US Presidential Election Candidates

Republican Ron Paul is once again in the race for president. He ran earlier in 1988, and managed to garner almost 400,000 votes. What are the strong points in his campaign?

Paul enjoys a wide support base, including libertarians, conservative Republicans, and some anti-war Democrats. The former flight surgeon has built up a reputation for integrity. He is believed to always cast his vote to uphold the constitution, something that is rare in today's politics.

Paul voted against the war in Iraq, stating that such a war would not be constitutional. This comes in sharp contrast to most other politicians, republicans and democrats, who not only supported President Bush's call for war on Iraq, but favored continuance of troop presence in that country.

Going on to other issues, Paul voted against the Patriot Act. He stands for abolishing income tax and the IRS. He has also opposed controversial trade agreements such as CAFTA and FTAA. He has opposed the Bush government's war on drugs, advocating that decisions with regard to the use of medical marijuana should be left to individual states. He also supports the freedom of the internet.

However, Paul comes across as weak on certain other important key issues. He rejects the idea that that climate change is a result of human activity, and consequently, his campaign is weak on an environmental policy. He has voted for offshore drilling, as well as drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Besides, he also supports ending subsidies and special benefits to energy companies. Paul has also come under criticism for holding racist views.