Dennis Kucinich: Support for War and National Security State is Reason for Democrat Election Losses

Dennis Kucinich, the former Democratic United States House of Representatives member from Ohio and two-time presidential candidate, pins blame for Democrats’ 2014 midterm elections “debacle” on Democrat politicians in the last eight years advancing war and the national security state. Kucinich’s analysis is presented Thursday in a Common Dreams article by Deidre Fulton.

Kucinich explains in the article how Democrats in Washington, DC participating in building the national security state and putting “a nation on the war path” helped cause the poor electoral performance of the party in the 2014 midterm elections:

“The debacle of 2014 had its roots in 2006,” he explained, referencing the Democratic takeover of both the U.S. House and Senate during the final midterm election of the Bush presidency. “Here we are, 8 years later: more war, government which has turned into a national security state, an economy that has decoupled itself from Main Street, and America’s position in the world—again, a nation on the war path. I don’t care where you go and talk to people, individually or in small groups—as I’ve been doing—you find apprehension about where we’re at, and you find a sharp contrast between the security which is defined across the land as human security, and security that is defined as guns and exotic weapons inside the Beltway.”

Continue reading at the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.

Ed Mullins Returns with More Marijuana Nonsense Talk

With the recent announcement of the particulars of the New York City Police Department policy change intended to reduce marijuana arrests, Sergeants Benevolent Association police union leader Ed Mullins, who previously lamented that reducing marijuana arrests in the city would be “clearly the beginning of the breakdown of a civilized society,” is back with more nonsense talk about marijuana.

Under the new NYPD operations order effective November 19, marijuana arrests are expected to drop dramatically. The new policy directs that police generally should not arrest a person who has 25 grams (about 9/10 of an ounce) or less of marijuana “consistent with personal use” in public view in a public place. Instead, the marijuana may be confiscated and the individual fined up to $100 for a first offense and up to $250 for a later offense. Police are instructed, though, to continue to arrest individuals who are in public with lit marijuana.

Mullins first attempts to disparage the police policy change by labeling it as part of a “far-left agenda.” Mullins is quoted in the New York Daily News:

‘Some guys are really blaming de Blasio,’ Sergeants Benevolent Association President Ed Mullins said. ‘The guy just doesn’t get it with this whole far-left agenda, and he’s putting (cops) in a bad spot.’

That is not much of an argument. Favoring free speech and peace is often labeled as “left wing” as well; that does not make those views wrong. Mullins’ comment does nothing more than reinforce the false left-right dichotomy that diverts people from considering the real battle between freedom and oppression.

Continue reading at the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.

US House to Vote on Imposing National ID Cards Worldwide ‘For the Children’

The US House of Representatives is scheduled to vote this week on HR 3398, legislation stating that it is the policy of the United States government to encourage other nations to require all citizens to have national identity cards.

HR 3398 also directs the US government to work with multinational organizations and private entities on imposing registration, identification, and documentation laws on people around the world. As is often the case with legislation intended to increase government power and expand foreign intervention, HR 3398 presents as its justification helping the children—girls in particular this time.

Continue reading at the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.

 

Ron Paul: Congress Approves ISIS War Funding While Ducking Vote on War Itself

Ron Paul said this weekend that he thinks Congress will continue to duck voting the ISIS War up or down while nevertheless voting for additional funding of the war. Paul’s prediction came during a conversation with Charles Goyette regarding the war and US foreign policy in Paul and Goyette’s most recent weekly podcast discussion.

Continue reading at the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.

Rep. Walter Jones Challenges Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on ISIS War

Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC), at a Thursday hearing of the United States House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, challenged Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel regarding the ongoing US war on ISIS. In particular, Jones complains that the US is engaged in the war despite the lack of a constitutionally required congressional declaration of war.

Jones also warns that, if Congress does some day consider authorization for the use of military force (AUMF) legislation, Jones expects that, like the AUMFs for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the ISIS AUMF will allow military action to continue without end.

Continue reading at the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.

Ron Paul: ‘The Militarism of Big Government is Coming to an End’

Ron Paul, speaking Saturday at a Ludwig von Mises Institute event in Costa Mesa, California, presented his optimistic prediction for the future of the movement to ensure respect peace and liberty in the United States and around the world. Paul, who is chairman and founder of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity, both observes “a tremendous growth in the ideas of liberty” over the last thirty years and advises that “the militarism of big government is coming to an end.”

Continue reading at the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.

For Armistice Day, Ron Paul on the Federal Reserve’s Role in Financing US Militarism

On this Armistice Day, taking place in the week after midterm elections that promise to buttress US foreign intervention and President Barack Obama’s announcement that he is sending 1,500 troops and desires $5.6 billion more in spending to escalate the war in Iraq and Syria, it seems fitting to consider Ron Paul’s explanation of how the Federal Reserve has helped finance US militarism.

Continue reading at the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.

NYPD Union Leader: Reducing Marijuana Arrests is “Beginning of the Breakdown of a Civilized Society”

Reported efforts to begin following through on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio’s 2013 election promise to reduce marijuana arrests in the city has distressed Sergeants Benevolent Association police union President Ed Mullins. Mullins is quoted Wednesday in the New York Post lamenting that “If the current practice of making arrests for both possession and sale of marijuana is, in fact, abandoned, then this is clearly the beginning of the breakdown of a civilized society.”

The city’s apparent move to reduce the number of marijuana arrests comes soon after an October joint report of the Drug Policy Alliance and the Marijuana Arrest Research Project publicized that the number of marijuana possession arrests in New York City were on track to remain the same under de Blasio’s leadership, or even increase, compared to arrests under Michael Bloomberg, the preceding mayor.

Of course, the truth is that there is nothing civilized about arresting people and throwing them in jail for making the choice to use, buy, or sell marijuana. Such choices have been tolerated or accepted in much of the world for centuries and were legal under United States law for the majority of the nation’s history. US legal prohibitions and punishments were imposed in the 20th century, including with the enactment of laws such as the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 and marijuana’s inclusion in schedule one of Controlled Substances Act of 1970, thus applying the most expansive level of prohibition to actions involving the plant. In contrast, looking further back to the origins of the US, we find that Founding Fathers grew hemp on their farms, including George Washington at Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson at Monticello.

Continue reading at the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.

Ron Paul’s Take on the 2014 Midterm Elections

Former United States House of Representatives member and presidential candidate Ron Paul is not mincing words in presenting his take on the Tuesday midterm elections. Speaking with hosts Ben Swann and Erin Ade on RT, Paul argues that the US effectively has “a monopoly of a one party system” in which the candidate elections are not bringing about fundamental change. Yet, Paul does express hope that marijuana ballot measures approved by voters in the election are a sign of how respect for liberty may be advanced in America.

Continue reading at the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.

Alaska, DC, and Oregon Voters Legalize Marijuana

State and local governments continued going their own way on marijuana laws in elections Tuesday, with voters in the sates of Alaska and Oregon, along with United States capital city Washington, DC, approving ballot measures legalizing marijuana for recreational use. All three jurisdictions already had laws allowing medical marijuana use, while Alaska also already had legal recreational use but not legal sale of marijuana.

Also in the Tuesday elections, legalization of medical marijuana passed in the US territory of Guam and received a 58% majority vote in the state of Florida. The Florida ballot measure, however, did not pass because state law imposed a 60% supermajority vote requirement for victory.

Continue reading at the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity.