, very carefully. Understand this:
Irony, its a fine art.
Irony From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Irony (from the Ancient Greek ???????? eir?neía, meaning dissimulation or feigned ignorance)[1] is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions.
Ironic statements (verbal irony) typically imply a meaning in opposition to their literal meaning. A situation is often said to be ironic (situational irony) if the actions taken have an effect exactly opposite from what was intended. The discordance of verbal irony may be deliberately created as a means of communication (as in art or rhetoric). Descriptions or depictions of situational ironies, whether in fiction or in non-fiction, serve a communicative function of sharpening or highlighting certain discordant features of reality. Verbal and situational irony are often used for emphasis in the assertion of a truth. The ironic form of simile, used in sarcasm, and some forms of litotes emphasize one's meaning by the deliberate use of language which states the opposite of the truth — or drastically and obviously understates a factual connection.
In dramatic irony, the author causes a character to speak or act erroneously, out of ignorance of some portion of the truth of which the audience is aware. In other words, the audience knows the character is making a mistake, even as the character is making it. This technique highlights the importance of a particular truth by portraying a person who is strikingly unaware of it.
If the long words are too difficult for you, here let me explain it in simpler terms:
MDP is taking the piss
MDB is pulling your chain
MDP is extracting the Michael
MDP is taking the mickey
MDP is deliberately saying one thing whilst CLEARLY meaning the exact opposite. He is on your side. It is a literary device, see above.
Stop reacting by pressing that down arrow and pouring out vitriol on MDB. You are embarrassing yourself.
Nice handle!
It's worth a million to have you here, with all your Socialist charm, reminding us of what we're up against ! Monedas 2011 We demand parity....put Monedas on the CNN editorial staff !
The only "cold hard facts" about 'Progressives' is that they make things progressively worse
MDB is an undisputed master oxymoron moron.
libertarian bigotry
free market failures
smart politicians
progressive revolution
compassionate politicians
greedy capitalist
smart economists
I must say that it is stunning how you manage negate your entire progressive arguement in a single paragraph. Your PROGRESSIVE REVOLUTION has been raging for 100+ years, and it has resulted in both the expansion and reach of the Federal Government through the formation of extra-Constitutional departments, Acts of Congress, and the corruption of both congress and the courts through crony capitalism and judicial activism. The abuse of the Commerce Clause to circumvent the Constitution and the will of the people been the hallmark of modern progressive politics. Oppression, redistribution, over regulation, and yes, even racism all are deeply rooted in modern progressive politics.
Might I suggest that you pick up a copy of Thomas Sowell's book Liberal Facism. When you fully understand what the modern progressive movement is, and what it has done to both the Unite States and the world as a whole, you will be ashmed to call yourself a progressive.
Respectfully,
Dire Wolf
Goldberg wrote Liberal Facism.
I stand corrected.
"After years of free market failures"
"Free Market" Yea, sure... LOL!
2011 Season Winner of "Last Troll Standing". Let's give him a hand! (golf clap)
yeah, there are those of us who can put a spectacular game or two together but this guy is grinding out champagne over a whole career.
That one goes on the quick access link list.
MDB is out-trolling his previous brilliant work with this one. From now on, nothing but green for you, MDB, from me.
are you... serious?
l-m-f-a-o!!!!
complete uniformed suckers like you, who lap up establishment drivel are the problem with our electorate.......and if you continue to spout off about things you know nothing about ....then you deserve the insults your way.....especially if you attempt to play the victim afterwards.
[quote]
compassionate politicians and smart economists...
[/quote]
Good luck finding either of these oxymorons -- I think you'll just have to settle for the usual morons instead!
"And like the rest of his GOP rivals, Paul would repeal President Barack Obama’s health care reform law..."
The "rest" of the "GOP rivals ?" To wit: Do any truly believe a "President Romney" would repeal what is essentially the red-headed federal stepchild of RomneyCare ? Rep. Paul, I have no doubt whatsoever, would walk it as he talked it. All the rest ? Dutiful Establishment cogs in the Republican Machine.
Ron is breaking new ground in DC. Imagine proposing cutting spending rather than raising taxes?
What would be breaking new ground is if they applied a clawback feature to congressmen, senators and the president. If the economy starts to tank anytime within 20 years after you served in office then the government has the right to clawback 70% of your net worth until the economy recovers. I bet they'd spend more time reading bills then
So long as the claws are REAL and very sharp, what's not to like? :>D