10 of 12

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 2

debate, fellow presidential candidate John McCain criticised Paul for being "isolationist". And Rudy Guiliani has questioned Paul's suggestion that American interventionism in the Middle East provides the motivation for Islamic terrorists to attack America.

On the domestic side, Paul's views are libertarian. He wants to dismantle entire government agencies, starting with the CIA and moving on to the Department of Education and the Department of Energy. His platform, according to his supporters, is the American Constitution itself. Paul has consistently voted against any measure not expressly authorised by the Constitution, and he therefore favours a much smaller government, significantly lower taxes (he wants to return to pre-1913 America by abolishing the income tax completely), and the legalisation of gold and silver as legal tender. He is strongly in favour of civil liberties and voted against regulating the Internet and against the PATRIOT Act.

For Paul, the domestic agenda is mainly a philosophical exercise, as the President has far less power over this than in foreign policy. But there is a possibility he will appeal to Christian conservatives, who may be attracted to his pro-life views on abortion. Interestingly, Paul doesn't want a blanket ban on abortion at the federal level, rather he favours letting individual states decide. Under his proposed system there would be more diversity, as certain states would be able to completely ban abortion, while others could legalise the practice.

While many liberals have denounced his domestic agenda as "extreme", they grudgingly accept Paul is a rarity in politics: an honest, principled politician. A reflection of his emphasis on personal responsibility, Paul paid for his children's education himself rather than accepting government loans. He returns a portion of his Congressional office budget to the Treasury each year and has refused to take part in the lucrative Congressional pension scheme. In addition, he served in the military during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Despite his opposition to government subsidies - for himself and for others - his district continues to re-elect him by wide margins. I think that says a lot.

Learn more about this author, Sukrit Sabhlok.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

• << previous page
• 1
• 2

Add your voice

Know something about Ron Paul - A viable candidate for American President in November 2008?
We want to hear your view. Write now!