disorderlyvision
05-12-2009, 07:00 AM
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/golf/entries/2009/05/11/does_ron_paul_hate_arnold_palm.html
By Kevin Robbins | Monday, May 11, 2009, 08:18 PM
Those aren’t my words. They’re the words of a Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise blog title under which journalist Ben Goad explains Paul’s vote last month against awarding Palmer the Congressional Gold Medal for his lifelong achievement in the game of golf. The tally was 422-1. The former presidential aspirant and presiding Texas Republican from the 14th District southwest of Houston was the only congressman to cast a vote against the distinction.
Well then. I suppose he’ll never make officer in Arnie’s Army.
Goad quoted Paul spokeswoman Rachel Mills:
“It is certainly nothing personal against Mr. Palmer. In fact, Congressman Paul admires him greatly. Dr. Paul opposes using public monies for any and all of these gold medals given to private citizens, just on principle. Not to mention, it is unconstitutional to use taxpayer dollars in this way. He even suggested on the House Floor before he voted against Rosa Parks’s medal that if it meant so much to the Members of Congress, why not fund the award out of their own pockets? He pulled $100 out of his own wallet, but had no other takers. At a time like this when all budgets are stretched so thin, it seems especially inappropriate to lavish gifts like this on private citizens, as much as he may admire the individual.”
The bill authorized spending $30,000 to make the medal and duplicates, which could be sold to cover the cost of making Palmer’s medal in the first place.
By Kevin Robbins | Monday, May 11, 2009, 08:18 PM
Those aren’t my words. They’re the words of a Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise blog title under which journalist Ben Goad explains Paul’s vote last month against awarding Palmer the Congressional Gold Medal for his lifelong achievement in the game of golf. The tally was 422-1. The former presidential aspirant and presiding Texas Republican from the 14th District southwest of Houston was the only congressman to cast a vote against the distinction.
Well then. I suppose he’ll never make officer in Arnie’s Army.
Goad quoted Paul spokeswoman Rachel Mills:
“It is certainly nothing personal against Mr. Palmer. In fact, Congressman Paul admires him greatly. Dr. Paul opposes using public monies for any and all of these gold medals given to private citizens, just on principle. Not to mention, it is unconstitutional to use taxpayer dollars in this way. He even suggested on the House Floor before he voted against Rosa Parks’s medal that if it meant so much to the Members of Congress, why not fund the award out of their own pockets? He pulled $100 out of his own wallet, but had no other takers. At a time like this when all budgets are stretched so thin, it seems especially inappropriate to lavish gifts like this on private citizens, as much as he may admire the individual.”
The bill authorized spending $30,000 to make the medal and duplicates, which could be sold to cover the cost of making Palmer’s medal in the first place.