This article summarizes developments described on Ron Paul's website.
Ron Paul as "Dr. No"
Paul has been nicknamed "Dr. No" by his colleagues in the US House of Representatives for his insistence on a strict constitutional test for any bill, and a "no" vote on any bill which would increase government spending or the size of government.
Paul has been the Libertarian candidate for President, but in 2008 ran for the Republican Party's nomination for President.
Ron Paul against further Auto Industry Bailout
Paul, in an interview on Fox Business, recommended a bankruptcy process for the Auto makers, because the bankruptcy process is a constitutionally appropriate means to regulate companies which have not used their capital wisely. He decries the use of taxpayer money for the Auto industry as "[taking] money from innocent people and [giving] it to people who got themselves into trouble."
He recommends the bankruptcy process for companies which cannot survive without government assistance.
Ron Paul for Ending the War on Drugs
In a column on his website, Paul outlines the constitutional difficulties with the current war on drugs. He describes how the Bill of Rights, specifically the freedom of religion and assembly, the freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, the right to be free of unnecessary search and seizure, all operate under the presumption that the individual is free to make his or her own choices.
By engaging in a prohibition of narcotics, the government prevents people from exercising self determination, and prevents them from being truly free in their choices.
He suggests that if the narcotics trade were made legal, it could be regulated as the sale of prescription drugs and alcohol are now, ensuring safety and offering some control on appropriate use.
Paul does not condone recreational drug use, but neither does he feel that further state interference in personal choice will create better results than it has in the drug war in the past thirty year.
Ron Paul on Auditing the Federal Reserve
The Federal Reserve, which supervises electronic banking transactions and sets the interest rate for loans to the government, has long been a target for Paul, who has advocated dissolving the institution.
Paul currently is supporting the "Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009", which would allow the government to audit the Fed, reporting any fraud, theft, redundancy, or other problems to the Government Accountability Office.
With greater transparency, Paul believes the Fed would become more transparent, and more reluctant to increase the financing of government debt.
