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

[Chef Ramsay]

Paul: Justice equals peace in Baltimore

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a GOP presidential hopeful, said the charges in Baltimore case could bring peace to the city Friday at a Northern Kentucky Chamber event, where he also talked Brent Spence.

FORT MITCHELL – GOP presidential hopeful and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul Friday appeared to welcome the news that six Baltimore city police officers would face criminal charges in the death of a prisoner in custody, even if he didn’t say how he felt about which way the case should go.

“The sooner we get justice, the sooner we will get peace,” Paul said after a lunch meeting with minority and business leaders at the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. He did not indicate whether the officers in question should be convicted or acquitted of any charges, however. The death sparked looting and rioting in Baltimore earlier this week, although Friday, the Maryland state attorney announced she would pursue manslaughter and assault charges against the police officers in question.

Paul also said he regretted a comment he made on a national radio talk show about “not stopping during a riot” earlier in the week. On the nationally syndicated Laura Ingraham show Tuesday, Paul linked the violence to a “lack of fathers,” praised police in general and quipped that his train rode through Baltimore the previous night and that “I’m glad the train didn’t stop.”

“You always regret off-hand comments after you say them because people misinterpret them,” Paul said Friday. ““But people shouldn’t misinterpret my intentions ... I have been one of the few people traveling to our big cities trying to find solutions to poverty there.”

...

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/elections/2015/05/01/paul-justice-equals-peace-baltimore/26719163/

[TheButterZone]

To anyone who said he should have stopped, what did you expect him to do? He's not going to magically disappear drug & self-defense prohibition in a day.

[Chef Ramsay]

Iowa Poll (PPP): Rand in Top Tier in Clinton Match-ups

--Top Tier

Clinton/Paul..............45/43..............Clinton +2
Clinton/Huckabee.....46/44...............Clinton +2
Clinton/Rubio............46/44..............Clinton +2
Clinton/Bush.............45/42..............Clinton +3

--The Also Rans

Clinton/Christie.........45/40..............Clinton +5
Clinton/Carson...........48/41..............Clinton +7
Clinton/Cruz..............49/42..............Clinton +7
Clinton/Walker..........48/41..............Clinton +7
Clinton/Perry.............48/41...............Clinton +7

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/

[Chef Ramsay]

2016 hopefuls may skip Nevada caucus because it's "rigged" for Rand Paul

Several likely GOP presidential campaigns are threatening to skip the Nevada GOP caucus because they fear it’s rigged for a Rand Paul win, said Republican insiders concerned the Silver State could lose its clout as one of four early voting states.

As a result, some campaigns are pressing behind the scenes for the Legislature to drop caucuses run by the political parties in favor of a government-staged state primary in February.

“A number of presidential campaigns are waiting to see what happens in the Legislature before deciding whether to engage in Nevada or not,” said a top GOP operative. “There is real concern that the state party will either be incompetent — or use incompetence as an excuse to rig it for Rand Paul.

More bullcrap...http://www.reviewjournal.com/politics/gop-presidential-hopefuls-might-skip-nevada-s-caucus

This is just a small taste of the kind of garbage that will be on display going forward. It's how they try running a narrative in advance to prevent a true opposition candidate from gaining momentum and getting positive electoral news coverage. Stay tuned

[Chef Ramsay]

Justin Amash endorses Rand Paul for president, a "once-in-a-generation sort of candidate"

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) endorsed Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) for president Monday.

The endorsement from Amash, who was an ally of Paul's father, Ron, was no surprise. Amash and Paul come from the same playbook: libertarian-leaning members of Congress who relish in being a thorn in the side of the establishment, are privacy advocates and are willing to lob bombs at their opponents.

"Rand Paul is a once-in-a generation sort of candidate," Amash said at the Kent County Republican Party headquarters here, where he appeared with Paul. Amash praised Paul's calls for a balanced budget and to stop government surveillance of phones and computers, and his attempts to broaden the Republican Party by courting young people and minorities.

"Rand Paul is the most electable candidate for president that we have," Amash said. "He's the one person who can unite our party and also bring new people into the party."

Amash joins former congressman J.C. Watts, who introduced Paul at his campaign launch last month.

...

More...http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/05/04/justin-amash-endorses-rand-paul-for-president/

[Chef Ramsay]

Paul on Urban Protests: 'We Need to Understand Where It's Coming From'

He'd taken heat for a dark joke about the civil unrest in Baltimore. He'd generally stayed quiet on the topic, to the surprise of civil libertarians. On Monday, finally, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul used a campaign rally in Michigan to expand his remarks.

"You wonder why people are unhappy in our cities?" he asked an audience in Grand Rapids. "Some aren't doing it right. Some are protesting violently, and there's no excuse for violence, but the thing is, there is an unhappiness. Those of us who don't live in poverty, we need to understand where it's coming from."

Paul's plea for understanding was reminiscent of what he'd said for years, before a radio interview with Laura Ingraham led to accusations of glibness. “I came through the train on Baltimore last night,” Paul had said. “I’m glad the train didn’t stop." By week's end, campaign advisers were assuring reporters and allies that the senator did not mean to minimize what had happened to Freddie Gray, or why citizens had broken curfews to protest.

The old Paul made a triumphant, libertarian return to Grand Rapids. Most of his remarks focused on civil and police issues, from urban unrest to the National Security Agency to civil forfeiture. "I want us to be the party of the entire Bill of Rights," Paul said. "That means the Fifth Amendment and Sixth Amendment as well." He invoked the 1996 story of Richard Jewell, a security guard whose reputation was shredded–on false pretenses–after he located bombs aimed at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

"Think if Richard Jewell had been a black man in the South in the 1920s," said Paul. "White kids do drugs as much as black kids do them, but everybody in prison is black or brown."

...

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-05-04/paul-on-urban-protests-we-need-to-understand-where-it-s-coming-from-

[Chef Ramsay]

Political Blotter: Sen. Rand Paul to visit Bay Area on May 9

Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul will take part in a "Disrupting Democracy" event on Saturday, May 9 in San Francisco.

The event -- hosted by Brigade and organized through Lincoln Labs, a libertarian-leaning technology and policy group -- will focus on strategies and tools that can increase voter turnout and overall civic engagement among Americans.

Paul, the junior U.S. senator from Kentucky, will take part in a "fireside chat" with Brigade CEO Matt Mahan and San Francisco Chronicle reporter Carla Marinucci. Tickets are free, but space is limited.

Paul's mostly-libertarian political ethos is appealing to many in Silicon Valley, especially those concerned about government surveillance programs.

"We look forward to Senator Paul's participation in the first Disrupting Democracy conversation," Lincoln Labs co-founder Garrett Johnson said in a news release. "We hope he is the first of many candidates who will come and share their vision for the technology sector in America."

Paul almost surely will have private meetings and a fundraiser or two while he's in the Bay Area, though no details have been publicly released.

http://www.mercurynews.com/politics-government/ci_28038734/political-blotter-sen-rand-paul-visit-bay-area

[grendel25]

I've very interested in Rand Paul and I tend to lean left.  Rand Paul is actually for some fairly liberal policies and he is a "Libertarian" as I recall.  If left between Clinton and Bush... I'd rather have Paul.

[Chef Ramsay]

NBC/WSJ Poll: Rand tied for 4th at 11%

Bush 23%
Rubio: 18%
Walker: 14%
Paul: 11%
Cruz: 11%
Carson: 7%
Huckabee: 5%
Christie: 5%
Perry: 2%
Fiorina: 1%

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/2016_republican_presidential_nomination-3823.html

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/A_Politics/SECTION_More_Politics/V215179%20NBC-WSJ%20APRIL%20Poll%20(2).pdf

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand polls best versus Hillary in new national WSJ poll

Jeb Bush .................................................. .................................... 43
Hillary Clinton .................................................. ............................. 49

Scott Walker .................................................. ............................... 40
Hillary Clinton .................................................. ............................. 50

Marco Rubio .................................................. ............................... 43
Hillary Clinton .................................................. ............................. 49

Rand Paul .................................................. ................................... 44
Hillary Clinton .................................................. ............................. 47

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/A_Politics/SECTION_More_Politics/V215179%20NBC-WSJ%20APRIL%20Poll%20(2).pdf

Consistently, Rand keeps Hillary a point or two lower than any other republican candidate. Yet you'll rarely see it mentioned on mainstream news, including Fox. And even if they do mention it in passing they surely will never focus on it to let it sink in with the viewers.

[Chef Ramsay]

Sens. Paul, Ernst, & Boxer Introduce Legislation to Arm the Kurds in Support of Fight Against

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced bipartisan legislation to provide for a temporary, emergency authorization of defense articles, defense services, and related training directly to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Other cosponsors include Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Ron Johnson (R-WI), and Marco Rubio (R-FL). This legislation would allow the U.S. to provide direct assistance to the KRG, a critical partner in the fight against ISIS. The companion bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives andhas broad bipartisan support across the ideological spectrum.

The legislation provides temporary, emergency authority for the President to provide weapons and training directly to Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces. The three-year authorization seeks to reduce delays in arming Peshmerga forces to fight ISIS, while in consultation with the Iraqi government.

“Defeating ISIS requires active participation from our allies in the region. I support sending arms to the Kurdish fighters who are providing the vital boots on the ground. This Administration claims they need the legal authority to arm the Kurds. This bill removes any doubt that they have the authority and the renewed encouragement of Congress to provide our Kurdish allies the support they need to continue their fight against ISIS and radical Islam,” Senator Paul said.

http://www.paul.senate.gov/news/press/sens-paul-ernst-and-boxer-introduce-legislation-to-arm-the-kurds-in-support-of-fight-against-isis

[BlitzandBitz]

Does Rand Paul support legalization of cannabis?

Things i liked about his dad, but not sure about his son.

1. Isolationist, i really think we need this. Its like the saying "if you cannot help yourself you cannot help others"
2. Audit the fed
3. Proscute the bankers shorting peoples mortgages.
4. Legalization of all drugs

Basically stay out of other peoples business unless they are hurting someone else and then make them pay.

As Ron sr. has said himself or my recent posting in this thread about Ronnie jr., Ron and Rand are 99% the same on the issues and the end game but just different in tactics. Meaning, you'll get much more non-iconoclastic lingo out of Rand who's trying to build a broader coalition (and that includes establishment types) w/o offering too much for the media to demagogue on and labeling him an extremist like the old man. Some strong libertarian/ancap idealists can't stomach the needle that Rand has to thread and thus call him a sell out even tho they should be intelligent enough to see the big picture.

And that's why I think rand is so much better then his dad because he can get more support and collaborate with others.

[coinits]

Rand polls best versus Hillary in new national WSJ poll

Jeb Bush .................................................. .................................... 43
Hillary Clinton .................................................. ............................. 49

Scott Walker .................................................. ............................... 40
Hillary Clinton .................................................. ............................. 50

Marco Rubio .................................................. ............................... 43
Hillary Clinton .................................................. ............................. 49

Rand Paul .................................................. ................................... 44
Hillary Clinton .................................................. ............................. 47

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/A_Politics/SECTION_More_Politics/V215179%20NBC-WSJ%20APRIL%20Poll%20(2).pdf

Consistently, Rand keeps Hillary a point or two lower than any other republican candidate. Yet you'll rarely see it mentioned on mainstream news, including Fox. And even if they do mention it in passing they surely will never focus on it to let it sink in with the viewers.

The two in red and bolded above are who TPTB want on the ticket. I will be a hard fight to get Rand on it. They have not begin to unleash their 24/7 propaganda machine yet. When they do it will be merciless and they will carry on as those two are the only logical, qualified choices to run the country.

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand Paul’s Donations Show His Small-Town Appeal

...
Online fund-raising data from the first several weeks of Rand Paul’s presidential campaign suggests that much of his initial small-dollar support has come from smaller cities and towns.

After starting his campaign on April 7 with a “Stand With Rand” online appeal, his campaign brought in its first $1 million in less than 30 hours, from more than 15,500 donations, according to data published on RandPaul.com and collected by The Upshot.

He has far to go to match the success of his father, Ron Paul, in collecting money over the Internet. The initial flurry for Rand Paul faded quickly. It took an additional 16 days for the figure to double.

Supporters of Ron Paul contributed $4 million in a single day in 2007, and in 2011 the elder Mr. Paul did a one-day “money bomb” online fund-raising effort that netted $1 million for his presidential campaign.

...

The average donation recorded by the RandPaul.com site hovered around $60 during the first few weeks, although the site did not list the amount of each contribution, just the total number of donors and the total amount. That means that Rand Paul will be able to go back to many of these supporters during the primary season. Indeed, some of them have already given multiple times.

More...http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/06/upshot/rand-pauls-donations-show-his-small-town-appeal.html?_r=0&abt=0002&abg=0

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand Paul tweaks John McCain: ‘Some old guy’ who called us wacko birds

Sen. Rand Paul, Kentucky Republican, continued his war of words with Sen. John McCain of Arizona on Monday, not naming the senator but referring to “some old guy” who once labeled Mr. Paul a “wacko bird.”

Speaking in Michigan, Mr. Paul called Rep. Justin Amash, a Michigan Republican who endorsed Mr. Paul’s presidential campaign on Monday, a “fellow wacko bird.”

“Remember there was some old guy, I can’t remember his name, who called us wacko birds,” Mr. Paul said, The Washington Post reported. “How wacky is it to be somebody who actually believes in the Constitution and all of the Bill of Rights?”

“I won’t tell you who it is, but it’s a senator from Arizona,” Mr. Paul said.

In a 2013 interview with the Huffington Post, Mr. McCain referred to Mr. Paul, Mr. Amash and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas as “wacko birds” before later apologizing. Mr. Cruz, like Mr. Paul, is running for president in 2016.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/may/4/rand-paul-tweaks-john-mccain-some-old-guy-who-call/#ixzz3ZK00H9eb

[Chef Ramsay]

Fox:Sen. Rand Paul: Events in Garland, Texas ‘Absolutely Terrorism’

Watch the GOP presidential candidate go ON THE RECORD and give us his take on the thwarted terror attack in Garland, Texas, the latest 2016 polls and tell us how he would have handled the unrest in Baltimore.

Nice video footage of Rand making his points...http://gretawire.foxnewsinsider.com/video/sen-rand-paul-events-in-garland-texas-absolutely-terrorism/

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand Paul on Fox's "On the Record" w/ Greta Van Susteren last night
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkH1smQpKZQ
Rand talks about Saudi Arabia's financing of radical Islam, the recent event in TX and they talk about the latest Wall Street Journal poll that shows Rand as the best republican to go up against Hillary as well as Rand mentioning that a poll that came out in the last few weeks shows that he's the only republican that can beat Hillary in battleground states like CO, PA and IA and said that the general republican voter needs to know that. Kinda hinting that it's not being made very well known.

[Chef Ramsay]

Quinnipiac Iowa Poll Rand tied for second with 13%

Walker is at 21 percent of likely GOP caucus participants, compared to 25 percent in a February 25 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University.

In the scramble for second place are U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida with 13 percent each, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas with 12 percent and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee with 11 percent. Physician Ben Carson has 7 percent, with 5 percent for Bush. No other candidate is above 3 percent and 6 percent are undecided.

Bush tops the list at 25 percent, followed by New Jersey Gov. Christopher Christie with 20 percent, when likely Republican Caucus participants are asked if there is any candidate they would definitely not support." Paul is next on this negative list with 10 percent.

"The first few months of the Iowa Republican caucus race show Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker as the early leader. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, on the strength of an impressive candidacy roll out, has moved from the bottom of the pack into a tie for second," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac poll. "Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who has yet to formalize his candidacy while he amasses what most expect to be a massive fund-raising lead, runs seventh with just 5 percent of the vote.

http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/iowa/release-detail?ReleaseID=2223

Walker 21
Rubio 13
Paul 13
Cruz 12
Huckabee 11
Carson 7
Bush 5
Perry 3
Christie 3

Cruz and Rubio got a bump, walker went down, and Rand stayed the same.

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand Unveils ‘The Waste Report’

In February, the Inspector General (IG) for the Department of Homeland Security issued a report documenting a lack of oversight in the Coast Guard’s Travel to Obtain Health Care Program. At an average annual cost of $1.2 million (not counting lost work), thisprogram pays for persons stationed in Alaska to travel to receive medical care they cannot get locally. [1]

As the IG notes in their report, most care can be fully provided in Anchorage or (if needed) in Seattle, WA. Instead, the IG uncoveredtrips from Alaska to Vail, Colorado; Orlando, FL; Scottsdale, AZ; and Savannah, GA.[2] Though a doctor’s referral is supposed to be required before travel is approved, only twelve percent of records had such notes.

In total, 94 percent of all records were missing key elements including travel requests, approval forms, cost estimates, and/or doctor’s notes.[3] This lack of basic documentation prevented the IG from substantiating whistleblower claims that trips -even to Anchorage- were more for shopping than medical care, while also preventing the IG from affirming the need for accompanyingspouses (who also traveled at taxpayer expense) to assist patients.

The IG made several recommendations to improve training on what kind of documentation is required for the health care travel program. The Coast Guard agreed to all the recommendations and has implemented the training, but one should not need special training to know that taxpayer funded medical travel should not be approved without a doctor’s note, especially if that travel is for couples’ trips to vacation hot spots.

http://www.paul.senate.gov/about-rand/issues/the-waste-report-waste-in-the-us-government-

[Chef Ramsay]

Tom Woods: Iran Update, Plus: Rand Paul's Best Strategy
Tom Woods (Mises guy) and Scott Horton (anti-war guy) start talking about Rands strategy at 16:00 for the rest of the show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoiG-rsNO30