Patriot Act Debate: Ron Paul vs. Gingrich

Gingrich Spars With Ron Paul After He Calls Patriot Act "Unpatriotic"

GOP candidates Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul debate the merits of extending the Patriot Act to secure our country.

"The Patriot Act is unpatriotic because it undermines our liberty," Ron Paul said at the GOP debate in Washington, DC on Tuesday night. "I'm concerned as everybody is about [a] terrorist attack."

PAUL: I think the Patriot Act is unpatriotic because it undermines our liberty. I'm concerned, as everybody is, about the terrorist attack. Timothy McVeigh was a vicious terrorist. He was arrested. Terrorism is still on the books, internationally and nationally, it's a crime and we should deal with it.

We dealt with it rather well with Timothy McVeigh. But why I really fear it is we have drifted into a condition that we were warned against because our early founders were very clear. They said, don't be willing to sacrifice liberty for security.

Today it seems too easy that our government and our congresses are so willing to give up our liberties for our security. I have a personal belief that you never have to give up liberty for security. You can still provide security without sacrificing our Bill of Rights.

(APPLAUSE)

BLITZER: I want to bring others in, but do you want to respond, Mr. Speaker?

GINGRICH: Yes. Timothy McVeigh succeeded. That's the whole point.

(APPLAUSE)

GINGRICH: Timothy McVeigh killed a lot of Americans. I don't want a law that says after we lose a major American city, we're sure going to come and find you. I want a law that says, you try to take out an American city, we're going to stop you.

• Category

  News & Politics

[usenetposts]

Gingrich may be a relatively clever man, but is woefully underequipped to be a leader of the Nation. Ron Paul would be a great American leader, but he is not given a look in by the current powerbrokers.

[Simon9Mr]

Of course the bigger issue behind why our govt feels the need to treat us all as possible terrorists in our own country is because THEY, through invasions, bombings and occupations (troops in 130+ countries!), have created many angry people, some of whom now hate us enough to wish to do us harm. Bin Laden, for example, was very clear why 911 happened.

And then we need the very same people in govt to "save" us from the threats they've created by violating our 4th amendment rights.

[Ela Lamblin]

I think its "desperately important" that Newt Gingrich shut the fuck up. What a piece of fuckin shit.

[Ela Lamblin]

Ron Paul is absolutely right. Gingrich looks n talks like Hitler.

[Ela Lamblin]

Newt Gingrich is a faggot.

[Ela Lamblin]

what a panel of numbnuts.

[corycomediante]

No one could make a damn bomb that could blow up a city in the late 1700's either. That is something our Founders couldn't account for.

[corycomediante]

How does the Patriot Act put you in danger?

[corycomediante]

I actually agree with Newt on this. He won this debate hands down.

[saw4650]

"one who would give up freedom for security deserves neither"- Ben Franklin

[TKarlo1956]

The Patriot Act puts us all in much more danger than any terrorist threat.