GOP - Rand Paul's Presidential Highlight Reel w/ his Libertarian Twist

[Chef Ramsay]

How Rand Paul Is Helping To Reinvent Republicans

This story was originally published on Ozy.

It’s true that the Republican Party remains a lot older, whiter and male-er than the American population as a whole. But that doesn’t mean the party isn’t changing — it’s just not changing in a way that’s always visible to the naked eye. In fact, the GOP is undergoing a kind of evolution as it figures out how to maintain unity among its pro-business, social conservative and libertarian factions. Those dividing lines are going to be on sharp display as the 2016 presidential campaigns gear up.

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is, of course, the poster child for the libertarian movement within the party, but he’s not the only one embracing a more laissez-faire attitude on certain issues, such as drugs and gay marriage, that social conservatives abhor. More mainstream Republicans, like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, also offer some crossover appeal on social issues. Paul lines up with the pro-business side in supporting President Barack Obama’s recent moves to ease the long-standing embargo on Cuba. Where they diverge is on spending, particularly on government programs that benefit the business community. There, the right wing and the libertarian movement are on the same page, happy to whack away at spending even at the expense of businesses.

The growing power of libertarian ideas in the Republican Party is no flash in the pan, according to anti-tax icon Grover Norquist. Rather, libertarianism is “a long-term trend with no obvious roadblock in sight,” he writes in an OZY op-ed. Paul, in other words, is just the beginning.

More...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/22/rand-paul-republicans_n_6521584.html

[Chef Ramsay]

Koch-backed network pulls back curtain on gathering of wealthy donors
Rand Paul to be in first 2016 campaign smackdown

For the first time, a private gathering of wealthy conservative political donors brought together by Charles and David Koch will allow a look inside its much-scrutinized conclaves.

On Sunday night, the group will share with news organizations a live Web stream of one of its final panels set to be held in the weekend at a luxurious Palm Springs resort. The session will feature three potential 2016 presidential contenders: Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Marco Rubio of Florida.

The three Republicans will participate in a discussion of economic prosperity, health care and energy titled the “American Recovery Policy Forum,” moderated by ABC News chief White House correspondent Jonathan Karl. ABC is billing the event as the first forum of the year featuring presidential hopefuls.

"Our members care deeply about the future of our nation, and we're honored to host some of today's most influential and respected leaders in shaping public policy,” said James Davis, spokesman for Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, the tax-exempt advocacy group backed by the Kochs and other major donors that hosts the gathering.

“We hope that this panel will give each participant the opportunity to lay out their vision of free markets and the role of government,” Davis said in a statement. “Our goal in 2015 is to help inform the national debate around key domestic economic issues, and this forum is the beginning of that conversation."

It’s a dramatic change in approach for the Koch-backed operation, which has withheld information about previous donor seminars, held under tight security. The events – typically held in Palm Springs in the winter and in Colorado in the summer – feature prominent GOP officials as guests and high-brow panel discussions about economic and political theory.

The Kochs and their allies have also used the seminars to rally donors to support their far-reaching political network. At a session last year, the organization declared its goal of spending $290 million in the run-up to the 2014 midterm elections.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/01/22/koch-backed-network-pulls-back-curtain-on-gathering-of-wealthy-donors/

[Chef Ramsay]

Barbara Boxer, Rand Paul work together on Iran bill

How’s this for a political odd couple? Liberal Sen. Barbara Boxer and conservative Sen. Rand Paul working together on foreign policy.

The retiring Boxer (D-Calif.) and possible presidential contender Paul (R-Ky.) are teaming up to create a “moderate proposal” on Iran sanctions, Boxer said Wednesday morning. They aim to offer an alternative to bipartisan legislation that is gaining steam that would impose new economic penalties on Iran if Western nations fail to strike an agreement on winding down Tehran’s nuclear program. Those sanctions would begin taking effect in July.

Boxer said the sanctions proposal, written by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), would not “strengthen us at all” as negotiations continue with Iran. Paul, whose foreign policy style is less interventionist than that of many Republicans, did not co-sponsor similar bipartisan legislation when it was introduced last year, making him one of just two GOP senators to hold off on endorsing that bill.

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/barbara-boxer-rand-paul-iran-bill-114446.html

[Rishblitz]

Rand Paul to open political office in Austin

Sen. Rand Paul is planning to open a political office in Austin, tapping into Texas technology talent ahead of a likely presidential bid.


The space is slated to open in spring or early summer, said Doug Stafford, Paul’s chief political adviser. The Kentucky Republican is also opening a Silicon Valley office in the coming months.

ustin is a rare haven for liberals in deep-red Texas, but it’s also a hot spot for start-ups and technology companies. The libertarian-leaning Paul has made overtures to the technology community — even in California’s progressive Bay Area — as he prepares for a 2016 campaign.

“Our intention is to crowd source many things — innovations, applications, volunteer efforts on the digital and political side,” Stafford said in an email. “Austin has a lot of supporters and a lot of talent, and we plan to take advantage of both and have a Team Rand hub there.”

Vincent Harris, the digital strategist for Paul’s political arm, RANDPAC, is based in Austin, which he referred to as “Silicon Hills.”

The city “has energetic, supportive, creative talent,” Harris said. “There’s a large, active, liberty crowd. Since coming on board, we’ve had smart people literally just show up at my company’s office wanting to get involved, it will be a place to channel them.”

The Lone Star State will loom large in the 2016 GOP primary. Paul and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush grew up in Texas. They, along with former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, all are expected to run for the White House.

“We want to attract the best talent possible to help motivate the largest amount of people possible, and Austin’s market will allow the senator to do that,” Harris said.

More...http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/rand-paul-austin-texas-office-114452.html#ixzz3Pf1kgv5D

Hopefully he will run

[iCEBREAKER]

Hopefully he will run

Rand will run when the time is right, and not sooner.  He is cagey as all get out, and so is Kelly.

He's young and may play kingmaker in 2016, setting himself up for it to be unquestionably 'his turn' in 2020 or 2024 (as he continues to gain stature and influence as a Senator).

The Paul family is playing the long game; they are running a marathon, not a sprint.   

[tins]

Hopefully he will run

Rand will run when the time is right, and not sooner.  He is cagey as all get out, and so is Kelly.

He's young and may play kingmaker in 2016, setting himself up for it to be unquestionably 'his turn' in 2020 or 2024 (as he continues to gain stature and influence as a Senator).

The Paul family is playing the long game; they are running a marathon, not a sprint.   

As wise people often do.
I'm looking forward to another election between a Clinton and a Bush for 2016! How exciting would that be?!?

[iCEBREAKER]

Hopefully he will run

Rand will run when the time is right, and not sooner.  He is cagey as all get out, and so is Kelly.

He's young and may play kingmaker in 2016, setting himself up for it to be unquestionably 'his turn' in 2020 or 2024 (as he continues to gain stature and influence as a Senator).

The Paul family is playing the long game; they are running a marathon, not a sprint.   

As wise people often do.
I'm looking forward to another election between a Clinton and a Bush for 2016! How exciting would that be?!?

Why not just bring the entire CIA crime family together?

Jeb & Chelsea vs Hillary & George P.

Bush/Clinton 2016: "What Difference It Make?"
-vs-
Clinton/Bush 2016: "America Deserves Hillary!"

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand Paul Stands Apart in His Pitch for Koch Brothers Cash

January 26, 2015 Three Republican presidential hopefuls talked policy Sunday night at a panel sponsored by a group affiliated with the Koch brothers in hopes of winning over the influential billionaires' network of mega-donors. And while Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas seemed eager for approval from the influential audience, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul clashed with his colleagues on established GOP lines.

The panel, hosted by the Kochs' Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce in Palm Springs, Calif., and broadcast online in a show of transparency, offered a chance for the likely 2016ers, all first-term senators, to publicly vie for the far-reaching network's approval. Marking one of the first face-to-face forums in the contest, it gave a glimpse of the policy tensions that will arise if all three senators run.

For a presidential hopeful courting big-money donors, Rand Paul didn't seem too eager to please, frequently being greeted with awkward silence by the crowd while Rubio and Cruz saw applause.

He broke with his colleagues on Cuba, noting to the panel's moderator, ABC's Jonathan Karl, that, sitting between Cruz and Rubio, whose parents both emigrated from the country, "I'm kind of surrounded on this one." Calling his opponents' views isolationist, he said he supported President Obama's recent actions to thaw relations between the U.S. and Cuba.

"They behead people in the street in Saudi Arabia. I'm not a real big fan of a lot of these regimes, but I don't want to isolate ourselves and say we're not going to trade with people who aren't Western style democracies," Paul said. "Isolation hasn't worked."

More...http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/rand-paul-stands-apart-in-his-pitch-for-koch-brothers-cash-20150126

The article makes it sound as if Rand didn't stand out in a positive way in relation to the other two on the stage. If that's the case, then this network of donors sounds awfully similar to the normal establishment donors that would back the likes of Bush or Romney based on hawkishness. There must be more to this then meets the eye so I'm withholding judgement on how this went for now.

[Chef Ramsay]

RAND PAUL: SAUDI ARABIA NEEDS TO QUIT FUNDING RADICAL ISLAM

Tuesday on Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said Saudi Arabia “needs to be working against radical Islam.”

In discussing President Barack Obama’s visit Paul said, “I hope he says to Saudi Arabia that we’d like them to help us and work with us instead of against us. I think a lot of the arms that Saudi Arabia and Qatar have poured into the Syrian war, the Syrian civil war have actually been hurting us. They have actually wound up in the hand of ISIS. So I hope the message to them is they need to be working against radical Islam. They need to quit funding radical Islamic schools in our country around the world and need to send ground troops in to help us fight ISIS.”

“So Saudi Arabia needs to step up to be on our side and not be provoking the situation,” he added.

http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/01/27/rand-paul-saudi-arabia-needs-to-quit-funding-radical-islam/

The interview on Fox is herehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO4T2iFFMHM&feature=youtu.be ~6mins

[Bit_Happy]

Hopefully he will run

Rand will run when the time is right, and not sooner.  He is cagey as all get out, and so is Kelly.

He's young and may play kingmaker in 2016, setting himself up for it to be unquestionably 'his turn' in 2020 or 2024 (as he continues to gain stature and influence as a Senator).

The Paul family is playing the long game; they are running a marathon, not a sprint.   

As wise people often do.
I'm looking forward to another election between a Clinton and a Bush for 2016! How exciting would that be?!?

Why not just bring the entire CIA crime family together?

Jeb & Chelsea vs Hillary & George P.

Bush/Clinton 2016: "What Difference It Make?"
-vs-
Clinton/Bush 2016: "America Deserves Hillary!"

Good thinking, since America gets what we deserve.

[iCEBREAKER]

Rand Paul Stands Apart in His Pitch for Koch Brothers Cash

January 26, 2015 Three Republican presidential hopefuls talked policy Sunday night at a panel sponsored by a group affiliated with the Koch brothers in hopes of winning over the influential billionaires' network of mega-donors. And while Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ted Cruz of Texas seemed eager for approval from the influential audience, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul clashed with his colleagues on established GOP lines.

The panel, hosted by the Kochs' Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce in Palm Springs, Calif., and broadcast online in a show of transparency, offered a chance for the likely 2016ers, all first-term senators, to publicly vie for the far-reaching network's approval. Marking one of the first face-to-face forums in the contest, it gave a glimpse of the policy tensions that will arise if all three senators run.

For a presidential hopeful courting big-money donors, Rand Paul didn't seem too eager to please, frequently being greeted with awkward silence by the crowd while Rubio and Cruz saw applause.

He broke with his colleagues on Cuba, noting to the panel's moderator, ABC's Jonathan Karl, that, sitting between Cruz and Rubio, whose parents both emigrated from the country, "I'm kind of surrounded on this one." Calling his opponents' views isolationist, he said he supported President Obama's recent actions to thaw relations between the U.S. and Cuba.

"They behead people in the street in Saudi Arabia. I'm not a real big fan of a lot of these regimes, but I don't want to isolate ourselves and say we're not going to trade with people who aren't Western style democracies," Paul said. "Isolation hasn't worked."

More...http://www.nationaljournal.com/politics/rand-paul-stands-apart-in-his-pitch-for-koch-brothers-cash-20150126

The article makes it sound as if Rand didn't stand out in a positive way in relation to the other two on the stage. If that's the case, then this network of donors sounds awfully similar to the normal establishment donors that would back the likes of Bush or Romney based on hawkishness. There must be more to this then meets the eye so I'm withholding judgement on how this went for now.

Rand isn't going to win without "normal establishment donors."  Luckily his money guy is well connected to those people.

The Koch Bros do a lot to stem the tide of the Bush/Clinton types' neo-conservatism and neo-liberalism .  Plus they really piss off the commie liberals!  I hope they Stand With Rand.

[Chef Ramsay]

(Business Insider) Here's Why Rand Paul Might Be The 'Frontrunner' In The 2016 GOP Primary

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) thinks Mitt Romney, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) might actually help him win the 2016 GOP presidential primary.

And Paul isn't the only one who thinks this trio of high-powered rivals could give him an edge.

In a recent conversation with Business Insider, a close ally of one of the other candidates went so far as to say the current likely composition of the Republican field gives Paul the best shot at a victory.

"Based on where the primary electorate is right now, if there's a frontrunner in this race from an electoral perspective, it's probably Rand Paul," the source said.

More...http://www.businessinsider.com/why-rand-paul-might-be-the-gop-frontrunner-2015-1#ixzz3Q4m7TWtS

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand Paul: Obama Behavior Towards Netanyahu ‘Childish’

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) criticized President Obama for being “petulant” and “childish” by refusing to meet with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday’s “On the Record” on the Fox News Channel.

Paul defended House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) extending an invitation to speak before Congress, saying “we are a co-equal branch of government, and the speaker’s in charge of inviting folks to speak, it’s only usually given to leaders, heads of state. Benjamin Netanyahu’s been here before. I can’t understand why it would be a controversy, other than maybe the president’s acting a little bit petulant over this because he wasn’t consulted.

But it almost looks a little bit childish to me that he’s going to make a big stink over ‘oh, now I won’t even meet with an ally, who’s the head of state of an ally when he comes to Washington because I wasn’t consulted.'” And “Israel’s an important ally, I don’t understand why he would refuse to meet with him other than just sort of being, like I say, petulant or childish about not being consulted.”

Video and more...http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/01/27/rand-paul-obama-behavior-towards-netanyahu-childish/

[Chef Ramsay]

Paul defends Kochs from 'liberal haters'

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a likely presidential contender, defended billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch from "liberal haters" who won't leave the largely Republican mega-donors alone.

Asked in an interview Tuesday night on Fox Business Network about the Koch brothers potentially bankrolling a liberty-minded Republican presidential candidate, Paul focused his answer on the pair's detractors.

"I think one thing that's important for all the people who bash them to know is that, much of what they do is for the concept and the ideas of free markets and liberty. It has nothing to do with government," Paul said.
"And I defy any of the liberal haters that are out there to find one instance when they have ever asked for a subsidy or a special government break. I have never heard of any and what they're wanting is to be left alone, like most businesses in our country," he said.

Part of the rest is a reminder by Paul that Jeb's brother GWB doubled the size of the Dept of Education...http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/230989-paul-defends-koch-brothers-from-liberal-haters

[Chef Ramsay]

Rubio wins Koch Straw Poll; Rand comes in Last
 

Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul – who received the least enthusiastic response from donors during a Sunday night forum of prospective candidates that also featured Rubio and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz – finished last in Luntz’s poll, the source told POLITICO.

The poll is by no means a definitive assessment of the feelings of the hundreds of wealthy business leaders who comprise the vaunted network created by billionaire industrialist brothers Charles and David Koch. But it does provide an early glimpse into the leanings of a pool of mega-donors who are being hotly courted by the field of would-be candidates, and whose checkbooks could go a long way towards determining who emerges with the GOP nomination – regardless of whether the Koch network decides to formally back a candidate

More...http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/koch-donors-marco-rubio-2016-114673.html

Rubio is obviously a placeholder for throwing alleged conservative support to Bush after Rube flames out during the first few contests in the primary. Apparently, the majority of the Kock network aren't libertarians and we'll soon find out if they are themselves. Either that or Rand didn't offer that great of an appearance at the forum.

[TheButterZone]

Libertarians jeopardize crony corporatism. It's obvious he would come in last, and will not have the votes counted in his favor.

[jaysabi]

Libertarians jeopardize crony corporatism. It's obvious he would come in last, and will not have the votes counted in his favor.

Rand may sometimes pay lip service to libertarianism, but he's on the record as flat out saying he isn't a libertarian. I don't know enough about the Koch brothers, but I'd highly doubt they are libertarian either.

[TheButterZone]

A white lie that does nothing but save his supporters from getting their asses kicked and/or arrested for "trespassing" like his dad's were at GOP events.

[Chef Ramsay]

David Letterman: Rand Paul Makes 'Pure Good Sense'; Maddow Kind of Agrees

Late night talk show host David Letterman had nothing but positive things to say about possible 2016 presidential candidate Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul.

During a conversation with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on Wednesday about the 2016 race, the comedian said he was impressed by the libertarian Republican, according to The Daily Caller.

"I've heard Rand Paul say things that seem just pure, hardcore, logical good sense," Letterman said on his "Late Show" on CBS.

Maddow was cautious in her agreement.

"Rand Paul sometimes makes a lot of sense," she said, but emphasized, "sometimes."

More...http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/David-Letterman-rand-paul-2016-election/2015/01/29/id/621432/#ixzz3Q8U3NCnz

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand Paul ‘secret tape’ dings Jeb, Hillary on d\Dynasty

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), the 2016 field’s most prolific adopter of social media, has posted what aides wryly call a “secret tape” of a fake phone call between Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton.

RAND PAC, Paul’s political organization, used actors to portray the conversation, which hits both rivals on the dynasty issue.

“Bush” tells her he’s thinking about running for president: “I just wanted to call and give you a heads-up in hopes we could work something out.”

“Clinton” says: “We both agree on so many issues: bigger government, Common Core, and amnesty for illegal immigrants.”

More...http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/rand-paul-secret-tape-114739.html#ixzz3QFubutwm