This year marks the 12-year anniversary of Ron Paul’s retirement from Congress, but his legacy continues to display itself on the political scene. On issues like foreign policy, war skepticism has grown, at least concerning American involvement in Europe. Abolishing the Department of Education has become a key tenant of Donald Trump’s education agenda. Eliminating taxes on tips has been adopted by both presidential campaigns.

I’ve always been skeptical of government-backed monopolies and coercive institutions. Insurance—particularly home insurance in hurricane-prone areas—has long been a prime example of such a scheme. In the past weeks of hurricanes, when the winds cause catastrophic destruction and the rain pours down flooding entire cities, the insurance industry’s true nature is laid bare—a pyramid scheme that preys on the vulnerable and enriches the few at the expense of the many.

Late last month, Erik Prince, the founder of the Bush Administration’s mercenary army in Iraq—also known as Blackwater—expressed admiration for the State of Israel’s “pager attacks.” The attacks, which killed at least two children and critically injured many others, employed explosives in crowded civilian areas. 

The “middle of the road” has become a popular position among those who find both free market capitalism and communism both to be extreme opposites. Despite the fall of the USSR, many still believe in various, often moderate, forms of socialism. This leads many to oppose a pure free market economy because they believe it is a radical idea prone to failure. 

The Wall Street Journal recently reported, “Trump’s crypto campaign echoes some other presidential candidates who have dedicated themselves to specific fiscal policies. Much of William Jennings Bryan’s 1896 campaign was a protest of the gold standard. After taking office, Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an order restricting the private use of gold. Ron Paul’s 2008 campaign assailed the Federal Reserve.”