It’s a unique mix of traditional conservatism and libertarianism that makes Paul such an unusual presidential candidate. He is fiercely antiwar and calls for an end to all military engagements overseas; he’s a proponent of fiscal discipline and harsh spending cuts; and he’s a strict constitutionalist who has long called for the dissolution of entire federal departments or institutions, including, famously, the Federal Reserve.
His unusual stances attract an equally unusual coalition of supporters: ACLU sympathizers and youths who like his opposition to the Patriot Act and his call to decriminalize marijuana; tea partyers who appreciate his strict fiscal message; religious voters who agree with his opposition to abortion; and antiwar types who back his opposition to the Iraq war.
