On November 7th, his administration gleefully voted at the UN for a renewed effort to pass the ‘Small Arms Treaty.’ But after the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut — and anti-gun hysteria in the national media reaching a fever pitch — there’s no doubt President Obama and his anti-gun pals believe the timing has never been better to ram through the U.N.’s global gun control crown jewel. I don’t know about you, but watching anti-American globalists plot against our Constitution makes me sick.An email from Senator Rand Paul, on behalf of the National Association on Gun Rights • Decrying the Obama administration’s shadowy collaboration with the United Nations, aimed at a constitutional end-around abolishing the Second Amendment via international arms treaty. If you haven’t heard about this, that may be because it’s actually a well-worn and fallacious conspiracy theory, but that didn’t stop Paul from lending his name to this paranoia-fueled fundraising effort from the National Association on Gun Rights. It’s a theory cut from virtually the same intellectual cloth as those UN-centric “Agenda 21” conspiracy theories, propagated by people like Alex Jones — who, as it happens, has landed the Kentucky Senator as an interview guest in the past. This is a major issue facing Paul, should he indulge bigger, national political ambitions — he’s proven extremely willing to court the affections (and in the process endorse the ideas) of people far out on the conspiratorial right-wing. source
Part of Republicans’ problems and, frankly, to tell you the truth, some in the evangelical Christian movement, I think have appeared too eager for war. When people come to me and they’re lobbying for ratcheting up some bellicose policy –- even if it’s a bad country — I tell them: When I read the New Testament, and when I read about Jesus, he wasn’t really involved in the war of his days. …Blessed are the peacemakers, not blessed are the warmakers.Senator Rand Paul • Delivering a unique criticism of the GOP’s traditional posture on military and war policy, in an interview with David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network. Demonstrated in Paul’s criticism is his ability both to appeal to and alienate varied ideological groups simultaneously — his anti-war ethos may be no doubt appealing to traditionally left-wing political watchers, but his invocation of personal faith to justify a secular public policy may not. Conversely, many on the right-wing admiring of Paul’s evident reflection on Jesus’ example may be rankled by, relative to the modern state of the GOP, a thoroughly unorthodox plea for peace. source
They think the whole world is a battlefield, including America, and that the laws of war should apply…that’s not my understanding of the way America works. I don’t think the laws of war apply to America, I think the Bill of Rights do and I think it’s a disservice to our soldiers that our senators up there arguing that the Bill of Rights aren’t important.Sen. Rand Paul • Responding to criticism leveled against him by fellow Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain on Thursday, less than a day after his impressive attempt to block the confirmation of John Brennan as head of the CIA. Both Graham and McCain attacked Paul on the floor of the Senate Thursday, saying the Kentucky Republican’s comments during his 13-hour filibuster were both untrue and disappointing. source
Rand Paul’s 12+ hour filibuster about drones gets a succinct 43-word response.
This may be the shortest letter ever written by a government official.
(Source: think-progress)
The Washington Post outlines how Republican Sen. Rand Paul’s filibuster yesterday compared to some of the great filibusters in American history, then looks at how long Paul would have needed to continue to match the record:
“Paul’s filibuster, which finished just shy of 13 hours, didn’t come close to the legendary filibusters — starting with Jimmy Stewart in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” who was depicted as having spoken nearly 24 hours, though the 1939 movie only ran a bit more than two hours.
The record filibuster goes, of course, to former South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond in opposing the 1957 civil rights bill. Thurmond, then a Democrat, held the floor for 24 hours and 18 minutes.”
Though to be fair, Jimmy Stewart wasn’t actually a member of the Senate at the time. :D
It’s encouraging to see John Stewart back Paul on this one. Stewart is a pace setter on the left in terms of public opinion, and his endorsement will help soothe the allergy that many on the left have for supporting GOP members, even when the latter happens to be doing something right.
Nod. Props to Rand for getting the gesture right.
(Source: hipsterlibertarian)
I’d like to break Strom’s record, but I have discovered there are limits to filibustering, and I have to go take care of one of those
Senator Rand Paul who officially yielded the floor at 12:39 AM est (via antigovernmentextremist)
Rand Paul filibustered for 12 hours and 52 minutes. During a snowstorm in D.C. With President Obama’s usage of drones as the main topic, and the nomination of would-be CIA head John Brennan hanging in the balance. It was the first “real” filibuster—dude-talking-for-hours-style—since Bernie Sanders did it in 2010. More details here.
Congress hereby declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being.The Life at Conception Act, an amendment introduced by Sen. Rand Paul • Gumming up the works of an otherwise non-controversial bill about flood insurance. The amendment to the bill also “ensure[s] equal protection for right to life of each born and preborn human person.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid stated he would not allow a vote on the amendment, and asked other GOP senators — who, incidentally, are the major supporters of this bill, even without Paul’s amendment — to deal with their colleague “on their side of the aisle.” An incredible hail mary for pro-life policy. source (via • follow)
“The president recently weighed in on marriage and you know he said his views were evolving on marriage,” the Kentucky Republican said at Iowa’s Faith and Freedom Coalition meeting. “Call me cynical, but I wasn’t sure his views on marriage could get any gayer.
Call us cynical, but we aren’t sure this was the best thing for Rand to say.
Things that actually just happened: Wolf Blitzer asked Ron Paul if he was trying to help Mitt Romney on the off-chance that Rand Paul would become Mitt’s running mate. Ron denied it, saying “it wouldn’t work.” Could you imagine though?
Wrote a thing.
Hat tip to this headline writer.
Congrats Tumblr!
Don’t screw this up Yahoo.
In 2007, I was...
I started tumblr when I was at one of the lowest points of...
Paul apparently set off an airport security full-body scanner “on a glitch,” a spokesman in Paul’s office told ABC News.
The Paul staffer said TSA agents would not let Paul walk back through the body scanner and were demanding a full body pat-down.
The Paul spokesman said his office called TSA administrator John Pistole about the incident this morning.
The fun part, of course, is that this totally plays into his civil-liberties playbook.
I will support the Republican nominee, because I think they will be better. But I think it will be marginally better and — I am little bit biased in this — I think Ron Paul would be dramatically better.Sen. Rand Paul • Offering full support for the GOP candidate, whoever it is, even if he doesn’t follow the same fully-libertarian path as his dad Ron. He’s not big on the idea of his dad running as an independent: “I’ve always been in favor of the Tea Party being part of making the Republican Party more conservative rather than trying to do our own thing,” he claimed in New Hampshire today. source (via • follow)
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