Ron Paul, once on GOP fringe, now 'taken more seriously'

By William Douglas
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON – Rep. Ron Paul remembers the day he was transformed from a mild-mannered physician into the feisty political Nostradamus of the Republican Party.

It was the evening of Aug. 15, 1971. Then-President Richard Nixon announced that he was taking the United States off the gold standard, which had anchored the dollar based on a fixed amount of the precious metal.

"He just, by executive order, ended the gold standard, put on wage and price controls, put on tariffs," Paul, R-Texas, recalled. "And I thought that was bad news for America, and it was going to usher in an age of rampant inflation and financial bubbles and, finally, bankruptcy."

Nixon's actions launched Paul's four-decade political career. At times it's been a lonely journey. Paul has predicted a coming U.S. economic Armageddon, with hell to pay for overly aggressive American military and foreign policies. He also has called for a strict interpretation of the Constitution. At times his views were greeted with derision and laughter, even within his own party.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/12/08/4107556/ron-paul-once-on-go...