Ron Paul: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Ronald Ernest Paul (born August 20, 1935) represents the Texas 14th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Although elected as a Republican Party candidate, he is known for his free market libertarian ideology, which frequently conflicts with his fellow Republicans and indeed all of his colleagues. His regular votes against almost all government spending, taxes, and new programs as well as the fact that he is often the lone dissenter in otherwise unanimous votes have earned him the nickname "Dr. No".

Although his economic views have earned him a reputation as a conservative, his strong criticism of the United States' intervention in Iraq and use of the war on terror to curtail civil liberties have earned him support from those on the political left.

Ron Paul was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received his B.A. from Gettysburg College (1957) and M.D. from Duke University School of Medicine (1961). He served as a surgeon for the United States Air Force in the 1960s. In 1968 he and his wife Carol moved to Texas, where they reside in the town of Surfside Beach.

Dr. Paul was first elected to the House in a 1976 special election to replace Robert R. Casey, who had been appointed to the Federal Maritime Commission. He lost his bid for a full term in the November 1976 election to Democrat Robert A. Gammage but defeated Gammage in a 1978 rematch. In 1984, he chose not to seek reelection and returned to private practice as an OBGYN.

In 1988, Dr. Paul won the nomination of the Libertarian Party for the U.S. Presidency. He spent the year campaigning across the country on a platform of limited government, low taxes, and personal liberty, eventually placing third behind George H. W. Bush and Michael Dukakis.

In 1996, he was again elected to the House. Because Texas ballot access laws prevented him from running as a Libertarian, he ran as a Republican. Knowing that he was actually a Libertarian, the Republican Party backed his challenger in the primary; however, he won it and went on to win the general election. The Republican Party made similar efforts in 1998, but he again won the primary and the election. The Republicans, having twice failed to defeat him, agreed to a compromise: Paul votes with the Republicans on procedural matters and remains nominally Republican in exchange for the committee assignments normally due according to his seniority. This is similar to the deal that Senator Jim Jeffords of Vermont has with the Democratic Party.

Dr. Paul remains a member of the Libertarian Party, as well as of the Republican Liberty Caucus.