10.25.2007 12:00 AM

Rep. Ron Paul

Green Your Vote 2008

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Rep. Ron Paul
The Plan: Like most of his fellow Republican candidates, Paul has not outlined a detailed energy plan.
What He Supports: Ending all government subsidies for energy but supporting new fossil fuel exploration, opposing greenhouse gas regulations and favoring some tax incentives for renewable energy development and actions that help individuals reduce their energy consumption.
What Sets Him Apart: Paul is by far the most radical candidate, in that he wants to dismantle federal government programs and responsibilities that have become familiar, including many related to energy and the environment.

By Dan Shapley

"The government shouldn't be directing research and development because they are bound and determined to always misdirect money to political cronies. The government ends up subsidizing things like the corn industry to develop ethanol and it turns out that it's not economically feasible. So, my answer to energy is to let the market work. Let supply and demand make the decision."

—Ron Paul, October 2007, in Grist.

Ron Paul's hands-off governmental approach and emphasis on private rights inform every policy, including energy and environmental regulation — or lack thereof.

During his time holding national office, Paul has a 30 lifetime score on the League of Conservation Voters Scorecard. The Scorecard rates national office holders on a scale of 0 to 100 based on their votes on environmental issues on which LCV has taken a position. He scored between 5 and 50 between 2001 and 2006. On a similar scorecard of Republican lawmakers by the Republicans for Environmental Protection, Paul scored 17 out of 100 in 2005 and 2006.

The 2008 Paul campaign has taken $29,546 from the oil and gas industry, ranking him 9th of 15 candidates and 5th of eight Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Ron Paul's Energy and Environmental Platform at a Glance

Ron Paul hasn't laid out any detailed policies, or published any writings dealing with energy issues. His campaign emphasizes a small role for the federal government, and in the one piece of writing dealing with environmental issues and property rights on his campaign Website, he declares that "much has been done in the name of 'environmentalism' which in reality has little to do with clean air and water, and everything to do with power and control." He has talked publicly about his views, most notably in an interview with Grist.

CLIMATE

Oppose government regulation of greenhouse gas pollution.

ENERGY

End all energy subsidies, and act to "internalize" the costs of energy production so that polluters pay for environmental damages done to others' properties.
Favor fossil fuel exploration and extraction off-shore and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Supports nuclear power, but not subsidies for it.
Has favored tax incentives for renewable energy development and commercial green building.

AUTOMOBILES

Has favored tax incentives to support individuals who take public transportation or bike to work.
Has opposed increases to the nation's vehicle efficiency mandates.

OTHER

Opposes the Environmental Protection Agency, but wouldn't make a priority of dismantling it. Believes that property rights law protects the environment when applied correctly in courts, but that it is the job of citizens — not the government — to argue that a certain pollutant has caused them harm.

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