Post by PapaSmurerf on Nov 18, 2007 18:32:33 GMT -5
www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/doherty.asp
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_J._Doherty
New Jersey legislator speaks out on why he endorsed Ron Paul
Larry Fester - USA Daily
Published 11/18/2007 - 12:44 p.m. EST
Last weekend New Jersey Assemblyman Michael J. Doherty (R) spoke for 10 minutes while endorsing and introducing Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul to a crowd of 5,000 people.
We caught up with the assemblyman to find out why?
Question: Assemblyman Doherty, last weekend you stood before 5,000 people at a rally in Philadelphia and endorsed Ron Paul for president. Most of your fellow Republicans have endorsed Rudy Giuliani. Why did you endorse Ron Paul for president?
I see our country at a crossroads and believe we have to make some significant changes. Our monetary policy is a disaster. If we do not take a new approach, the United States government will eventually be bankrupt. The inflationary result of our irresponsible monetary policy is eroding the savings of each and every American. Ron Paul is the only candidate who is addressing this significant issue.
Question: Ron Paul seems to be getting more support than any other candidate from either party from members of the military. You’re also a West Point graduate and a veteran. Can you explain what it is about Ron Paul’s foreign policy that attracts such strong support from members of the military?
I believe that members of our military recognize that our forces are not unlimited, and that the current policy of deployment in 130 different countries is not a sound military policy to provide an adequate defense to our country. I have three sons serving in the military, and I know that each joined to protect the United States, not to serve as a police force to prop up a foreign government. Ron Paul embraces the position that you do not deploy the military without a declaration of war as the Constitution requires. I strongly agree with that position.
Question: Ron Paul has linked foreign policy to economic policy. Is his assertion that the current U.S. foreign policy is bankrupting America correct?
Military action is very expensive, and history provides many examples of countries that first overextended militarily, and then failed economically. Much of the deficit spending in our budget can be linked to military expense. The United States can remain a major force militarily at a significantly reduced cost if we bring most of our troops home. Why are we still defending Europe or Korea?
Question: Ron Paul has also linked national security to border security. What do you think poses a greater threat to citizens of this country, an Iranian missile or a terrorist crossing the borders of the U.S.?
Our exposed flank clearly is our open borders. I’m fearful that the seeds of terrorism already have been sown inside the United States due to the federal government's failure to defend our borders. A far better use of our troops would be to enhance border security, and provide a viable “ready response capability” within our borders.
Question: Since many of the terrorist on 911 were here illegally, was Giuliani’s alleged record of providing sanctuary to illegal aliens prior to 911 a red flag to you?
Immigration is a fundamental part of our heritage. When governmental officials such as Mr. Giuliani condone illegal immigrants entering and living in the United States, I don’t just see one red flag but many of them!
Question: You’ve told USA Daily that monetary policy was also a reason for supporting Ron Paul. Can you elaborate?
Federal Reserve monetary policy has been a dismal failure. We have watched the value of the dollar plummet due to the uncontrolled dollar creation by the Fed. Inflation is a parasitic device that destroys the savings of individuals by eroding the purchasing power of their savings. With gold having recently been traded at over $800 per ounce, it becomes apparent that the purchasing power of Federal Reserve Notes has been nearly destroyed. Ron Paul has challenged the Fed’s inflationary policy for years in Congress, and has repeated that the Constitutional protection of money based on gold and silver must be reestablished to protect the savings of individuals and the security of our country.
Question: Ron Paul supports eliminating federal income taxes. What impact do you think that will have on the economy at large?
The inequity of income taxes ties in directly with the insidious properties of inflation. The progressive aspects of the income tax have begun to confiscate the wealth of the middle class. This becomes even more of a problem when the tax brackets are not adjusted for inflation. The escalation of tax rates for the middle class and the erosion of the value of savings are directly attributable to the bad policies of the Federal Reserve.
Question: Ron Paul has made freedom and the defense of the Bill of Rights a centerpiece of his campaign. Are our Constitutional liberties under threat?
Constitutional rights have been threatened since the words were first written on the document. Our forefathers warned that they were giving us a republic, and that it would be our task to see if we could keep it. Opportunists who want to go around constitutional protections are nothing new, but the voices challenging the tyrants had become quite muted until Ron Paul stepped into the picture.
Question: Ron Paul seems to have become the driving force in this election season. He is unique in that he doesn’t polarize people and seems to draw support from across the political spectrum. Have you ever seen anything like this before?
The Ron Paul phenomenon is what the founders had in mind. The beauty of our constitution is that through freedom each is allowed to develop as they please. The command form of government that our federal behemoth has become has stifled that philosophy, and when people come to recognize that they can achieve more on their own initiative than they can with the “assistance” of government, there is an energy that is created that both the liberals and the conservatives gravitate towards.
Question: Assemblyman Doherty, we understand that you also have a record of fighting taxes and have never voted for a tax increase. Is it true that a NJ judge almost threw you in jail for refusing to raise taxes and increase spending? Can you tell us what happened? Did you back down?
It is true that I experienced a showdown with a judge here in New Jersey. The issue was whether an elected official could be forced by unelected officials, or an unelected judge, to bond for a project that would increase taxes. I did not back down, and although there was a jail cell prepared with my name on it, the Court ultimately respected that the elected official is the ultimate authority in this country. I believe that in the end, if elected officials demonstrated the courage that Ron Paul has, we could easily return to the principles that our founders had in mind when they drafted the Constitution of the United States.
Question: New Jersey is known for being corrupt but recently your governor has decided to ignore the will of the people in a referendum and move forward with a bond to fund stem cell research. Isn’t that blatantly illegal? Will the legislature act to impeach the governor?
The stem cell bonding scheme was clearly rejected by the voters, and sent a clear message to the Governor that his Wall Street financial deals won’t fly in New Jersey. Governor Corzine found out that the voters can see through the smoke and mirrors and refuse to follow his suggestions. Impeachment is a strong action, and the voters scuttled the plan before it got off the ground. We have to stay focused. I believe that many issues are just thrown out to cause division and distract the citizens from the real issues. I see many people trying to smear with racial accusations and claims on matters that become somewhat trivial when we consider that many of our current policies hold the potential to destroy the American way of life as we know it. Intolerant individuals who demand that Ron Paul criticize his supporters for their personal views provide yet another example of such diversionary tactics. A person who holds distasteful views to some, that supports Ron Paul’s views on a sound currency and non-interventionist foreign policy, should not be the focus of the Paul campaign’s energy. Paul’s adversaries will begin to try desperate moves to discredit him in any way they can so they can cause him to become defensive. I hope Ron Paul does not fall prey to their traps.
Question: There are rumors that you may run for governor or even U.S. Senate. Has Mike Doherty ruled out the possibility of seeking a statewide office?
In the field of politics, one never rules out anything. Right now my focus is to represent my constituents to the best of my ability, and to do what I can to keep our country under the control of our constitution. If that defense of the “rule of law” presents me the opportunity to lead in an office that is higher than the one that I now hold, I will examine that prospect and proceed in a manner that I perceive is best for me, my family, and the people that have elected me to public office.
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