Reason: Ron Paul Launches Foreign Policy Institute

[sailingaway]

Today, the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity (a project of Paul's Foundation for Rational Economics and Education) was launched at an event in Washington D.C. The institute will be run by Paul’s former congressional foreign policy aide Daniel McAdams, who was among the speakers. Other speakers at the event included Ron Paul as well as Rep. Walter Jones, Jr. (R-N.C.), Rep. John Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.), and former Rep. Dennis Kucinich, who are all members of the institute’s board of advisors. Lew Rockwell, Andrew Napolitano, and former Ambassador Faith Whittlesey did not speak at the event but are on the institute's board of advisors. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who is not on the board of advisors of the institute, also spoke at the event.

At today’s event McAdams framed the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity as a continuation of Ron Paul’s non-interventionism and civil libertarianism. The institute will focus on educating people of the principles of a non-interventionist foreign policy and the importance of civil liberties by offering a number of programs such as a summer school and a series of seminars and featuring a blog that will host timely commentary on foreign policy and civil liberties. The website will also feature a “Peace and Prosperity Index” that will grade members of Congress based on votes casts on bills that affect foreign policy and civil liberties.

Rep. Jones spoke early on at the event and mentioned how much he regrets that he voted for the war in Iraq and lamented that war is accepted but not debated in Congress. Former Congressman Kucinich said, “…this institute has so much importance because it will provide a place for people to gather from across the political spectrum so that we can as Americans address our commons concerns about freedom, about peace, about prosperity and in doing so help to rescue our country from a trajectory that it’s own right now that can only lead to our destruction.” Rep. Duncan told of how he was called to the White House before the most recent war in Iraq to meet with Condoleezza Rice, George Tenet, and John McLaughlin who tried to convince Duncan of how dangerous Saddam Hussein was despite not having any evidence of an imminent threat. Rep. Massie described the first time he voted against the party (something Ron Paul did plenty of times) and how a staffer of the leadership told him, “We are not whipping this bill today so you can vote how you want.”

more at link
http://reason.com/blog/2013/04/17/ron-paul-institute-for-peace-and-prosper

 

[PatriotOne]

Anyone else want to be a founding supporter? I couldn't resist after looking over the website. They are doing some awesome stuff like having a Peace and Prosperity Summer School.

Rand beating down gun control and Ron launching his Foreign Policy Institute has me all attwiter and feeling generous .

During the inaugural year of the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity you can become a Charter Member of the Institute and be recognized as a founding supporter of our efforts. Our success depends on your support, for which we are grateful.

Basic Membership $50

Charter Membership $150+

Benefactor $500+

Chairman's Circle $5,000+

All Charter Members will receive Institute updates, as well as invitations to events and special offers at discounted rates. Benefactor and Chairman’s Circle level donations will receive invitations to special events of the Institute. Chairman’s Circle will receive invitations to exclusive Chairman’s Circle events with the Chairman, Ron Paul.

http://ronpaulinstitute.org/join-us.aspx

 

[PatriotOne]

Moneybomb perhaps?

 

[VoteRandPaul2016]

All I can afford is the $50 basic membership, I wish I could give more.

 

[PatriotOne]

All I can afford is the $50 basic membership, I wish I could give more.

You are now officially a founding supporter .

 

[VoteRandPaul2016]

You are now officially a founding supporter .

It's a great feeling -- I look forward to seeing the institute grow and influence the people of the world to move towards peace.

 

[randpaul2016]

thanks for the reason link!

whats the $50 membership do?

 

[Krzysztof Lesiak]

Great.

 

[sailingaway]

bump because Sola Fide asked if Thomas spoke, from this I assumed he did, and I hope his speech is put up on the web site.

 

[sailingaway]

thanks for the reason link!

whats the $50 membership do?

presumably keep the toner and staff funded. You do need a permanent staff. I suspect some of Ron's campaign money will go here, for start up costs, but if he is planning to support liberty candidates in the future he is likely retaining money for that, as well.

I'd really like a designer to get them if not a better logo, then a secondary more dynamic look for tshirts etc.