Please consider this interesting interview by Bloomberg columnist Al Hunt with Ron Paul on the debt ceiling, big government, and military spending.

Select Interview Highlights

Al Hunt: Do you think Congress will pass an Extension.

Al Hunt: Your speaker John Boehner says he will absolutely insist on a dollar of spending reduction for every dollar the debt ceiling goes up. Do you take that seriously?

Ron Paul: I don't take that seriously. President Reagan wanted 2 dollars of cuts. The deficit exploded. Do you think the American people will believe that we are going to cut in the future? The only budget that counts is this year. 10-year programs are pie-in-the-sky talking. This year our obligations are 5 trillion dollars.

Al Hunt: The idea of a spending cap that takes place in 10 years does not appeal to you?

Ron Paul: A 10-year spending cap is too little, too late. No one is going to believe it. All governments when they get this far into debt, default. They don't default by not paying the bills. We will always pay the bills. The default comes from the devaluation of the currency.

Al Hunt: On Libya, Afghanistan, it looks like most are taking the John McCain line.

Ron Paul: Politically they are making a big mistake. I have been arguing to bring the troops home. I did not want them to go in the first place. The people now know we cannot pay for this. A lot of conservatives are coming to that direction. I've said over the years that I will win this argument because we will run out of money. That is how all great nations and empires end. They cannot afford it any longer, and that is what is happening right now. I have proposals that are different. As much as I am opposed to all spending, if you want to cut purposely in deliberate fashion, then have priorities. My priorities is cut all all foreign welfare and foreign militarism, and corporate welfare before you go after child healthcare. That sells. You don't have to just address health-care for poor people, rather than looking at atrocious spending overseas.

Al Hunt: You would bring home troops from Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan?

Ron Paul: Yes, I believe in strong national defense and that hurts our defense. I would bring them all home. We have no reason to be there. The soldiers we have in Korea went there when I was in high school. How long are we going to stay there?

Al Hunt: Do you see any other candidate [for president] who is talking about a full audit of the Federal reserve?

Ron Paul: No way. But they won't laugh as much as they did last time. They won't laugh any longer. Just think of the difference no on the attitudes of the people on the Federal reserve.

Al Hunt: Is the Federal Reserve in retreat?

Ron Paul: (laughing) Have you ever anticipated over the years, Bernanke would be holding press conferences defending his position? He can't defend it because it is a failed policy. You can't print money to get yourself out of trouble. Grade school kids know this. We will win when the system comes unglued.

Bernanke's Self-Serving Lies

The Ron Paul interview was recorded June 3. Bernanke poured on the lies yesterday in his US Economic Outlook. Bernanke tried to absolve the Fed of all guilt. Please see Bernanke's Self-Serving Bold-Faced Lies for details.

In regards to spending in general and military spending in particular, Ron Paul is correct. This is "how all great nations and empires end".

A similar sounding statement attributed to Margaret Thatcher goes like this: "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money to spend." The statement is true whether or not Thatcher ever said so explicitly.

Republicans need to stop US militarism and focus on the US economy.

In regards to the debt ceiling, unfortunately I too think Boehner will cave. Please see my video discussion on Yahoo Finance regarding the debt ceiling and the bond market: Debt Ceiling Discussion on Daily Ticker with Mish, Aaron Task, Henry Blodget: Will the Bond Market Eventually Force Congressional Hands?