Join this group if you love or are interested in discussing our Constitution and Bill of Rights, and are sick of politics as usual. This group will provide the opportunity for discussing current events and political issues from a classical liberal / paleoconservative / constitutionalist / libertarian point of view, and to support local and national political candidates who hold those views.

This meetup will also serve as a venue for Ron Paul supporters from all political backgrounds to organize for 2012:

Quick facts on Ron Paul:

Consistency:

Ron Paul has held the same views and positions for his entire career.  You will not find any flip-flops like other politicians whose positions are available to the highest bidder.  This is because Ron Paul follows a simple set of consistent principles that guide his policy.  Ron Paul's voting record demonstrates his consistent philosophy promoting individual Liberty and Freedom.

The Economy:

Predicted the recent financial collapse, and has solutions to prevent a re-occurrence in the future.

Vehemently opposed the bailouts

Has written several books on sound money and economics

Never votes for an unbalanced budget

Never votes for tax increases

Opposes the federal reserve banks inflationary monetary policy (a hidden tax on those who save money)

Has a plan to return to a balanced budget (It only requires adopting the fiscal year 2000 budget..  Doesn't sound too difficult, right?)

The Environment:

Strongly supports personal property rights (If someone pollutes your property, the offender must pay for damages and restoration) http://www.grist.org/article/paul1

Supports removing all government subsidies (including those given to big oil, coal, polluting industries, etc.)

Supports free market principles that encourage renewable and clean technologies to be developed

Foreign Policy:

Is the only 2012 Presidential candidate to be a military veteran

Is the only 2012 Presidential candidate to oppose our current foreign policy of policing the world

Supported the use of Letters of Marque and Reprisal to authorize targeted strikes for the capture or kill of Bin Laden and other terrorists(like the one Obama authorized to Kill Bin Laden), without the need for endless wars and nation building in Iraq, Afghanistan, or Pakistan etc.

Is the ONLY candidate who voted against the Iraq War FROM THE BEGINNING.

Opposes giving military foreign aid

Supports Israel's right to defend itself ( http://www.newsmax.com/DougWead/ron-paul-is...# )

Healthcare:

30+ years practicing medicine as an OB/GYN and has delivered over 4,000 babies

Supports Health Freedom (Has introduced legislation to protect First Amendment rights of consumers to receive truthful information regarding the benefits of foods and dietary supplements and strike down the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) efforts to censor truthful health claims.)

Civil Liberties:

Is against Warrantless Wiretapping and other illegal searches (Always votes against the "Patriot" act, and FISA)

Opposes REAL ID, Domestic surveillance, Imminent Domain

Supports Home Schooling (He has introduced several pieces of legislation which would return to parents the freedom to teach their children at home and in the manner they think best. Additionally, he has introduced bills that would provide tax credits for American families to help pay for education expenses.)  Paul has asserted that he does not think there should be any federal control over education and education should be handled at a local and state level.

Would end the unconstitutional "War on Drugs" and decriminalize all drugs.  He instead believes drug addicts deserve compassion and rehabilitation, not an endless, costly, and dehumanizing prison industry.

Abortion; Paul has said that the ninth and tenth amendments to the U.S. Constitution do not grant the federal government any authority to legalize or ban abortion, stating that "the federal government has no authority whatsoever to involve itself in the abortion issue."

Gay marriage; Paul opposes all federal efforts to define marriage, whether defined as a union between one man and one woman, or defined as including anything else as well. He believes that recognizing or legislating marriages should be left to the states, and not subjected to "judicial activism".  He has stated that in a best case scenario, governments would enforce contracts and grant divorces but otherwise have no say in marriage. Paul has also stated he doesn't want to interfere in the free association of two individuals in a social, sexual, and religious sense.  Additionally, when asked if he was supportive of gay marriage Paul responded "I am supportive of all voluntary associations and people can call it whatever they want."

Right to keep and bear arms;

The only 2008 presidential candidate to earn Gun Owners of America's A+ rating, Paul has been a lead sponsor of legislation in Congress attempting to maintain individual Second Amendment rights. He has also fought for the right of pilots to be armed.

In the first chapter of his book, Freedom Under Siege, Paul argued that the purpose of the Second Amendment is to place a check on government tyranny, not to merely grant hunting rights or allow self-defense. When asked whether individuals should be allowed to own machine guns, Paul responded, "Whether it's an automatic weapon or not is, I think, irrelevant." Paul believes that a weapons ban at the federal or state level does not work either. "Of course true military-style automatic rifles remain widely available to criminals on the black market. So practically speaking, the assault weapons ban does nothing to make us safer." Rather, he sees school shootings, plane hijackings, and other such events as a result of prohibitions on self-defense.

Electability:

Has previously won 14 elections for Congress

Has won the last 2 CPAC straw polls

"Grandfather" of the Tea Party (In 2007 the grassroots raised $6.04 in the "Tea Party 07" money bomb, breaking records for the most of any candidates 1 day donations.)

April 14 2011 Rasmussen poll puts Ron Paul 1% behind Obama in a head to head match up(41% vs. 42%. respectively), better then any other GOP contender.

In Q1 2011, raised $3 million, more then any other candidate in that quarter

Raised over $1 million in 24 hours on May 5th, during the first GOP debate of 2011.

Other positions are prevalent on Youtube and wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_posi...

Related sites;

http://www.ronpaul2012.com/who-is-ron-paul/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCM_wQy4YVg

http://www.downsizedc.org

http://www.NaturalNews.com

http://www.LewRockwell.com

http://www.Mises.org

http://www.campaignforliberty.com/

http://www.ronpaulforums.com