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

Tags:

• ron paul
• patriot act
• terrorism
• liberty
• security
• GOP
• debate
• obama
• 9/11

[Fedproman]

The questioner makes a statement based on a lie. You can't trust the government to tell us they have stopped 42 attacks. In fact the FBI and CIA develop these and encourage these malcontents and then when they manuever them to the point of an "attack" they sweep in and "stop" it. Boobus Americanus is then frightened and give up more Constitutional guaranteed freedom. "If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy." - James Madison

[jaxxstraw]

Newt Gingrich is proof that the human anus can learn to talk.

[Shane112095]

newt gingrich is an whore mongor for he is willing to gve up or bill of rights. why do we pay so much for the cia and fbi if we need the patriot act. Are we now to become the french. we Need to use the Fifth Amendment on Wall Strret the federal reserve and all other banks here in America. We have given big companys and corporations way to much power. We have taken away competion in the private sector. The energy sector now runs amuck!

[ultraprep05]

we should also be concerned about other major concerns and national defense in itself is not just something the Democrats are worried about.

[ultraprep05]

One reason I admire Santorum is that he shed a new light that we shouldn't just be concerned about the economy or elect a canidate that we think would solve the crisis;

[ultraprep05]

he's all for national security and he'd do anything for it..esp. when he is putting national defense above the concerns of economic stability, but then, of course, that's what set Santorum apart from the others.

[ultraprep05]

Everyone is quick to remonstrate with Gingrich over the topic of sacrificing liberty for security when santorum is a bigger threat;

[slightlyoutofreach01]

@iliketherangersalot2 You should be more terrified of any one of the other GOP candidates becoming president, especially Rick Santorum.

[AdmiralJab]

@Fedproman Awesome, thanks.

[Fedproman]

@AdmiralJab Thank you, and you most certainly can.

[AdmiralJab]

@Fedproman That's beautiful. Is it okay with you if I copy and post that everywhere?

[Hopsinwreck]

So dont do it so carelessly! (We need our 4th Amendment)