The “Peace Train” – an army of marching, chanting Ron Paul supporters – welcomed the Texas Congressman to the Hilton Coliseum stage at the Iowa Straw Poll on Aug. 11.

“Our campaign is all about freedom, prosperity and peace,” Paul said as he took the podium.

Chief among Paul’s concerns during his campaign is his commitment to smaller government.

“The Founding Fathers would be ashamed of us for what we’re putting up with,” Paul said.

Paul specifically called for the dissolution of the Department of Education and the Department of Energy, in addition to many international organizations the U.S. belongs to, such as the World Trade Organization.

Paul also said he supports an overhaul of the welfare program and requirements for U.S. citizenship.

Paul said most problems of today exist because of lack of respect for the U.S. Constitution.

“The Constitution was written to restrain the power and force of government and to protect the liberties of each and every one of us,” Paul said.

Paul traced one of those problems back to the Sept. 11 attacks.

“I feel 9/11 could have been prevented if we had a lot more respect for the Second Amendment,” Paul said.

Paul closed by expressing his small-government approach to leadership.

“I don’t want to run your life, your family, your religious beliefs,” Paul said. “I don’t want to run the economy; I don’t want to police the world.”