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The Office of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul
203 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2831

Texas Straight Talk - Ron Paul's Weekly Column
(Listed most recent first)
ATTENTION MEDIA:
A publication-quality .jpg file is
available for download.

2004

JUNE 2004
June 28, 2004 : Why Can't Congress Stop Spending?
June 21, 2004 : Zero Down for the American Dream
June 14, 2004 : Torture, War, and Presidential Powers
June 7, 2004 : Superpower or Superdebtor?

MAY 2004
May 31, 2004 : Freedom vs. Security: A False Choice
May 24, 2004 : The Great Foreign Aid Swindle
May 17, 2004 : The War on Drugs is a War on Doctors
May 10, 2004 : Passing the Buck in Iraq
May 3, 2004 : Free Market Medicine

APRIL 2004
April 26, 2004 : The Federal Reserve Debt Engine
April 19, 2004 : The Federal War on Pain Relief
April 12, 2004 : Whose Justice?
April 5, 2004 : LOST at Sea

MARCH 2004
March 29, 2004 : March (Budget) Madness
March 22, 2004 : Iraq One Year Later
March 15, 2004 : Congressional Indecency
March 8, 2004 : Inflation- Alive and Well
March 1, 2004 : Gay Marriage Quicksand

FEBRUARY 2004
February 23, 2004 : Greenspan's Black Magic
February 16, 2004 : A Wise Consistency for Liberty
February 9, 2004 : Congress Goes AWOL
February 2, 2004 : Spending and Lying

JANUARY 2004
January 26, 2004 : Congress Cannot Be Appointed
January 19, 2004 : Government and Marriage
January 12, 2004 : Amnesty and Culture
January 5, 2004 : Return of the Great Social Security Giveaway

2003

DECEMBER 2003
December 29, 2003 : Christmas in Secular America
December 22, 2003 : "Campaign Finance Reform" Muzzles Political Dissent
December 15, 2003 : Elusive Peace in the Middle East
December 8, 2003 : The Disappearing Dollar
December 1, 2003 : GOP Abandons Conservatives

NOVEMBER 2003
November 24, 2003 : Medicare Plunder
November 17, 2003 : Congress Grovels for the WTO
November 10, 2003 : Mistreating Soldiers and Veterans
November 3, 2003 : Economic Woes Begin at Home

OCTOBER 2003
October 27, 2003 : The Appropriations Process
October 20, 2003 : $20 Billion Giveaway Unjustified
October 13, 2003 : Lessons from the California Recall
October 6, 2003 : Paying Dearly for Free Prescription Drugs

SEPTEMBER 2003
September 29, 2003 : Your Money in Iraq
September 22, 2003 : Reject UN Gun Control
September 15, 2003 : War and Red Ink
September 8, 2003 : The Tyranny of Paper Money
September 1, 2003 : Can We Afford to Occupy Iraq?

AUGUST 2003
August 25, 2003 : Trust Us, We're the Government
August 18, 2003 : Look Outside Politics for Blackout Solution
August 11, 2003 : Federal Courts and the Imaginary Constitution
August 4, 2003 : Drug Reimportation Increases Medical Freedom

JULY 2003
July 28, 2003 : The Terrible Cost of Government
July 21, 2003 : Federal Reserve Inflation Punishes Saving
July 14, 2003 : What Happened to Conservatives?
July 7, 2003 : Independence from England, Dependence on Washington?

JUNE 2003
June 30, 2003 : HillaryCare, Republican Style
June 23, 2003 : Declining Dollar, Declining Fortunes
June 16, 2003 : Who Deserves a Tax Credit?
June 9, 2003 : The Unbearable Cost of Running Iraq
June 2, 2003 : The Federal Debt Spiral

MAY 2003
May 26, 2003 : The Federal Government Bully in State and Local Elections
May 19, 2003 : Border Tragedy Reveals Deeper Problems
May 12, 2003 : The Phony Tax Cut Debate
May 5, 2003 : So Much for Social Conservatism in Congress

APRIL 2003
April 28, 2003 : Keep the United Nations out of Iraq- and America
April 21, 2003 : Assault Weapons and Assaults on the Constitution
April 14, 2003 : Congress Exceeds its Credit Limit
April 7, 2003 : War Profiteers

MARCH 2003
March 31, 2003 : The Free-Market Approach to the Medical Malpractice Crisis
March 24, 2003 : Honor Veterans with a Better Budget
March 17, 2003 : Time to Renounce the United Nations?
March 10, 2003 : The Myth of War Prosperity
March 3, 2003 : The 2003 Spending Orgy

FEBRUARY 2003
February 24, 2003 : Buying Friends with Foreign Aid
February 17, 2003 : Counting on Social Security?
February 10, 2003 : Support the President's Tax-Free Savings Plan
February 3, 2003 : Welfare for the Left, Welfare for the Right, Welfare for the World

JANUARY 2003
January 27, 2003 : Government Policy and False Prosperity
January 20, 2003 : Tax Cuts and Class Wars
January 13, 2003 : Conscription is Collectivism
January 6, 2003 : The Great Global Social Security Giveaway?

2002

DECEMBER 2002
December 30, 2002 : Waning Prospects for Peace in 2003?
December 23, 2002 : What Really Divides Us?
December 16, 2002 : What Does Regime Change in Iraq Really Mean?
December 9, 2002 : Government Vaccines- Bad Policy, Bad Medicine
December 2, 2002 : Our Incoherent Foreign Policy Fuels Middle East Turmoil

NOVEMBER 2002
November 25, 2002 : Homeland Security is the Largest Federal Expansion in 50 Years
November 18, 2002 : The Homeland Security Monstrosity
November 11, 2002 : Honoring our Military Veterans
November 4, 2002 : Who Should Prosecute the Snipers?

OCTOBER 2002
October 28, 2002 : Snipers, Terror, and Gun Control
October 21, 2002 : Legislation for our Military Families and Veterans
October 14, 2002 : Why Won't Congress Declare War?
October 7, 2002 : Congress Becomes Irrelevant in the War Debate

SEPTEMBER 2002
September 30, 2002 : Dump UNESCO!
September 23, 2002 : Will We Bring bin Laden to Justice?
September 16, 2002 : Entangling Alliances Distort our Foreign Policy
September 9, 2002 : The Case against War in Iraq
September 3, 2002 : Important Questions about War in Iraq

AUGUST 2002
August 26, 2002 : War in Iraq, War on the Rule of Law?
August 19, 2002 : Does Government Run the Economy?
August 12, 2002 : Your Taxes Fund South American Bailout
August 05, 2002 : Will Congress Debate War with Iraq?

JULY 2002
July 29, 2002 : The Homeland Security Non-Debate
July 22, 2002 : Monitor thy Neighbor
July 15, 2002 : What About Government Accountability?
July 8, 2002 : Securing the Homeland?
July 1, 2002 : What does the First Amendment Really Mean?

JUNE 2002
June 24, 2002 : Imperial Transportation Bureaucrat Says Yes to Lavish Offices, No to Armed Pilots
June 17, 2002 : A Stay of Execution for the Death Tax
June 10, 2002 : Gold, Dollars, and Federal Reserve Mischief
June 3, 2002 : Congress Spends, Future Generations Pay the Bills

MAY 2002
May 27, 2002 : No Taxpayer Funds for Nation-Building in Afghanistan
May 20, 2002 : Federal Intelligence and Terrorism
May 13, 2002 : President Bush Delivers Victory over UN Court!
May 6, 2002 : Pilots vs. Bureaucrats

APRIL 2002
April 29, 2002 : Predictions for an Unwritten Future
April 22, 2002 : Are Your Taxes Too Low?
April 15, 2002 : Were the Founding Fathers Wrong about Foreign Affairs?
April 8, 2002 : A Court of No Authority
April 1, 2002 : American Foreign Policy and the Middle East Powder Keg

MARCH 2002
March 25, 2002 : UN Planting the Seeds for a Coming Global Tax
March 18, 2002 : Steel Tariffs are Taxes on American Consumers
March 11, 2002 : The Truth about Government Debt
March 4, 2002 : Before We Bomb Baghdad...

FEBRUARY 2002
February 25, 2002 : The Voucher Debate and the Failure of Public Education
February 18, 2002 : Don't Believe the Hype- "Campaign Finance Reform" Serves
Entrenched Interests
February 11, 2002 : Optimism or Pessimism for the Future of Liberty?
February 4, 2002 : Why Is There So Much Money In Politics?

JANUARY 2002
January 28, 2002 : Enron: Under-Regulated or Over-Subsidized?
January 21, 2002 : WTO Demands Change in U.S. Tax Laws
January 14, 2002 : Argentine Default and the IMF
January 7, 2002 : Sane and Sensible Immigration Policies in the Wake of September 11th

2001

DECEMBER 2001
December 31, 2001 : Peace and Prosperity in 2002?
December 24, 2001 : Stimulus or Spending?
December 17, 2001 : Enron, Bankruptcy, and Easy Credit
December 10, 2001 : Terrorism and the Expansion of Federal Power
December 3, 2001 : Military Tribunals Put Our Justice System on Trial

NOVEMBER 2001
November 26, 2001 : Can Freedom be Exchanged for Security?
November 19, 2001 : The Feds at the Airport
November 12, 2001 : Expansion of NATO is a Bad Idea
November 5, 2001 : U.S. Taxpayers send Billions to our Enemies in Afghanistan

OCTOBER 2001
October 29, 2001 : Business as Usual in Washington?
October 22, 2001 : U.S. Armed Forces Should Protect American Soil
October 15, 2001 : Effective and Practical Counter-Terrorism Measures
October 8, 2001 : America Retains its Sovereign Right to Respond to Attacks
October 1, 2001 : Why Leave Pilots Defenseless?

SEPTEMBER 2001
September 24, 2001 : What Should Government Do for the Airlines?
September 17, 2001 : Statement on the Congressional Authorization of the Use of Force
September 10, 2001 : Conflicts at the UN Conference on Racism
September 3, 2001 : The Fed Cannot Create Prosperity

AUGUST 2001
August 27, 2001 : Congressional Spending Threatens your Retirement
August 20, 2001 : What Happened to the Surplus?
August 13, 2001 : Legislation Needed to End the IRS Threat to Religious Freedom
August 6, 2001 : Government Cannot Mandate Solutions to Ethical Dilemmas

JULY 2001
July 30, 2001 : Free Trade Means No Tariffs and No Subsidies
July 23, 2001 : Congress Sends Billions Overseas
July 16, 2001 : UN Plans for Global Gun Control
July 9, 2001 : UN War Crimes Tribunal Cannot Create Peace
July 2, 2001 : "Patients Bill of Rights" or Federal Takeover of Medicine?

JUNE 2001
June 25, 2001 : End Trade Sanctions that Hurt Texas Farmers
June 18, 2001 : Medical Privacy Threatened by Federal Health Bureaucrats
June 11, 2001 : The Bush Tax Cut
June 4, 2001 : Religious Liberty Thwarted by the Supreme Court

MAY 2001
May 28, 2001 : The Federal Education Morass
May 21, 2001 : Don't Blame the Free Market for Energy Shortages
May 14, 2001 : The Deepening United Nations Quagmire
May 7, 2001 : The Case Against the Income Tax

APRIL 2001
April 30, 2001 : Respect for Life begins with Respect for the Constitutional Rule of Law
April 23, 2001 : Spy Plane Incident Shows a Need for New Policies
April 16, 2001 : Tax Day- A National Nightmare
April 9, 2001 : "Campaign Finance Reform" Serves Entrenched Interests in Washington
April 2, 2001 : Uncontrolled Spending Threatens Our Liberty

MARCH 2001
March 26, 2001 : The Fight for Medical Privacy Continues in Washington
March 19, 2001 : Economic Woes and the Federal Reserve
March 12, 2001 : Bush Tax Plan Only One Piece of the Tax Cut Puzzle
March 5, 2001 : Spy Scandal Reveals Deeper Problems with Federal Police Agencies

FEBRUARY 2001
February 26, 2001 : IRS Church Seizure is a Tragedy for Religious Liberty
February 19, 2001 : Tax Cuts Benefit All Americans
February 12, 2001 : "Buy American," Unless...
February 5, 2001 : Faith-Based Initiative Plan Poses Risks to Religious Organizations

JANUARY 2001
January 29, 2001 : Education Freedom Legislation Will Provide Meaningful Reform
January 22, 2001 : The Ashcroft Controversy Exposes Disdain for Conservative Principles
January 15, 2001 : Turn Out the Lights
January 8, 2001 : International Criminal Court is the Latest U.N. Outrage
January 1, 2001 : A Legislative Agenda for 2001

2000

DECEMBER 2000
December 25, 2000 : The Blessings of Liberty at Christmas
December 18, 2000 : The Bush Administration Must Honor its Commitment to Smaller Government
December 11, 2000 : A Republic, Not a Democracy
December 4, 2000 : Activist Courts Threaten Our Liberty

NOVEMBER 2000
November 27, 2000 : The Conflict Between Collectivism and Liberty is Reflected in the Presidential Election
November 20, 2000 : Our Foolish War in the Middle East
November 13, 2000 : The Electoral College Serves to Protect Liberty and Statehood
November 6, 2000 : The Appropriations Process Poses a Risk to American Taxpayers

OCTOBER 2000
October 30, 2000 : U.S. Congress Bows to WTO Mandate
October 23, 2000 : Government Poses the Greatest Threat to our Privacy
October 16, 2000 : Real Tax Reform Still Needed for Texas Families
October 9, 2000 : Drug Re-Importation Will Lower Prescription Drug Costs
October 2, 2000 : "Privatization" of Social Security Poses Risks

SEPTEMBER 2000
September 25, 2000 : Spending, Tax Cuts, or Debt Reduction?
September 18, 2000 : Congress Must Work for Seniors
September 11, 2000 : The Danger of Military Foreign Aid to Colombia
September 4, 2000 : Local Control is the Key to Education Reform

AUGUST 2000
August 28, 2000 : Reforming Social Security to Protect Present and Future Senior Citizens
August 21, 2000 : Help for Those with Terminal Illnesses
August 14, 2000 : Right to Privacy Too Often Overlooked
August 7, 2000 : Long and Short Term Solutions to the Rising Cost of Prescription Drugs

JULY 2000
July 31, 2000 : The Disturbing Trend Toward Federal Police
July 24, 2000 : Lower Taxes Encourage Saving for Retirement
July 17, 2000 : High Taxes Cause High Gas Prices
July 10, 2000 : Last-Minute Supplemental Spending is Dangerous and Unnecessary
July 3, 2000 : True Free Trade Benefits Texas Farmers

JUNE 2000
June 26, 2000 : EPA Regulations Threaten Texas
June 19, 2000 : A Big Win for Medical Privacy in Congress
June 12, 2000 : Repeal of Un-American "Death Tax" Passes House
June 5, 2000 : CARA: Environmental Protection or Destruction?

MAY 2000
May 29, 2000 : China Bill Is Not Free Trade
May 22, 2000 : Privacy Takes Center Stage
May 15, 2000 : Helping Cancer Patients and the Terminally Ill is a Moral Imperative
May 8, 2000 : Government Snoops Threaten Privacy
May 1, 2000 : The Cost of War

APRIL 2000
April 24, 2000 : Constitutional Rights Threatened
April 17, 2000 : Time To Get Serious With Big Government
April 10, 2000 : Classroom Excellence Depends on Quality Teachers
April 3, 2000 : Electoral Follies

MARCH 2000
March 27, 2000 : Answering the Middle Class Squeeze
March 20, 2000 : The World Trade Organization
March 13, 2000 : The Big Lie
March 6, 2000 : How Americans are Subsidizing Organized Crime in Russia

FEBRUARY 2000
February 28, 2000 : Sound Money Needed More Than Ever
February 21, 2000 : Repeal Earnings Limitation
February 14, 2000 : Keeping Promises about Social Security
February 7, 2000 : Medical Privacy Threatened

JANUARY 2000
January 31, 2000 : Relations with Russia
January 24, 2000 : Parental Control Key to Education Reform
January 17, 2000 : Greenspan Nominated to a Fourth Term
January 10, 2000 : The New Year
January 3, 2000 : The Year Ahead

1999

DECEMBER 1999
December 27, 1999 : Overall Review
December 20, 1999 : Cosponsored Bills
December 13, 1999 : International Protectionism
December 6, 1999 : Floor Votes Reviewed

NOVEMBER 1999
November 29, 1999 : Taking the Next Step
November 22, 1999 : This Year's Successes
November 15, 1999 : Budget Standoff Continues
November 8, 1999 : Time to Change Priorities
November 1, 1999 : History Repeats Itself, So Let's Repeat History

OCTOBER 1999
October 25, 1999 : In search of a cause
October 18, 1999 : Best medicine is liberty
October 11, 1999 : Dangerous to our health
October 4, 1999 : Confused priorities

SEPTEMBER 1999
September 27, 1999 : 'Say no to high taxes and spending'
September 20, 1999 : Punishing accidents, ignoring murder
September 13, 1999 : Regulating gridiron prayer
September 6, 1999 : Waco: The smoking gun

AUGUST 1999
August 23, 1999 : Draft not needed for protection of liberty
August 16, 1999 : A flood of bills of rights
August 9, 1999 : Legalized theft
August 2, 1999 : Restricting the Executive Orders

JULY 1999
July 26, 1999 : Reducing the tax reduction
July 19, 1999 : Lavish pay and benefits have no merit
July 12, 1999 : Campaign reform misses target
July 5, 1999 : A new declaration: more liberty, fewer taxes

JUNE 1999
June 28, 1999 : Flag Amendment is a reckless solution
June 21, 1999 : Let liberty ring loudly
June 14, 1999 : Tragedy begets tragedy
June 7, 1999 : Free trade makes sense

MAY 1999
May 31, 1999 : China is only winner in scandals
May 24, 1999 : Post Office stamps out privacy
May 17, 1999 : Going from bad to worse
May 10, 1999 : Parents, teachers need freedom
May 3, 1999 : The war that isn't a war

APRIL 1999
April 26, 1999 : 'Must-Carry' must be dropped
April 19, 1999 : Rein-in the President
April 12, 1999 : Get to know your banker
April 5, 1999 : Playing with matches in the powder keg

MARCH 1999
March 29, 1999 : Burning bridges
March 22, 1999 : Free trade rhetoric often obscures agenda
March 15, 1999 : Contentious debate produces rubber-stamp of Kosovo
March 8, 1999 : Victory should be call to action
March 1, 1999 : Phase-in of tax cuts make code more complex

FEBRUARY 1999
February 22, 1999 : The Big Lie
February 15, 1999 : Stopping the President's New Little War
February 8, 1999 : A right to network TV?
February 1, 1999 : Orwellian rules face major opposition

JANUARY 1999
January 25, 1999 : A New Pandora's Box
January 18, 1999 : Stopping the Surveillance State
January 11, 1999 : Protecting integrity of Social Security
January 4, 1999 : Federal government needs to step out of education

1998

DECEMBER 1998
December 28, 1998 : Embargoes most destructive at home
December 21, 1998 : Unconstitutional wars gravest of crimes
December 14, 1998 : Medical costs can be cut with freedom
December 7, 1998 : Free speech is good medicine

NOVEMBER 1998
November 30, 1998 : Privacy Busters: Big Bank is watching
November 23, 1998 : Schizophrenic foreign policy leads to problems
November 16, 1998 : Wrong debate in House 'leadership' race
November 9, 1998 : Privacy tops agenda
November 2, 1998 : Middle East peace: déjà vu all over again

OCTOBER 1998
October 26, 1998 : The Ominous Budget Deal
October 19, 1998 : Economic crisis looms
October 12, 1998 : Tax measure provides income averaging
October 5, 1998 : Tax measure includes version of Paul legislation

SEPTEMBER 1998
September 28, 1998 : For sake of Rule of Law, Congress must proceed
September 21, 1998 : The problem is the currency
September 14, 1998 : Inconsistency must be addressed
September 7, 1998 : 'High crimes and misdemeanors'

AUGUST 1998
August 31, 1998 : Taxpayer cash flowing again to non-citizens
August 24, 1998 : "Wagging" imperialism as bad as the Dog
August 17, 1998 : Deceptive economic euphoria
August 10, 1998 : MSAs best option for better health care
August 3, 1998 : Washington 'solutions' to voter frustration are dangerous

JULY 1998
July 27, 1998 : Right to work must be free of coercion
July 20, 1998 : Integrity of Social Security Number must be maintained
July 13, 1998 : Paul legislation will stop national ID card
July 6, 1998 : Respect for property rights necessary for freedom

JUNE 1998
June 29, 1998 : After 222 years liberty must still be our goal
June 22, 1998 : Trade, not aid or isolation, should be US foreign policy
June 15, 1998 : Campaign reform should encourage choice
June 8, 1998 : Religious freedom found in following Constitution
June 1, 1998 : Constituent service is most important function

MAY 1998
May 25, 1998 : Asian economic crisis result of suppressed liberty
May 18, 1998 : Federalization of crime contrary to Constitution
May 11, 1998 : Is it freedom from religious persecution?
May 4, 1998 : Liberty must be our goal

APRIL 1998
April 27, 1998 : No such thing as a free (government) needle
April 20, 1998 : Giving power to parents is truly pro-education
April 13, 1998 : Proposed tobacco deal undermines personal responsibility
April 6, 1998 : Congressional action weakens national defense

MARCH 1998
March 30, 1998 : Methods employed by Congress as bad as the legislation
March 23, 1998 : Security of the people's liberty at risk
March 16, 1998 : US should stop meddling in foreign wars
March 9, 1998 : Block grants are not the answer
March 2, 1998 : Never sacrifice liberty for "campaign reform"

FEBRUARY 1998
February 23, 1998 : Fighting for liberty takes place in Washington and in the district
February 16, 1998 : US must not trample Constitution to attack Iraq
February 9, 1998 : National testing averted, but education woes still unresolved
February 2, 1998 : Bombing Iraq lacks support, common sense and constitutional base

JANUARY 1998
January 26, 1998 : Abortion and National Sovereignty: No Compromises
January 19, 1998 : Government prescription for health is bad medicine
January 12, 1998 : Emotion should never dictate policy
January 5, 1998 : 1998 is a new chance to change government for better

1997

DECEMBER 1997
December 29, 1997 -- President opts to use taxpayer fund to bailout wealthy investors
December 22, 1997 -- President must withdraw troops from Bosnia
December 15, 1997 -- Kyoto treaty disregards science for a radical anti-American agenda
December 8, 1997 -- Taxes and regulations will never lead to prosperity
December 1, 1997 -- Congress '97: more taxes, more spending, more big-government

NOVEMBER 1997
November 24, 1997 -- Neutrality and dialogue, not intervention, will secure peace
November 17, 1997 -- Congress has finished for the year, but fast-track is not dead
November 10, 1997 -- Communist China shouldn't be financed by US
November 3, 1997 -- IRS reform is big news, but "fast-track" bill attacks the Constitution

OCTOBER 1997
October 27, 1997 -- By Any Other Name, A Tax Is Still A Tax
October 20, 1997 -- Gun Control? Disarm The Bureaucrats!
October 13, 1997 -- FDA bill no reform: proves Congress still the same
October 6, 1997 -- US shouldn't cast stones with Religious Persecution

SEPTEMBER 1997
September 29, 1997 -- Congress continues to ignore Constitution in the appropriations process
September 22, 1997 -- Out-of-touch Congress needs to abolish IRS, not increase it
September 15, 1997 -- If someone accepts federal cash, then they must follow rules taxpayers set and deserve
September 8, 1997 -- Congress to tackle Education budget this week
September 1, 1997 -- Constitution must always be considered

AUGUST 1997
August 25, 1997 -- Paul's legislation focuses on individual liberty
August 18, 1997 -- Line-Item Veto violates separation of powers, threatens America's constitutional form of government


(Prior to August 18, 1997, Texas Straight Talk was issued monthly.)
July 20, 1997-- Parents must have control of education
June 20, 1997-- The China Syndrome: Let's not be hasty with a prescription
May 20, 1997-- A Balanced Budget by 2002? Don't bank on it…
April 20, 1997-- Fear of IRS misplaced, real problem is the system
March 20, 1997-- The worst day of the year
February 20, 1997-- Trust funds are being robbed, hundreds of billions at stake
January 20, 1997-- Fiscal Responsibility: Balance the budget but don't raise taxes or cook the books
December 20, 1996-- Offices will provide service to all parts of district