Written By: Derek Page, Assistant News Editor
Congressman Dr. Ron Paul of Texas is considered a libertarian and a Constitutionalist, meaning he will, “never vote for legislation unless the proposed measure is expressly authorized by the Constitution.”
This is Paul’s third time running for the candidacy, formerly running in 1988 and 2008. Since his coming into politics, Paul has held consistent political views, never compromising his values, despite public reaction.
“Ron Paul is arguably one of the most honest and consistent politicians in Washington. He is constantly ignored or glanced over by media outlets on both sides the aisle for his willingness to challenge the status quo,” says Jeff Musselman, a senior at ODU.
As chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology, Paul has been a relentless critic of American foreign and monetary policy. He is also the founder of Campaign for Liberty, an advocacy group initiated “to promote and defend the great American principles of individual liberty, constitutional government, sound money, free markets and a non-interventionist foreign policy, by means of educational and political activity.”
He has published many books expressing his views such as “End the Fed” and “The Revolution: A Manifesto.” Paul is said to be the most conservative member of all 3,320 members of Congress from 1937 to 2002.
Regarding foreign policy, Ron Paul believes in “non-interventionism,” the idea that the U.S. should refrain from corral alliances with other nations in order to avoid being drawn into wars not related to direct territorial self defense.
According to Paul, this does not mean becoming an isolationist country, but rather a country that is concerned with its own interests and defending its own borders while still maintaining travel, communication and diplomacy internationally.
Paul is an advocate for the removal of troops from Korea, Japan and Europe and the sending of foreign aid. Paul says, “Americans should not interfere militarily, financially or covertly in the internal affairs of other nations.”
“The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing bankruptcy and economic turmoil to our people,” says Paul.
Paul is also concerned with immigration and border security, noting the stupendous amount of money being spent policing other countries while our borders remain permeable.
Paul is also against the internationally crippling trade policies of the World Trade Organization, stating the WTO is a barrier to free trade, as well as the economic policy of protectionism, the notion of restraining trade between states through tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas and numerous government regulations made to allow “fair competition” between imports and domestically produced goods and services.
As a strict traditional conservative, Paul believes in substantially reducing the size of the federal government, the government’s role in the individual’s lives, and the functions of foreign and domestic states.
“Ron Paul remains relentless in pursuing a return to limited, Constitutional government that provides an effective framework for localities to be empowered and affords individuals favorable conditions for success,” says Musselman.
In order to achieve his idea of a limited government, Paul would eliminate federal government agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Reserve.
Musselman commented on Paul’s discontent with financial institutions, saying Paul “rails constantly against the abuses of the Federal Reserve and FIAT currency, advocating a return to commodity based on money and insistence that the federal government spends within its means. He aims to end corporate welfare and the cozy relationship between business and government.”
Paul says that he would drastically reduce the role of the Central Intelligence Agency, making its sole function to gather intelligence rather than operations like overthrowing foreign governments and assassinations.
As far as taxes are concerned, Paul strongly supports the elimination of the income tax, stating Congress has no power to impose a direct income tax as he believes it is the most degrading and totalitarian of all possible taxes. To Paul, the income tax suggests that the government owns the lives and labor of the citizens it is supposed to represent.
Paul supports excise taxes, non-protectionist tariffs and large cuts in spending to fund the federal government.
“I want to abolish the income tax, but I don’t want to replace it with anything. About 45 percent of all federal revenue comes from the personal income tax. That means that about 55 percent — over half of all revenue — comes from other sources, like excise taxes, fees and corporate taxes. We could eliminate the income tax, replace it with nothing, and still fund the same level of big government we had in the late 1990’s,” says Paul.
Amongst these eliminations of federal government programs, Paul would also eliminate the Department of Education, claiming there should be no federal control over education and that education should be handled at the local and state level. With this, he also opposes the No Child Left Behind Act, saying it is an ineffective program.
“I don’t stand with him on certain social issues, but I believe his economic policies are the only thing that can save our country from an imminent collapse,” says senior Old Dominion University student Devon Mizelle.
Concerning health care, Paul supports giving tax reliefs to families and senior citizens to reduce health care costs and help pay for expensive prescriptions. He also favors health savings accounts which are available to tax payers enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan that allow citizens to place funds into the account without being subject to federal income taxes at the time of deposit.
Paul has also voted for the Medicare Prescription Drug Negotiation Act, which would allow the government and pharmaceutical companies to negotiate the best price for drugs provided in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program.
Regarding universal health care, Paul believes government interference in medicine results in less efficient and more costly care. On the same note, Paul opposes socialized health care seeing it as harmful because it leads to bigger and less efficient government.
Paul believes by bringing home troops from foreign bases, he will be able to “prop up” Medicare and Medicaid with the money saved.
Paul also favors the right to use marijuana medicinally and is a supporter of the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008. The bill, introduced by Barney Frank, a democrat from Massachusetts, would eliminate federal criminal penalties for possession of up to three and one half ounces.
Frank says it’s time “for the politicians to catch up with the public on this. The notion that you lock people up for smoking marijuana is pretty silly.”
As for Paul, he regards the matter saying, “I would absolutely never use the federal government to enforce the law against anybody using medical marijuana.”
At the National Federation of Republican Assemblies held on Oct. 29 in Des Moines, Iowa, Paul won the Iowa straw poll at the convention earning 82 percent of the votes. At the Ohio Republican straw poll on Oct. 22, he won with 53.5 percent. Paul also won the Values Voter Summit straw poll on October 8, receiving 37 percent of the votes.
Despite the lack of media coverage, Paul continues to make new strides, turning out surprising results in the GOP campaigns.
Concerning the Occupy movements, Ron Paul has been a proponent for the protesters and their economic, political convictions. He says the movement “is both very good, and very risky.” Paul is concerned, however, that “there are a few that attend these rallies that actually want more government — they want to just tax people more and believe if we just taxed the 1 percent, it could solve all the problems,” saying that is what he finds “risky.”
As a largely libertarian movement, Paul undoubtedly shows support saying,”I think that the majority of them think government is the problem and taxes are too high and they know that the Federal Reserve plays a role in this, which, of course, is something I agree with.”
However, Ron Paul doesn’t believe the movements to be a strictly conservative/libertarian effort. He noted the Occupy movement isn’t a matter of political factions.
“Last year it was the tea party people that were unhappy, and now it’s the Occupy people,” Paul said. “I don’t think it’s as simple as Republicans and Democrats. I believe they are all lumped together being unhappy with government for different reasons.”
I am very much impressed by Dr. Ron Paul. He is very smart, inteligent and rare honest politician. I watched most of republican debates. He is the only candidate always talk straight. Others including Barak Obama talk what people want to hear. They change their positions depending on crowd they are addressing. Dr. Ron Paul is very smart politician. He deserve much more coverage and attention. Ghandi was a great politician but always talk truth.
I am a liberal democrat and voted for Barak Obama. Obama failed american people. He could not deliver what he promise in 2008 now he is giving more promises. He is not a leader.
If Dr. Ron Paul gets republican node, he can count on my vote. We need more politicians like him. Current political system in America is polluted and we need more people like Dr. Ron Paul.