Ron Paul

2013-01-23T22:37:48Z

Drew.owens:

{{Wikipedia text||396931754}}

{{Infobox officeholder
|name=Ron Paul
|image name=Ron Paul, 2010.jpg|thumb
|imagesize= 220px
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1935|8|20}}
|birth_place=[[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]]
|state=[[Texas]]
|district=[[Texas's 14th congressional district|14th]]
|term_start=January 3, 1997
|preceded=[[Greg Laughlin]]
|state2=[[Texas]]
|district2=[[Texas's 22nd congressional district|22nd]]
|term_start2=January 3, 1979
|term_end2=January 3, 1985
|preceded2=[[Robert Gammage]]
|succeeded2=[[Tom DeLay]]
|term_start3=April 3, 1976
|term_end3=January 3, 1977
|preceded3=[[Robert R. Casey]]
|succeeded3=[[Robert Gammage]]
|party=Republican (1976–1988) Libertarian (1988 Presidential Election) Republican (1988–present)
|spouse=Carolyn "Carol" Paul
|children=Ronald "Ronnie" Paul, Jr. Lori Paul Pyeatt [[Rand Paul|Randal "Rand" Paul]] Robert Paul Joy Paul-LeBlanc
|alma_mater=[[Gettysburg College]] ([[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]]) [[Duke University]] ([[Doctor of Medicine|M.D.]])
|profession=[[Physician]], [[Politician]]
|residence= [[Lake Jackson, Texas|Lake Jackson]], Texas
|religion= [[Christian]] ([[Baptist]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pewforum.org/religion08/profile.php?CandidateID=15|work=Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life: Religion & Politics '08|title=Ron Paul Background|publisher=[[Pew Research Center]]|date=September 2007|accessdate=2007-10-21}}</ref>
|website=[http://www.house.gov/paul/ U.S. House of Representatives Office of Ron Paul]
|signature=Ron Paul signature.svg
|branch=[[United States Air Force]] [[United States Air National Guard]]
|serviceyears=1963–1965 1965–1968
}}

'''Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul''' (born August 20, 1935) is an [[United States|American]] physician and was a 12-term Congressman from [[Texas]]. He is President of the [http://http://www.the-free-foundation.org FREE Foundation], Distinguished Counsellor to the [[Mises Institute]]—which he helped [[Lew Rockwell]] found—and the author of eight books. He is continuing his work for peace, liberty, sound money, and Austrian economics.

== Political Positions ==
Paul has been described as [[conservative (U.S.)|conservative]], [[Constitutionalist]], and [[libertarian]].<ref name=ny>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22Paul-t.html?ei=5124&en=22ee37525a9fc4f5&ex=1343016000&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink&pagewanted=all|title=The Antiwar, Anti-Abortion, Anti-Drug-Enforcement-Administration, Anti-Medicare Candidacy of Dr. Ron Paul|author=Caldwell, Christopher|work=[[New York Times Magazine]]|date=2007-07-22|accessdate=2007-07-23}}</ref> His nickname "[[Dr. No]]"<ref name=no>{{cite web|url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/2001-10-01/feature7.php|title=Dr. No|author=Gwynne, Sam C.|date=2001-10-01|accessdate=2007-10-23|work=[[Texas Monthly]]}}</ref> reflects both his medical degree and his insistence that he will "never vote for legislation unless the proposed measure is expressly authorized by the Constitution."<ref name=2008bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.ronpaul2008.com/about/|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071023173254/http://www.ronpaul2008.com/about/|archivedate=2007-10-23|title=About Ron Paul|publisher=[[Ron Paul 2008]]|year=2007|accessdate=2007-10-23}}</ref> One scoring method published in the ''[[American Journal of Political Science]]''<ref>{{cite journal|title=Estimating a Basic Space From A Set of Issue Scales|journal=[[American Journal of Political Science]]|volume=42|date=July 1998|pages=954–993|url=http://voteview.com/basic.htm|author=Poole, Keith T.|accessdate=2008-05-04|doi=10.2307/2991737|jstor=2991737|issue=3}}</ref> found Paul the most conservative of all 3,320 members of Congress from 1937 to 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://voteview.com/Is_John_Kerry_A_Liberal.htm|author=Poole, Keith T.|publisher=VoteView|title=Is John Kerry A Liberal?|date=2004-10-13|accessdate=2008-05-04}}</ref> Paul's foreign policy of nonintervention<ref>{{cite news|title=Patriotism|url=http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul388.html|work=[[Congressional Record]]|publisher=[[U.S. House of Representatives]]|author=Paul, Ron|date=2007-05-22|accessdate=2007-10-23}}</ref> made him the only 2008 Republican presidential candidate to have voted against the [[Iraq War Resolution]] in 2002. He advocates [[American Sovereignty Restoration Act|withdrawal]] from the [[United Nations]], and from the [[NATO|North Atlantic Treaty Organization]], for reasons of maintaining strong national sovereignty.<ref>Ron Paul, [http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul500.html Opportunities for Peace and Nonintervention], [[LewRockwell.com]], January 6, 2009.</ref> He supports [[free trade]], rejecting membership in the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] (NAFTA) and the [[World Trade Organization]] as "managed trade". He supports tighter border security and opposes welfare for illegal aliens, birthright citizenship and [[amnesty]];<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ronpaulforcongress.com/html/bordersecurity.html|title=Issue: Border Security and Immigration Reform|publisher=[[Ron Paul 2008]]|author=Paul, Ron|accessdate=2010-06-20}}</ref> he voted for the [[Secure Fence Act of 2006]]. He voted for the [[Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists]] in response to the [[September 11, 2001, attacks]], but suggested war alternatives such as authorizing the president to grant [[Letters of Marque and Reprisal]] targeting specific [[terrorist]]s.

Paul adheres deeply to [[Austrian school]] economics; he has authored six books on the subject, and displays pictures of Austrian school economists [[Friedrich Hayek]], [[Murray Rothbard]], and [[Ludwig von Mises]] (as well as of [[Grover Cleveland]])<ref name=will>{{cite news|title=A Cheerful Anachronism|url=http://www.libertypost.org/cgi-bin/readart.cgi?ArtNum=177422&Disp=41&Trace=on|authorlink=George Will|last=Will|first=George F|date=2007-02-18|accessdate=2008-03-17|work=[[Newsweek]]}}</ref> on his office wall. He regularly votes against almost all proposals for new government spending, initiatives, or taxes;<ref name=saynot>{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/08/AR2006070800966_2.html|title=Congressman Paul's Legislative Strategy? He'd Rather Say Not|author=Copeland, Libby|date=2006-07-09|work=[[Washington Post]]|accessdate=2007-10-23}}</ref> he cast two thirds of all the lone negative votes in the House during a 1995–1997 period.<ref name=no/> He has pledged never to raise taxes<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.atr.org/content/html/2007/april/042407pr-ronpaul_pledge.html|title=Rep. Ron Paul Signs Presidential Taxpayer Protection Pledge|accessdate=2007-10-23|publisher=Americans for Tax Freedom|author=Kartch, John|date=2007-04-24 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071011150929/http://atr.org/content/html/2007/april/042407pr-ronpaul_pledge.html |archivedate = October 11, 2007}}</ref> and states he has never voted to approve a [[budget deficit]]. Paul believes that the country could abolish the individual income tax by scaling back federal spending to its fiscal year 2000 levels;<ref name=endirs>{{cite web|url=http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2003/cr013003c.htm|title=End the Income Tax — Pass the Liberty Amendment|publisher=[[U.S. House of Representatives]]|work=[[Congressional Record]]|author=Paul, Ron|date=2003-01-30|accessdate=2008-03-08| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080301111946/http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2003/cr013003c.htm| archivedate = March 1, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.antiwarpresident.com/ronpaul/Ron-Paul-less-government-abolish-IRS.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20070705203920/http://www.antiwarpresident.com/ronpaul/Ron-Paul-less-government-abolish-IRS.html|archivedate=2007-07-05|title=Paul Want Less Government, Less Taxes, and Abolish IRS|date=2007-09-13|publisher=Antiwar President|accessdate=2007-10-23}}</ref> financing government operations would primarily come through the [[corporate income tax in the United States|corporate income tax]], [[excise taxes (U.S.)|excise taxes]] and [[tariff]]s. He supports eliminating most [[Government agencies#Government agencies in the United States|federal government agencies]], calling them unnecessary [[bureaucracies]]. Paul also believes the longterm erosion of the U.S. dollar's purchasing power through [[inflation]] is attributable to its lack of any commodity backing. However, Paul does not support a complete return to a gold standard, instead preferring to legitimize gold and silver as [[legal tender]] and to remove the sales tax on them.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ron Paul in New Hampshire|date=2007-06-05|format=[[YouTube]]|url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=RKQmYfY3R7c}}</ref> He also advocates gradual elimination of the [[Federal Reserve System]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Paul, Ron|date=2007-09-11|accessdate=2007-10-23|title=Question and Answer session following Keynote speech at the Johns Hopkins Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies forum "Foreign Policy: A View from a Presidential Candidate"|url=http://ronpaulaudio.com/rpaudio/RonPaulatJohnsHopkinsSchoolofInternationalStudiesSAIS091107.m3u|publisher=Ron Paul Audio}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref>

Paul supports [[constitutional rights]], such as the [[right to arms|right to keep and bear arms]], and ''[[habeas corpus]]'' for political detainees. He opposes the [[Patriot Act]], federal use of [[Torture in the United States|torture]], [[presidential autonomy]], a [[REAL ID Act|national ID card]], [[warrantless wiretapping|domestic surveillance]], and [[Conscription in the United States|the draft]]. Citing the [[Ninth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Ninth]] and [[Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Tenth Amendments]], Paul advocates [[states' rights]] to decide how to regulate social matters not directly found in the Constitution. Paul calls himself "strongly pro-life",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec99/cr102799.htm|work=[[Congressional Record]]|publisher=[[U.S. House of Representatives]]|date=1999-10-27|accessdate=2007-09-27|title=Providing for Consideration of H.R. 2260, Pain Relief Promotion Act of 1999|author=Paul, Ron| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070908011246/http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec99/cr102799.htm| archivedate = September 8, 2007}}</ref> "an unshakable foe of abortion",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/life-and-liberty/|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071024143701/http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/life-and-liberty/|archivedate=2007-10-24|title=Life and Liberty|author=Paul, Ron|publisher=[[Ron Paul 2008]]|accessdate=2007-10-23|year=2007}}</ref> and believes regulation or ban<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2006/tst013006.htm|title=Federalizing Social Policy|author=Paul, Ron|date=2006-01-31|accessdate=2008-01-04|publisher=[[U.S. House of Representatives]]|work=[[Congressional Record]]| |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071229014649/http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2006/tst013006.htm |archivedate = December 29, 2007}}</ref> on medical decisions about maternal or fetal health is "best handled at the state level".<ref name=americanview/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=56526|work=Election 2008 Q&A|title=Paul says merger plans must be derailed: 'You cannot amend the Constitution with a treaty'|publisher=[[WorldNetDaily]]|date=2007-07-10|accessdate=2007-10-23}}</ref> He says his years as an obstetrician led him to believe life begins at [[conception (biology)|conception]];<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.teamliberty.net/id447.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071018022258/http://www.teamliberty.net/id447.html|archivedate=2007-10-18|title=An Interview with Presidential Candidate Congressman Ron Paul|work=Muckraker Report|publisher=Team Liberty|author=Murtagh, Joseph|date=2007-06-28|accessdate=2007-09-27}}</ref> his pro-life legislation, like the [[Sanctity of Life Act]], is intended to negate ''[[Roe v. Wade]]'' and to get "the federal government completely out of the business of regulating state matters."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Who+had+the+right+to+rule%3F+Accusations+about+the+abuses+of...-a0132162835|title=Who had the right to rule?|publisher=American Opinion Publishing, Inc|work=[[New American]]|author=Eddlem, Thomas R.|date=2005-05-02|accessdate=2007-10-05}}</ref> Paul also believes that the federal government has no constitutional authority to interfere in the religious affairs of its citizens or of the several states: "In case after case, the Supreme Court has used the infamous '[[Separation of Church and State|separation of church and state']] metaphor to uphold court decisions that allow the federal government to intrude upon and deprive citizens of their religious liberty."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2003/cr040203b.htm|title=Ron Paul's Texas Straight Talk}}</ref>

He opposes federal regulation of the [[Capital punishment in the United States|death penalty]],<ref name=americanview>{{cite web|url=http://theamericanview.com/index.php?id=916|author=Lofton, John|title=Excerpts From Our Exclusive Ron Paul Interview|date=August 2007|accessdate=2007-10-23|publisher=American View}}</ref> of education,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/2008/Ron_Paul_Education.htm|title=Ron Paul on Education: Republican Representative (TX-14)|publisher=On the Issues|accessdate=2007-10-23|date=2007-09-01}}</ref> and of marriage, and supports revising the military's "[[don't ask, don't tell]]" policy to focus on disruptive sexual behavior (whether [[heterosexual]] or [[homosexual]]).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0706/05/se.01.html|title=Transcript of June 5 "CNN/WMUR/''New Hampshire Union Leader''" Republican presidential debate|publisher=CNN|accessdate=2008-11-14|date=2007-06-05|author=Paul, Ron}}</ref> As a [[free-market environmentalist]], he asserts private [[property rights]] in relation to environmental protection and pollution prevention. He also opposes the federal [[War on Drugs]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2004/tst051704.htm|title=The War on Drugs is a War on Doctors|author=Paul, Ron|publisher=U.S. House of Representatives|date=2004-04-17|accessdate=2008-11-14|work=[[Congressional Record]]| |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080802163713/http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2004/tst051704.htm |archivedate = August 2, 2008}}</ref> and thinks the states should decide whether to regulate or deregulate drugs such as [[Medical marijuana in the United States|medical marijuana]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HR02592|title=H.R. 2592|date=2001-07-23|publisher=Library of Congress|accessdate=2008-11-14}}</ref> Paul pushes to eliminate federal involvement in and management of [[Health care in the United States|health care]], which he argues would allow prices to drop due to the fundamental dynamics of a free market.<ref>{{cite web|author=Paul, Ron|url=http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul175.html|title=Free market Medicine|publisher=LewRockwell.com|date=2004-05-05|accessdate=2008-11-14}}</ref> He is an outspoken proponent for increased [[ballot access]] for 3rd party candidates and numerous election law reforms which he believes would allow more voter control.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2004/cr071504.htm|title=End the Two-Party Monopoly!|publisher=House of Representatives|work=[[Congressional Record]]|date=2004-07-15|accessdate=2007-10-23|last=Paul|first=Ron |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070930110358/http://www.house.gov/paul/congrec/congrec2004/cr071504.htm |archivedate = September 30, 2007}}</ref>
Ron Paul has also stated that “The government shouldn't be in the medical business." He is also opposed to government flu inoculation programs.<ref>Malcolm, Arthur (2009-04-30) [http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2009/04/ron-paul-swine-flu-federal-government.html "Ron Paul pooh-poohs swine flu; yet another grab for more Fed control!"], LA Times blogs. Retrieved on 2009-10-7.</ref>

Paul takes a critical view of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]], arguing that it was unconstitutional and did not improve race relations.<ref name="cr1964">{{cite web|url=http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul188.html|title=The Trouble With Forced Integration by Ron Paul|accessdate=May 24, 2010}}</ref>

==See also==
* ''[[Liberty Defined]]''
* ''[[Mises and Austrian Economics: A Personal View]]''

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Links==
{{Commons}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Wikisource author}}
* [http://www.ronpaul.org/ Ron Paul's Personal Website], books, articles, links to political sites connected with Ron Paul
* {{cb|2012/04/paul-vs-paul-the-video/|Paul vs. Paul: the Video|Daniel J. Sanchez|April 2012}}

* Ron Paul at [[Mises Institute|Mises.org]]
** [http://mises.org/media.aspx?action=author&ID=392 Media archive]
** [http://mises.org/literature.aspx?action=author&Id=392 Literature archive]
** [http://mises.org/articles.aspx?AuthorId=392 Daily Article archive]

;Congress
* [http://paul.house.gov/ U.S. House of Representatives Office of Ron Paul]
*{{CongLinks | congbio = P000583 | votesmart = BC031929 | washpo = Ron_Paul | govtrack = 400311 | opencong = 400311_Ronald_Paul | ontheissues = TX/Ron_Paul.htm | surge = | legistorm = 413/Rep_Ron_Paul_TX.html | fec = H6TX22101 | opensecrets = N00005906 | followthemoney = | cspan = 45747 | rose = | imdb = 2223785 | nyt = p/ron_paul | guardian = world/ronpaul | worldcat = lccn-n81-103750 | nndb = 094/000039974 | findagrave = }}

;Presidential campaign
*[http://ronpaul2012.com RonPaul2012.com] Official site
*[http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/350/ NOW on PBS "Ron Paul and Internet Politics"]. Also, a [http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/435/Ron-Paul.html September 2008 NOW on PBS interview with Ron Paul]
* [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2008/primaries/candidates/paul.html PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer — Vote 2008: Ron Paul]
*{{dmoz|Regional/North_America/United_States/Government/Elections/President/2008/Candidates/Paul,_Ron}}
* {{cb|2012/04/death-panels-in-britain/|Death Panels in Britain?|Christopher Westley|April 2012}}

* {{wplink}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paul, Ron}}
[[Category:Libertarians]]
[[Category:Politicians]]

The Austrian Economics Wiki - User contributions [en]

Ron Paul