U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) has been accused of being a little old-fashioned. For instance, many smirked when he announced that he would pick William Jennings Bryan as his running mate in his 2008 presidential run.

But now, Paul has an old-fashioned plan to deal with marauding pirates on the high seas ...

Ocean-bound bounty hunters, just like we had in the War of 1812!

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) and a growing number of national security experts are calling on Congress to consider using letters of marque and reprisal, a power written into the Constitution that allows the United States to hire private citizens to keep international waters safe.

Used heavily during the Revolution and the War of 1812, letters of marque serve as official warrants from the government, allowing privateers to seize or destroy enemies, their loot and their vessels in exchange for bounty money.

The letters also require would-be thrill seekers to post a bond promising to abide by international rules of war.

Like many of Paul's ideas, this one may literally be crazy enough to work. The U.S. Navy is set up to fight other national navies, not small bands of pirates. Deputizing private citizens to go after the marauders is a classic case of fighting fire with fire.

He did help in a way. He could have done nothing like President Taylor from 24 has done :p

Ron Paul is a bloody genius

Everyone get your GOP talking points straight already.

When Bush was President it was this:

Anything that went well was due to the President's leadership. Anything that went bad was someone else's fault.

Now that Obama is President it's this:

Anything that goes well is due to someone else. Anything that goes bad is due to the President's leadership.