Author: Campaign For Liberty Blog

By Matt Hawes

Last Friday, Dr. Paul was interviewed about Bernanke, the Fed, and the government’s response to the economic crisis on Fox Business’ America’s Nightly Scoreboard with David Asman.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebIzXV9jEOs

By Jesse Benton

He’ll be on around 10:30 am ET to discuss the CIA. Should be interesting!

Update: Thanks to Marc Gallagher for the YouTube!

By Matt Hawes

Be sure to check out Dr. Paul’s exclusive op-ed for CNN.com out today.  In this piece, Congressman Paul takes aim at the failures of the government’s stimulus efforts, and he discusses why such approaches are doomed from the start.

Economic growth is stagnant, unemployment remains higher than almost any time since the Great Depression and millions of Americans are upset that trillions of taxpayer dollars have been committed to numerous government bailout programs with no improvement of the economy within sight.

They question, rightfully, is where this money is going and why it hasn’t been as helpful as the government has claimed…

Read the rest.

By Matt Hawes

In “Fed Bashers: Washington’s odd couple,” Fortune’s Nina Easton takes a look at the unusual pairing of Congressman Paul and Senator Bernie Sanders, who, despite drastically different philosphical beliefs, are united in pushing Audit the Fed.

On the role government should play in society, the two men are miles apart: Sanders wants more regulation and tighter supervision; Paul wants bankruptcy to serve as the great regulator. Sanders can’t understand Paul’s faith in free markets; Paul doesn’t understand why leftists like Sanders have such trouble with business-created wealth.

But the two men have found common ground in the Fed’s handling of the financial crisis: The events of the past 18 months have reinforced their long-held views that the Federal Reserve, as Paul puts it, “serves the wealthy, not the middle class, not the unemployed.”…

Read the rest.

By Heather D

This could be the week that the Federal Reserve Sunshine Act receives just recognition in the Senate.

The vote to reconfirm Ben Bernanke as Federal Reserve Chairman is due to take place this week. Senator’s DeMint, David Vitter, Jim Bunning, and Bernie Sanders are working together to place a “hold” on the confirmation until the Senate votes on S 604. Please click here for more details on this effort.

According to Campaign for Liberty President, John Tate:

A strong message from Campaign for Liberty activists like you could start a stampede in the Senate that will make Harry Reid back off of Bernanke and give us a vote on Audit the Fed.

Here is what our Senators need to know:

1.) If they are not cosponsoring Audit the Fed, you expect them to sign on in support of finding out what the Fed has done with trillions of our dollars. Tell them you will make sure their constituents know of their action or inaction on this issue.

2.) They must vote “no” on cloture until after there is a vote on Audit the Fed. No vote should be taken on Ben Bernanke’s confirmation, or the nomination of anyone else for Fed Chairman, until Audit the Fed has received a public, up or down vote. The real issue here is not the Fed chairman himself. It is the need for complete transparency.

Click here for contact information for your Senators.

As we approach the one year anniversary of the initiation of our Audit the Fed battle, we have a very real chance to bring this bill to the floor of the Senate for a vote. The prize is within sight, but we must act now! Please commit to calling each of our Senators at least once this week.

By Matt Hawes

On Monday, Congressman Paul returned to CNBC’s Squawk Box to discuss Bernanke and the Fed.

By Matt Hawes

Via CNN:

Offering his most extensive public comments about the election debacle in Massachusetts, President Obama acknowledged that he’s taking some lumps but also trying to cast himself as a populist who will “never stop fighting” to bring health care reform and jobs to communities like this hard-hit manufacturing area outside Cleveland.

“Let me tell you, so long as I have the privilege of serving as your president, I’ll never stop fighting for you,” Obama said at the beginning of a town hall meeting with voters Friday. “I’ll take my lumps, too. I’ll never stop fighting to bring jobs back to Elyria. I’ll never stop fighting for an economy where hard work is rewarded, where responsibility is honored, where accountability is upheld, where we’re creating the jobs of tomorrow.”…

Read the rest.

If the White House wishes to continue pursuing health care, that quote may have to be shortened to, “I’ll never stop fighting you,” with the release of a new Rasmussen Reports survey showing that 58% of Americans oppose the plan currently before Congress.

Here’s an idea, Mr. President.  Let’s take just one plank from the Operation Health Freedom platform: legalize insurance competition across state lines.  It would be the first legitimate use of the Commerce Clause power in quite some time, and the ensuing competition would bring a drop in prices and a repackaging of plans to better suit consumers.

One little fix.  One big impact for freedom.

Then again, that would be actually fighting for the people instead of trying to dictate the course of their lives.  It would be real change, and we just can’t have that.

By Matt Holdridge

Many of you are non-enthusiastically nodding yes right now.

I want to tell you why the C4L staff has been “smiling and dialing” almost non-stop for the last month. 

On February 18-20, Campaign for Liberty will build on our success at last year’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) by bringing dedicated, liberty-minded activists and a tremendous roster of speakers to CPAC 2010 in Washington, D.C.

By brandonwbarrios

Our 44th President, Barack Obama, has said a lot of things to be certain.  The following quotes he made on the campaign trail or soon after being elected as President of the United States.  Commentary Included.

“This is the moment when we must build on the wealth that open markets have created, and share its benefits more equitable.”

We will do that by restricting markets, and punishing productivity.

“What do you think a stimulus is? It’s spending- that’s the whole point! Seriously.”

“We’re not going to baby sit a civil war.”

We’ll join in.

“I think when you spread the wealth around it’s good for everybody.”

Especially when you do it with other people’s money.

“If the people cannot trust their government to do the job for which it exists- to protect them and to promote their common welfare- all else is lost.”

And even though a majority of the people don’t trust the government to run healthcare, I will still force it into law.

“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.”

And if you’re walking down the wrong path and willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make big government.

“Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and the war on terrorism have reduced the pace of military transformation and have revealed our lack of preparation for defensive and stability operation.  This Administration has overextended our military.”

Therefore when elected to office I seek to expand it further.

By carolyn moffa

My name is Carolyn Moffa and I’m a grassroots activist, turned intern at Campaign for Liberty! I recently moved to national from the Philly area and this is my story…

For the past three years I’ve dedicated my life to the R3volution. And as I’m sure you’ve heard other people say before, Dr. Paul has cured my apathy! But honestly, I couldn’t have cared less about what the government was doing. All I knew was that I didn’t agree with them.  Everything changed once I found about the Patriot Act and the Federal Reserve.

I started researching every chance I got and even watched the news every night to see if Ron’s presidential campaign was discussed. That would have never happened before- I used to avoid the news like the plague. All I ever used to watch on TV was Vh1 and America’s Next Top Model!

From dominating the Drexel Democratic Debate with Ron Paul signs, campaigning in New Hampshire, and the R3volution march in D.C., activism turned into one of my favorite things. Obviously, once it came time for the Republican National Convention, I jumped at the chance to go to the Rally for the Republic. Being around so many people who share the same views is an amazing thing (I still have the ticket in my wallet!).

Today, I believe that working for the cause of freedom is one of the most important things a person can do, so naturally that is why I decided to move to Virginia and intern for C4L.

I’ve been at Campaign for Liberty for three weeks now and love it so far. It’s been really interesting to see how things work behind the scenes and I also enjoy being able to put faces to all the names of C4L staff. Whether it be sound money, health freedom or foreign policy, everyone on staff has an issue that they care about. I am excited to make a difference here.

By Matt Hawes

ABC News reports:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., at one point was planning on scheduling a vote on Bernanke for Friday, but the Senate is currently in the midst of a debate over raising the debt limit and the vote has been pushed….

Roll Call reported this week that at the Senate Democratic caucus meeting on Wednesday, “according to senators, liberals spoke out against confirming Bernanke for a second term….

Read the rest.

Keep those calls going!  The message is clear: no vote to confirm until there is a vote on Audit the Fed.

By Heather D

Are you passionate about the great American principles of individual liberty, constitutional government, sound money, free markets, and a non-interventionist foreign policy?

Are you currently searching for an active role within the Campaign for Liberty which will train and equip you for battle and allow you to effectively channel your efforts, vastly increasing your ability to win back lost freedoms and then preserve them for future generations?

If these things apply to you, please consider signing up as a local coordinator. Our Local Coordinator Training will assist you in learning about the political figures and structure in your area, arm you with important details needed to direct your time and energy effectively, and provide you with specific information that you will be able to share with your fellow activists.

Once you have signed up as a local coordinator, please consider leading your county or region. You can nominate yourself, or a fellow local coordinator from your dashboard; simply scroll to the bottom of the page and look for “Coordinators” on the right-hand side of the page. You will notice the categories of “County”, “Regional” and “State”. If there is no coordinator in any of those categories, you will see the word “nominate”. Simply click “nominate” and you will be taken to a page where you can voice your recommendations on who should fill that position.

We’ve come a long way since the Campaign for Liberty was formed. As we move forward, there will be battles won, and battles lost; we will face stiff opposition, and form important alliances. Building up our team of local, county and regional coordinators will greatly increase our ability to reclaim our lost liberties and boldly confront our adversaries and win!

By Matt Hawes

Recently, Congressman Paul was interviewed as part of a CNN American Morning package on the growing size of government.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf3NxEnguSQ

By Matt Hawes

This is part of what happens when you don’t have to answer to the people.  Lame ducks Judd Gregg and Chris Dodd (both retiring this year), according to The Huffington Post, are fighting to keep the House-passed audit provision out of the Senate’s version of the financial regulatory reform package.

A House-passed provision to open up the Federal Reserve to an audit by the Government Accountability Office is unlikely to be included in the Senate reform package, Barney Frank told a meeting of House Financial Services Committee members Wednesday, according to people in the room.

Frank, chairman of the committee, told the members that Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) told him that he had assured Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) that it wouldn’t be a part of the bill. Gregg has been a strident opponent of the effort to open the Fed to an audit….

Read the rest.

As John said earlier, keep those calls going urging your senators to reject any vote on Ben Bernanke’s confirmation to a second term until we get a standalone vote on Audit the Fed!

By Gary Howard

Today, President Obama has decided that his administration should strengthen its populist bonafides by pretending to get tough on everybody’s favorite bogeyman–big banks.

From the Wall Street Journal:

President Barack Obama proposed Thursday new rules designed to restrict the size and activities of the U.S.’s biggest banks, the latest in a series of administration moves to curb Wall Street.

The White House wants commercial banks that take deposits from customers to be barred from investing on behalf of the bank itself-what’s known as proprietary trading-and said the administration will seek new limits on the size and concentration of financial institutions. Read more…

According to the President:

“My resolve to reform the system is only strengthened when I see a return to old practices at some of the very firms fighting reform; and when I see record profits at some of the very firms claiming that they cannot lend more to small business, cannot keep credit card rates low, and cannot refund taxpayers for the bailout,” President Obama said Thursday. “It is exactly this kind of irresponsibility that makes clear reform is necessary.”

What he fails to mention however, is that many of the banks who are making record profits and record bonuses, and who recieved sweetheart bailout deals (Goldman Sachs), are filled with buddies of his economic team (Summers, Geithner, et al)–who are all former colleagues of one another.

From the same article:

Admistration officials said the new rules would force major institutions from J.P. Morgan Chase to Bank of America to decide the direction of their business. Banks shielded from risk through federal-deposit insurance, or aided in financial crises by low-interest loans from the Federal Reserve Board, would no longer be allowed to engage in trading unrelated to their customers’ interests, one senior administration official said.

So we should trust you guys to further police your friends’ business, when that’s what you’re supposed to  be doing already? No way. And these useless restrictions imposed on banks will inevitably affect consumers negatively.

This new false populism is just another tactic for the permnanent Obama campaign. Another bad idea, recycled (also known as trash) and repackaged.

How about untangling the federal government from big business and let them prosper or fail on their own merits–let people decide which banks are worth the risk of putting their money into and deal with the consequences of their decisions.

By John Tate

Our country’s economic future is in Ben Bernanke’s hands on a daily basis.

Now his job security is in ours.

I need you to immediately call your senators with a simple message: “No vote on Bernanke until we get a vote on Audit the Fed.”

Click here to find contact information for your senators.

Here’s what’s going on and why you need to act immediately. It’s a little complex, so bear with me.

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) has led the charge to place a “hold” on Bernanke’s nomination to a second term as Fed chairman until the Senate votes on Audit the Fed. This means to get a vote on Bernanke, Harry Reid has to have a vote on “cloture” (just like in the health care battle), and that requires a super-majority of 60 votes.

Insiders now tell me that Harry Reid is threatening to ram through a cloture vote as early as next week.

Senator DeMint is joined by David Vitter, Jim Bunning, and Bernie Sanders in his efforts, but these senators cannot succeed alone. But right now, Republicans should stop caving in to Harry Reid’s muscle on behalf of Ben Bernanke and the out of control Federal Reserve, and Democrats are cowering in fear of the popular revolt against out of control spending and the economic wreck it has helped create.

A strong message from Campaign for Liberty activists like you could start a stampede in the Senate that will make Harry Reid back off of Bernanke and give us a vote on Audit the Fed.

After all, Harry Reid is already the most vulnerable Democrat up for reelection next year, according to the polls.

Click here to find contact information for your senators.

Make sure you let them know that:

1.) If they are not cosponsoring Audit the Fed, you expect them to sign on in support of finding out what the Fed has done with trillions of our dollars. Tell them you will make sure their constituents know of their action or inaction on this issue.

2.) They must vote “no” on cloture until after there is a vote on Audit the Fed. No vote should be taken on Ben Bernanke’s confirmation, or the nomination of anyone else for Fed Chairman, until Audit the Fed has received a public, up or down vote. The real issue here is not the Fed chairman himself. It is the need for complete transparency.

Ben Bernanke’s term as Fed chairman expires on January 31, so Harry Reid is under pressure from Barack Obama to act quickly.

Which means we must act even faster.

The Senate has enough on its plate with the fight over health care, so they can ill afford to face yet another tough fight over the leadership’s agenda.

Time to turn up the pressure.

Take action today to push for a vote on Audit the Fed, S. 604!

By Matt Hawes

In his special order speech on Wednesday, Dr. Paul talks about the need to legalize competing currencies and outlines the steps necessary to do so.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBaQgZ5PfAg

By Matt Hawes

Could this be the beginning of the end for McCain-Feingold?

From The Los Angeles Times:

The Supreme Court today overturned a century-old restriction on corporations using their money to sway federal elections and ruled that companies have a free-speech right to spend as much as they wish to persuade voters to elect or defeat candidates for Congress and the White House.

In a 5-4 decision, the court’s conservative bloc said corporations have the same 1st Amendment rights as individuals and, for that reason, the government may not stop corporations from spending freely to influence the outcome of federal elections….

Read the rest.

By Matt Hawes

Dr. Paul will be interviewed by CNN’s Rick Sanchez today around 4:45 pm eastern.  He will also be interviewed by Dom Giordano (out of Philly on WPHT 1210 AM) at 6 pm eastern.  Listen live here.

Be sure to tune in!

Update:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKi5vDicQ5k

By Matt Hawes

Last Friday, Dr. Paul was interviewed by CNN shortly before our Freedom Celebration concerning his time in Congress, President Obama’s first year, and whether things would be different under McCain.