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Freedom Under Siege: The U.S. Constitution After 200 Years
Book distributed with permission from Ron Paul.
Here is Ron Paul's political manifesto, a courageous book on civil liberties and the rights of Americans that are relentlessly under assault from government. It was written in 1987, on the 200th anniversary of the Constitution, and is back in print for the first time. It is here that Dr. Paul provides his most extended thoughts on what it means to be a constitutionalist in the tradition of Thomas Jefferson. He connects violations of individual rights to an interventionist foreign policy and the supposed needs of national security. Here he blasts the draft and draft registration, impositions on the right of individuals to own guns, restrictions on the freedom to speak and write, and draws out the links between all these policies. Paul further discusses the tie between individual liberties and sound money. When a nation's money is controlled by the people instead of the state, they retain their essential freedoms. But when money is monopolized by government with no tie to a commodity, the state is in a position to ride roughshod over our liberties. Other issues discussed include the true meaning of patriotism, the moral law as it applies to politics, the meaning of leadership in a free society, the nature of the state in light of his experiences in Washington, and the historic and ever-lasting conflict between the individual and the state.
Here is Ron Paul's political manifesto, a courageous book on civil liberties and the rights of Americans that are relentlessly under assault from government. It was written in 1987, on the 200th anniversary of the Constitution, and is back in print for the first time. It is here that Dr. Paul provides his most extended thoughts on what it means to be a constitutionalist in the tradition of Thomas Jefferson. He connects violations of individual rights to an interventionist foreign policy and the supposed needs of national security. Here he blasts the draft and draft registration, impositions on the right of individuals to own guns, restrictions on the freedom to speak and write, and draws out the links between all these policies. Paul further discusses the tie between individual liberties and sound money. When a nation's money is controlled by the people instead of the state, they retain their essential freedoms. But when money is monopolized by government with no tie to a commodity, the state is in a position to ride roughshod over our liberties. Other issues discussed include the true meaning of patriotism, the moral law as it applies to politics, the meaning of leadership in a free society, the nature of the state in light of his experiences in Washington, and the historic and ever-lasting conflict between the individual and the state.
161 pages
First published January 1, 1987
13 people are currently reading
654 people want to read
About the author
Ron Paul
102 books556 followersRepublican United States Congressman from Lake Jackson, Texas, a physician, a bestselling author, and a former 2008 U.S. presidential candidate.
Originally from the Pittsburgh suburb of Green Tree, Pennsylvania, he studied at Duke University School of Medicine; after his 1961 graduation and a residency in obstetrics and gynecology, he became a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon, serving outside the Vietnam War zone. He later represented Texas districts in the U.S. House of Representatives (1976–1977, 1979–1985, and 1997–present). He entered the 1988 presidential election, running as the Libertarian nominee while remaining a registered Republican, and placed a distant third.
Paul has been described as conservative, Constitutionalist, and libertarian. He advocates a foreign policy of nonintervention, having voted against actions such as the Iraq War Resolution, but in favor of force against terrorists in Afghanistan. He favors withdrawal from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the United Nations, citing the dangers of foreign entanglements to national sovereignty. Having pledged never to raise taxes, he has long advocated ending the federal income tax, scaling back government spending, abolishing most federal agencies, and removing military bases and troops from foreign soil; he favors hard money and opposes the Federal Reserve. He also opposes the Patriot Act, the federal War on Drugs, No Child Left Behind, and gun control. Paul is strongly pro-life, and has introduced bills to negate Roe v. Wade, but affirms states' rights to regulate or ban abortion, rather than federal jurisdiction.
While Paul was a leading 2008 presidential candidate in some Republican straw polls, he saw substantially less support in landline opinion polls and in the actual primaries. Strong internet grassroots support was indicated by his popularity as a web search term, his lead in YouTube subscriptions, and, on December 16th 2007, the largest one-day fundraiser in U.S. political history, netting over $6 million in 24 hours through an independently organized effort. His book commenting on the presidential run, The Revolution: A Manifesto, became a bestseller immediately upon release and went on to be #1 on the New York Times nonfiction best sellers list.
Judge Andrew Napolitano calls him "the Thomas Jefferson of our day."
Ron Paul, the New York Post once wrote, is a politician who "cannot be bought by special interests."
"There are few people in public life who, through thick and thin, rain or shine, stick to their principles," added a congressional colleague. "Ron Paul is one of those few."
Originally from the Pittsburgh suburb of Green Tree, Pennsylvania, he studied at Duke University School of Medicine; after his 1961 graduation and a residency in obstetrics and gynecology, he became a U.S. Air Force flight surgeon, serving outside the Vietnam War zone. He later represented Texas districts in the U.S. House of Representatives (1976–1977, 1979–1985, and 1997–present). He entered the 1988 presidential election, running as the Libertarian nominee while remaining a registered Republican, and placed a distant third.
Paul has been described as conservative, Constitutionalist, and libertarian. He advocates a foreign policy of nonintervention, having voted against actions such as the Iraq War Resolution, but in favor of force against terrorists in Afghanistan. He favors withdrawal from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the United Nations, citing the dangers of foreign entanglements to national sovereignty. Having pledged never to raise taxes, he has long advocated ending the federal income tax, scaling back government spending, abolishing most federal agencies, and removing military bases and troops from foreign soil; he favors hard money and opposes the Federal Reserve. He also opposes the Patriot Act, the federal War on Drugs, No Child Left Behind, and gun control. Paul is strongly pro-life, and has introduced bills to negate Roe v. Wade, but affirms states' rights to regulate or ban abortion, rather than federal jurisdiction.
While Paul was a leading 2008 presidential candidate in some Republican straw polls, he saw substantially less support in landline opinion polls and in the actual primaries. Strong internet grassroots support was indicated by his popularity as a web search term, his lead in YouTube subscriptions, and, on December 16th 2007, the largest one-day fundraiser in U.S. political history, netting over $6 million in 24 hours through an independently organized effort. His book commenting on the presidential run, The Revolution: A Manifesto, became a bestseller immediately upon release and went on to be #1 on the New York Times nonfiction best sellers list.
Judge Andrew Napolitano calls him "the Thomas Jefferson of our day."
Ron Paul, the New York Post once wrote, is a politician who "cannot be bought by special interests."
"There are few people in public life who, through thick and thin, rain or shine, stick to their principles," added a congressional colleague. "Ron Paul is one of those few."
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 21, 2008
What we perceive as democracy, is actually a farce. Today, December 21, 2008, I read a quote from George W. Bush saying that he was taking away free-market privileges to save the free-market. The President of The United States of America directly saying that he's taking away one of our freedoms! This book is scary to read. Everyone should read it and get angry and demand for our country to be what the Constitution says it should be.
May 22, 2013
Truth is always attractive to those who care.
May 5, 2014
Like most books written by Ron Paul this book follows along the lines of his principles. Principles which unlike many other public servants who print books before running for office can be weighed against his congressional voting record.
A book written with both integrity and fundamental constitutional libertarianism in mind. A good read for any one interested in US politics or who has a general interest in Libertarianism or Free Market principles.
70 %
A book written with both integrity and fundamental constitutional libertarianism in mind. A good read for any one interested in US politics or who has a general interest in Libertarianism or Free Market principles.
70 %
April 23, 2019
The sound
May 14, 2014
Yet another worthy pamphlet produced by Dr. Ron Paul, shorter than most and redundant in some ways ( It is partially due to the fact that I have read so much of his work that I may be now less learning and more reinforcing an opinion already held ) but the section on individual liberty is most valuable here.
It is also great to see such consistency in opposing our foreign misadventures including such sharp criticism of Ronald Reagan, who was President at the time.
This is highly recommended particularly as a shorter introduction to Dr. Paul’s overall platform.
It is also great to see such consistency in opposing our foreign misadventures including such sharp criticism of Ronald Reagan, who was President at the time.
This is highly recommended particularly as a shorter introduction to Dr. Paul’s overall platform.
September 26, 2014
As per usual, Ron Paul delivers a hard hitting truthful book addressing such topics under girding individual liberty such as, military conscription, foreign policy, and the Federal Reserve, monetary systems, and economics. This also includes his weak foundation for where liberty is derived, he speaks of some believe rights come from our Creator, but does not go very far to build on that. An excellent book everyone would do well to read.
November 6, 2014
Beside "End the Fed" this is probably my favourite book by Ron Paul. His analysis of both "left" and "right" is ruthless and he presents the reality to the reader that the system in the US (and by extension every democratic socialist state) erodes at the liberty of an individual for supposed moral reasoning and by pandering to an uneducated mob.
If you were to read one book by Ron Paul, I'd recommend this.
If you were to read one book by Ron Paul, I'd recommend this.
February 3, 2008
Most of RP's platform here. The last chapter on why the US went off of the gold standard and the subsequent impact is probably the best part of the book.
August 24, 2014
I have read one other book by Ron Paul and he I do agree with on most issues in America.
May 1, 2015
The book could be edited more carefully.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews