Election 101: Ron Paul sets sights on 2012. Ten things to know about him.

Ron Paul is hoping the third times the charm. The Texas congressman declared his (third) candidacy for president Friday on Good Morning America. The intellectual grandfather of the tea party movement is a constitutional purist whos as popular among his fervent followers as he is disliked by the GOP establishment. Hes a dark horse pushing for an upset victory. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/2011/0513/Election-101-Ron-Paul-sets-sights-on2012.-Ten-things-to-know-about-him/In-his-own-words

1. Why is he running again?

Representative Paul is running as much to promote his issues as to get in the White House, says Brian Doherty, a senior writer at libertarian Reason Magazine. Thats always what Ron Paul has been in this for, says Mr. Doherty. Hes not in politics to do well for himself, but to get a set of ideas out. Running for president is a surprisingly successful way to get that message out. Paul has already brought a libertarian flavor to the race, highlighted issues he deems important, and energized a base of voters discouraged with the religious right-dominated GOP. And, with the US facing a gaping deficit, several ongoing entanglements overseas, and a weak GOP field, Paul sees a perfect storm in 2012. I believe there are literally millions of more people now concerned about the very things I talked about four years ago.... The excessive spending, the entitlement system, the foreign policy, as well as the monetary system, he said in Iowa, after announcing formation of his exploratory committee.

2. What is his platform?

Its a unique mix of traditional conservatism and libertarianism that makes Paul such an unusual presidential candidate. He is fiercely antiwar and calls for an end to all military engagements overseas; hes a proponent of fiscal discipline and harsh spending cuts; and hes a strict constitutionalist who has long called for the dissolution of entire federal departments or institutions, including, famously, the Federal Reserve. His unusual stances attract an equally unusual coalition of supporters: ACLU sympathizers and youths who like his opposition to the Patriot Act and his call to decriminalize marijuana; tea partyers who appreciate his strict fiscal message; religious voters who agree with his opposition to abortion; and antiwar types who back his opposition to the Iraq war.

3. Who, exactly, is his base?

Paul is hoping to capture the votes that most of his more mainstream GOP opponents will miss. That means libertarians, young voters, constitutionalists, and tea party purists. And, says Doherty, Paul has a secret fan base that could tip him into the big leagues: apathetic voters. To a large extent, Ron Paul is picking from that crowd apathetics. If you can find that politically, thats huge, says Doherty, saying more than 40 percent of Americans didnt vote in 2008. Even people who arent political love his message, and they love him.

4. What are his strengths?

Ron Paul has a proven ability to raise money, he is well known within the Republican Party, and he has a core of enthusiastic supporters, says Peter Hanson, a political scientist at the University of Denver. Indeed, during the fourth quarter of 2007, Paul outraised all of his GOP contenders in the 2008 race, bringing in about $20 million. He has also set the GOP record for the greatest 24-hour fundraising drive, raising $4.2 million in a November 2007 money bomb. His fundraising mojo is strong and proven, says Doherty. Thats thanks in part to a legion of loyal and zealous followers, says Wes Benedict. His motivated activist base is a big strength for him, says Mr. Benedict, executive director of the Libertarian National Committee in Washington. People who like Ron Paul like him a whole lot. Paul also comes across as authentic and unwavering in his beliefs, says Benedict. Hes been consistent for 40 years, even his detractors say that he tells the truth the way he sees it and he sticks to his principles.

5. What about his weaknesses?

The party, says Doherty, hates him. Paul is the kooky uncle in the GOP family, the one who flouts political conventions, represents the fringes of Republican ideology, and refuses to walk the GOP line, says Professor Hanson. Many of Pauls views are considered eccentric or downright unacceptable, he says. For example, hes suggested that Social Security and Medicare may be unconstitutional and should be phased out. National Republicans look at a Paul candidacy as a recipe for disaster.

It will be easy for rivals to paint Paul who once said the 9/11 attacks were the Muslim worlds response to American military intervention overseas as extremist or radical. Hes also 75 and will be 77 by the time the 2012 election rolls around, making him the oldest GOP contender by a long shot. If nothing else, says Doherty, he can convincingly run as a true outsider.

6. How's his war chest?

Between his Liberty PAC, which can only be used to cover certain expenses, and his campaign committee, Paul has about $1.9 million cash on hand and is poised to raise much more. Major donors include Oracle Chairman Jeffrey Henley, and employees of Morning Star Co., Lockheed Martin, and Oracle Corp. Paul, who revolutionized online fundraising, inspires phenomenal fundraising feats, and once raised more than $700,000 in a 24-hour money bomb.

7. What is his political experience?

Paul served as the congressman from the 22nd District of Texas (1976-1977 and 1979-1985), and he currently represents the 14th District of Texas (1997-present).

8. What is his family and religious background?

Paul is married to Carolyn Carol Wells, with whom he has five children: Ronald Ronnie Paul Jr., Lori Paul Pyeatt, Randal Rand Paul (the junior senator from Kentucky), Robert Paul, and Joy Paul-LeBlanc; and 17 grandchildren. Raised Lutheran, Paul is now a church-going Baptist who opposes abortion, but prefers to keep his faith personal. I have never been one who is comfortable talking about my faith in the political arena, he said on his campaign website.

9. Has he written any books?

A prolific author, Paul has penned more than 10 books, including Freedom Under Siege: The U.S. Constitution after 200 Years, A Foreign Policy of Freedom, End The Fed, The Revolution: A Manifesto, and his most recent, Liberty Defined: 50 Essential Issues That Affect Our Freedom.

10. In his own words

"I am just absolutely convinced that the best formula for giving us peace and preserving the American way of life is freedom, limited government, and minding our own business overseas."

The roar of Ron Paul: Five of his unorthodox views on the economy
Ron Paul, the Texas congressman who is expected to announce an official "exploratory committee" for a presidential run Tuesday, is known for his passionate espousal of free markets and sound money. To supporters, Congressman Paul has stood as a lone voice of reason in Congress, wiser than Wall Street. Critics see his views on issues like reviving a gold standard or ending the Federal Reserve as simplistic and more dangerous than the ills he hopes to cure. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/2011/0426/The-roar-of-Ron-Paul-Five-of-hisunorthodox-views-on-the-economy/Federal-budget-deficits Here are his own words on key economic issues:

1. Federal budget deficits

From a statement released by Ron Paul on April 25, 2011: "Last week the financial markets were roiled by Standard & Poors announcement that they will change their outlook on the fiscal health of the United States over the next two years from 'stable' to 'negative'.... "Even the most conservative budget that has been proposed by Republican leadership requires raising the debt ceiling by an additional $9 trillion by 2021. This demonstrates absolutely that no one in power right now has any real intention of addressing our spending problems or paying down the debt. They simply expect to continue to borrow and run up more debt forever, without limit. "Yet they always imagine our dollar will have value no matter how many we print. This expectation is foolish and nave. I guarantee that those buying our debt are not foolish and nave enough to go along with this charade forever."

2. Taxes and the size government

From an interview with Cenk Uygur on MSNBC, March 2, 2011: Uygur: What do you think should be the proper income tax rate? Paul: Well, the best would be zero. I mean, we lived most of our history with zero income tax. But you would have to have the proper sized government. You would have to have the proper role for government. You can't be the policeman of the world and not have an income tax. So I would not have all my troops around the world. I would be bringing the troops home.

And I wouldn't have a military industrial complex that demands so much, but I wouldn't have a welfare state either. And under those conditions, you don't need an income tax. And I think that's the way it should be.... I think when people take money from you and give it to somebody else, that's the equivalent of stealing from you. I don't want to take any of your money. I want you to invest it and create jobs.

3. The gold standard

From a congressional hearing, Sept. 17, 2000: "A characteristic of paper money, of fiat money, is that some benefit and others lose. And a good example of this of how Wall Street benefits, certainly Wall Street is doing very well, but just the other day I had one of my shrimpers in my district call me. He says he's tying up his boat. His oil prices have more than doubled, and he can't afford it, so for now he will have to close down shop. "So he suffers more than a person on Wall Street. So it is an unfair system. And this is not unusual; this is a characteristic well-known, that when you destroy and debase a currency, some people will suffer more than others.... "If you increase the supply of money, you have inflation."

4. Federal Reserve
From a congressional hearing, July 16, 2008: "Our government tells us, well, there is no recession so things must be all right. A lot of people are very angry.... "From my viewpoint, what we need is a world-class dollar, you know, a dollar that is sound, not a dollar that continues to depreciate and not a system where we perpetually just resort to inflation and deficit-financing to bail out everybody. And this is what we've been doing.... The handwriting on the wall is, there's a limit to how many times we can bail the dollar out, because conditions are so much worse today than they have ever been. "You know, we talk a lot about predatory lending, but I see the predatory lending coming from the Federal Reserve interest at 1 percent, overnight rates, loaning to the banks, encouraging the banks and investors to do the wrong things, causing all the malinvestment."

5. Free markets
From a congressional hearing, March 24, 2009: Paul: The question really comes out, who should allocate capital? Is it the free market, or should it be government? And I think that we had a system where the free market wasn't working, and we didn't have capitalism. The allocation of capital came from the direction of the Federal Reserve and a lot of rules and regulations by the Congress. We had essentially no savings, and capital's supposed to come from savings; and we had artificially low interest rates. So look at all that, and this means we'd have to look differently at what our solutions should be. Everybody loves the boom. That was great. Nobody questions all this. But when the bust comes, everybody hates it..... So where do you put the blame, on the market or on crony capitalism that we've been living with probably for three decades? Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke: Congressman, I certainly do not reject capitalism. I don't think this was a failure of capitalism per se.... It is nevertheless the case that we've seen over the decades and the centuries that financial systems can be prone to panics, runs, booms, busts. And for better or worse, we have developed mechanisms like deposit insurance and lender of last resort to try to avert those things. Those protections, in turn, require some oversight to avoid the build-up of risk.... Paul: Isn't that what creates the moral hazard, though? Isn't that the problem, rather than the solution?

Ron Paul: an absolute faith in free markets and less government http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2008/0102/p01s08-uspo.html Why is he running again http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/President/2011/0426/Ron-Paul-Why-is-he-runningfor-president-again
John Stewart on Ron Paul http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/2011/0426/The-roar-of-Ron-Paul-Five-of-his-unorthodoxviews-on-the-economy/Federal-budget-deficits