Showing posts with label Sen. Rand Paul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sen. Rand Paul. Show all posts

Monday, June 29, 2015

Rand Paul: Government Should Get Out Of The Marriage Business

By Sen. Rand Paul, Jun. 28, 2015, Time.com

While I disagree with Supreme Court’s redefinition of marriage, I believe that all Americans have the right to contract.

The Constitution is silent on the question of marriage because marriage has always been a local issue. Our founding fathers went to the local courthouse to be married, not to Washington, D.C.

I’ve often said I don’t want my guns or my marriage registered in Washington.

Those who disagree with the recent Supreme Court ruling argue that the court should not overturn the will of legislative majorities. Those who favor the Supreme Court ruling argue that the 14th Amendment protects rights from legislative majorities.


More: www.time.com

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Monday, June 1, 2015

Paul: Some In D.C. Hoping For Terror Attack To Blame Him 

By Alex Byers, May 31, 2015, Politico

Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday evening that some people in Washington are “secretly” hoping for a terrorist attack to hit the U.S. to make him look bad.

In a speech on the Senate floor, Paul railed against those accusing him of jeopardizing national security by stalling efforts to renew surveillance programs.

“People here in town think I’m making a huge mistake,” Paul said. “Some of them, I think, secretly want there to be an attack on the United States so they can blame it on me.”

Paul committed Saturday to forcing expiring provisions of the PATRIOT Act to lapse, which will occur at midnight tonight — even as he admitted that surveillance reform legislation dubbed the USA Freedom Act is likely to pass at some point. Among the provisions that will expire is the authority the National Security Agency has used to justify the bulk phone records program exposed by Edward Snowden.

Read the full story: www.politico.com


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Senators Flash Anger At Paul And Vice Versa

By Alex Byers, May 31, 2015, Politico

Tempers are flaring in the Senate.

With lawmakers slated to take procedural votes later this evening on a bill to reform the PATRIOT Act, Sens. Dan Coats (R-Ind.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) refused to yield the floor to fellow Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who has promised to force a sunset of key parts national security law. The spat prompted a terse back-and-forth during a rare Sunday session prompted by Paul’s refusal earlier this month to allow votes on the issue.

With dozens of Senate onlookers donning “Stand with Rand” T-Shirts, Paul tried to interject as Coats and McCain were speaking in defense of of the National Security Agency. But McCain and Coats wouldn’t yield the floor.

Paul “needs to learn the rules of the Senate,” McCain sniped at the Kentucky Republican.

Read the full story: www.politico.com

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Surveillance Powers Lapse With No Deal In Senate

By Ken Dilanian, Jun. 1, 2015, Ap.org

WASHINGTON (AP) -- For the first time since Sept. 11, 2001, the Congress curtailed the National Security Agency's authority to track suspected terrorists as lawmakers struggled to restore approval for mass collection of phone records and other surveillance methods.

No solution was likely before Tuesday at the earliest, and the Republican lawmaker who triggered the gridlock took credit in a message to supporters that also sought donations to his presidential campaign.

"Yesterday, I forced the expiration of the NSA's illegal spying program. Contribute $5 now to show your support," tweeted Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

While Paul sought to capitalize on his position, House-passed legislation was stalled in the Senate, where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other leading Republicans sought changes.


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Sunday, May 17, 2015

Paul: Benghazi should ‘forever preclude’ Hillary from presidency

By Elliot Smilowitz, May 16, 2015, The Hill

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) charged hard after Hillary Clinton on Saturday, saying her responsibility for the 2012 Benghazi, Libya, attacks shows she should never be president.

“I think that Hillary Clinton’s failure to defend our ambassador should forever preclude her from that office,” Paul said at the Iowa Republican Party’s Lincoln Dinner on Saturday.

He accused Clinton, at the time the secretary of State, of failing to adequately protect U.S. Embassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and three other Americans who died in the 2012 attacks.

“The one thing you have to do as Commander in Chief is defend America and its interest,” Paul said.

He further said Clinton was to blame for Libya becoming what he called a “failed state.”

“Gadhafi is gone, but what’s left?”

Both Paul and Clinton are running for their respective parties’ nominations for the White House in 2016.


Read the full story:  www.thehill.com

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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Rand Paul Introduces Law Ending Federal Prohibitions on Marijuana

Mar. 10, 2015




“Thank you Senator Booker, and thank you Senator Gillibrand for coming today, and all of you. We, as a society, are changing our opinions on restricting people ‘s choices as far as medical treatments and there are thousands of people in our country, probably tens of thousands of people in our country, who have diseases that are incurable and that would like to palliative treatment.

Many people have been finding relief, but some people are prevented from having that. The laws aren’t uniformed. There are still federal laws that prevent states, even states that have legalized medical marijuana. Little over twenty states have medical marijuana, and yet there’s still federal rules that make it difficult.

I just came back from Colorado and the biggest thing they’re asking me is we want banking to be legal. We are legitimate enterprises now. We want to be able to put our money in a bank. My guess is that even more tax money will be paid if they’re allowed to keep their money in banks and not brown bags.

So I think there’s every reason to try to give more ease to people in the states you want this, more freedom for states and individuals. Doctors who are to prescribe this, it’s very difficult because it’s Schedule I and we would want to take it down to Schedule II so doctors can prescribe this more easily. We don’t want doctors to be punished for simply trying to help people.

I’m glad to be part of this effort. I think that there is great potential for research in this as well. Research has been prevented somewhat by this also. When it’s Schedule I it’s virtually impossible to research.

Is the proof always there? We don’t know because we can’t do the research, but I’m in favor of allowing the research to occur. We know of many instances where people have gotten palliative help from this and I’m glad to be part of this effort, and we’ve done a lot in a lot of effort across the aisle with Senator Booker and Senator Gillibrand.”


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Saturday, February 14, 2015

Rand Paul Caught Lying About His College Record 

Credit: www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com
By Luke Brinker, Feb. 13, 2015, Salon.com

Ophthalmologist-turned-politician Rand Paul may have a medical degree from Duke University, but the Kentucky senator and likely 2016 presidential candidate never completed his undergraduate education at Baylor University. So why did Paul assert twice yesterday that he holds two bachelor’s degrees from the institution?

The senator embellished his record during an appearance at the Lincoln Labs “Reboot Congress” event Thursday. In two instances highlighted by Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler, Paul falsely suggested that he had obtained undergraduate degrees. First came this exchange between Paul and TechCrunch founder Michael Arrington:

ARRINGTON: Let’s talk about economics because maybe you can actually explain this to me. I have an econ degree which means I know just enough not to understand any of what our government is [inaudible]…

PAUL: Mine’s in biology and English so this is going to be a great conversation.

Read the full story:  www.salon.com

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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Rand Paul Blisters Obama And Clinton, Calls For GOP Diversity

Sen. Rand Paul
By Cathleen Decker, Sept. 20, 2014, Latimes.com

Fewer than 50 days before an election that may give Republicans control of the Senate as well as the House, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Saturday skipped past those contests entirely to focus on one in which he may play a more central role — the 2016 presidential race.

Paul, the featured speaker at the California Republican convention, made no mention of the party’s national advantages this year. He blasted President Obama and potential Democratic nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton as insufficient present or future commanders-in-chief. He insisted that the GOP must dramatically expand its reach in order to win presidential contests — a strategy that coincides with his pre-presidential efforts.

He accused Obama of confounding the Constitution when he expanded Obamacare, moved against overseas targets without specific congressional authorization, and announced plans — since delayed — to use executive action to change the nation’s immigration laws.

“It is a terrible tragedy, it is a danger to us as a country, and we need to do everything we can to stop him from abusing our laws,” Paul said. He said later, "We have a president who basically has created a lawless atmosphere in Washington.”

Speaking about Clinton, he used her famous 2008 primary ad, which argued that she more than Obama would be the president capable of answering a phone call about a middle-of-the-night crisis:


“I think she had a 3 a.m. moment. She didn’t answer the phone, and I think it absolutely should preclude her from being [president],” he said after detailing what he termed her failings leading up to the 2012 attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya. (His final word was obscured by applause from the strongly anti-Clinton crowd.)

Read the full story: www.latimes.com

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Thursday, September 11, 2014

What Happened on Friday Afternoon That Banished Rand Paul's Doubts About War Against ISIS? [UPDATED]

Sen. Rand Paul
By Jacob Sullum, Sept. 4, 2014, Reason.com

Last Friday, Rand Paul told the Associated Press that if he were president, he "would lay out the reasoning of why ISIS is a threat to our national security and seek congressional authorization to destroy ISIS militarily." Although that statement was widely interpreted as an endorsement of military action against ISIS, it seemed to methat the libertarian-leaning Kentucky senator might have been merely reiterating his view of what the president should do if he determines that ISIS is a threat to national security. But during an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News last night, Paul made it clear that he is ready to wage war on ISIS:

Hannity: We have ISIS saying, "We'll see you in New York. We're going to raise the flag of Islam in the White House." And now they have beheaded two Americans. Have they declared war on us?

Paul: Yeah, without question, they are a threat. And in the past, you know, Hillary Clinton has said ISIS is not a threat to the United States.

Hannity: Is that a declaration of war? In other words, the 9/11 Commission report said, after 9/11, they were at war with us; we were at war with them. Has ISIS declared war against us through their actions?

Paul: Absolutely. And I think what we should do is come to the American people....If I had been president, I would have called a joint session of Congress this August, called everybody back from recess, and said, "This is why ISIS is a threat to the country. This is why I want to act, but I want to do it in a constitutional manner, and I want the entire American public to come together." To galvanize support and say, "You know, this is something we can't take. We're not gonna let our enemies behead our journalists. We're not gonna let them become strong enough to attack our embassy."


Read the full story:  www.reason.com

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Monday, September 8, 2014

Rand Paul: ‘I Am Not An Isolationist’

Sen. Rand Paul
Credit: Charlie Neibergall / AP
By Sen. Rand Paul, Sept. 4, 2014, Time.com

If I had been in President Obama's shoes, I would have acted more decisively and strongly against ISIS

Some pundits are surprised that I support destroying the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) militarily. They shouldn’t be. I’ve said since I began public life that I am not an isolationist, nor am I an interventionist. I look at the world, and consider war, realistically and constitutionally.

I still see war as the last resort. But I agree with Reagan’s idea that no country should mistake U.S. reluctance for war for a lack of resolve.

As Commander-in-Chief, I would not allow our enemies to kill our citizens or our ambassadors. “Peace through Strength” only works if you have and show strength.

Our recent foreign policy has allowed radical jihadists to proliferate. Today, there are more terrorists groups than there were before 9/11, most notably ISIS. After all the sacrifice in Afghanistan and Iraq, why do we find ourselves in a more dangerous world?

And why, after six years, does President Obama lack a strategy to deal with threats like ISIS?

Read the full story:  www.time.com

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Saturday, August 23, 2014

Larry Elder Blasts 'Odd Duck' Rand Paul For Telling Blacks Cops Are Out To Get Them

Sen. Rand Paul
Source:  www.salon.com
Credit:  Reuters / Jason Reed
By Tony Lee, Aug. 19, 2014, Breitbart.com

Calling Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) an "odd duck," conservative talk radio host Larry Elder accused Paul of needlessly fueling the notion that cops are out to get black people.

On Tuesday's The Laura Ingraham Show, Elder, after saying that he was as libertarian as Paul but disagreed with his foreign policy views, said of Paul's recent inclusion efforts, "I get the idea of making sure the Republican party is embracing black people and trying to attract black people, and he is coming to the inner city and giving speeches to the degree that most prospective republican nominees would never do."

"I get all that, but to lend fuel to this notion that 'cops are out to get us' is undermining the very effort," Elder said, noting that after George Zimmerman was acquitted, Jesse Jackson said, "blacks are under attack."

Elder asked, "by whom?" He pointed out that there are "7,000 black homicides last year, almost all of them at the hands of another black person." He said that in Chicago, there are at least ten homicides a week – "almost all of them unsolved."

"Now, where are all the cameras? Where's Don Lemon? Where's CNN? Where's Al? Where's Jesse?" he said. "And Chicago is Obama's adopted hometown for crying out loud. That's a real issue."

In a Time op-ed last week after the Ferguson riots, Paul said that "it is almost impossible for many Americans not to feel like their government is targeting them," and "given the racial disparities in our criminal justice system, it is impossible for African-Americans not to feel like their government is particularly targeting them."


Read the full story:  www.breitbart.com

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Thursday, June 12, 2014

Sen. Rand Paul
By Se. Rand Paul, Jun. 12, 2014, Breitbart.com

I am for immigration reform because I am against allowing 12 million more illegal immigrants into our country. If we do nothing, 12 million more illegal immigrants will come. We must be in favor of reform—smart reform that starts with border security.

Characterizing that position as "amnesty" is simply untrue.

What we have now is a lawless border. Current policy is a beacon for more illegal immigrants. The Obama administration’s lawless executive orders legalizing people who came here illegally will only encourage more illegal immigration—unless we act now with real, strong, verifiable border security.

I am for immigration reform because what we have now is untenable. I voted against the Gang of Eight’s comprehensive immigration reform bill because it did not secure the border first. I will only support reform that has border security first as verifiable and ascertained by Congress, not the president.

My plan will not give the president the authority to simply declare that the border is secure. It will require yearly votes of Congress to ensure the president doesn't get around the law.

My "Trust but Verify" plan will ensure that our border is secure. Under my plan, national security and border security will move as the first element of any reform and would require annual votes of Congress to establish that the border is truly secure. No other reform could go forward until this happened.

In addition to increased border security, our nation needs to modernize our visa system. We need to know who comes and goes on travel, student, and other temporary visas. There must be a workable system to ensure that visitors don't use travel visas as a way to enter the country then disappear. This will address the problem of visa over-stayers.

National security has to be a cornerstone to any border security and visa reform initiative. Our nation needs to look back at the September 11th Commission Report and study the recommendations regarding terrorists' use of visas to commit acts of violence against America. The 9/11 hijackers used visas to enter the country and to stay here while planning attacks.

Strong border security includes using cutting edge technology. Satellites, physical barriers, screening to bar criminals and terrorists from entry, increased patrols on the border—and yes, surveillance drones—all should be part of a comprehensive plan to physically protect the border. My plan is to take specific measures at the border and then have the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General's Office produce a report to Congress on the progress of border security.

My plan takes border security a step further than anybody else in Congress. Under my plan, Congress will vote every year on border security. If Congress votes that the border is not secure, elements of immigration reform will cease to go forward and visa programs will be slowed. If Congress does not think the border is secure after five years, every element of immigration reform will be stopped.

Our nation is a nation of immigrants. Throughout history, our nation has been flooded with immigrants who have moved here with a flavor for the home country, yet they have assimilated into what we know today as America. That idea, and the American Dream, must be protected and preserved.

Immigrants are drawn to the magnet of free market capitalism here in the United States. Our nation should have open arms to immigrants who want to come her and work hard to make a new life in a free nation. As a libertarian-minded senator, I am attracted to the idea of somebody coming to this country with a couple dollars in his pocket, and then through hard work, make the American Dream a reality.

I do not support amnesty, which is why I don't support our current system with no border security and a blind eye to the problem.


Read the full story:  www.breitbart.com

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Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Lynne Cheney
By Josh Feldman, May 6th, 2014, Mediaite.com

With Hillary Clinton almost assuredly running for president in 2016, Monica Lewinsky‘s Vanity Fairpiece today set off a lot of people’s conspiratorial alarm bells, with some suspicion anti-Clinton forces might have been behind it. But on The O’Reilly Factor tonight, Lynne Cheney suggested it might have actually been pushed by Clinton’s team themselves.

Guest host Laura Ingraham talked with Cheney about liberal attacks on the Bush administration, and Cheney briefly addressed it before pivoting to Lewinsky’s piece and making an observation. She said, “I really wonder if this isn’t an effort on the Clintons’ part to get that story out of the way. Would Vanity Fair publish anything of Monica Lewinsky that Hillary Clinton wouldn’t want in Vanity Fair?”

Cheney pointed out that Rand Paul had been bringing up Monicagate earlier this year and looked like it would be a big issue further on, so, she said, maybe the Clintons are “getting it out of the way” so they can call it “old news” by the time 2016 comes around.


Watch the video below, via Fox News on Mediaite: www.mediaite.com

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Sunday, May 4, 2014

By Brian McWilliams, May 1, 2014, Lionsofliberty.com

Rand Paul’s growing ties with the Neocons has been documented on this site numerous times, including his most recent endorsement of Neocon Senator Susan Collins just last week. His advocacy for pro-Israel policy has also been documented here – and considering today’s news, served as a bit of foreshadowing for his recent legislation. Rand has finally gone on the official record as an Israel advocate and Neocon honk, putting forth the “Stand With Israel Act of 2014″ (Bill S.2265).

The act (available here) has all the bells and whistles one could want in a piece of Neocon legislation. Anti-terrorist rhetoric, sanctions, withdraw of economic aid (which I have no problem with, as I don’t think we should be giving any foreign nation aid) and blind loyalty to an ally that receives billions of dollars each year from the U.S. government (Israel receives the most U.S. aid of any country), while rooting the U.S. government in the middle of an ongoing (undeclared) war.

“Today, I introduced legislation to make all future aid to the Palestinian government conditional upon the new unity government putting itself on the record recognizing the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state and agreeing to a lasting peace.”

Sec. 2: “Prohibition on Foreign Assistance.”

(a) In General. Except as provided under subsection (b) and notwithstanding any other provision of law, no amounts may be obligated or expended to provide any direct United States assistance, loan guarantee, or debt relief to the Palestinian Authority, or any affiliated governing entity or leadership organization.

(b) Exception. The prohibition under subsection (a) shall have no effect for a fiscal year if the President certifies to Congress during that fiscal year that the Palestinian Authority has –

(1) Formally recognized the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state;

(2) Publicly recognized the state of Israel;

(3) Renounced terrorism;

(4) Purged all individuals with terrorist ties from security services;

(4) Terminated funding of anti-American and anti-Israel incitement;

(5) Publicly pledged to not engage in war with Israel; and

(6) Honored previous diplomatic agreements.”


Read the full story:  www.lionsofliberty.com

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Friday, April 18, 2014

By Alan Goodman, Apr. 18, 2014, Freebeacon.com

Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) denied that a nuclear Iran would pose a national security threat to the United States or Israel in a 2007 radio interview with talk show host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.

“Even our own intelligence community consensus opinion now is that they’re not a threat. Like my dad [Rep. Ron Paul] says, [the Iranians] don’t have an Air Force, they don’t have a Navy,” said Paul, according to a recording of the interview. “You know, it’s ridiculous to think they’re a threat to our national security.”

“It’s not even that viable to say they’re a national threat to Israel,” Paul added. “Most people say Israel has 100 nuclear weapons, you know.”

The future senator, who was working on his father’s presidential campaign at the time, also came out against military action, saying Republicans “all want to invade Iran next.”

“I tell people in speeches, I say, you know we’re against the Iraq War, we have been from the beginning,” said Paul. “But you know we’re also against the Iran war—you know the one that hasn’t started yet.”

In a recent Washington Post column, Paul said he does not support containment of a nuclear Iran, but believes it should be an option.

Read the full story:  www.freebeacon.com


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