Freedom Under Siege - The U.S. Constitution After 200 Years - by Ron Paul 1987

Every American who cares about liberty owes a debt to Ron Paul. From his first
run for Congress in 1974 through his gallant try for the Senate in 1984 to his
present campaign as Presidential candidate of the Libertarian Party, Ron Paul has
been an outstanding leader for freedom.
I had the privilege of working as Dr. Paul's chief of staff in Washington. And in
the often corrupt and always superficial city of Washington, D.C., he was a beacon
of honesty and decency.
Even the advocates of big government came grudgingly to recognize him as the
man they couldn't sway, the man they couldn't buy. His only concerns were
freedom, peace, the Constitution, and honest money, and these same ideals animate
his latest book.
Naturally, the criminals who want your tax dollars in their pockets found Ron Paul
hard to deal with. Devotion to principle is not the engine of Capitol Hill. The back-
slapping, vote-trading politicians and lobbyists felt uncomfortable around Ron
Paul, almost as though their shirt collars were too tight.
Greatness is often lonely, and it is never easy to oppose colleagues or the statist
special interests who wanted Ron Paul to act as their errand boy to the Treasury.
They were all amazed, and then aghast, at his refusal to play their game.
New Congressmen are always advised, in shady Sam Rayburn's words, "To get
along, go along." They're told: "Don't make waves. Vote for the other guy's
spending and he'll vote for yours. Do as you're told and you'll be taken care of."
How easy to become part of the system, and reap the rewards of power.

INTRODUCTION

The People's Manners Are Now Corrupt

Two hundred years ago the United States Constitution was written as a guide
for America's unique experiment in freedom. Today the free society that the Founders
envisaged is barely identifiable.
America is no longer a bastion of freedom. prevailing ideology, grounded in
economic ignorance and careless disregard for individual liberty, is nurtured by a
multitude of self-serving, power-seeking politicians spouting platitudes of compassion
for the poor who are created by their own philosophy. Reelection is paramount in the
minds of most of those who represent us, while freedom and constitutional restraint of
power are considered old-fashioned and unwise.
The feeling of frustration prevalent in the country today is certainly
understandable. Government is so big and the bureaucracy so cumbersome that the
average person has little to say about his economic destiny unless he resorts to the
underground economy. In a free society, of course, individual initiative and ability are
the principle factors in determining one's economic well-being.
Not surprisingly, half of the people don't register to vote and less than half of
those who do rarely vote. When permitted on the ballot, "None Of The Above" is the
most attractive candidate.
Something certainly has gone wrong. The role of government and the people's
attitude toward government have changed dramatically since 1787, with most of the
changes occurring in the twentieth century. It appears that we are in the waning days
of the American Republic.