Reliably Austin
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Video: Ron Paul Says Wealthy "Ripped Us Off"

Photo by ABC/Yahoo News

U.S. Rep. Ron Paul appeared in an online-only interview with ABC News and Yahoo on Tuesday morning, part of a day-long series that involves one-on-one discussions with all eight Republican presidential candidates.

Early in the 15-minute interview, Paul resumed his lambast of Federal Reserve policies. He reiterated his belief that government involvement in public education and welfare programs is "socialist" and his preference for privatization of most functions, including schools and transportation.

"The government created nothing. The only thing they can do is steal and rob people with a gun and forcibly transfer wealth from one person to another," he said.

Regarding national security and foreign policy, Paul said some of his closest allies in Washington are "progressives" who are against secret prisons and support habeas corpus.

When asked by ABC News Anchor Terry Moran about the public perception that Republicans tend to side with the wealthy, Paul said he is critical of a lot of millionaires and billionaires "because they've ripped us off. They got the benefits. They got the bailout. They got the benefits of the bubble ... They're part of the military-industrial complex." Paul said they should not only be taxed, but they "should also have all their benefits removed."

Watch the full interview below.

Thanh Tan is a multimedia reporter/producer for The Texas Tribune. She previously worked at Idaho Public Television, a PBS station that serves a statewide audience. While there, she was an Emmy award-winning producer/reporter/host for the longest-running legislative public affairs program in the West, Idaho Reports, moderator of The Idaho Debates, and a writer/producer for the flagship series Outdoor Idaho. Prior to joining IdahoPTV, she was a general assignment reporter at the ABC affiliate in Portland, OR and a political reporter for KBCI-TV in Boise, ID. Her work has also appeared on the PBS NewsHour and This American Life. She graduated with honors from the University of Southern California with degrees in International Relations and Broadcast Journalism.
Related Content