Fw: [Lis-LEAF] Ron Paul Campaign Answers Slashdot Reader Questions

[Guest guest]

" Donald James,

Paul " <dopaul

" The Havens " <thehavens

Fw: [Lis-LEAF] Ron Paul Campaign Answers Slashdot Reader

Questions

Tue, 5 Feb 2008 17:52:41 -0500

X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2869

X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS 000777-4, 09/30/2007), Outbound message

X-Antivirus-Status: Clean

 

 

-

R. J. Tavel, J.D.

Learning Electronically About Freedom mailing service

Tuesday, February 05, 2008 1:42 PM

[Lis-LEAF] Ron Paul Campaign Answers Slashdot Reader Questions

On January 15th we asked you for tech-oriented questions we could send

to the various presidential candidates, and you

<http://interviews.slashdot.org/interviews/08/02/05/1511225.shtml>responded

like mad

<http://interviews.slashdot.org/interviews/08/01/15/1523214.shtml?tid=219>.

The candidates were the exact opposite: not a single one answered emails

we sent to their " media inquiry " links or email addresses. Slashdot has

more readers than all but a handful of major daily papers, so that's

kind of strange. Maybe they figure our votes aren't worth much or that

hardly any of us vote. In any case, the Ron Paul campaign finally

responded, due to some string-pulling by a Slashdot reader who knows

some of Ron Paul's Texas campaign people. Perhaps other Slashdot readers

-- like you (hint hint) -- can pull a few strings with some of the other

campaigns and get them to communicate with us. Use this email address

<roblimo?subject=Campaign2008>, please. But first,

you'll probably want to read the Ron Paul campaign's answers to your

questions (below).

http://interviews.slashdot.org/interviews/08/02/05/1511225.shtml

*1) Global high tech*

In the last year, India and China have both announced and made progress

towards implementing their own space programs. How should America

respond to such growing technological boldness in such countries? Is it

a threat or an opportunity?

*Ron Paul campaign:*

America should stop subsidizing the defenses of the rest of the world

and worry more about its own national security interests, including its

interests in a viable space program. As president, I will also work to

remove barriers to private space flight.

*2) Why Can't I Get a Straight Answer?*

I've noticed that a number of candidates (I'm not naming names) and a

number of administration officials will not answer a question in a clear

and concise fashion. The subject could be anything from " Do you think

waterboarding is torture? " to " What will be your stance toward the war

in Iraq if you are elected? "

So my question to you is, " Do you think that I want someone in that

office (Whichever one it is) who is deliberately attempting to deceive me? "

Even if you don't answer this question, I hope you think about it the

next time someone asks you a question.

*Ron Paul campaign:*

The American people should expect clear and direct answers to their

questions. Not only have I always strived to clearly state my position

on issues, but my voting record backs up my commitment to the

free-market, limited government philosophy I espouse on the campaign trail.

*3) Marijuana*

I'm a college graduate with a decent job in a technical field. I pay my

taxes, my debts are minimal. I get along well with others, and am close

to my family. I like to think that I am a good citizen and contribute to

society. Yet because I smoke marijuana instead of drinking beer when I

come home from work, my government has declared war on me.

My question is this: Do you believe I belong in jail? If so, why? If

not, what are you going to do to protect me from being arrested?

*Ron Paul campaign:*

I oppose federal laws outlawing marijuana and I oppose federal

interference with state medical marijuana laws.

*4) What do you think about technology?*

Can you clarify your policy around fair use of digital media and

content? More specifically, can you explain how you will balance the

rights of the average citizen to use digital content in " fair use " ways

(backups, time-shifting, parody, etc.) with the need for corporations to

protect IP investments? With the previous two administrations we have

seen an erosion of fair-use rights via the DMCA and copyright extension

bills. As President, will your policies tend to favor these trends or

reverse them?

*Ron Paul campaign:*

I favor enforcement of intellectual property rights; however, some of

the steps taken to protect these rights impose unreasonable burdens on

the consumers and even raise civil liberties concerns. As president, I

will seek a balance between the interest of copyright holders and

consumers of digital media.

*5) What do you think about patents?*

People complain about taxes being the main hindrance of innovation, but

when someone creates a new product, be it an iPhone or a Blackberry,

they aren't looking out for the tax man. The main hindrance to American

technological innovation is a patent system that rewards people for

sitting on ideas and punishes those who create new products.

It has become an accepted fact that when you create something new, you

will likely have to pay companies that had nothing whatsoever to do with

your invention, just because they filed a patent while never intending

to actually produce or sell anything.

As President, would you fix our broken patent system?

*Ron Paul campaign:*

Patents have a role to play in encouraging innovation. While I do not

have a plan for patent reform yet, I would want to work with Congress to

make sure that the US patent system encourages and rewards innovation.

Making sure the patent system is fair to small business and

entrepreneurs, rewards the actual inventors of a product, and does not

tilt the playing field to large corporations will be a priority in my

administration's approach to patent law.

[+] <http://interviews.slashdot.org/login.pl> ronpaul

<http://interviews.slashdot.org/tags/ronpaul>, politics

<http://interviews.slashdot.org/tags/politics>, doyourresearchpeople

<http://interviews.slashdot.org/tags/doyourresearchpeople>,

ifthereishopeitliesinthethirdparties

<http://interviews.slashdot.org/tags/ifthereishopeitliesinthethirdparties>,

lame <http://interviews.slashdot.org/tags/lame> /(tagging beta

<http://interviews.slashdot.org/faq/tags.shtml>)/

Related Stories

[+] <http://interviews.slashdot.org/interviews/08/02/05/1511225.shtml#>

Ask the Presidential Candidates

<http://interviews.slashdot.org/interviews/08/01/15/1523214.shtml> 916

comments