Rally for the Republic Rocks Minneapolis!

While the most frightening and visible show of energy in Minnesota last week may have come from the black-marked Feds and local police patrolling St. Paul, another Saint by the name of Ron Paul moved waves of love across the other twin, Minneapolis. At the Target Center, over 12,000 enthusiastic patriot citizens from around the nation gathered to celebrate the ideas of liberty.

But outside on the streets of Minneapolis, as well as St. Paul, vibrations moved as people whizzing by on sidewalks spoke softly to each other. Some guy had come to town which was making an even bigger noise than the advertised event. Ron Paul was the true buzz of the two cities, a veteran anti-war hero, coming to take on his own fascist warring Party. While many Minnesotans are proud to say they live in a "Democratic" dominated area, even those who profess the strongest support for social welfare began to talk of the courage of Dr. Ron Paul.

The Target Center, a basketball arena for the Minnesota Timberwolves, all of the sudden became an intellectual meeting place, teeming with life from some of the most prominent brains of the return to the Republic movement. Young and old alike, privileged and disadvantaged came to discuss the reality of the issues facing every American. Speakers even remarked on the sophistication of the astute crowd, as discussion went from the coercion used by President Lincoln in the Civil War, to the banking interests who pitted country against country to fight two devastating World Wars. Even one speaker remarked, "Wow! I mention the Austrian school of economics, and all cheer. This is an enlightened crowd!" The smell of something fresh and new filled the air, and everyone at that rally knew that they were witnessing history.

MSNBC's Tucker Carlson MCed the event, even this former contributer to Bill Kristol's Weekly Standard made the bold move to come out for Dr. Paul. Lew Rockwell gave an early speech and described poignantly the state of affairs which precipitated having a virtual dictator in the White House. His matter-of-fact style lent itself to the logic behind the rally's common-sense agenda to return the power back to the People. He raged against George W Bush's militaristic, globalist-contrived world and spoke on the need to return power to states. Bill Kauffman derided the two-party system and used humor to aim his arrow. Saying that "one side is dumb, the other is evil, and often they get together and do something both evil and dumb and it's called bipartisanship." An ovation followed his pronouncement. Also, Bruce Fein spoke about Bush and the Congress' defilement of the Constitution, and shock at how the establishment, especially some Democrats will not even consider Impeachment.

Then came the highly-respected former Governor of Minnesota, Independent Jesse Ventura. In his speech, he railed against the two-party system and claimed that both parties are destroying America. In addition, he went on to address the need to return to Constitutional principles with more state power and local-decision making. Also, he touched on the illegal immigration situation and derided the idea of not accepting these hard-working freedom loving people into the United States. He pledged he would not let his country turn into East Berlin with the series of walls now being built at the Mexican border. While some of the crowd may have not agreed with this stance, many cheered Jesse on. Jesse Ventura lives a portion of the year in Mexico.



Ventura then touched on September 11th, and distinctly asked why the Justice Dept. has still yet to charge Osama bin Laden with the crime committed that day. In addition, Ventura questioned the ability for those towers to fall at free-fall speed on that day and a third building to collapse with little apparent reason. He said he should not be assailed for merely "asking questions on the reality of 9/11." Jesse Ventura is also a highly trained member of the U.S. Navy SEALS underwater demolition team, and a veteran of the Vietnam War.

Jesse then decried the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, indicting Bush and Cheney for their greed and bloodlust for oil, and told of his own experience in Vietnam. He claimed that even though the United States was the most powerful military force on Earth, they could not stop a poor and unorganized group of "farmers with AK47s". He related Vietnam to the present-day situation in Iraq. Highly respected in his own state for his legendary ability to complete what he promised and get-tough stances which suited the independent mindset of the North, Ventura is a political hero in his state. Ventura then surprised everyone, hinting that he may run for President in 2012 as the people's Independent candidate. Giving instructions that "if you all work hard enough, and things appear right, I might [...] in 2012". The crowd roared into the air as Ventura promised a fight for the People in the future.

After a presentation by the Campaign for Liberty, Ron Paul's new political group, to elect republic and liberty-minded officials to public office, former Governor Garry Johnson (R) of New Mexico spoke to the crowd. A solid speaker, with a practical delivery and likable attitude, he spoke of libertarian values and his own story to become a governor who vetoed a record number of wasteful spending bills. Working himself up to become the owner of a construction company, Gary Johnson told of his hard work which led to his rise, the governorship being his first political office.

He urged the crowd that compromise for the sake of partnership often leads nowhere, and someone like Ron Paul who has never sacrificed his values for political gain is a role model for us all. He advocated less government restriction of American business, and warned of the unnecessary measures put on small companies (as few as a dozen employees), that allow the corporations to rise over the ever disappearing mom-n-pop stores. Johnson also pointed out the ultimate failure of the corporate-welfare state and the ever growing side-stepping of the American people. He spoke for the middle class, and the need for their ability to invest in the markets. Then, he talked at length about the problems of the War on the Drugs and the immediate need for legalization. Speaking on the violence on the border, including in his state, as well as the unlawful seizure of marijuana from dying cancer-patients with state certified prescriptions. Gary Johnson helped to start the organization, Students for a Sensible Drug Policy. He touched on Obama and McCain and their inability to articulate on any issue and really see the root cause of all our problems, not just the symptoms.

Aimee Allen came to stage to sing songs of freedom and the message for Ron Paul. Her thirty minute set included the song "The Universal Soldier", which Ron Paul personally requested she sing that evening. The song talks about the helpless ones in every area of the world who are forced to fight the elite's war. And for what? Aimee Allen got a standing ovation at the end of her performance.

As the last of the crowd found their seats, the arena looked to be filled to the brim. Former Congressman Barry Goldwater, Jr. came out to give a few words and to introduce Ron Paul. Giving his remarks of wisdom and urging all to become involved and further the message of liberty amongst all people everywhere.

Then, Ron Paul came out to thunderous applause. As he tried to begin to speak, the crowd refused to let him, as the ovation continued for what seemed like tens of minutes. The humble Congressman from coastal Texas attempted to wave them off, and then backed away in embarrassment, for it seems he does not even realize the amount of power he now holds. And that power rests not at all in Washington, but rather in the hearts and minds of Americans everywhere. For his message is truly American, and one that if all heard, almost all would certainly agree.



Ron Paul spent the first part of his speech thanking the audience for all the support and proudly remarked of the campaign's 1.2 million votes that were garnered. And in speaking of his failed Presidential bid he often used "we" terminology, showing the campaign was not about him, but rather about the principles of the Constitution and a return to the government our founding fathers envisioned.

Dr. Ron Paul then spoke on the wide growth of government today, doubling since 1997, and on the verge to become all the bigger with the nationalization of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. He spoke against the use of coercion constantly, whether it is in U.S. foreign empire abroad, or in garnering funds for these wars from an illegal Federal Income Tax that was never ratified by the states. He also made a stand against a federal solution to every problem, and urged to return power back to the individual but united states.

When speaking on the economy, a chanting crowd interrupted Paul several times, chanting "End the Fed! End the Fed! End the Fed!". He replied back, "Wait! I'm not even there yet!!" He further decried federal regulation of business in deals like NAFTA that undermine America's economic strength and are against the lasseiz-faire idea of free-trade. He later spoke of the problems with having a U.S. military empire with over 700 bases in around 135 nations around the globe. The $1 trillion spent annually on the war machine, he predicted, simply cannot be sustained any longer.

Paul went on to say that both parties have the same interventionist foreign policy that is making America less safe and making other nations all the more worked up over our imperial presence. He indicted both major candidates for not really wanting to change foreign policy, and even hurting our country more with more military commitments abroad, especially in Georgia.

Furthermore, Ron Paul cried afoul with the destruction of our civil liberties, especially calling Bush's domestic spying program a menace to liberty and complete disregard for the law. Also, he called for an end to the raiding of homes and surveillance for political reasons. Several activists' homes in the Twin Cities had been broken into illegal by the government last week. Paul continued and argued at length for the legalization and utilization of the hemp plant as the answer to America's growing energy problems. While millions of acres sustain the crop, especially in states like Nebraska, and what was once a vital part of the government-backed World War II effort, he pointed out the absurdity of the association of hemp as some kind of drug. Paul remarked, "they make it out to be a dangerous drug, but in reality, if you wanted to get high, you would have to smoke a joint as big as a telephone pole!" The efficiency of producing ethanol out of hemp, rather than corn, would create a new improved alternative energy source and decrease America's dependence on foreign oil.

Then Paul ripped into the Federal Reserve System, crying against the private bank take-over of the American money system. He derided our fiat-money, and called for returning to the gold standard. Ron Paul claimed that the boom and bust cycles are results of government interference in the markets, and that even bigger busts could occur if the Fed continues printing money out of thin air. His indictment of the Fed was masterpiece, and by this time the crowd was worked up into a passionate frenzy, that would be unimaginable at any other convention.

Like Andrew Jackson who killed the Bank of the United States, Ron Paul was fighting The Establishment, the true enemies of the people who cling to the status quo, a bank system which plunges our nation repeatedly into war.

Ron Paul closed with words of encouragement and signaled his pleasure at the idea that we are winning in our battle against endless bureaucracy, endless distortions, and endless wars. He claimed that while our time to make a difference is ever shrinking and more urgent than ever, many are learning the message of freedom and in the end it is just that the those who choose freedom over coercion will always prevail.