Louisiana Republican Mike Johnson has been chosen as the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, ending the three-week drama. Representative Johnson has a reputation as a fiscal and social conservative. He has at times opposed funding the Ukraine war, suggesting he may be open to non-interventionist arguments or at least unwilling to give the military-industrial complex a blank check. However, he also supports giving Israel “whatever it needs” to defeat Hamas.
Speaker Johnson has suggested that another short-term continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown may be necessary to ensure the House is not pressured into passing an omnibus spending bill at the end of the year. He has said he wants to pass individual spending bills through the House. This could help restrain spending.
However, Speaker Johnson should not trade away the leverage a potential shutdown gives fiscal conservatives. A Speaker who is truly committed to individual liberty and who understands the urgent need to cut government spending would be willing to shut down the government if that is what it takes to get Congress to make real spending cuts. This hypothetical pro-liberty Speaker would refuse to bring any bill increasing any spending in any area to the House floor unless it offsets the spending increases with equal or greater spending cuts.
A pro-liberty Speaker would work to repeal unconstitutional federal programs, agencies, and departments. Instead of replacing Obamacare with Obamacare Light, a pro-liberty Speaker would work to repeal all federal intervention in healthcare and restore patient control via tax credits and expanded Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Instead of No Child Left Behind 2.0, a pro-liberty Speaker would work to shut down the unconstitutional Department of Education.
A pro-liberty Speaker would form coalitions with antiwar progressives to defund all unconstitutional military operations, bring the troops home, dramatically cut spending on militarism, and forbid funding for wars not declared by Congress. There could also be a left-right populist coalition formed to end corporate welfare and all other federal regulatory and spending legislation that benefits large financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and other big businesses. The savings from those cuts could be used to support those dependent on government programs while Congress phases out the welfare state. Also, young people should be allowed to opt out of Social Security and Medicare in exchange for a payroll tax exemption.
A pro-liberty Speaker would only bring legislation to the floor of the House that protects liberty and is constitutional. A pro-liberty Speaker would work to protect the entire Bill of Rights. That means no more PATRIOT Acts, drug wars, civil asset forfeiture, airport harassment, or government-sponsored online censorship. Instead of responding to mass shootings with thoughts, prayers, and authoritarianism, a pro-liberty Speaker would work to repeal unconstitutional gun control laws that leave innocent Americans defenseless.
Last, but certainly not least, a pro-liberty Speaker would seek to audit and end the Federal Reserve. He should also seek to protect the people’s right to use alternative currencies such as precious metals and cryptocurrency.
The election of a pro-liberty Speaker of the House will not happen until the liberty movement is able to gain more influence in the political climate. This is why all of us who know the truth must continue to spread the ideas of liberty.
Ron Paul is a former U.S. congressman from Texas. This article originally appeared at the Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity and is reprinted here with permission.
