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March 18, 2024

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2008 Elections

Ron Paul on the Issues

 

Abortion
He is pro-life and says his years of experience as an OB/GYN make him "an unshakable foe of abortion." In Congress, he authored legislation that would define life beginning at conception. He is also the prime sponsor of a resolution that would negate the effect of Roe v. Wade by removing the ability of federal courts to interfere with state legislation to protect life. From voting against the use of embryonic stem cells in research to voting in favor of banning partial birth abortion, Paul says he is more than just pro-life: "I have taken direct action to restore protection for the unborn." more.

 

Environment and Energy
He voted "Yes" on barring federal funding for the Energy Department's "Yucca Mountain Youth Zone" Web site, which was designed to tell children that burying the country's nuclear waste 90 miles from Las Vegas is safe. In terms of energy, the government should get out of protecting oil prices and allow the free market to set prices. If oil prices become too high, then the free market will develop alternative fuels. Protecting individual private property rights is the best way to protect the environment - you have no right to pollute your neighbor's property, including your neighbor's air or water. He doesn't think anyone has the answer on what is causing an increase in C02 levels and global warming ... more.

 

Foreclosures
Ron Paul believes concern over the impending foreclosures on homes is part of a larger issue of the United States’ monetary policy. In a hearing of the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, Paul said he thought politicians should consider the cause of the collapse of the housing bubble. He thinks foreclosure are caused by the excesses made by the Federal Reserve, which should have attempted to find solutions that would only delay recovery by continuing a cycle of inflation and devaluing of the currency ... more

 

Health Care
Paul rejects the "corporate medicine" that mandates our health care today. A mixture of government involvement with a corporate-run system introduced in the 1970s pushed the price of health care higher and over the years has obliterated the doctor-patient relationship. But giving the government even more control through socialized medicine, Paul says is not the answer. Paul suggests moving in the direction of a free market system through the implementation of health savings accounts which would let people put money aside for their medical needs and get a tax credit for doing so. Health savings accounts would give the patient more control to pick their own doctors and decide what type of medicine they want attending to their health. This program could be transitioned so not to disenfranchise the people on programs such as Medicaid, Medicare and S-Chip. But Paul encourages young people to opt out of the current system and start taking responsibility for their own health care ... more.

 

Immigration
Paul believes that the only way to end illegal immigration is to end the incentive of welfare that attracts immigrants to illegally enter the country. The welfare system provides free health care and education to illegal immigrants and it stops people from working within the country. His plan to end illegal immigration also includes: physically securing our borders and coastlines as well as enforcing visa rules so that immigration officials can track visa holders and deport anyone who overstays their visa or otherwise violates U.S. law. There should be no amnesty and no welfare for illegal aliens. He wants to end birthright citizenship because as long as illegal immigrants know their children born here will be citizens, the incentive to enter the U.S. will remain strong ... more.

 

Iraq
"The war in Iraq was sold to us with false information. The area is more dangerous now than when we entered it. We destroyed a regime hated by our direct enemies, the jihadists, and created thousands of new recruits for them. This war has cost more than 3,000 American lives, thousands of seriously wounded, and hundreds of billions of dollars. We must have new leadership in the White House to ensure this never happens again. . . . We can continue to fund and fight no-win police actions around the globe, or we can refocus on securing America and bring the troops home." ...more.

 

Taxes
Paul’s tax reform is based on eliminating the IRS and the income tax. But unlike others that oppose the income tax, Paul has not endorsed the Fair Tax commonly known as the consumption tax, although he notes that it would simplify the tax system. Paul has deemed the IRS unconstitutional and believes that all of America’s problems can be solved by looking into the constitution. He believes that if the reform does not either eliminate or reduce a tax, it is not sufficient. Paul has been accused of opposing any form of taxes, but he insists that he is only against the IRS. In addition to his position on the IRS, Paul is focused on cutting federal spending. On his blog, Paul says that, “Real conservatives have always supported low taxing and low spending.” ... more

 

Yucca Mountain
Ron Paul is the only Republican candidate to take a firm stance against using Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste repository. He believes the issue to be about states’ rights and does not approve of the federal government deciding such matters. In May 2006, he voted to prohibit funding toward a “Yucca Mountain Youth Zone” Web site. The site featured games and activities promoting Yucca Mountain as a safe repository for nuclear waste ... more

 

— Las Vegas Sun new media managing editor Dave Toplikar and new media interns Jenna Kohler and April Corbn compiled this report.

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