Is America a Police State – Ron Paul

Congressman Ron Paul (R) Texas

Congressman Ron Paul of Texas, presented a speech to Congress on June 27, 2002, titled “Is America a Police State?”

In the speech, the congressman admits that the the “vast majority of Americans” would not agree that we are living in a police state and most would trade freedom for security. We no longer live in a nation of freedom and liberty, but we live in a nation where we are watched and monitored to catch us in wrong doing. When caught for violating a law, whether inadvertently or not, the punishment is “denying disobedient citizens such things as jobs or places to live, and by levying fines and imprisonment.”

Congressman Paul makes several observations about the our situation that include monitoring, information gathering, unreasonable search and seizure and public officials carrying weapons. Some quotes from the speech are included below:

• “Our government already keeps close tabs on just about everything we do and requires official permission for nearly all of our activities.”
• “Because government pays for much of our health care, it’s conveniently argued that any habits or risk-taking that could harm one’s health are the prerogative of the federal government, and are to be regulated by explicit rules to keep medical-care costs down. This same argument is used to require helmets for riding motorcycles and bikes.”
• “Not only do we need a license to drive, but we also need special belts, bags, buzzers, seats and environmentally dictated speed limits- or a policemen will be pulling us over to levy a fine, and he will be toting a gun for sure.”
• “Over 80,000 federal bureaucrats now carry guns to make us toe the line and to enforce the thousands of laws and tens of thousands of regulations that no one can possibly understand. We don’t see the guns, but we all know they’re there, and we all know we can’t fight “City Hall,” especially if it’s “Uncle Sam.””
• “All our financial activities are subject to “legal” searches without warrants and without probable cause.”

Congressman Paul closes the speech with:

• “Mr. Speaker, what, then, is the answer to the question: “Is America a Police State?” My answer is: “Maybe not yet, but it is fast approaching.” The seeds have been sown and many of our basic protections against tyranny have been and are constantly being undermined.”

Full text: Is America a Police State – Congressman Ron Paul, Texas.

Update: Police State USA