Ron Paul speaks at Iowa GOP Straw Poll

Below are notes from Ron Paul’s speech at the Straw Poll:

There is a ONE campaign commercial playing over the sound system, but the Ron Paul backers are now chanting in advance of his appearance.  Bono is speaking, via videotape, but I cannot hear him.  I can hear the drum one of the Paul people brought in the arena.  The emcee is trying to get the Paul people to pipe down now, but then decides to just read the introduction over their cheers.

He’s delivered more than 4000 babies in his career as an OB/GYN…here’s Ron Paul….she says.

The chanting echoes through the hall. 

"What a delight and thank you for that very healthy, energetic welcoming," he starts.  "Our campaign is all about freedom, prosperity and peace." Crowd applauds.

"The one thing we have to remember is that you cannot have freedom without life…that means the unborn as well," he continues.

"As an OB doctor….I can assure you that life begins at conception,"  Paul says. 

"There is no reason that this government can’t protect life rather than the destruction of life, like they do when they finance abortion…that has to stop…..(reverse Roe v Wade, which he called horrible)."

"I am an advocate, a very strong advocate of following very strictly the rule of law, the constitution of the United States," he says.  More cheers.  "…to protect the liberties of each and every one of us."

Paul is wearing a green striped tie with his suit.

"We are now overreached and we have been weakened….there has to be a better understanding of the cause of terrorism….I think 9/11 could have been prevented if we had had a lot more respect for the 2nd amendment."

"If you look at every single problem we’re facing today…the answers can be found in the rule of law and the strict interpretation of the constitution," he said.  Crowd applauds.

"One of the most important choices that we should have…is the freedom of choice to educatie our children…to make sure that home schoolers are never attacked by our govt….but where are we today?  How many years has it been since the Republican party stood for getting rid of the Dept of Ed?"

"…The founders would be ashamed of us for what we’re putting up with," he adds.

Next, his endorsement of Fair Tax.

"The neoconservatives have taken over…and they do not have the respect for our national borders that we should….we have deferred too much to the United Nations….(plus to NAFTA, World Bank, etc)…We should never reward illegal immigration," Paul said.

Revisit birthright citizenship, he says. Welfare should be denied for illegal immigrants.

"We have a chance to do something in this election….we have financed the warfare state and the welfare state by overtaxing and overborrowing….which is destroying our monetary system," he says.

Talks about shaky financial markets. 

"We got into this mess because we’ve got a bunch of politicians in Washington who like power…It’s not going to play anymore because the country is going bankrupt," he said.  Boos when he says we’re borrowing money from the Chinese.

Calls for a "reassessment of what we believe in."

"We were not meant to be the policeman of the world," Paul said , to applause.  "We are now spending for all out activities around the world close to a trillion dollars a year."

Mentions bridge in Minneapolis.  "You pay to go bomb bridges in Iraq and…our bridges are falling down here," he said.

Let young people out of Social Security if they want.

"We do not need more money in Washington….but above all we need faith in ourselves…We have lost our way."

National ID card — gets boos.

"Most of the presidential candidates want to do things for you….I do not want to run your life, your family or your religious beliefs.  I’m not going to run the economy.  I’m not going to police the world….Join us in the great campaign for freedom and liberty."

Cue the music.  And chanting.  Paul is leaving the stage.