Rand Paul flips off the media...

Someone wasn't happy not having a seat at the big debate table...

.@RandPaul has a message for the media today after his #debate demotion pic.twitter.com/jTa3uKhHdB

— Aaron Katersky (@AaronKatersky) January 14, 2016

Stupid "The View" audience applauds when Whoopi claims we have to get rid of automatic weapons, that are already banned

Gun ignoramuses confuse semi-automatic with automatic all the time. Sen. Rand Paul sets her straight, but she doesn't seem to be listening. What liberals want is what happened in Australia where the government seized semi-automatic weapons and only allowed most people to have single shot guns.

Priceless: Hillary Clinton sends Rand Paul a copy of her book. He writes an inscription and sells it...

Here’s what the inscription says:

Hillary, your refusal to provide security for our mission in Benghazi should forever preclude you from higher office!

Rand Paul signed Hillary Clinton's book and is now auctioning it off, along w/ his own book https://t.co/ce2s9ImR6M pic.twitter.com/WW1fGg7fmZ

— Ashley Killough (@KilloughCNN) October 7, 2015

Unlikely: Rand Paul claims to have signed open letter to Iran to “strengthen the president’s hand”

The correct answer should be to stop a bad deal.

Via Reason:

In an interview with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on the Todayshow this morning, Matt Lauer skipped over the motivation for Senate Republicans’ open letter to Iran and asked Paul instead whether if he were president he would want a group of senators “undermining” his delicate negotiations.
Paul rejected the premise, claiming he signed the letter because he wanted to “strengthen the president’s hand” by reminding Iran of the U.S.’s own hardliners. Paul also reiterated that sanctions on Iran would have to be lifted by Congress.

Rand Paul calls for firing of officer who choked Eric Garner to death...

Personally, I prefer a murder charge. If someone tells you they can't breath multiple time while you are choking them and you choke harder, that isn't an accident or involuntary manslaughter. It's murder. 

Washington (CNN) -- The New York officer involved in the death of Eric Garner should no longer be on the police force, Sen. Rand Paul argued Monday.

The Kentucky Republican said Daniel Pantaleo lacked "discretion" when he placed Garner in a chokehold for allegedly selling untaxed cigarettes.

"You probably shouldn't have the power to be a policeman anymore, at the very least," Paul said at a Mississippi Republican fundraiser, adding that the employment standard for police is "much higher," according to video by the Clarion-Ledger newspaper.

Rand Paul speaks out against the militarization of police...

I completely agree with Sen. Paul. There is no need to police to wear camouflage and ride in armored vehicles. This is America, not Iraq.

Via Time:

Anyone who thinks race does not skew the application of criminal justice in this country is just not paying close enough attention, Sen. Rand Paul writes for TIME, amid violence in Ferguson, Mo. over the police shooting death of Michael Brown.

The shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown is an awful tragedy that continues to send shockwaves through the community of Ferguson, Missouri and across the nation.  If I had been told to get out of the street as a teenager, there would have been a distinct possibility that I might have smarted off. But, I wouldn’t have expected to be shot.

The outrage in Ferguson is understandable—though there is never an excuse for rioting or looting. There is a legitimate role for the police to keep the peace, but there should be a difference between a police response and a military response.
The images and scenes we continue to see in Ferguson resemble war more than traditional police action.
Glenn Reynolds, in Popular Mechanics, recognized the increasing militarization of the police five years ago. In 2009 he wrote:

Soldiers and police are supposed to be different. … Police look inward. They’re supposed to protect their fellow citizens from criminals, and to maintain order with a minimum of force.
It’s the difference between Audie Murphy and Andy Griffith. But nowadays, police are looking, and acting, more like soldiers than cops, with bad consequences. And those who suffer the consequences are usually innocent civilians.

Read it all...

Amusing Video: Rand Paul tells MSNBC to stop lying and they can talk...

Rand Paul on black demos hijacking Mississippi GOP primary: “I’m for more people voting,”

Pandering?

Via WaPo:

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a potential 2016 presidential contender, declined to support tea party critics of Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran’s efforts to mobilize non-GOP voters to win the Republican nomination.
“I’m for more people voting, not less people voting,” Paul told reporters Wednesday.
Paul, an original tea party icon for his 2010 GOP primary win over the establishment, has worked assiduously the past year on broadening his party’s appeal to minority voters, including negotiating with Democrats on efforts to rewrite the Voting Rights Act.
Cochran’s vote total grew by almost 40,000 votes from the initial June 3 primary to Tuesday’s runoff against state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R). Much of that growth has been credited to courting independent and Democratic voters on the state’s Gulf Coast, where shipyard work has been supported by Cochran for decades, and also an aggressive effort to turn out black voters.
In Mississippi all voters can cast ballots in one party’s primary. Paul noted that one of his sons spent time at summer camp working on a proposal that would open up Kentucky’s closed primary system to independent voters.
“I’m for more people voting,” Paul said.

Interesting: Sen. Rand Paul trying to expand Republican base

President Paul?

Via The Politico:

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is helping open a “GOP engagement office” on Saturday in an African-American area of Louisville, part of a frenetic summer schedule aimed at reaching beyond the party’s traditional base, with explicit appeals to minorities and young people.In late summer or early fall, Paul plans a major foreign policy address that will give him a prime chance to close a gap with establishment Republicans that has been perhaps the biggest hurdle to acceptance of Paul by party elites.The itinerary will bolster the widespread view among Republican leaders that Paul is doing the most visible spadework of the party’s potential presidential candidates. As a sign of his advanced planning, the senator told AP that he would consider running for reelection and president at the same time, and that a Kentucky ballot law against dual candidacies would not be an obstacle.

Rand Paul evolves: Voter ID “Offends People”

The people it is offending will never vote for Rand. The people who would have voted for him are now less likely. This wasn't the Aqua Buddha's best day. 

Via Daily Caller:

Kentucky senator and insurgent Republican Rand Paul denounced Voter ID law during a Friday interview with the New York Times, instantly becoming the most prominent GOP opponent against the legislation that is popular within his party.

“Everybody’s gone completely crazy on this voter ID thing,” Paul told the Times before speaking with a group of black pastors in Memphis, TN. “I think it’s wrong for Republicans to go too crazy on this issue because it’s offending people.”

According to the NYT, Paul did not criticize Voter ID for being bad policy, but for offending voters that Paul thinks could swing to the GOP.

Keep on reading…

Sen. Rand Paul sweeps Maine GOP straw poll...

Rise of the Aqua Buddha... 

Via Breitbart:

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) easily swept a straw poll of 2016 GOP contenders at the Maine GOP convention this weekend, securing nearly a hundred votes more than the next best potential presidential candidate.
Paul topped the field with 176 votes out of 690 cast, with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) finishing second with 98 votes. Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker rounded out the top three vote-getters in the straw poll with 70 votes, while Dr. Ben Carson placed fourth with 62 votes.
Establishment Republicans like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, and House Budget Committee chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) couldn’t even break the top four in the Maine GOP straw poll. Christie placed fifth with 60 votes, Bush sixth with 57 votes, and Ryan seventh with 37. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, and Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) all received fewer than 30 votes.

The Tea Party is a force to be reckoned with in the GOP primary system.

Interesting: Rand Paul would beat Hillary in Colorado if election were today...

High times...

Via Politico:

Sen. Rand Paul appears to be the man to beat in Colorado in 2016, a new poll says.Colorado voters would favor the Kentucky Republican over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by 48 percent to 43 percent in a potential 2016 presidential race, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.Paul also has a higher favorability rating than the other three possible Republican presidential contenders listed in the poll — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.Paul’s favorability ranking is 41 percent and his unfavorability ranking is 30 percent. Huckabee has a favorability rating of 37 percent and an unfavorability ranking of 30 percent. The other two GOP candidates both have higher unfavorability than favorability rankings.

CPAC Straw Poll Winner: Rand Paul

Dominating...

Sen. Rand Paul demolished his competition in the 2014 Washington Times/CPAC presidential preference straw poll on Saturday, winning 31 percent of the vote — nearly three times the total of second-place Sen. Ted Cruz.
The poll also found a strong plurality of attendees at the Conservative Political Action Conference believe marijuana should be fully legalized, with 41 percent saying it’s time to change the law and tax it. Another 21 percent said it should be legalized only for medicinal purposes, while just 31 percent said it should remain illegal in all cases.

Obvious: Rand Paul calls Bill Clinton a sexual predator...

Sen. Rand Paul also points out Bill Clinton's lack of an ability to control himself could derail Hillary in 2016...

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Sunday accused former President Bill Clinton of “predatory” sexual behavior, saying he used the Oval Office to take advantage of Monica Lewinsky.
“I think, really, the media seems to have given President Clinton a pass on this,” Paul said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “He took advantage of a girl that was 20 years old and an intern in his office. There is no excuse for that and that is predatory behavior and …  we shouldn’t want to associate with people who would take advantage of a young girl in his office.”
In an interview with Vogue magazine, Paul’s wife, Kelley, said Hillary Clinton’s potential presidential run could be derailed by her husband’s “predatory” behavior while in office.
“I would say his behavior was predatory, offensive to women,” she said.
Paul on Sunday said he agreed with his wife.
“The Democrats – one of the big issues they’ve concocted is saying Republicans are committing a war on women,” he said. “One of the workplace laws and rules that, I think, is good is that bosses shouldn’t prey on young interns in their office.”

Rand Paul's epic Twitter Festivus rant...

In honor of Festivus, tomorrow I will be airing my grievances, mostly against Washington.    Check back here in the morning.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

"I've got a lot of problems with you people, and now you're going to hear about it!" (Frank Costanza, 1997).
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Airing of Grievances begins...
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

In Washington, "bipartisan deal" is a synonym for "increasing our debt"
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

One party seems to like some of the Bill of Rights.   The other party, some more.   Few willing to stand up for the whole thing.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

The recent "bipartisan deal" will add 7 trillion more debt.  And was hailed as an example of Washington "getting something done."
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Let's move on to the Senate.   If you want more bipartisan cooperation,  talk more not less.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Allow more debate and amendments.   Don't change the rules to run it with an iron fist.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Minor grievance:  I can never remember when to move my car for DC street cleaning.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Today has another significance besides a Festivus:   It is the 100th anniversary of the Federal Reserve.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

So now some Fed Grievances.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Fed policies make you poorer, and hurt the poor and middle class the most.  Ridiculous monetary policies increase the costs of goods.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

So you can thank the Fed for your grocery and gas bills getting out or control.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

In response to some of your tweets, there will be no feats of strength, and I have no plans to end Festivus by wrestling with Senator Reid.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Back to Grievances...
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

The Senate cafeteria never has burgoo.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Grievance with my otherwise wonderful staff: leave the turtleneck alone.   I like it and so do viewers.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Too many people wearing ties on TV as it is
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Obamacare is the untouchable "law of the land" but sequester cuts aren't
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

I still have a lot more problems with you people (Washington).   I will be back later with more.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

One more Festivus grievance about bipartisanship.    @CoryBooker doesn't RT me enough.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

One more Festivus grievance about bipartisanship.    @CoryBooker doesn't RT me enough.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

I still have some more problems with you people (Washington).    I am back to air some more grievances.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Too often politicians try the same thing over and over again even if it is clear it isn't working.    We need to give new ideas a try.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

For example, my economic freedom zones.   We have tried big government in places like Detroit.  Let's try something different.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Washington has too much power over too many crimes.   We should make fewer federal crimes and fewer mandatory minimum sentences.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

I liked my plan.   I did not get to keep it.
— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 23, 2013

Much more here...

Candy 'I saved Obama's butt at the debates' Crowley asks Rand Paul if he could become a democrat...

Here is Rand Paul's answer:

Interesting: Rand Paul stomps Chris Christie in 2016 Mackinac Presidential Straw Poll...

If Cris Christie wants to challenge Hillary in 2016, he should do it as a democrat...

Via Daily Caller:

Sen. Rand Paul decisively won a straw poll held over the weekend in Michigan at a bi-annual gathering of Republicans, earning more than double the votes of rival New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Paul, the libertarian-leaning Republican from Kentucky, won 188 votes, or 36 percent, in the 2016 Mackinac Presidential Straw Poll. Christie came in at second with 82 votes, or 16 percent, in the poll.
“It’s always exciting to place first in anything,” Paul told The Daily Caller in a phone interview Sunday morning from Mackinac Island after the results were announced.
He noted that the Island is “overrun with limited government, small government conservatives.”
“Not too many liberals on the Island this week,” Paul said with a laugh.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush came in with 42 votes, while Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker got 39 votes. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz trailed behind at 36 votes. Of those at the conference, 526 voted.
Keep on reading…

Sen. Rand Paul spending summer break performing free eye surgery for less fortunate...

What's Hillary doing this summer?

Via RCP:

Squeezed on his summer schedule between meeting with the Paducah Rotary Club and making an appearance at the Kentucky Farm Bureau Country Ham Breakfast, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., will be performing eye surgery on his constituents for free.

Paul, an eye surgeon by trade, will perform pro bono surgeries on three patients in Paducah, Ky., next Wednesday, something that he’s done a couple of dozen times since entering the senate. “He’s really done them all over Kentucky,” explained Dan Bayens, a spokesman for the senator. It’s cataract surgery that the Kentucky Republican tends to perform. And he uses local doctors and ophthalmologists that he has relationships with to link up with patients who are uninsured or underinsured.

Video: Sarah Palin - "I'm on Team Rand "

Sarah Palin: 

“I’m on team Rand. Rand Paul understands. He gets the whole notion of don’t tread on me government. Whereas Chris Christie is for big government and trying to go-along-to-get along in so many respects,”

Good News:Sens. Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and Mike Lee threaten to filibuster any new gun control legislation...

Giddy up boys...

Via Politico:

Sens. Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and Mike Lee are threatening to filibuster gun-control legislation, according to a letter they plan to hand-deliver to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office on Tuesday.

“We will oppose the motion to proceed to any legislation that will serve as a vehicle for any additional gun restrictions,” the three conservatives wrote in a copy of the signed letter obtained by POLITICO.

Reid plans to bring up a gun-control measure that focuses on broadening background checks and cracking down on interstate gun-trafficking after the current Senate recess.
Conservatives are concerned that once that bill reaches the floor, amendments could stiffen restrictions on gun control.

Moreover, they understand that Reid intends to allow liberal amendments that would limit clip capacity and ban certain assault weapons to be offered — even though they would be defeated — to give Democrats a chance to vote on them. For moderate Democrats in competitive states, that amounts to an opportunity to vote no and show allegiance to gun rights.

Keep on reading…