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

[beetcoin]

Newer poll #s from CNN out

CNN poll: Paul 14, Bush 12, Huckabee 11, Ryan 10, Cruz 9, Christie 8, Rubio 8, Perry 6, Walker 5, Santorum 4

http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2014/images/06/15/cnn.poll.hillary.democrats.pdf

So, the Ace is up a point since the last one.

Nice to see Paul at the top. But who would he chose as a running mate? If he could get Cruz (is he suitable?), the he is up to 23%. Chris Christie and Marco Rubio are also good choices.

chris christie's reputation is sullied, and ted cruz is known as an asshat to most of the populous.. i'd guess marco rubio is the best candidate, especially since he's hispanic.

it's kinda funny that huckabee is so popular, but he isn't even looking to run.

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand Paul's Iowa Inroads

Those who backed Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum in 2012 are giving Rand Paul a long, hard look.

By David Catanese
June 17, 2014 | 11:16 a.m. EDT

DES MOINES, Iowa – Ramona Heller walked into the state Republican convention with an impression of Rand Paul largely formed by his father – and it wasn’t good.

As a local party official in a small village outside of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, she had witnessed firsthand the brash takeover of her beloved GOP in 2012 by the so-called “Paulites” -- the term used to describe supporters of former Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas – after his third place finish in the last presidential caucus.

“A lot of the things they tried to do to take over and get in were very unethical,” Heller says.

The procedural tactics employed by the Paulites won them control of the party, but left mainstream Iowa Republicans seething and bitter. So when Rand Paul took the dais at the Hy-Vee Convention Center Saturday to address the assembled 2,000 GOP delegates, Heller – a Rick Santorum supporter in 2012 – was prepared to sit on her hands.

“I wouldn’t have even considered him before this morning. He wasn’t even on my radar,” she says.

Instead, her reaction surprised herself.

“Holy shit, I would vote for this guy,” she thought afterward. “Yes, I was impressed.”

more...http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/run-2016/2014/06/17/rand-pauls-iowa-inroads
I love these types of articles that showcase Rand's ability to hustle libertarianism to republicans.

[bryant.coleman]

chris christie's reputation is sullied, and ted cruz is known as an asshat to most of the populous.. i'd guess marco rubio is the best candidate, especially since he's hispanic.

it's kinda funny that huckabee is so popular, but he isn't even looking to run.

Rubio's Hispanic background won't do any good for Rand Paul. But his links with the tea party could help him gather a few more votes, and that might help him to win the state of Florida.

[Bit_Happy]

chris christie's reputation is sullied, and ted cruz is known as an asshat to most of the populous.. i'd guess marco rubio is the best candidate, especially since he's hispanic.

it's kinda funny that huckabee is so popular, but he isn't even looking to run.

Rubio's Hispanic background won't do any good for Rand Paul. But his links with the tea party could help him gather a few more votes, and that might help him to win the state of Florida.

If Rand Paul beats Rubio in Fla, then the nomination race will quickly be over, if they are the top 2 contenders.
Rand will have to have strong results in both Iowa and New Hampshire to have any real chance.

[beetcoin]

chris christie's reputation is sullied, and ted cruz is known as an asshat to most of the populous.. i'd guess marco rubio is the best candidate, especially since he's hispanic.

it's kinda funny that huckabee is so popular, but he isn't even looking to run.

Rubio's Hispanic background won't do any good for Rand Paul. But his links with the tea party could help him gather a few more votes, and that might help him to win the state of Florida.

well i guess i'm mistaken.. i thought rand paul needed votes to win.

[bryant.coleman]

If Rand Paul beats Rubio in Fla, then the nomination race will quickly be over, if they are the top 2 contenders.
Rand will have to have strong results in both Iowa and New Hampshire to have any real chance.

Rubio is pretty strong in Florida, and I don't think that anyone else will win that state. The Cuban lobby is quite strong there. Only chance for Rand Paul winning Florida is if Rubio withdraws from the race.

[Chef Ramsay]

Via the recent IA GOP state convention where Paul spoke to over 2000 party delegates

Rand Paul’s drug war talk in Iowa was important, but not for the reason you think

BY RADLEY BALKO
June 18 at 9:54 AM

Vox notes that last weekend, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) talked about the drug war’s disproportionate effect on communities of color.

If you look at the war on drugs, 3 out of 4 people in prison are black or brown. White kids are doing it too, in fact, if you look at all the surveys, white kids do it just as much as black and brown kids. But the prisons are full of black and brown kids because they don’t get a good attorney, they live in poverty, it’s easier to arrest them than to go to the suburbs.

Paul also touched on a theme we’ve explored here at The Watch — the overlooked value of redemption.

Most of us are Christians or Jews or of the Judeo-Christian faith, and it’s like, we believe in redemption. We believe in a second chance. Should a 19-year old kid get a second chance? I think yes. Let’s be the party that has compassion, that doesn’t say the behavior is right, but says, ‘You know what? When you’re done with your time, you get the right to vote back.’ Let’s be the party that is for extending the right to vote back to people who have paid their time, who have reformed their ways.

I’d point out that a fair number of we nonbelievers think redemption is important, too. Still, this is an important thing to hear from a U.S. senator, and particularly from a Republican senator with presidential ambitions. (But I repeat myself.)

...

It’s a rare thing for a politician positioning himself for a presidential run to go to an early primary state and say things about the criminal justice system that the people he’s courting may not want to hear. There’s nothing politically opportunistic about telling a bunch of white Iowa GOP caucusers that we need to stop locking up black teenagers for drugs — or that those who have been locked up should get back the right to vote.

Paul isn’t just refusing to pander, here. He’s actually trying to lead.

italics=Paul
more...http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/06/18/rand-pauls-drug-war-talk-in-iowa-was-important-but-not-for-the-reason-you-think/

[Bit_Happy]

Via the recent IA GOP state convention where Paul spoke to over 2000 party delegates

Rand Paul’s drug war talk in Iowa was important, but not for the reason you think

BY RADLEY BALKO
June 18 at 9:54 AM

Vox notes that last weekend, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) talked about the drug war’s disproportionate effect on communities of color.

If you look at the war on drugs, 3 out of 4 people in prison are black or brown. White kids are doing it too, in fact, if you look at all the surveys, white kids do it just as much as black and brown kids. But the prisons are full of black and brown kids because they don’t get a good attorney, they live in poverty, it’s easier to arrest them than to go to the suburbs.

Paul also touched on a theme we’ve explored here at The Watch — the overlooked value of redemption.

Most of us are Christians or Jews or of the Judeo-Christian faith, and it’s like, we believe in redemption. We believe in a second chance. Should a 19-year old kid get a second chance? I think yes. Let’s be the party that has compassion, that doesn’t say the behavior is right, but says, ‘You know what? When you’re done with your time, you get the right to vote back.’ Let’s be the party that is for extending the right to vote back to people who have paid their time, who have reformed their ways.

I’d point out that a fair number of we nonbelievers think redemption is important, too. Still, this is an important thing to hear from a U.S. senator, and particularly from a Republican senator with presidential ambitions. (But I repeat myself.)

...

It’s a rare thing for a politician positioning himself for a presidential run to go to an early primary state and say things about the criminal justice system that the people he’s courting may not want to hear. There’s nothing politically opportunistic about telling a bunch of white Iowa GOP caucusers that we need to stop locking up black teenagers for drugs — or that those who have been locked up should get back the right to vote.

Paul isn’t just refusing to pander, here. He’s actually trying to lead.

italics=Paul
more...http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/06/18/rand-pauls-drug-war-talk-in-iowa-was-important-but-not-for-the-reason-you-think/

The USA Drug War has been a crime against humanity, especially for minorities. The YouTube videos showing how they "shoot first" when making a raid are truly sickening.
Paul isn’t just refusing to pander, here. He’s actually trying to lead.
That is great to see, plus I've been online too long and now I can leave happy. 

[Chef Ramsay]

These kind of mete out the latest CNN numbers in rolling average form.
RCP average: Paul 13.8, Bush 12.8, Huckabee 12.7, Christie 11.0, Ryan 10.8, Rubio 7.3, Cruz 6.8, Walker 5.0, Perry 4.8, Santorum 4.0, Jindal 2.7
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/2016_republican_presidential_nomination-3823.html
Cruz and Walker are possible VP picks under Rand.

[bryant.coleman]

These kind of mete out the latest CNN numbers in rolling average form.
RCP average: Paul 13.8, Bush 12.8, Huckabee 12.7, Christie 11.0, Ryan 10.8, Rubio 7.3, Cruz 6.8, Walker 5.0, Perry 4.8, Santorum 4.0, Jindal 2.7
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/us/2016_republican_presidential_nomination-3823.html
Cruz and Walker are possible VP picks under Rand.

If Bush picks Huckabee as his VP pick (he might not be interested anyway), then he can climb over Paul. Paul should seriously consider offering Chris Christie the VP post (don't think he'll agree).

[beetcoin]

whoever the republican is, is going to have a lot of trouble. the GOP don't have many or any attractive players. too many are crazy and out of touch.

for my amusement, though, i'd like to see herman cain team up with rick perry.. ultimate comedy team.

[bryant.coleman]

whoever the republican is, is going to have a lot of trouble.

The demographics are against them. They have low levels of support among the young voters, and the racial minorities, two of the most rapidly growing segments in the USA.

[beetcoin]

whoever the republican is, is going to have a lot of trouble.

The demographics are against them. They have low levels of support among the young voters, and the racial minorities, two of the most rapidly growing segments in the USA.

or maybe they are just against themselves. they, as a party, are becoming way way more monolithic than they should be. i think it was something like 90% of republicans are white. meanwhile, we're seeing more and more diversity. the problem is that the GOP is becoming more and more extremist, because they fear other ethnicities might come on over and outgrow them. a simple solution would be to, you know, make policy that doesn't give a big "fuck you" to minorities. maybe include women too.

maybe what eric cantor was aiming for was to open the GOP gates up to other ethnicities, but the far right neocons were against that.

[Chef Ramsay]

whoever the republican is, is going to have a lot of trouble.

The demographics are against them. They have low levels of support among the young voters, and the racial minorities, two of the most rapidly growing segments in the USA.

maybe what eric cantor was aiming for was to open the GOP gates up to other ethnicities, but the far right neocons were against that.

Cantor is a neocon and was the poster boy leading the charge to pass amnesty which would permanently screw any hopes for people reaching middle class status as it would drive wages down hard and expand entitlement rolls significantly. The Chamber of Commerce republican/big business types want cheaper labor and so this is a big issue for them. They helped to over spend as republicans and now there's very few ways to expand profits these days w/ all the regulations except for laying off former workers in favor for low wagers. A local primary like this one is easier for the grassroots to turn people out and less easy for the crony corporatists to put in a fix to win it since the boob turnout is a lot lower. They got their asses handed to them and they had it coming.

On one hand, they wanted to appear like they were catering to hispanics by playing this angle but the real story is how it would screw over the average person/family in no uncertain terms. The only that is making a deliberative play for minorities is Rand Paul and this will be his competitive advantage in the GOP primary as it will show his electable numbers in superior format to the others going into a general against whomever. The biggest thing in his corner is his bipartisan leadership against a rogue NSA spying outfit. The other is his inner city sponsorships of economic freedom zones.

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand Paul's New Confidant
Meet his Ace

So why was Morris on the trip? Kentucky is not exactly a rich state, but Morris had carved out a reputation as a man with a talent for shaking loose campaign cash. Back in 2004, he was, at 23, by all accounts the country's youngest bundler for George W. Bush, raising at least $50,000 and becoming a "Bush Maverick." His list of contacts had only grown in the years since. "People in politics know who raises money," Morris says. "That's not a secret." In short, Morris was just the kind of moneyman Paul needed if he was going to pursue his presidential ambitions.

Morris's coming-out party of sorts as a player in Paul's world took place this past January when he organized a fundraiser at the Atlanta home of Lane Moore, the executive chairman of Rubicon Global. Paul lingered for a long time as the crowd munched on a spread of tenderloin, shrimp, and salmon. Proceeds went to Paul's Senate reelection campaign—though, like all the money he's raising these days, it could eventually be transferred to a future presidential bid.

The event was timed to coincide with a Rubicon investors' conference, so Blunt, the former Missouri governor, was among the attendees. "Any potential presidential candidate would be fortunate to have somebody like Nate out there beating the bushes for him," Blunt told me. Jack Oliver, who says his "goal is to get Jeb Bush to run," was nonetheless on the host committee. In a matter of hours, Paul collected an estimated $150,000. "That," the senator told me, "was a big success."

More...http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/rand-paul-s-new-confidant-20140618
It's a long article but if you're curious to see what Rand has up his sleeve, I highly advise a thorough read. These kinds of articles don't come by often at all, this is a gem and that's me talking here. The back stories in this article are incredible and even then they don't take into consideration the crypto folks that are likely to line up behind Paul.

[Bit_Happy]

Rand Paul's New Confidant
Meet his Ace

So why was Morris on the trip? Kentucky is not exactly a rich state, but Morris had carved out a reputation as a man with a talent for shaking loose campaign cash. Back in 2004, he was, at 23, by all accounts the country's youngest bundler for George W. Bush, raising at least $50,000 and becoming a "Bush Maverick." His list of contacts had only grown in the years since. "People in politics know who raises money," Morris says. "That's not a secret." In short, Morris was just the kind of moneyman Paul needed if he was going to pursue his presidential ambitions.

Morris's coming-out party of sorts as a player in Paul's world took place this past January when he organized a fundraiser at the Atlanta home of Lane Moore, the executive chairman of Rubicon Global. Paul lingered for a long time as the crowd munched on a spread of tenderloin, shrimp, and salmon. Proceeds went to Paul's Senate reelection campaign—though, like all the money he's raising these days, it could eventually be transferred to a future presidential bid.

The event was timed to coincide with a Rubicon investors' conference, so Blunt, the former Missouri governor, was among the attendees. "Any potential presidential candidate would be fortunate to have somebody like Nate out there beating the bushes for him," Blunt told me. Jack Oliver, who says his "goal is to get Jeb Bush to run," was nonetheless on the host committee. In a matter of hours, Paul collected an estimated $150,000. "That," the senator told me, "was a big success."

More...http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/rand-paul-s-new-confidant-20140618
It's a long article but if you're curious to see what Rand has up his sleeve, I highly advise a thorough read. These kinds of articles don't come by often at all, this is a gem and that's me talking here. The back stories in this article are incredible and even then they don't take into consideration the crypto folks that are likely to line up behind Paul.

I will finish it later, this part is wrong:
"The destination itself suggested he was seeking to reassure establishment Republicans that he did not share the hostility of his father—GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul—to the Jewish state."

Dr Ron Paul was not hostile towards Israel he simply said (for example) we should cut off aide to all countries (including Israel)

[beetcoin]

it would be cool if we had a paul/pau 2016 campaign.. though ron would have to pulled out of retirement  

but i think they are too similar and wouldn't appeal enough to the populous.

[Chef Ramsay]

Rand Paul Op-Ed: America Shouldn't Choose Sides in Iraq's Civil War

Obama has made mistakes but so did Bush by invading. There's no good case for U.S. military intervention now.

By Rand Paul
June 19, 2014 7:12 p.m. ET

Though many claim the mantle of Ronald Reagan on foreign policy, too few look at how he really conducted it. The Iraq war is one of the best examples of where we went wrong because we ignored that.

In 1984, Reagan's Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger developed the following criteria for war, primarily to avoid another Vietnam. His speech, "The Uses of Military Power," boils down to this: The United States should not commit forces to combat unless the vital national interests of the U.S. or its allies are involved and only "with the clear intention of winning." U.S. combat troops should be committed only with "clearly defined political and military objectives" and with the capacity to accomplish those objectives and with a "reasonable assurance" of the support of U.S. public opinion and Congress and only "as a last resort."

Much of the rationale for going to war in 2003 did not measure up to the Weinberger Doctrine, and I opposed the Iraq war. I thought we needed to be more prudent about the weightiest decision a country can make. Like Reagan, I thought we should never be eager to go to war. And now, 11 years later, we are still dealing with the consequences.

...

Many of those clamoring for military action now are the same people who made every false assumption imaginable about the cost, challenge and purpose of the Iraq war. They have been so wrong for so long. Why should we listen to them again?

more...http://online.wsj.com/articles/sen-rand-paul-america-shouldnt-choose-sides-in-iraqs-civil-war-1403219558
HB to me, thanks for the present Rand!

[TheButterZone]

it would be cool if we had a paul/pau 2016 campaign.. though ron would have to pulled out of retirement 

but i think they are too similar and wouldn't appeal enough to the populous.

That wouldn't happen unless there was a Battle of Athens at every single precinct in the US to actually have their votes counted.

[bryant.coleman]

it would be cool if we had a paul/pau 2016 campaign.. though ron would have to pulled out of retirement  
but i think they are too similar and wouldn't appeal enough to the populous.

The Libertarian faction of the GOP don't have the necessary support to win the POTUS elections. They should either align with the establishment faction or the Tea Party faction, in order to win the elections.