Editing Ron Paul (section)

== Libertarian Party and ventures ==

=== 1985–1997 ===
Following the loss of the 1984 senate race, Paul returned to his obstetrics practice and took part in a number of other business ventures.<ref name="ny"/><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://search.opinionarchives.com/Summary/AmericanSpectator/V32I11P58-1.htm |title=Eminentoes: A principled maverick |date=November 1999 |journal=[[American Spectator]] |access-date=February 13, 2008 |author-link=Brian Doherty (journalist) |last=Doherty |first=Brian |volume=32 |issue=11 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Along with his former congressional chief of staff, [[Lew Rockwell]], Paul founded a for-profit enterprise, Ron Paul & Associates, Inc. (RP&A) in 1984, with Paul serving as president, Rockwell as vice president, Paul's wife Carol as secretary, and daughter Lori Pyeatt as treasurer.
The company published a variety of [[Ron Paul newsletters|political and investment-oriented newsletters]], including ''Ron Paul Freedom Report'' and ''Ron Paul Survival Report'',<ref name=sanchez-weigel>{{cite news |url=https://reason.com/archives/2008/01/16/who-wrote-ron-pauls-newsletter |title=Who Wrote Ron Paul's Newsletters? |first1=Julian |last1=Sanchez |first2=David |last2=Weigel |author-link2=David Weigel |date=January 16, 2008 |access-date=August 6, 2018}}</ref> and by 1993 was generating revenues in excess of $900,000.<ref name="1995 video">{{cite news |work=[[USA Today]] |date=December 23, 2011 |title=1995 video shows Ron Paul discussing newsletters |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2011-12-22/ron-paul-newsletters-youtube/52163920/1 |first=Martha T. |last=Moore |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216050516/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/story/2011-12-22/ron-paul-newsletters-youtube/52163920/1 |archive-date=December 16, 2013}}</ref>

Paul also co-owned a mail-order coin dealership, ''Ron Paul Coins'', for twelve years with [[Burt Blumert]], who continued to operate the dealership after Paul resumed office in 1996.<ref name=cw>{{cite news |url=http://www.libertydollar.org/news-stories/pdfs/1185851080.pdf |title=Presidential candidate Paul passionate over hard money: Texas legislator once ran investment coin firm |work=[[Coin World]] |date=July 23, 2007 |access-date=February 14, 2008 |author=Doyle, Al |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025214638/http://www.libertydollar.org/news-stories/pdfs/1185851080.pdf |archive-date=October 25, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.321gold.com/editorials/taylor/taylor031706.html |title=Congressman Ron Paul Talks About Gold, Oil & the Economy |author=Taylor, Jay |work=J. Taylor's Gold & Technology Stocks |date=March 17, 2006 |access-date=February 14, 2008}}</ref> Paul spoke multiple times at the [[American Numismatic Association]]'s 1988 convention.<ref name=cw/> He worked with his Foundation for Rational Economics and Education on such projects as establishing the National Endowment for Liberty, continuing publication of newsletters, and producing the ''At Issue'' public policy series that was broadcast on the [[Discovery Channel]] and [[CNBC]].<ref name=RPFREE/>

=== 1988 presidential campaign ===
{{Main|Ron Paul 1988 presidential campaign}}
Paul left the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]] in 1987 and launched a bid for the presidency running on the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]] ticket. His candidacy was seen as problematic because of the party's platform position of support for freedom of choice on abortions. [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] activist [[Russell Means]], Paul's rival for the nomination, emphasized that he was in favor of [[abortion rights]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Wallace |last=Turner |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/04/us/major-libertarian-candidate-opposes-party-stand-on-abortion.html |title=Major Libertarian Candidate Opposes Party Stand on Abortion |work=The New York Times |date=September 4, 1987 |access-date=June 25, 2019 |url-access=limited}}</ref> In a forum held prior to the nomination, Means dismissed the greater funds raised by Paul's campaign, commenting that Means was receiving "10 times more press" than the former Congressman and was therefore "100 times more effective".<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=d1cPAAAAIBAJ&pg=5224,1878387&dq=ron-paul |title=Libertarian delegates hear party candidates debate |newspaper=The Bulletin |location=Bend, OR |date=September 4, 1987 |page=3}}{{Dead link|date=June 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

On September 25, 1988, American psychologist and psychedelic advocate [[Timothy Leary]] held a fundraiser for Paul, who attended the event.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vXq4eZQfOY?t=56m27s Timothy Leary and Robert Anton Wilson.] Los Angeles (1988)
:: "On the 25th of September we're going to have, in the room upstairs, a bone fide candidate for the President of the United States. The Libertarian Party, he's running ... his name is Ron Paul. Many of you are probably closet Libertarians..." ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vXq4eZQfOY?t=56m27s @ 56:27])</ref><ref>Caldwell, Christopher (July 22, 2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20161116022424/http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22Paul-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all "The Antiwar, Pro-Abortion, Anti-Drug-Enforcement-Administration, Anti-Medicare Candidacy of Dr. Ron Paul."] ''[[New York Times]]''. Archived from [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22Paul-t.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all the original.]</ref><ref>[[Nick Gillespie|Gillespie, Nick]] (December 9, 2011). [https://web.archive.org/web/20161225010951/https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-ron-paul/2011/12/07/gIQAu3vOiO_print.html "Five Myths About Ron Paul."] ''[[Washington Post]]''. Archived from [https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-ron-paul/2011/12/07/gIQAu3vOiO_print.html the original.]</ref> Journalist Debra Saunders attended and wrote about her experience.<ref>Saunders, Debra. [https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/12/22/ron_paul_turn_on_tune_in_drop_out_112495.html "Ron Paul: Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out."] ''[[Real Clear Politics]]'' (December 22, 2011). Archived from [https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/12/22/ron_paul_turn_on_tune_in_drop_out_112495.html the original.]</ref> In the 1988 presidential election, Paul was on the ballot in 46 states,<ref name="1988nytimes">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/17/us/now-for-a-real-underdog-ron-paul-libertarian-for-president.html |title=Now for a Real Underdog: Ron Paul, Libertarian, for President |date=October 17, 1988 |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 21, 2008 |author=Rosenthal, Andrew |url-access=limited}}</ref> scoring third in the popular vote with 432,179 votes (0.5%).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/29/nyregion/1988-vote-the-final-word.html |title=1988 VOTE: The Final Word |date=December 29, 1988 |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 21, 2008 |url-access=limited}}</ref> Paul was kept off the ballot in [[Missouri]], due to what the ''[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]]'' termed a "technicality," and received votes there only when written in,<ref name="Dispatch1">{{cite journal |last=Nugent |first=Franklin |date=November 7, 1988 |title=If You Don't Like Bush Or Dukakis … Libertarian Candidate Offers Common-Sense Policies For America |journal=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |location=St. Louis, MO |page=3C}}</ref> just as he did in [[North Carolina]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?f=0&fips=37&year=1988 |title=1988 Presidential General Election Results – North Carolina |date=November 7, 1988 |work=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |access-date=March 21, 2014 |author=Leip, Dave |page=1}}</ref>

According to Paul, his presidential campaign was about more than obtaining office; he sought to promote his libertarian ideas, often to school and university groups regardless of vote eligibility. He said, "We're just as interested in the future generation as this election. These kids will vote eventually, and maybe, just maybe, they'll go home and talk to their parents."<ref name="1988nytimes" /> Paul considered running again for president in [[1992 United States presidential election|1992]],<ref>{{cite news |first=John |last=Elvin |date=October 16, 1991 |title=Another Ron |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WT&p_theme=wt&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB0EF5DA54934EB&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629131025/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=WT&p_theme=wt&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB0EF5DA54934EB&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 29, 2012 |work=The Washington Times |access-date=June 25, 2008}}</ref> but instead chose to endorse Republican [[Pat Buchanan]] that year, and served as an adviser to Buchanan's ultimately unsuccessful presidential primary campaign against incumbent President [[George H. W. Bush]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Rothbard |first=Murray |url=https://www.lewrockwell.com/1970/01/murray-n-rothbard/weighing-the-buchanan-factors-ideals-for-the-heartland/ |title=Weighing the Buchanan factors; Ideals for the heartland |work=LewRockwell.com |date=January 10, 1992 |access-date=June 25, 2008}}</ref>