AP Government and Politics Projects. Some of the formatting was changed during publishing, so some of the content went off the slide or is overlapping.

1. Ron Paul for
President 2012
By Bryar
Loftfield and
Emily Simpson

2. Why He is Running for
President
• Representative Paul’s beliefs have not
changed at all in the past 30 odd years.
• Paul believes now is a good time to run
for President because the “time has come
around to the point where the people are
agreeing with much of what I’ve been
• saying for 30 years.” by many groups devoted to
Ron Paul is endorsed
individual and economic liberty such as the Texas
Association of Business and Commerce PAC, the Texas
Right to Life, the National Federation of Independent
Business PAC, the Veterans of Foreign Wars PAC, the
Texas Board of Realtors, the Texas Hospital
Association, the Texas Medical Association PAC, and
many, many more.

3. Who he is
• Ron Paul currently represents the 14th Congressional District of Texas in the US
House or representatives.
• He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before he left to attend
Gettysburg College and the Duke University School of Medicine.
• He served as a flight surgeon in the US Air Force during the 1960’s.
• He moved to Texas in 1968 with his wife Carol where he began his medical
practice specializing in obstetrics and gynecology.
• He has delivered over 4000 babies.
• He served in the House of Representatives from the late 1970’s to 1984 when he
voluntarily resigned to resume his medical practice.
• In 1997, he returned to serve in the House.
• Over the years, Ron Paul has written several books including The Revolution: A
Manifesto, End the Fed, Liberty Defined, Challenge to Liberty; The Case for
Gold; and A Republic, If You Can Keep It.
• Dr. Paul has also received many awards, including ones from organizations such
as the National Taxpayers Union, Citizens Against Government Waste, the
Council for a Competitive Economy, and countless others.

4. What he believes
• Ron Paul is the main advocate for liberty in politics.
• He believes in a limited constitutional government, low taxes, free
markets, and a return to sound monetary policies based on commodity-
backed currency
• He has never voted for legislation unless the proposed measure is
expressly authorized by the Constitution
• He is a strong advocate for sound monetary policy and an outspoken
critic of the Federal Reserve’s inflationary measures
• He is a key member of the Gold Commission, which advocates for a
return to a gold standard for our currency.
• He is an unwavering advocate of pro-life and pro-family values.
• He has always voted to lower or abolish federal taxes, spending, and
regulation
• He actively promotes the return of government to its proper
constitutional levels.
• He continually advocates for a dramatic reduction in the size of the
federal government and a return to constitutional principles.
• He has a consistent voting record that which prompted one
congressman to say “Ron Paul personifies the Founding Fathers’ ideal of
the citizen-statesman. He makes it clear that his principles will never
be compromised, and they never are.” Another Congresswoman added
that “There are few people in public life who, through thick and

5. Ron Paul’s Nomination
• Ron Paul officially self-declared his candidacy for president on
May 13, 2011 in Exeter, New Hampshire.
• In February he asked supporters to donate to his liberty PAC to
fund trips to Iowa and elsewhere to campaign.
• He attended a New Hampshire debate on June 13, 2011 and
attended an Iowa debate on August 11, 2011
• Paul’s campaign is currently focused on a “win big early” theory to
get the rock rolling, focusing on campaigning mainly in Iowa and
New Hapshire, home to the first Caucuses and primaries.
• Starting off with a hit would allow the momentum that would be
gained from the victories to propel his whole campaign forwards.
• Paul’s Iowa campaign has shown much growth and maturity and has
demonstrated organizational strength which is reflected in his
numerous straw poll victories. Currently Paul has moved into
second place in both Iowa and New Hampshire, according to two
Bloomberg news polls released. He is just behind Cain in Iowa at
19% support and behind Romney in New Hampshire with 17%
support.
• His enormous ability to mobilize supports may come into play on
January 3, in the Iowa caucuses.

6. Primaries and Caucuses
• Early decisions are increasingly necessary for candidates to raise
money, assemble and organization, so primaries and caucuses are
becoming increasingly important.
• State presidential primaries have become main method of
choosing delegates to the national convention; in fact it is used by
three-fourths of states. Each presidential primary has two
features:
“Beauty or popularity contest”, where voters indicate which
delegate is preferred but do not actually elect any delegates to
the convention
“Actual Voting”, where voters are set on a candidate
• Another method used is the caucus which is the oldest method
used.
• A caucus is a meeting of party members and supporters of
various candidates who may elect state or national convention
delegates, who in turn vote for the presidential nominee
• It centers on staffing local party positions such as voting district
chair and often includes party discussions of issues and candidate
in addition to vote on candidates policies

7. Delegates to the National
Conventions is derived from different combinations of
• The number of Delegates
popularity vote and actual vote depending on the state.
• Proportional representation is a system in which delegates are
allocated on the basis of the percentage of votes the candidate wins in
the primary
• Winner take all is a system in which the candidate who receives the
most votes win all that states delegates, or the share of the delegates
from each congressional district
• Delegate selection without a commitment to a candidate is a system in
which New York republicans allow state committee to select 12 at-large
delegates who are officially unpledged, as are the party chair and
national committee representatives
• Delegate selection and separate presidential poll is a system in which
several states voters decide twice
1) To indicate choice for president
2) To choose delegates pledged; or at least favorable, to a
presidential candidate
• Delegates elected in primaries, caucuses or state conventions assemble

8. The National Party Convention
• National Party Conventions are used to formally
elect the national party candidates for president
and vice president and decide on the party
platform.
• Conventions follow very standard
rules, rituals, and routines to keynote address and
Day 1) Devoted
other speeches flaunting the party and
denouncing opposition
Day 2) Committee reports, party and
convention rules and the party platform
Day 3) Presidential and vice presidential
balloting
Day 4) Presidential candidate’s acceptance
speech

9. The Vice Presidential Nominee
• The role of the vice president is of endless importance. The running mate
must create a balance, provide support, enhance a campaign, and help the
candidate to flourish all while influencing those around them as best they
see fit. Together the running mates must create the “dream team” to have
any chance of gaining office.
• Currently, the most likely candidate is Andrew Napolitano, the
knowledgeable and charismatic judge.
• Alongside Paul they would create a team that has read, understood, and
would most importantly honor the constitution.
• This includes a reduction in the power of the imperial presidency, engaging
in only self defensive wars, ensuring that it is congress that declares
them, creating freedom within the economy that would promote such things
as personal responsibility and liberty.
• With much under his belt Napolitano would overwhelm Biden in any one-on-
one debate.
• Another option is Jon Stewart, the acclaimed host of The Daily Show on
Comedy Central.
• Paul has been a frequent and well received guest on his show and well some
might argue that a comedian as vice president would be un-wise it could not
be any worse than an actor, bodybuilder, attorney, deranged neo-nut or
community organizer who never held a "real" job, and when observed
closely, his work actually shows a striking amount of independence of
political thought.

10. Political Platforms
• The political platform, although viewed with a
negative affiliation to the political world, political
parties clearly define the direction in which the
party hopes to proceed.
• Each candidate is faced with the dilemma of being
attractive to those most conservative voters who
will win them the primary and the more moderate
voters who the candidate may win in the general
election.
• Each candidate has the responsibility of finding
versatility in their beliefs.
• They have to find the balance between being
conservative enough for the conservatives and
liberal enough for those votes that are independent
or easily swayed which is essential for any candidate
to win.
• Each candidate must stay true to their beliefs while

11. Ron Paul’s Platform
• Ron Paul is an expert at staying grounded in his views while making it
apparent that some are slightly more liberal, or have a more liberal
interpretation that may be seen as attractive to those who feel that
conservatives often have a closed attitude about their policies.
• Ron Paul is known to be a conservative, constitutionalist, libertarian with
a definite opinion on all topics
Foreign policy- Non intervention, opposing wars of aggression,
and entangling alliances with other nations
Economic- Lower spending and smaller government, lower taxes, and
not a fan of the federal reserve
Abortion- Strongly pro-life, laws regarding abortion should be
made at the state level
Capital punishment- When the crime is worthy of the punishment
the use of capital punishment should be utilized, but at the federal
level it should not be used as a penalty
Education- No federal control
Environment- Not a majorly threatening issue
Marijuana- Yes to medical marijuana

12. Money in Elections
• In presidential campaigns, campaign donors are
limited by the amount they may donate to a
party, candidate, and political action committees
(PAC’s which are the political arm of an interest
group that is legally entitled to raise funds on to
contribute to candidates of political parties).
• The amount people can donate each year changes
due to inflation.
• In the 2007-2008 election cycle, people could
donate up to $4600 to each candidate each
election cycle, but are able to donate up to
$10,000 each election cycle to any PAC’s or
national party organizations.
• There are also limits for the total amounts people
can donate each election. In the 2007-2008

13. Representative Paul’s Money
• Up until September 30, 2011, Ron Paul had raised a
total of approximately $12.8 million.
• He had only spent around $9.1 million of the $12.8
million he raised leaving Paul with approximately $3.7
million remaining as of September 30.
• On one day in October (after the data above was
collected) he raised about $10 million in an event
known as a money bomb.
• He has raised other large sums of money in
subsequent money bombs.
• Of the $12.8 million Paul had raised, 89% of money
came from donations under $1500.
• 60% of Paul’s total contributions were less than $200
• Paul’s top five contributors are Natural Resources
($10,000), Zivity ($10,000), Morning Star Co
($5,ooo), Voldant Holdings ($5,000), and Wiber Lane
Law Firm ($5,000)

14. Presidential Debates
• Nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates has
sponsored and produced both presidential and vice
presidential debates.
• The commission facilitates the debates
• Each debate is different. In the 2008 debates, two debates
were moderated by a single journalist while in the
other, citizens asked the candidates questions.
• In order for a minor party candidate to participate in the
debate, candidates must have an average of 15% or higher in
the five major polls the commission uses and be on the ballot
in enough states to win 270 electoral votes.
• These regulations make it extremely hard for minor parties
to participate in the debates.
• The debates allow candidates the opportunities to state
their policies which they are unable to do in the commonly
viewed campaign ads
• The qualities that are needed in presidential debates, are
also needed of the president, so doing well in a debate, may
signal that that candidate would be a good president.

15. Ron Paul in the Debates
• As senator Paul receives more and more media
attention, his support grows.
• He started off receiving little attention in the
debates, but as time progressed, began to get more
attention
• In the debates, senator Paul has demonstrated
qualities that many admire in a leader, such as
remaining calm when provoked by another candidate.
• Overall, after every debate, he has gained more and
more support, suggesting that if he continues this
way, he may have a good chance of receiving the
Republican nomination
• If he were to receive the republican
nomination, Senator Paul would continue to do well in
the elections

16. Election Night
• If Ron Paul continues to gain more support and attention, we
believe he has a strong chance of winning the election.
• For the most part, Representative Paul is conservative and
thus appeals to the Republicans, but he is liberal enough to
appeal to many Independents and some Democrats that can
be easily swayed.
• His policies and platforms make sense, he has a consistent
voting record, and is very consistent, something this
country needs in a leader during a time of change and
economic downturn.
• Paul also has major appeal and remains calm even when
provoked, qualities everyone admires in a leader.
• There is still nearly a year to the Presidential
Election, which leaves lots of time for the public opinion to
change.

17. Ron Paul would be a great
candidate!am not here to question a man's character. I am
“Unlike you, I
questioning the substance of our politics. What does our country
mean anymore? What is the matter with standing up for our
Constitution? Surely, when a Republican cannot stand on this stage
and stand for the Constitution, we have a serious problem. If you
would like to challenge me on that, or anyone else for that matter, I
am open to the challenge. My consistency is unmatched. You may not
agree with everything I say, you may not think I give the best
speeches, but I am here for a purpose that is much bigger than this
campaign. Can't you understand that?
But if we want to really change this country, we have to get
away from the soundbites and the endless rhetoric. We have to do
something we have not done in many years. We have to embrace the
principles that founded our republic. We have to embrace the
Constitution.
That is why I am running for President of the United States.
And I demand to be heard like the rest, because this message means
something.” -Ron Paul
• Ron Paul is unlike any other candidates running for the Republican
Nomination and eventually, President. He is one that would
always, happily do what is best for the country, rather than doing