In making my preliminary decision on who would be the right candidate to win my vote, one thing I need is a record comparison of the candidates on the focal points that are being stressed on the official website of the candidate. This comparison isn't there and the purpose of certain focal points doesn't seem to be there either. I am not interested in candidates talking bad about each other, I just want to know where each one stands. So if anyone has some more direct answers and comparison information, I would be willing to listen.
This information is undoubtedly important, but I don't know why?
Brief Overview of Congressman Paul’s Record:
He has never voted to raise taxes.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He has never taken a government-paid junket.
He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.He voted against the Patriot Act.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
He voted against the Iraq war.He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.Congressman Paul introduces numerous pieces of substantive legislation each year, probably more than any single member of Congress.
(Source: Ron Paul 2008 Hope for America website)
He has never voted to raise taxes.
Has he even considered a reasonable tax increase? Did he ever have the chance to vote to raise taxes? If he voted no on raising taxes, what did that prohibit from happening? Was it an issue of voting to raise taxes for better schools, better health care, better transportation, or the creation of jobs and he said no. I am not sure if this is a good point or a bad point. I don't want to have my taxes raised, but sometimes what is the alternative?
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
Year after year for several decades, we've been running budget deficits. We take in less than we spend. Given that kind of condition, it's not an easy fix. Isn't it more dangerous to blindly vote no on all budgets? If enough of this is done by more members of Congress, wouldn't that bring the Federal Government to a complete halt? We need to pay for things, period. The answer appears to be in reducing spending and cutting pork, not in blindly saying no to all unbalanced budgets.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
Here is my question on this topic, are you for guns or against guns? Do you have a gun registered to you now?
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He's been a wealthy doctor and a politician -- why would he need to raise congressional pay? So, it's not a point of even mentioning raising pay since they make so much to begin with and since he's already wealthy and a raise would mean he would have to pay more personal taxes. And who wants to do this?
He has never voted to increase the power of the Executive Branch.
Will he still agree with this if he is President? The last time I looked, the President had enough power granted to him through the laws and rulings that already exist.
He voted against the Patriot Act.
My question on this is what was his recommendation at that point to safeguard America. It's easy to find fault with some of that legislation now in hind sight, but what did he have proposed to help with terrorism back on October 26, 2001.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
So if any regulation of the Internet comes up during his Presidency (if elected), will he continue to keep the regulations off of the Internet? Also how does he feel about taxing the Internet? Does he feel that the Internet needs any changes? Does he personally have hands-on experience with the Internet? Does he understand the technology, the work-forces, and the daily process of the Internet?
He voted against the Iraq war.
Does he have a plan to bring our soldiers home?
My vote depends on many of the answers to these questions.
