Ron Paul: Keep Medicare and offer medical savings accounts

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul

/ John Huff

Updated 6:30 p.m. ET

Although he campaigns on his disdain for government involvement in the private sector, Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul on Wednesday said that he would preserve health care entitlements, including the Medicare program for the elderly and disabled, while trying to transition Americans into medical savings accounts.

"Probably the worst thing that we ever did was make medical care the responsibility of the government," Paul said at a meeting of the Republican Congressional Health Care Caucus. "I don't think our federal government should be any more involved in medical care delivery than they should be in delivering education to our children."

The House member from Texas, who was for many years a practicing physician, recalled the days before Medicare and Medicaid were created in the 1960s, when government was only accountable for the care of veterans -- and even there, government did a poor job, he said.

But Paul noted that as president, he would not immediately cut health care benefits, especially for the elderly and children. Instead, he wants to transition out of the current system by allowing people to set up personal medical savings accounts and letting young people opt out of Social Security.

"I take a very moderate approach," he said. "I'd be willing work toward sanity by not cutting health care benefits until we solve our problems with this horrendous financial crisis."

Paul also has called for the elimination of five cabinet departments -- Energy, Housing and Urban Development, Commerce, Interior, and Education -- in order to cut $1 trillion in government spending in one year.

Earlier in the day, Paul took aim at one his favorite targets: the Federal Reserve. He has been one of the fiercest critics of the Fed, even before it became a punching bag for other GOP presidential candidates.

Paul, who is enjoying a bump in recent polls in Iowa, called on voters to reject "fear tactics" on Election Day.

"There's no reason to fully trust everything our government tells us, especially when things are going badly," Paul said. "Whether it's on foreign policy or monetary policy, because they use the fear tactics to frighten people into 'Boy, the whole world is going to collapse unless we bail out the big banks and the big corporations.' "

Paul decried "the endless fear-mongering to scare the people and the Congress into spending money. If you didn't have the Federal Reserve, it would come to a halt. It wouldn't happen.... This has been such a grand deception."

Paul has argued that the crisis in the money markets in Europe and elsewhere can be resolved only when currency is sound and "when it is recognized and accepted as such by individuals, through the actions of the market, without coercion." He has pushed for a return to the gold standard.

"Confidence in the dollar is plummeting, confidence in the euro has been shattered by the European bond crisis, and beleaguered consumers and investors are slowly but surely awakening to the fact that government-issued currencies do not hold their value," Paul wrote in a recent op-ed. " ... Throughout history, gold and silver have been the two commodities that have most fully satisfied the requirements of sound money. This is why people around the world are flocking once again to gold and silver as a store of value to replace their rapidly depreciating paper currencies."

After his speech, Paul told reporters that he thinks he got only 90 seconds in the last candidate debate on Saturday "because I go after the status quo, and I'm afraid that they don't like to hear about that. Because I challenge the welfare state as well as the banking system as well as our foreign policy."

" I mean, the bailouts. Look at who they bail out. They bail out the wealthy and that's how the monetary system works at the top," Paul said. "The Federal Reserve serves the interests of these very rich people."

[TeaParty4RonPaul]

Knock it off! Ron Paul isn't siding with terrorists in fact he's telling us how to keep them from attacking us. Please pay attention as his message is similar to that of Michael Scheuer, former CIA intelligence officer, Head of Osama bin Laden unit.

Youtube this:
Ron Paul on foreign policy - Tea Party Debate - Analysis by Michael Scheuer

[longtree-2009]

not all of ron paul's messages play well and certainly his siding with terrorist plays really bad. he criticized the killing of u.s. citizens who joined the ranks of terrorist. keep in mind the man is some 76 years old and might be too old to be potus. doubt he has the chance of an ice cube in a blazing fire. a vote for ron paul will only ensure obama is re-elected. the objective of all republicans should be to unseat obama and not to elect their favorite candidate for whatever reason. republicans should nominate the best person that appeals to all and has a chance of unseating obama. don't think ron paul is that person.

[jrv2damac]

Ive had enough of stupid comments like these. Ron Paul is the only veteran running for the white house, and you saying he sides with terrorists is IGNORANT, and HATEFUL. There is also no age limit on being president, look at Reagan who was and gingrich who is not much different in age. Also, if you were any less ignorant you would realize every other GOP candidate is just like Obama. RP is the only GOP candidate who can pull Democratic voters, and WILL win the Independent majority vote. If you want your precious joke of a GOP party to win, Ron Paul is your only chance.

- Veteran

[TeaParty4RonPaul]

Knock it off! Ron Paul isn't siding with terrorists in fact he's telling us how to keep them from attacking us. Please pay attention as his message is similar to that of Michael Scheuer, former CIA intelligence officer, Head of Osama bin Laden unit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNGm1HyCx0w

[2nephi32]

Great article! Hones and to the point, no spin. Loved it! Ron Paul 2012

[Dialogos]

Wake Up! Obama, Romney, Perry and Cain are funded by the banking cartels. Ron Paul is by far our best choice.

Ron Paul serves on the House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Financial Services, and on the Joint Economic Committee. He is the chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology, where he has been an outspoken critic of American foreign and monetary policy.

Dr. Paul is clearly the most qualified candidate to tackle our Nations critical economic and foreign affair issues. The rest of the top tier candidates like Romney, Perry, Cain and Obama are a bunch of clowns who receive their funds from major donors from Wall Street.

Ron Paul receives more financial contributions from active duty vets than all the other candidates combined. Why is this? They know that Ron Paul is the best solution for our National Defense, though the establishment media is trying to make him look like a kook who would hurt national security. We need to defend our borders and give all these National Guard troops who are on their 3rd and 4th tours of duty a break. What if there was a real war in the near future? Our military is already at the breaking point from wars started to help banks and oil companies. We need an agenda to help America. Vote for Ron Paul 2012!!!!

[dazza2151]

From your good old pals in Australia, VOTE FOR HIM!!! The only candidate that can bring your country and ultimately the rest of the world out of this debt crisis.

[Pennsylvania59]

CBS: Thank you for this article. It would be wonderful to see each candidate get equal share of time and honest reporting. How else can the citizens make an informed decision when voting? If each candidate were fully covered, exposed and highlighted regularly in an honest, unbiased fashion, I would hope the media may see the eventual value of trust they would earn, and people would begin caring again about the important right we have to decide our leadership.

[ausscyn]

Help the Ron Paul Nevada campaign.
Get your own, "It's Time for Ron Paul!" clock.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=ron+paul+clock&_sacat=See-All-Categories

[JulianAlien]

Wait a second,Spoiman Herman did not make these did he?He did back Paul at one brief point.

[doneinone]

While I don't agree with Mr. Paul on a few issues, the biggest reason to vote for him would be to see 5 of the most wasteful and useless government agencies finally come to and end. Reason enough.

[JulianAlien]

I am always interested in what issues that voters disagree with Ron Paul about.I have not found any yet.Please elaborate for the masses to mull.

[PinkScorpio]

CBS, thank you for recognizing Ron Paul and for doing this article. Please, please do more on your TV news counterpart, especially a 60 Minutes profile. We want so badly to see it. Your ratings for that episode will soar. Please consider it. There is a petition of signatures to see Ron Paul on 60 Minutes.

[2nephi32]

I second that!

[Obummer2008]

Google "Louis McFadden". He was a "foe to the FED" in the 1930's and mysteriously died from food poisoning from a banquet. Kennedy was assassinated because he kept us out of multiple wars (The FED loan money to fund wars) and tried to get us back to the gold standard.

Ron Paul is the ONLY candidate to mention abolishing The Federal Reserve, hence why he has been silenced by the media. He is a very courageous man and the only candidate out for the citizen's best interest. I will be voting for him in 2012.

Here is a video explaining why he has been blacked out by the media and a threat to the establishment...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr7nL2xIZqI&feature=player_embedded