Pillars of Prosperity: Free Markets, Honest Money, Private Property

Pillars of Prosperity, published in 2008, is a collection of Congressional speeches, bill proposals, committee discussions, and exchanges with various government and banking officials that Dr. Ron Paul has given or taken part in during his time, from 1976 to 2012, in the United States Congress.

About
Dr. Paul's Congressional record is flawless. He never voted for a bill that was in conflict with the Constitution and he never passed up a chance to grill the Chairman of the Federal Reserve (whenever they would give him a chance that is). This book shows the depth of character and courageous strength that Dr. Paul kept throughout his time in Washington.

Robert P. Murphy, in the preface to the book, states:

The core of the book concerns Dr. Paul’s strong support for honest money. (It was, after all, Nixon’s closing of the gold window that prompted Dr. Paul to run for office in the first place.) There are also entire sections on trade, international organizations such as the IMF and WTO, and a section outlining Dr. Paul’s attempts to protect Social Security from the big spenders in D.C. The collection also includes a selection of specific tax cuts Dr. Paul has suggested, which shows that—despite his nickname of “Dr. No”—Ron Paul is a real congressman, who brings real bills to the floor for consideration. Most of the selections are straight testimony from Dr. Paul, though a few transcripts of actual floor debate have been included to give the reader a feel for the deliberative body of which Paul is a member. There are numerous exchanges between Ron Paul and Alan Greenspan, as well as an encounter with George Soros that somehow turns to drug legalization. And perhaps the most surreal event is the duel between Ron Paul and Nancy Pelosi (over the constitutionality of the Export-Import Bank). Besides the eloquence and wisdom of his remarks, the reader will also be struck by Ron Paul’s consistency over the decades. This makes perfect sense for someone who actually holds principles and makes speeches accordingly. But as we all know, this is rare indeed for a politician.

Links

 * (including full text)
 * Part I excerpt "The Economics of a Free Society"
 * Audio reading by Floy Lilley
 * Part I excerpt "Challenge to America: A Current Assessment of Our Republic"
 * Audio reading by Floy Lilley
 * Part I excerpt "Has Capitalism Failed?"
 * Audio reading by Floy Lilley


 * Review: Ron Paul's "Pillars of Prosperity" Part I: The Economics of a Free Society
 * Review: Ron Paul's "Pillars of Prosperity" Part I: The Economics of a Free Society