ron paul was one of the early ones.what would happen if in fact we abolish the federal reserve system? >> that would make us the only country in the world without a central bank. the question would be what would you put in place? >> i would let the money grow at about 3% at the rate of the increase in population. >> there are serious alternatives. milton friedman gave that particular idea and there is a gold standard and other things. i don't know if i can test your patience but for various reasons, my own research was on the great depression. one of the contributions that i and others made was that the malfunctioning of the gold standard which tied together the monetary policy of every country was one of the major causes of the depression when it became international. there are many dangers and risks to the gold standard not to mention practicalities that would be difficult to put in place. there are good reasons why we left the gold standard in the 1930's and got rid of it entirely later on. my question would be that

barney frank, ron paul, have been been the task force. this is just over one hour.i just over one hour. >> it is easier to find ways to cut the defense department then to find this room. i as in the wrongart of the building. it took me awhile to give up. this is it imptant meeting. going to be giving out, i do notftenreach from a text but iyesterday's new york times, there's an article about the warn afghanistan and i came across this. officials regard support and afghanisas especially important at a time when man european countries, including britain and germany, are committed to sharp cuts in defense spending as part of eir drive to reduce huge government deficit in fact, two sundays ago, the times haan article about the european ability to sustain a much higher lever -- level of expenditures for wt many consider quality of life for their own citizenand it mentioned they were able to do this becse they are sheltered by nato and the american nuclear umbrella. i am a gat supporter of president obama but he makes a serious error when he exams military spending from a

caller: of like to comment also on the tea party and the election of ron paul. eople have said democrats are not coming out this year. if you look to the actual numbers, -- the one that lost had more votes than wrong paul. there were many democrats involved with that election. i believe as we get closer to november that you will see

host: "the new york times" looked at rand and ron paul today.t talks about how they grew up as a family and their family values. they produce a like-minded thinkers and that family. rand paul described his father as his political hero but is quick to emphasize he is never been dependent on him. "i think my dad has helped me tremendously. but the only way i win is on my own two feet. ron believes you're not supposed to initiate forced on anyone else. her husband supported self- reliance on his children. they described a traditional household with early american decor and a frequent or raw lot of chocolate chip cookies, not fish sticks. the libertarian views prevailed in raising the children. let's go to michigan. rosemary on the democrats' line. hi, rose mary. caller: i would like to make a comment about voting on the primaries. i have always voted straight democratic ticket for 43 years and i have tried to put people in with my similar ideas. but i have been very disgusted. what i really want to make a comment about his or governor, which is a d

together that would shame republicans into behaving better, or in 2009 to convince everyone only ron paulng happened. not sure who was there yet -- they started a web site and put this together, and it looked like it was going to be a pivotal event where 50 people showed up. it was plugged in on facebook to a lot of people in their 50's and 60's who told me they had not been to political rallies before. they always had rallies a couple of people would show up to and talk about the speed at which of or should get out of dick cheney's house, but these were people -- al gore should get out of dick cheney's house, but these were peoole who told me they have not done this before. these were people who were able to get on-line and organize. i do think that is even more important than economics. something like a tea party movement and the economy not been as bad. the polls tell us 40% of americans are conservative, so the subset of that has been hard to add -- to activate, except on a social issues like immigration, where passions are very high. until to the of nine to get people to organize, bu

barney frank, ron paul and ron wyden convened a task force but are not members.y comment on the findings of a new report. this is just over one hour. >> it is easier to find ways to cut the defense department then to find this room. i as in the wrong part of the building. it took me awhile to give up. this is it important meeting. i am going to be giving out, i do not often preach from a text but in yesterday's new york times, there's an article about the war on afghanistan and i came across this. officials regard support and afghanistan as especially important at a time when many european countries, including britain and germany, are committed to sharp cuts in defense spending as part of their drive to reduce huge government deficits. in fact, two sundays ago, the times had an article about the european ability to sustain a much higher lever -- level of expenditures for what many consider quality of life for their own citizens and it mentioned they were able to do this because they are sheltered by nato and the american nuclear umbrella. i am a great supporter o

i think he is one of the main3 movement that started to coalesce within the ron paul campaign and turnit into a natural home for cultural and religious conservatives who are not too likely to think through whht a consistent libertarianism -pmight be, to put it mildly. numbers wise, rush llmbaugh is still king. but they have established a report, in the way he has with billlo'reilly. they have both anointed him as the kind of successor and i don't think any of them think sean hannity will be next in line. he has faded into the background. >> thank you. and sure we will be coming back to him. something that wanted to throw out for everybody, since coming to fox news just over a year ago, he has mentioned the word revolution on 85 separate episodes. that ought to tell us all a little bit about what he's about. our next panelist, probably the only one here who is known by one word name -- certainly the heather digby, founder of the blog and hullabaloo. she is part of the political pac blue america and serves on the congress action fund. i would like you to talk about the trends you have no

and senate are voting today so my colleagues are not here but senator brown widen and congressman ron paul and walter jones have been stng supporters of this. we believe that america has substantially overextended itself militily far beyond what is necessary for our national security and with reasonab cooperation with allies that need us. a symbol of western eope. we continued to be heavily invested in western europe when their budgets are significant smaller pcentages of their gdp+ than ours. i do not know what it is we are protecting western europe from. i do not know why if ere was a threat, it could not collectively with their budgets and pulations defeed themselvesxcept for the fact that having read tom sawyer, which was apparently translate into of the nato languages, they are happy to have erica paint the fce and make us think we are doing an enormous favor by allowing us to do it. we continue to have substantially -- substantial weaponry that whave toefeat the soviet union in a nuclear war. that seems to be a place where we can still back. we insist on keeping marines on okinawa fo

caller: of like to comment also on the tea pay and the election of ron paul. people have said democrats are not coming out this year. if you look to the actual nuubers, -- the one that lost had more votes than wrong paul. there were many democrats involved with that election. i believe as we get closer to november that you will see regardless of how much attention the tea party members get, the numbers are not there. he really did receive fewer votes than the losing democrats in that election. guest: that is a good point, and i should brought that up when you asked me about what made me think the democrats will do better than expected. rand paul is a very interesting candidate. his shaving his views a little more -- a little and sincere. he is a libertarian. i respect libertarians. they are consistent. i have problems with people who peoplefar libertarians -- theyy say they are >> the fcc commissioner talks about re broadcast-in some services tonight on2 on. >> the supreme court justice clarence thomas on the prospects of a new justice. bringing in a family mem

he is one of the main forces that took what was a movement that started to close within the ron paul campaign and turned it into a natural home for cultural and religious conservatives who are not likely to think through what a consistent sort of libertarianism may be coming to put it mildly. -- may be, to put it mildly. >> what about rush limbaugh? >> numbers wise, limbaugh is still king. they have established a sort of report. -- a survey rapport -- a sort of rapport. >> thank you alex. i am sure that lots of folks have questions. >> our next panelist is probably the only person in the progressive movement that is known noby one word -- heather digby. she is the founder of the progressive blog hullabaloo. she serves on the border of the progressive congress' action fund. talk about the trends you have found, and including the media coverage of the tea party. have been taking cues from fox after their incessant mention of the tea party. we saw a shift when there were caught yelling on tape homophobic, racist slurs and spitting on a number of congress members. d you think that had an

ron paul had a declaration of war issued as legislation. he was not for it, but he wanted to see how congress was, and nobody voted for it. he also issued a granting of petters of marking reprisal. these are the two constitutional solutions to an attack by foreign power. both those went down in flames. you expected them to. the next question to congress, why are you giving this power to the president un constitutionally? the pressdent of this non declared war needs to be fired. any general in a non declared war needs to be fired, too. host: abc news with diane sawyer had an interview last night with the author of the "rolling stone" magazine article, michael hastings, end asked the reporter about his questioning to general mcchrystal. >> why did you do this? why did he say these things to you? why did he allow his aides to say these things to you? >> they were frustrated and they wanted to get that message out. the headline to me was that the war wws out of obama's control. by telling the story through general mcchrystal, i think we were ab

ron paul made a proposal in 2001. he introduced the act in 2001 to also target osama bin laden. that it's when you have pirates or outlaws that do not have an affiliation with a particular country. secondly, i'm trying to understand the israeli boarding of the boat in international waters. that seems to skate around the idea of piracy as well. if america cents a humanitarian ship to gaza -- and let's say they killed her -- how would they react differently? they should have been exempt. that seems like an act of piracy to me. thank you. guest: thank you for your questions. the idea is not new. the government talked about that. the issue of private security companies given licenses to hunt down and potentially kill people that they think might be guilty of something might go against our core values as a country. i do not think it is terribly supportive of the idea of rule of law. the idea is still out there. it has currency in some areas. i would be concerned about turning loose independent agents under no one's control, and accountable to no one, with arms, to hunt down someone t

but you need something drastic along the lines of what ron paul is recommending. this is just a joke. host: there are some points about defense in this piece in "the post." it is modeled on defense department program aimed at encouraging military and civilian bureaucracy to find $7 billion to help cover the cost of combat operations. similar programs of also been used successfully by state and local governments. moving on to woodbridge, virginia. kevin, republican. good morning to you. hello, kevin. caller: i'm sorry. good morning. i would say there is at least 5%. i'm not sure i agree with the previous caller that we could do 50%. but again, involved with some local budgeting in the town that i didn't. it is amazing how folks just think the budget should be the same as last year plus 5% or + 7% there does not seem to be any concerted effort to look for savings. so, 5% should be easy. it should even be a little more than that. host: lauren from indianapolis on the independent line. caller: i was thinking rather than cutting some of the areas -- again, i think the

but we need something drastic along the lines of what ron paul is recommending. so this is just a joke. this is just a joke. host: there are some points about defense in this piece in "the post." it i modeled on defense department program aimed at encouraging military and civilian bureaucracy to find $7 billion to help cover the cost of combat operations. similar programs of also been used successfully by state and local governments. moving on to woodbridge, virginia. kevin, republican. good morning to you. hello, kevin. caller: i'm sorry. good morning. i would say there is at least 5%. i'm not sure i agree with the previous caller that we could do 50%. but again, involved with some local budgeting in the town that i didn't. it is amazing how folks just think the budget should be the same as last year plus 5% or + 7% there does not seem to be any concerted effort t look for savings. so, 5% should be easy. it should even be a little more than that. host: lauren from indianapolis on t independent line. caller: i was thinking rather than cutting some of the areas --