Show of Support
Libertarian Ron Paul's limited-government views heard in Tennessee
Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul talks to Scholastic Kid Reporter Aaron Broder in Nashville, Tennessee, on October 6, 2007. (Photo courtesy Aaron Broder)
There are many big names in the upcoming election: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama, Rudolph Giuliani, and John McCain. But one man who you may not have heard of is Ron Paul.
A man with two first names, Paul is a Republican. Sort of. He's more of a Libertarian in his views, although he serves as a Republican Congressman from Texas. A Libertarian is someone who thinks that power should belong to the people. He believes the less that government is involved in people's lives, the better.
A great deal of his campaigning has been done via the Internet. He raised $5 million between July and September, mostly online. While not in the same league as the $20 million being raised by the front-runners, the amount he raised was five times more than Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas. He also has more cash on hand than John McCain.
This show of support has pushed him to do more public events, including a rally in Nashville, Tennessee on October 6. A crowd of about 1,400 came to hear him talk about his ideas.
When asked about public education, Paul said, "I'd probably get the federal government out of the way. They dictate to the local school board and teachers what they should do and shouldn't do."
He also encouraged people to consider private schools or home schooling. Something else he didn't like was income taxes.
"It makes the assumption the government owns our income, and gives us permission to use it," he said.
Paul emphasized his belief in the Constitution.
"The real experiment in liberty came from our Constitution," he said. "From that came great freedom, but in the past 100 years we have cared more about the material aspects of what we have, never looking to the government for the sole purpose of protecting liberty."
The audience reaction to his speech was tremendous. Several times people began chanting his name.
"He did a good job," Timothy Patterson told Scholastic News Online. "He delivered a message that the American people are really crying out for."
Scholastic Kid Reporters are on the campaign trail. Keep up with the latest election news in this special report.
Aaron Broder is a member of the Scholastic Kids Press Corps.
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