Ron Paul on Privacy

Ron Paul's third New Hampshire TV ad is up at Reason.tv. This one addresses an issue I don't think any candidate has in his/her commercials yet: Privacy and the war on terror.

I'm Ron Paul and I'm the only presidential candidate who'll bring our troops home from Iraq immediately and stop wasteful government spending. But here's something else I care about, and I hope you do too. The war on terror and the growth of big government have had a dangerous side effect: The loss of privacy rights for the American people. Both parties have put their pet schemes ahead of our rights. Not me. As president, I won't stand for it. No national ID card, no invasion of privacy. I'm Ron Paul and I approve this message.

If Paul's going to make a surprise showing in New Hampshire, this is the talk (if not the production quality--this is direct but dark) that'll do it. Let the rest of the field thrash about debating Iraq and making fun of Hillary's ankles while he talks to Free Staters about REAL ID. The Youtube thread has gotten more civil and contented, too.

More reason on Paul here.

UPDATE: Pig Mannix points out that Paul's hit 5 percent in the tricky Rasmussen tracking poll (which doesn't mention Paul's name when asking for preference).* That's important, as we're running into the late debate season when candidates will need to hit poll thresholds in order to keep getting invited.

*I made a mistake here: Rasmussen DOES include Paul's name in its survey. I was passing on rumors to the contrary, so my apologies.

Comments

[Jamie Kelly]

I like, I like! Mostly, it's that almost pissed-off look he has on his face.

[Warren]

FUCK YEAHHHH!
November fifth is going to be the new July fourth.

[sixstring]

I am sound deprived here at work. Is there a link to the text?

[iowan]

I've been waiting 30+ years to hear a major party candidate say something along these lines.

[Jamie Kelly]

where's edward?
I wanna say, "Deine papieren, bitte."

[Warren]

It's very short sixstring. Just like: Unlike other candidates, I want out of Iraq and to stop wasteful spending. But hear is something else I care about and I hope you do too. The WOT and growth of big government have had a dangerous side effect, the loss of privacy for the American People...

[Rick Barton]

If I was alive, I'd vote for Ron Paul.

James Madison

[Rick Barton]

Me too!

Thomas Jefferson

[Tom Walls]

I don't care for that black background in this or the second one.

I think his look in the above freeze frame is more of a doctor telling you that you need to eat healthy.

Unlike many critics, I didn't mind the first ad. Sure their lines were canned, but it looked like real people.

[Jamie Kelly]

Me too!

Eric Dondero.

[J sub D]

Your papers, please.

Remember, your SSN was never going to be used as a national ID number. Never.

The Social Security Number (SSN) was originally devised in 1935 to keep an accurate record of the earnings of workers covered by the Social Security Act. The use of the SSN has expanded since then as government entities and the private sector use it for record keeping and matching purposes.

Executive Order 9397, issued in 1943, required all Federal components to use the SSN as an individual identifier.

In 1962, the Internal Revenue Service adopted the use of the individual's SSN as his/her Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) when an SSN had been assigned. (26 U.S.C. Section 6109).

The Privacy Act of 1974 (Section 7 of P.L. 93-579) limits governmental use of the SSN. Federal, State and local governments are prohibited from withholding a right, benefit or privilege from a person simply because he/she refuses to provide the SSN, except under certain circumstances (when required by Federal law, or when a system of records that includes SSN as an identifier was maintained by a government entity prior to 1975).

The Tax Reform Act of 1976, (42 USCA 405 (c)(2)(C)(i)) amending the Social Security Act to lessen the impact of the Privacy Act, authorizes states to use the SSN in the administration of any tax, general public assistance, driver's license or motor vehicle registration law.

The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (42 USCA 402 (x)), requires any Federal, State or local government agency to furnish to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (upon written request to enforce the suspension of disability benefits) the name and SSN of any prisoner convicted of a felony.

The Social Security Act, as amended in 1990 (42 USCA 405), requires that SSNs and related records obtained or maintained by authorized persons pursuant to any provision of law enacted on or after October 1, 1990 be confidential and may not be disclosed.

The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 (42 USCA 666 (a)) requires states to require the collection of social security numbers: 1) on any application for a professional license, commercial drivers' license, occupational license, or marriage license; 2) on divorce decrees, support orders, paternity determinations or acknowledgments; and 3) in death records and the death certificate.

I got that info here.

[sixstring]

Warren,

Thanks! Does he say, "I'm Ron Paul, and I'm doing all the talking in this commercial so of course I freakin' approve of it, but that horse's patoot McCain wrote the law that forces me to have to say it anyway!"??

[joe]

Yo, Rick, they're dissing Elvis Costello down below!

Help me, Conservative New Wave Dude, you're our only hope!

[John]

"I'm Ron Paul and I'm the only presidential candidate who'll bring our troops home from Iraq immediately and stop wasteful government spending."

Immediately stop wasteful spending? Is he running for President or dictator? Bush just vetoed a pork filled Corps of Engineers bill that was 14 billion and 16 billion when it went into conference but emerged out of conference at 21 billion and guess what happened? Congress over road a Bush Veto for the first time since he has been President. The ability to steal money from the treasury is one thing Congress can be bi-partisan about. I would love to hear how Paul is going to "immediately stop wasteful spending". Perhaps Paul might want to actually read the Constitution he is always yammering about, especially the part in Article I that gives Congress the power of the purse.

[The Great Ape]

Aside from the overzealous makeup artist, I like it.

[joe]

I think you misread that, John.

"Immediately" comes before "and."

[Pig Mannix]

Encouraging news from Rasmussen:

In the race for the Republican Presidential Nomination, Rudy Giuliani attracts 23% of Likely Republican Primary voters nationwide. Fred Thompson earns 15% of the vote followed closely by Mitt Romney at 14%, John McCain at 12%, and Mike Huckabee at 11% Ron Paul, in the aftermath of a huge fundraising day, jumps to 5% while no other Republican tops 1%

It ain't much, but it's a start....

[Rick Barton]

On the way, joe.

[Ari]

Here is the exact wording of this ad:

I'm Ron Paul, and I'm the only presidential candidate who will bring our troops home from Iraq immediately, and stop wasteful government spending. But here's something else I care about, and I hope you do too: The war on terror and the growth of big government have had a dangerous side effect, the loss of privacy rights for the American people. Both parties have put their pet schemes ahead of our rights. Not me. As president, I won't stand for it. No national ID card. No invasion of privacy. I'm Ron Paul, and I approve this message.

[Jamie Kelly]

I think his look in the above freeze frame is more of a doctor telling you that you need to eat healthy.

I'll take that over a fat-assed socialist shaking me down with a gleeful sneer.

[iih]

I love the simplicity of the ad. It has Minimum Government all over it.

It also says, "I am self-reliant". Only RP appears on the ad.

No sophisticated (wasteful) graphics and Fox-News type sound-effects. It is simply dignified.

In other words, it has the Ron Paul stamp all over it. I love it.

[sixstring]

Pig Mannix,

Thanks for the link. The cool part of this is that they asked Republicans likely to vote in the primary. Independants can vote too, and Ron Paul should have more fervent support there than his rivals.

[Warren]

sixstring,
For the past couple of days I've been hoping in the next debate Paul says "Sen. McCain over here didn't like having to go around hat in hand and beg money from special interests six days a week just to finance his campaign, so he trampled on the Constitution and wrote a law abridging the American people's freedom of speech and of the press. Of course it didn't change a thing about the way politicians finance their campaigns from big money special interests. But we don't need despotic laws to change that. I won't accept institutional donations. My campaign is funded solely by individuals, and I don't have any trouble raising funds. (Though it's an abomination that individuals are limited in how much they can give, while the PAC still write big checks. I wonder what they're buying with all that money?) Maybe it's because people are more willing to support a candidate when they don't think he's selling himself."

[Tacos mmm...]

Immediately stop wasteful spending? Is he running for President or dictator?

That's an interesting question. Congress may allocate money to federal projects, but as the executive, can the president order that the money not be utilized?

[Tom Walls]

This is interesting and encouraging. I thought the ones in that age group were all voting for Bobby Kennedy!

Seriously, it's obvious why this differential is there. The 18-to-24s get more of their news from the web than the nightly TV news, where RP still gets little coverage. And RP is already President of the Internets.

Lifetime network poll of 1000+ women voters

-- Ron Paul garnered a surprising amount of support from women ages 18-24 (15%), but virtually no support from women polled age 25+ (less than 2%).

[iih]

The radio ads are great too. This one is really smart. RP actually applies a guilt by association. RP is playing dirty and I love it, too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZU614yBacV4

[Jamie Kelly]

Tacos mmm

Depends on if it's discretionary or nondiscretionary spending.

[Jeff]

Why isn't someone talking about how Rasmussen determines likely Republican voters which is very important in New Hampshire where people can vote either Republican or Democrat no matter their party affiliation.

[Jay D]

John,

I imagine there is quite a bit of wasteful spending the the Executive branch is responsible for. As congressman, "he returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year."

[Rick Barton]

Immediately stop wasteful spending? Is he running for President or dictator?

One word: Veto

[Timothy]

DONDEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Please explain how Rudy's policy on executive authority will be preferable to that statement from a libertarian perspective. Oh wait, you can't.

DONDEROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[gaijin]

INteresting...not "I'm the only Republican running..."

[Kwix]

Thanks for the link. The cool part of this is that they asked Republicans likely to vote in the primary. Independants can vote too, and Ron Paul should have more fervent support there than his rivals.

Sixstring,
You'd better check with your state elections office regarding that. In my state the Primary is closed for Republican candidates. This means you MUST be registered as a Republican to vote for a Republican candidate in the primary.

[Loupeznik]

That's Dr. Veto

[TLB]

Dispatch from sanity:

Ron Paul is never going to be president. And, Ruuuudy stands a good chance of being the next president; in fact, at this point it looks like a choice between him and Hill.

And, you say you want to prevent a NationalIDCard.

However, the libertarian position - or at least the one espoused by Reason - encourages massive illegal activity.

And, Ruuuudy has a way to deal with the anarchy that Reason enables, involving the predecessor to a NationalIDCard. And, most Americans will be behind him on that, due to the fact that it's just ForForeigners.

I don't know whether Reason is living in a fantasy world or whether they're in on the game, but their positions will lead us to something that they claim to oppose.

[Jim Lesczynski]

I would love to hear how Paul is going to "immediately stop wasteful spending".

If a miracle happened and Ron Paul got elected, it would imply a mandate for dramatic change. At the very least, it would put the issue of wasteful spending front and center on the table. Presumably, some small-government types might even ride into Congress on his coattails.

[Jamie Kelly]

The president no longer has the line-item veto. So in order to cut pork, he has to veto the entire statute of the category in the federal budget and hope that Congress fails to override and is forced to cut spending.
But the biggest thing a president can do is deliver a budget that's NOT SO FUCKING BLOATED to begin with. I think Paul would do that.

[sixstring]

Maybe it's because people are more willing to support a candidate when they don't think he's selling himself.

I think this is about as succinct description of the Ron Paul phenomenon as I've seen. This is not about personal ambition. Every other candidate thinks the election is about him or HER. For once, we have a guy who is not trying to complete his resume with the ultimate high score -- the Presidency. This is not a lifelong ambition, but an opportunity to address a wider audience, and from a podium that carries more weight than his seat in the House. Simple. Honest. I like it.

[sixstring]

Kwix,

i was refering to NH. Here in NY, it is like you describe. I think the poll was state specific to NH.

[sixstring]

Kwix,

You're right, those are national numbers. Paul is at 4% in NH, but they do indeed have open primaries there, so my assertion that he may surprise due to independents voting for him is still valid.

[rico]

he needs to spend some of the money we've been donating on flashier commercials.

[Craig]

I'm Ron Paul and I'm the only presidential candidate who'll bring our troops home from Iraq immediately and stop wasteful government spending.

I love that he is repeating this line from the second commercial in the third. It sets him apart from all of the other candidates running, in both major parties.

I also love that he's talking about privacy and civil liberties, but the "no national ID card" line is pretty weak, compared to some of the civil liberties violations he could be talking about. Maybe in New Hampshire it's a big deal, but I don't get the sense that most Americans are all that afraid of a national ID card.

[Pro Libertate]

Jamie,

He will if he follows my The Top 100 Things I'd Do if I Ever Became a Libertarian President. See number 56. Do you think ten pages is too long?

[Isaac Bartram]

The president no longer has the line-item veto.

Funny, I don't think the the president ever had a line-item veto.

[iih]

he needs to spend some of the money we've been donating on flashier commercials.

But doesn't "flashier" imply "wasteful spending"? I liked the simplicity of the commercial. He does what he preaches.

[John]

"That's an interesting question. Congress may allocate money to federal projects, but as the executive, can the president order that the money not be utilized?"

The President used to be able to impound the money and just refuse to spend it. Then the post watergate congress passed a law preventing him from doing that. I think that law is unconstitutional. The Consitution says "No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time." It says you can't spend money without Congressional approval. But where does it say that the President has to spend money just because it is approved. If I were the President, I would impound the money and refuse to spend it on every piece of pork I could find and tell the Congress to pound sand.

[Warren]

This morning on the drive into work, I heard that there will be some new NH Poll results released this weekend and Paul comes in third.

[sixstring]

but the "no national ID card" line is pretty weak, compared to some of the civil liberties violations he could be talking about. Maybe in New Hampshire it's a big deal,

In New Hampshire, it is:
Granite State has some Balls!

[Pro Libertate]

Isaac,

There was a federal line-item veto, for about a year. Then some judge declared it unconstitutional.

[Dan T.]

If I were the President, I would impound the money and refuse to spend it on every piece of pork I could find and tell the Congress to pound sand.

And Congress would impeach you.

[iih]

There was a lot of talk regarding the National ID card in NE. In Maine, I think, they outright rejected it but because of financial reasons. I remember that the sentiments up in NH were that it is widely frowned upon.

[khefer]

Tom Walls said "I think his look in the above freeze frame is more of a doctor telling you that you need to eat healthy."

He didn't mean to sound that way, but he's just concerned about you and is sick of seeing you on a downward slide.

[John]

"And Congress would impeach you."

They could do that and then face the voters and explain that they impeached a lawfully elected President for the high crime of keeping them for getting their pork and paying off their buddies. Please throw me into that breyer patch.

[pro]

reason: y'all mothafuckaz is gonna get hit by the FEC any day now. They're going to come up with some bullshit that this type of "disproportionate" coverage is actually a verboten in-kind contribution. I hope that in-house counsel is ready...

Ron Paul: Way to go, homey! But the emphases should've been reversed. 90% of time on getting out of war and 10% on privacy.

Everyone who's not called Kristol or Podhoretz or Kagan hates this immoral, bungled, tragic war. We have GOT to bang that drum. Remember, most people are paying *very* little attention.

[Fluffy]

Actually, pro, they might.

I think Lew Rockwell had to change the nonprofit status of his site because he engaged in too much Paul promotion.

[Isaac Bartram]

Pro Libertate

Was that back in the 90S?

Now that you mention it I recall Congress passing such a law and Clinton quite happily signing it. If I remember rightly even as it was being debated the scuttlebutt was that it would not stand judicial scrutiny.

I think the general consensus is that a constitutional amendment is needed, n'est-ce pas?

[BaBar]

I would love to hear how Paul is going to "immediately stop wasteful spending".

Well, by getting us out of Iraq/South Korea/Germany/Italy/etc. for one. As president, he would be the commander in chief. Pork is actually a very small part of the budget.

[Tbone]

RP is starting to scare the establishment a bit. Weekly Standard site has a piece calling him the "crank-in-chief". Interspersed with lots of language like: fringe, out of the mainstream, radical, etc. Compared him to Howard Dean and predicted a comparable flame out.

He may - but eventually enough people will realize the "mainstream" is a polluted, noxious mess, and choose to stop swimming in it.

I've got issues with RP on policy, but I welcome ANY candidate who really means it when he says the federal government is too big and is operating well outside it's constitutional boundaries.

[Pro Libertate]

Isaac,

I think it was in 1996. It might've been one of the Contract with America points, though I can't recall for sure. For a brief moment, I thought the era of big government was over. But that was a damned lie.

[Jamie Kelly]

Funny, I don't think the president ever had a line-item veto.

Clinton had it and used it 12 times. Then the Supreme Court struck it down (1998).

[Brian Defferding]

Great ad! Hopefully this works in New Hampshire. I wish Ron would campaign more there. It's gonna take more than TV and radio ads, he needs to cover New Hampshire really well, unfortunately I think he's visited there on average once/twice a month.

[Syloson of Samos]

I have a question about the Ron Paul polling numbers (and remember, I am somewhat skeptical about his ability to get past even the first couple of states). Do the numbers actually reflect who will vote in Iowa or NH? Or just those who have traditionally voted Republican?

[Isaac Bartram]

For a brief moment, I thought the era of big government was over.

It was a beautiful dream, though, no? too bad we had to wake up.

Clinton had it and used it 12 times. Then the Supreme Court struck it down (1998).

Thanks, Jamie. I have been firmly chastened and corrected. I am humbled. 🙂

What can I say? I'm not so young anymore and the neurons don't fire like they used to.

[Dan Warner]

The rising poll number is VERY important as FOX News made a move to exclude Ron Paul from the next debate. They set a 5% threshold thinking that Ron would not make it and therefore get no spot in the debate. Ya gotta love this stuff. I used to watch Fox and ONLY Fox when I was a brain dead Bushie. Now I have turned them off and will probably cancel my DirecTv and go with Dish network instead (newscorp which owns fox also owns directv).

I can't help but laugh about how they tried to set a threshold to keep him out and he just passed that threshold. FAUX YOU Fox News!

[J sub D]

Clinton had it and used it 12 times. Then the Supreme Court struck it down (1998).

And in a rare display of principle, a republican congress gave it to him.

[Darla]

The American Freedom Agenda, an organization of conservatives founded last March 20 to restore checks and balances and protections against government abuses, requested all presidential aspirants, including Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, to sign an American Freedom Pledge.

They were asked to renounce the following powers if elected: torture; presidential signing statements; indefinite detentions of American citizens as enemy combatants; military commissions that combine judge, jury and prosecutor; spying on American citizens in contravention of federal statutes on the president's say-so alone; kidnapping, imprisoning and torturing suspected terrorists abroad; executive privilege to shield the executive branch from Congressional oversight; prosecuting journalists under the Espionage Act for exposing national security abuses; listing organizations as terrorist groups based on secret evidence; suspending the writ of habeas corpus during the conflict with international terrorism; and invoking the state secrets privilege to deny victims of constitutional wrongdoing any judicial remedy. Senator Clinton has balked at signing the pledge, as have all other candidates except Representative Ron Paul.

Bruce Fein
Chairman, American Freedom Agenda
Washington, Oct. 24, 2007

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/28/opinion/l28clinton.html?ex=1351224000&en=e5625021e0f23fac&ei=5124&partner=digg&exprod=digg

[Rick Barton]

Good work, Bruce! I'm gonna join.

[bill]

Good ad but it needs some music.

[Daze]

Is this the same Ron Paul who once put "right to privacy" in snide quotes, and stated "there clearly is no right to privacy nor sodomy found anywhere in the Constitution"?

http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul120.html

[TSW]

There should be a Constitutional Amendment giving the President a line-item veto even though Sen. Byrd thinks that is "dangerous".
I would also propose an amendment limiting both the President and Vice-President to a six year term of office and forbidding re-election to either office. I wonder if Mr. Paul would sign for either amendment.

[dale wilds]

You "RON PAUL" will have my vote and i wont take the real ID CARD. If George Washington and crew were here today there would be a cleaning of the house the old fashion way, if you know what I mean. WE NEED RON PAUL NOW BEFORE IT IS TOOOOO LATE. WE NEED TO GET THIS COUNTRY BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK BEFORE THE NORTH AMERICAN UNION TAKES HOLD AND WE LOOSE ALL ARE RIGHTS AND THERE IS NO MORE USA AND THIS IS NO JOKE PEOPLE.

[undergroundrailroad]

The issue with choosing Ron Paul in the Rasmussen poll is more complicated. For some time, you had to go deeper in the phone tree to choose him as your preference. It's possible this may have changed, but there was a clear delineation between the results of the first batch of candidates (Romney, Giuliani, Thomspon, McCain, Huckabee) and the "others" you had to navigate further for. The link below has a first-hand account -

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=19899

[j]

no national id!!!