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{{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)<br/>Libertarian (1988 Presidential Election)<br/>Republican (1988–present)
|spouse=Carolyn "Carol" Paul
|children=Ronald "Ronnie" Paul, Jr.<br/>Lori Paul Pyeatt<br/>[[Rand Paul|Randal "Rand" Paul]]<br/>Robert Paul<br/>Joy Paul-LeBlanc
|alma_mater=[[Gettysburg College]] ([[Bachelor of Science|B.S.]])<br/>[[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]]<br/>[[United States Air National Guard]]
|serviceyears=1963–1965<br/>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.

==Life==
"Ron" Paul was a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[United States Congressman|Congressman]] for the [[Texas's 14th congressional district|14th congressional district]] of [[Texas]]. Paul was a member of the [[Liberty Caucus]] of Republican congressmen which aims to [[limited government|limit the size and scope of the federal government]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winnipegsun.com/comment/columnists/eric_margolis/2009/07/05/10029916-sun.html|title=Doc offers cure for GOP|author=Eric Margolis|accessdate=2009-08-21}}</ref> and served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the Joint Economic Committee, and the Committee on Financial Services, where he has been an outspoken critic of American foreign and monetary policy. He has gained prominence for his [[libertarian]] positions on many political issues, often clashing with both Republican and Democratic Party leaders.

Paul was a candidate for the [[Republican Party presidential primaries, 2012|Republican nominee for President of the United States in 2012]].  He has run for President twice previously, first in 1988 as the nominee of the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]] and again in 2008 as a candidate for the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] nomination.

== 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&nbsp;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&nbsp;— 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>

==Bibliography==
*''[[Gold, Peace, and Prosperity]]'' [http://mises.org/books/goldpeace.pdf (PDF)] (1981, 2011)
*''[[The Case for Gold]]'' [http://library.mises.org/books/Ron%20Paul/Case%20for%20Gold.pdf (PDF)] (1983, 2011)
*''[[Mises and Austrian Economics: A Personal View]]'' [http://library.mises.org/books/Ron%20Paul/Mises%20and%20Austrian%20Economics%20A%20Personal%20View.pdf (PDF)] (1984, 2008)
*''[[Freedom Under Siege]]'' [http://mises.org/books/freedomsiege.pdf (PDF)] (1987, 2007)
*''[[A Foreign Policy of Freedom]]'' [http://library.mises.org/books/Ron%20Paul/A%20Foreign%20Policy%20of%20Freedom.pdf (PDF)] (2007)
*''[[Pillars of Prosperity: Free Markets, Honest Money, Private Property]]'' [http://mises.org/books/prosperity.pdf (PDF)] (2008)
*''[[The Revolution: A Manifesto]]'' (2009)
*''[[End the Fed]]'' (2009)
*''[[Liberty Defined]]'' (2011)
*''[[Pursue the Cause of Liberty: A Farewell to Congress]]'' [http://library.mises.org//books/Ron%20Paul/Pursue%20the%20Cause%20of%20Liberty%20A%20Farewell%20to%20Congress_Vol_4.pdf (PDF)] (2012)
*''The School Revolution'' (2013)

==See Also==
* ''[http://www.amazon.com/Ron-Pauls-rEVOLution-Movement-Inspired/dp/0062114794 Ron Paul's Revolution (Amazon)]'' by Brian Doherty (2012)
* [http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/ The Ron Paul File on LewRockwell.com]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Links==
{{Commons}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* [http://www.ronpaul.org/ Ron Paul's Personal Website], books, articles, links to political sites connected with Ron Paul
* [http://ronpaulinstitute.org/ Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity]
* {{cb|2012/04/paul-vs-paul-the-video/|Paul vs. Paul: the Video|Daniel J. Sanchez|April 2012}}
* [http://www.ronpaulchannel.com/ RonPaul Channel]
* [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&nbsp;— Vote 2008: Ron Paul]
* {{cb|2012/04/death-panels-in-britain/|Death Panels in Britain?|Christopher Westley|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://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000583 Biography]
* [http://votesmart.org/candidate/296/ron-paul Biography], [http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/296/ron-paul voting record], and [http://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/296/ron-paul interest group ratings] at Project Vote Smart
* [http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/ronald_paul/400311 Congressional profile] at GovTrack
* [http://www.opencongress.org/people/show/400311_Ronald_Paul Congressional profile] at OpenCongress

* {{wplink}}

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[[Category:Libertarians]]
[[Category:Politicians]]
[[Category:Living people]]