by
Gary North

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Rates in a Gold Coin Standard

In June of 1976, I was Ron Paul’s speechwriter. Shortly after I
joined his staff as his newsletter writer and economic analyst,
I recommended that he do what I had been doing for a year: buy a
Code-A-Phone telephone answering machine and make a weekly 3-minute
recording for people in his districts to call. He could send the
tape to his office in the district, where the machine would be set
up at a local phone number. Residents could call it for free. He
thought this was a good idea. So began his weekly speeches.

I wrote his
first talk. He later told me that he didn’t like reading a script
written by anyone else, so he had decided to record his own. As
far as I know, that was the last speech anyone ever wrote for him.

He used that
machine for the next two-and-a-half years. After his defeat in November
1976, he posted a weekly phone message. The weekly report became
a tool for a comeback. In 1978, he defeated the man who had barely
defeated him (268 votes) in 1976.

So, having
been his only speechwriter, I will now offer my second speech that
he will not deliver.

My Fellow Americans,
as an earlier President from Texas used to say.

I would like
to take this opportunity to say something that is both profound
and memorable. The trouble is, only three inaugural addresses are
remembered today, Lincoln’s second inaugural and John F. Kennedy’s
only inaugural. Lincoln said these words: “With malice toward none
and charity toward all.” Those are fine words. Franklin Roosevelt
said, “The only thing we have to fear is . . . fear itself.” If
unemployment were at 25%, the way it was in 1933, that would scare
just about anyone. Finally, Kennedy said: “Ask not what your country
can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” I especially
like the first sentence.

Given the fact
that hardly anyone remembers an inauguration speech, the likelihood
of my saying something both profound and memorable today is low.
Therefore, I have decided to do something memorable instead.

[He reaches
into his pocket and pulls out a piece of paper that he has typed.
He holds it down to the podium with his left hand. He reaches
into his coat pocket and pulls out a pen.]

I
have in front of me a piece of paper. I wrote it this morning. Let
me read it to you.

Executive
Order 13,601: An executive Order Revoking all Previous Executive
Orders.

I, Ron Paul,
do hereby declare null and void all previous Presidential executive
orders.

Signed:
Ron Paul, January 20, 2013.

The Constitution
of the United States made no provision for executive orders. Congress
never votes to create one, yet executive orders have the force of
law. The Constitution says that all laws must be passed by a majority
in both houses of Congress and then be signed by the President.
Therefore, during my time as President, the government of the United
States will be run exclusively by laws that were passed in accordance
with the Constitution. I do not have the authority to repeal laws
on my own. I do have the authority to repeal executive orders. I
have just repealed 13,600 of them.

From this point
on, you are not obligated to conform to rules and regulations issued
under executive orders. Of course, the various executive departments
of the United States government will do their best to ignore this,
so you had better check with your lawyer.

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the rest of the article

December
23, 2011

Gary
North [send him mail]
is the author of Mises
on Money. Visit http://www.garynorth.com.
He is also the author of a free 20-volume series, An
Economic Commentary on the Bible.