Ron Paul has said in his essays that he will be end the federal income tax and abolish the IRS, while he also favors abolishing medical malpractice insurance to be replaced by insurance of "negative outcomes" paid for by patients who will–and here's the stunning contradition–a TAX CREDIT!

Being an obstretrician himself (second-highest malpractice insurance rates by speciality) it's no wonder the kindly old Senator wants to shift the burden for deaths and injuries caused by incompetent and dishonest physicians to the American Taxpayer. Is this man an idiot or merely a shill doing the bidding of the American Medical Association?
Ron Paul is not a Senator but a Congressman, of course. Sorry about any confusion. The contradictions I speak about can be found in his own writings posted to his congressional web-site.
For those who requested a link and the exact quote: "The free-market approach enables patients to protect themselves with “negative outcomes” insurance purchased before medical treatment. Such insurance ensures that those harmed receive fair compensation, while reducing the burden of costly malpractice litigation on the health care system. Patients receive this insurance payout without having to endure lengthy lawsuits, and without having to give away a large portion of their award to a trial lawyer. This also drastically reduces the costs imposed on physicians and hospitals by malpractice litigation.

I have introduced legislation that allows individuals a tax credit for the purchase of negative outcomes insurance."—Ron Paul quoted from his essay "The Free-Market Approach to the Medical Malpractice Crisis"

As the saying goes, read it and weap.

http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2003/tst033103.htm

For those who requested a link and the exact quote:

"The free-market approach enables patients to protect themselves with “negative outcomes” insurance purchased before medical treatment. Such insurance ensures that those harmed receive fair compensation, while reducing the burden of costly malpractice litigation on the health care system. Patients receive this insurance payout without having to endure lengthy lawsuits, and without having to give away a large portion of their award to a trial lawyer. This also drastically reduces the costs imposed on physicians and hospitals by malpractice litigation.

I have introduced legislation that allows individuals a tax credit for the purchase of negative outcomes insurance."—Ron Paul quoted from his essay "The Free-Market Approach to the Medical Malpractice Crisis"

As the saying goes, read it and weap.

http://www.house.gov/paul/tst/tst2003/tst033103.htm

Not much to add to what you have already said, you have definitely figured this guy out. He is just a trouble maker, and like most of these, try to convince people how correct he is. In reality, he has his own agenda. If people are told some thing over and over for a long time, others will start the same story and carry it on, then he can end up saying, he did not say that. This is what most all politicians do about a year or so before they intend to run for President. This guy is no different, only one better at this than him, is her.