Peter Gemma interviews Ron Paul.

Excerpts Below Demonstrate Dr. Paul's positions on many vital issues.

MANews: Congressman thanks so much for taking time off the campaign trail to visit with the readers of Middle American News. In eleven years of publishing, we've found that while the immigration crisis has dominated the rhetoric of politics, the situation is worse than ever. Are there pragmatic steps that can be taken - immediately - to stem the tide of illegal aliens entering the U.S?

Rep. Ron Paul: First, we need to bring home our border patrol agents we have sent to Iraq and get them back guarding our border. I think it is absurd that we are worried more about the borders of Iraq and Syria than we are about our own. Next, we need to immediately end federal mandates compelling states to give state welfare benefits to illegals. Right now, states are required to provide free medical care, education and sometimes even food assistance to illegal immigrants, and this acts as a subsidy for illegal immigration. Free education and medical care? This is a powerful incentive to come here illegally. Why wouldn't people bring their families here? If we cut off the subsidies, a lot of people here illegally would just leave.

MANews: Do you support the idea of ending birthright citizenship, one of the spoils of war from the invasion of illegals?

Rep. Paul: Absolutely, Peter. I have a bill in Congress right now that would do just that. [Editor's note: Paul's bill, H.J. Res. 46, introduced on 6/13/2007, states that "a person born to a mother and father, neither of whom is a citizen of the United States nor a person who owes permanent allegiance to the United States, shall not be a citizen of the United States or of any state solely by reason of U.S. birth."]

MANews: Is there something Washington should be doing or not be doing that can entice Mexico - a corrupt, socialist basket case - into becoming a responsible neighbor?

Rep. Paul: While we don't have the right to infringe on Mexico's sovereignty and tell them what to do, at the same time, we need to protect our own. That is why I oppose the NAFTA super highway and any sort of "North American Union." We need to have true free markets, and then all of our good jobs wouldn't go overseas. We also need to enforce the law so that employers do not hire illegal workers. Rule of law must be paramount.


MANews: What keeps you hopeful and positive in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds? I'm not just talking about election politics: there are larger issues - Middle American values and ideals - that are at stake. How do we stay relevant, confident, and even optimistic?

Rep. Paul: Well, Peter, this campaign has made me extremely hopeful. When people were trying to convince me to run, they said that there were people out there that would respond to the message of freedom and the Constitution. I was skeptical about how big that remnant was, but it turns out it is bigger than I ever expected. And what has been really great has been the response of young people. People in their teens and twenties have really responded to our campaign and our message, and they are getting involved and convincing their parents to vote for me. This gives me great hope for the future.