Republican hopeful Ron Paul to speak Saturday on campus; paid for by Campus Conservatives
Ron Paul
With the Michigan primaries fast approaching, Central Michigan University will see one of the contenders for the Republican nomination speaking on its campus.
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul will speak at 6 p.m. Saturday in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium.
Doors will open to those who sign up for vouchers beforehand at ronpaulatcmich.eventbrite.c
Paul was invited to speak by CMU Campus Conservatives.
Campus Conservatives President and Mount Pleasant senior Taylor Jackson said the registered student organization is honored to bring Paul to speak at CMU.
“This is an opportunity to engage the community in a critical discussion on solutions to the challenges facing our country. Campus Conservatives has always been about bringing together the extended conservative family for thoughtful discussions,” Jackson said in an email. “This promises to be a great opportunity for students and the broader community to hear from a major voice at such a critical time in our country’s history.”
Jackson said the event is designed to engage the community, including students, in discussions about possible solutions to problems facing America but that the event does not constitute an endorsement by himself or the RSO.
“(Campus Conservatives) does not endorse any single candidate,” Jackson said. “I’m an advocate of promoting that critical discussion and would host any candidate who wanted to come.”
In January, Paul won CMU College Republicans’ primary straw poll.
Keith Voeks, assistant director in University Events said University Events offered a number of different venue choices to Paul’s campaign managers, who decided on Plachta Auditorium.
He said a sound system with technicians was ordered, along with custodians to clean the building, costing $933. Jackson said the cost will eventually be borne by the Campus Conservatives.
“The campaign decided Plachta was the best place for them,” he said. “We only have 500 to 600 seats downstairs, but if it turns out great, we can open up the balcony and have 1225.”
Bryant English, the College Democrats vice president of community relations, said many of the members of the organization are excited for Paul’s visit, and there are at least six that will be attending the speech.
“I really respect his conservative viewpoints, to be honest with you,” the Jackson senior said. “I hold him in high regard, and I look forward to (his visit). Some of his economic policies I don’t agree with, but as far as his social views, I can follow the line with some of those. I won’t vote for him, but I respect him.”
Paul makes it clear that there is a definite choice to make in the upcoming election, English said.
“(It is about) whether we believe the government is there to support and invest in its people, or whether the government is there to pull out the rug from under our feet, and I believe that’s the choice in 2012. That will pretty much be the name of the game, as far as I’m concerned. Do we invest in our people, invest in education, invest in clean and renewable resources? Or do we have not (have those things)?” he said.
Libby Aldrich, President of the RSO VOX, Voices for Planned Parenthood, said she is glad Rep. Paul is coming to campus but has a problem with Paul’s seeing abortion as a legal issue rather than a privacy issue — something she said is between a woman and her doctor.
“It’s great to get people involved in our government,” the St. Johns senior said. “However, I disagree with his idea of limited government everywhere (except) in women’s privacy and reproductive health rights, especially since he’s a gynecologist and should know better.”
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