WendyMcElroy.com

An interesting thread on the libertarian BB that I moderate: it is entitled the "Ron Paul debate clips." (You are invited to browse or join, BTW.) One poster did some research into Paul's voting record in the House. Roland writes,

Hmmm. Paul voted for the 700 mile fence? At the very end of the clip, he states that we need to stop spending $1B annually on preemptive war so that we can spend it on education and medical care? That prompted me to examine his voting record.

--He touts himself as a defender of the Constitution, and refers to Roe v. Wade as an example of Federal interference in issues that should be decided at the local level, however, he voted for every law regulating partial birth abortion that came down the pike. So into which domain do abortion issues fall? Even if one considers partial abortion to be the murder of a fully developed human being, which enumerated power grants the Federal government dominion over this issue?
--He voted for HR4844, which mandates government-issued photo voter id cards. Again, it is not a question of whether or not this is a good idea, but of whether such election governance is authorized by an enumerated power granted to the Federal government.
--Voted for several measures that seem to promote Federal financial aid to education and generally reinforce Federal jurisdiction over education.
--Voted for HR5092 to modernize and reform BATF. A bit sticky, as the legislation tends to roll back some discretionary powers of the bureau. However, there is no Constitutional foundation for BATF to even exist, and any such legislation tends to further legitimize it, no matter what the net present effect. A NV would have been a better defense of the Constitution.
--Voted to require Sec H&HS to negotiate lower prescription drug prices for Medicare recipients. Again, the entire program and Department is extra-Constitutional.
--Voted for several other measures that on balance tend to reinforce Federal jurisdiction over medical care.
--Voted for the Secure Fence Act mentioned previously.
--Voted to require hospitals to provide information on care rendered to undocumented persons (presumed immigrants). An unfunded mandate and not among the enumerated powers.
--Voted for HR2028 to prohibit Federal courts from hearing cases challenging the Pledge of Allegiance and its constitutionality. Oh really?!
--Voted for two measures allowing display of the Ten Commandments: one State, one Federal. I have no problem with the first bill, it is none of the Federal government's business. However, I have some difficulty with allowing this at the Federal level on First Amendment grounds, and the second bill went on to affirm the Ten Commandments as "declaration of fundamental principles that are the cornerstones of a fair and just society". Hmmm. The first five Commandments are specifically about empowering clergy. That is an unacceptable Federal intrusion.
--Voted to extend Federal transportation funding to avoid one of the mythical "government shutdowns" pending passage of a reauthorization bill.

I will concede that I could have found much more to criticize had I examined just about any other voting record. He is no doubt the least bad of the declared candidates and may be head and shoulders above anyone else in Congress. However, I believe that his voting record puts the lie to his claim to be a "defender of the Constitution" or a libertarian (he can qualify as an upper-case "L" Libertarian these days, but so can just about anyone else) Ron Paul is nowhere near enough to persuade me to endorse the screwed-up electoral system by voting.