Paul says US 'slipping into a fascist system' - KCTV5

Even though Missouri voters went to the polls nearly two weeks ago, the race for the White House returned to Kansas City on Saturday night.

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul made a visit to Union Station.

Paul may not have the deep pockets like his political rivals, but he definitely has ardent supporters. An estimated 1,200 people came out to Union Station to hear him speak, upstaging simultaneous Republican Party banquets being held on both sides of the nearby Missouri and Kansas line.

Although campaign aides were aware, Paul told reporters after his speech that he did not know his rally was coinciding with long-established Republican Party events.

The Texas Congressman received an enthusiastic rock star welcome Saturday from throngs of supporters who refuse to entertain the notion that he won't be on the November ballot.

"I believe Ron is going to make it. I believe he is the candidate that will make it with the people so let the people decide," said supporter Julia Robinson.

Robinson said it was Paul's consistency on issues of war, immigration and economy that got her attention and ultimately her support.

Paul could be described as an outsider within his own party. The presidential hopeful wants to shutdown the Federal Reserve, end the war in Afghanistan and the federal war on drugs, effectively legalizing them in all states.

Many Republicans differ with his views but he has surged in popularity with younger voters winning straw polls and placing second in the Iowa Caucus and third in New Hampshire's Caucus.

For supporters, it is Paul's adherence to the Constitution that got their attention.

"He has always followed the Constitution he never voted to raise taxes not once. He never voted for an unbalanced budget not once," said supporter George Faulk.

In his hour long speech, Paul covered nearly every afore-mentioned domestic issue and summed up his foreign policy platform in two sentence.

"The foreign policy of Founding Fathers and Constitution is very simple: mind our own business and have a strong national defense," said Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul.

Paul also said the U.S. is "slipping into a fascist system" dominated by big government and big businesses.

Paul said the U.S. got off track during the era of President Woodrow Wilson, who led the nation through World War I and unsuccessfully advocated for the nation's involvement in a forerunner of the United Nations.

But despite rising poll numbers and ranking high in the Iowa, New Hampshire and Maine caucuses, this may not be enough for Paul to clinch the Republican nomination.

"The one thing about our campaign is we have had steady growth. We have not had a decline, and one thing people say about our campaign is if they join it, they usually never leave," said Paul.

Organizers used Saturday to remind Paul supports to keep in touch with the campaign and update their information so they can vote in the Kansas and Missouri caucuses next month.

Copyright 2012 KCTV (Meredith Corp.)  All rights reserved.  The Associated Press contributed to this report.