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Ron Paul Campaign Press Release - CNN Debate: GOP Candidates Now Sound Like Ron Paul

June 15, 2011

But where is their record?

What we learned from last night's debate is that almost every other candidate on stage now sounds like Ron Paul, but do not have the record to back it up.

Ron Paul is the only candidate who voted against the spending before it was popular to do so, never voted for a debt limit increase, never voted for an unbalanced budget, voted against all bail outs, has always opposed government mandated healthcare, and has always voted in favor of our free market system.

Take a quick look back at just some of the records of a few of the other candidates.

Mitt Romney:

Romneycare — Still defends his plan signed on April 12, 2006, despite publicly stating that as President he would repeal and replace ObamaCare. However, the two plans are similar in at least 3 ways. Cato Institute, Cato Romneycare, April 15, 2010

Obamacare was modeled in a large way after Romneycare, as the Obama Admin likes to point out. Obama: "we passed health care with an assist from a former Massachusetts governor" CNN, May 9, 2011

Cap and Trade — Believes we should reduce emissions UNH Townhall June 3, 2011:

"I don't speak for the scientific community, of course, but I believe the world's getting warmer. I can't prove that, but I believe based on what I read that the world is getting warmer. And number two, I believe that humans contribute to that…I also think it's important for us to reduce our emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases that may well be significant contributors to the climate change and the global warming that you're seeing." — UNH Townhall — Romney Townhall Washington Post, June 3, 2011

TARP - Supported Wall Street Bailout "I believe that it was necessary to prevent a cascade of bank collapses"- CPAC Speech 2009, Politico February 27, 2009


Tim Pawlenty:

Governor Pawlenty's 2006-2007 Budget - 2008, Pawlenty joined with state Democrats in signing a $109 million corporate tax increase by changing state laws on the definition of foreign operating corporations. Club For Growth White Paper on Pawlenty, Dolan Media Newswires, May 22, 2008

TARP — "Tim Pawlenty says he is reluctantly for it." How Paulson Just Picked the 2012 GOP Nominee, US News, September 26, 2008

"But as you look at the practicalities or the implications of letting AIG fail in terms of what it would mean to average citizens and the destabilizing of the credit markets and the financial markets, something needed to be done.

"And, you know, that is an imperfect solution, but, like has been said, they are too big, the consequences are too severe for innocent bystanders to allow them to fail. So it's an imperfect solution, but you also have to be pragmatic about getting the mess cleaned up."Tim Pawlenty's bailout shuffle, Salon, January 12, 2011

Cap and Trade — Signed onto and persuaded members of the Midwest Governors Association to sign the Midwestern Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Accord, an agreement to develop a cap-and-trade mechanism:

"Today's agreement is an important milestone toward achieving a cleaner, more secure energy future…"

"The Midwest is well positioned to help lead the energy revolution that our nation needs to stay competitive and strong. Working together, states can build a de facto national energy policy that will create good jobs and build a cleaner and safer world." — Midwest States and Manitoba Sign Agreements to Reduce Greenhouse Gases, Promote Energy Efficiency and Renewables, November 15, 2007


Newt Gingrich:

Healthcare — Supported a health insurance mandate: "I agree that all of us have a responsibility to pay- — help pay for health care. I've said consistently we ought to have some requirement that you either have health insurance or you post a bond"- Politico: Newt Gingrich on Meet The Press, May 15, 2011

Supported Medicare prescription drug bill, creating Medicare part D, which now has $16 trillion in unfunded liabilities:

"Every conservative member of Congress should vote for this Medicare bill. It is the most important reorganization of our nation's healthcare system since the original Medicare Bill of 1965 and the largest and most positive change in direction for the health system in 60 years for people over 65"Club For Growth White Paper on Gingrich

Cap and Trade — In 2008 made an ad with Pelosi for Al Gore's Alliance for Climate Protection, where he said "our country must take action to address climate change" Fox News

"mandatory carbon caps combined with a trading system" would be "very, very good," Fox News

TARP — Stated he would "reluctantly and sadly" support the Wall Street Bailout ABC

Ron Paul, Ron Paul Campaign Press Release - CNN Debate: GOP Candidates Now Sound Like Ron Paul Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/299215

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