WASHINGTON  A year after he became a surprise of the Republican presidential field, Ron Paul is still on message. "It is surreal that in a free country we are talking only about HOW government should fix health care, rather than WHY government should fix health care," Paul, a Texas congressman and medical doctor, wrote in a recent Internet posting. "This should be between doctors and patients." Running for president in 2008, Paul raised more than $33 million and built a robust Internet following. It didn't always translate into votes and never produced a primary victory, but it did help the libertarian build a platform for his free-market philosophy. And he's using it to sing a decidedly different song from Democratic and Republican choruses in Washington. - On the "Cash for Clunkers" program that gives government aid for people trading in old gas guzzlers, which will then be destroyed: a bad idea because it destroys a vital market for the poor. "A new driver or new worker needs a cheap car," Paul said. - On the release of two American journalists by North Korea to former President Bill Clinton: a "wonderful" confirmation of Paul's contention that the U.S. should talk to and trade with North Korea. "Despite this ranting about 'don't talk to them, invade them, bomb them'... it is just great to show you can talk to people no matter how bad they look," Paul said in a recent interview. Long treated as a fringe voice even in his own party, Paul is not so alone these days. His Campaign for Liberty has a reported 200,000 members. The group has raised about $4 million so far this year, a fraction of what his presidential campaign took in, but notable during a recession. His legislation requiring an audit of the Federal Reserve has 282 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. Paul, who turned 74 this week, says he would be "very disinclined" to run for president again, but hasn't ruled it out. Much has been written about the effective use of the Internet by mainstream politicians like Barack Obama, who has a reported 13 million e-mail contacts in a grassroots advocacy group outside the White House. But the Web has helped outsiders like Paul, too. Jesse Benton, a Paul adviser, says Paul's frequent YouTube video messages have been seen 1.9 million times this year. Paul argues in a recent video post that the U.S. should start trading with the nuclear-armed nation of North Korea, considered part of the "axis of evil" by the Bush administration. "We started trading with China a long time ago," Paul said. "And they have become more capitalistic, not less. While China has become more capitalistic, we have become more socialistic." Paul is distressed by the hundreds of billions in economic stimulus spending and health care reform proposals that could hit $1 trillion in costs. The country, he predicted, is "a long way from the recession/depression ending, so there is going to be a lot more spending." That spending, Paul said, will eventually lead to inflation, which he calls a regressive tax on the poor who are disproportionately hurt when the costs of necessary goods go up. "The most dangerous thing (is) that Washington is actually thinking they have solved the problem," Paul said. "There is a lot of money there, but people are still suffering." Contact Chuck Raasch at craasch@gannett.com. © Copyright 2007 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc. Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more