Rand Paul presidential campaign, 2016
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Rand Paul |
U.S. Senator (Assumed office: 2011) |
2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
- See also: Rand Paul
Rand Paul was a Republican candidate for the office of President of the United States in 2016. Paul ended his presidential campaign on February 3, 2016. "It's been an incredible honor to run a principled campaign for the White House," Paul said in a statement. "Today, I will end where I began, ready and willing to fight for the cause of liberty.[2]
While Paul, the son of former Texas Rep. Ron Paul (R), had a following among libertarians, his campaign failed to attract much support, averaging 2.4% nationally, according to Real Clear Politics.[3] He finished fifth in the Republican Iowa caucuses, with less than 5 percent of the vote, and not expected to improve in the New Hampshire primary on February 9, 2016.[4]
Paul is a Republican member of the U.S. Senate from the state of Kentucky. Prior to being elected to Congress in 2010, Paul worked as an ophthalmologist.[5]
As speculation swirled as to whether or not Paul would announce in early April, his campaign released a video on April 6, 2015, indicating an announcement would be made on April 7, 2015, at a rally in Louisville, Ky. Two hours before the rally, his website was updated with the following quote from Paul, "I am running for president to return our country to the principles of liberty and limited government."[6]
Previously, on December 8, 2013, Paul said that his family would determine whether or not he would run for president, claiming, "The thought has crossed my mind ... I'm not ready to make a decision yet."[7] Former Texas Rep. Ron Paul (R), Rand Paul's father, ran for the presidency three times, including once as a Libertarian in 1988.[8] There have been 16 U.S. senators elected to the presidency, including President Barack Obama (D).[9]
In recent candidate rankings, Crowdpac ranked Paul as a 10+C (C being conservative) on a scale ranging from 10L to 10C, making him the most conservative Republican presidential candidate.[10] Paul received a grade of a "C/76" from the Leadership Project for America PAC.[11]
Public policy in the 2016 election |
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On the issues
Quick facts about Paul |
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Birthday: January 7, 1963 |
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
Alma mater: Duke University School of Medicine |
Career: U.S. Senator, Kentucky (4 years)
Ophthalmologist (18 years) |
Spouse: Kelley Paul |
Children: Robert, William and Duncan |
Religion: Presbyterian |
Economic and fiscal
Taxes
Rand Paul killing the tax code |
- On September 14, 2015, Rand Paul responded to criticism that his tax plan would cause the government to be underfunded, saying, “Precisely! That’s my goal. I want the government to be smaller. … And I want the rates to be so low that people will be beating on the door, wanting to come to America to create a business in America.”[14]
- On August 9, 2015, Paul rejected the idea that his plan to create a “flat and fair tax” would increase income inequality. “It's a fallacious notion to say, 'Oh, rich people get more money back in a tax cut.’ If you cut taxes 10 percent, 10 percent of a million is more than 10 percent of a thousand dollars. So, obviously, people who pay more in taxes will get more back. We all end up working for people who are more successful than us and that's a good thing, that more money will be back in the economy,” Paul said.[15]
- On July 21, 2015, Paul released a video on his plan to simplify the tax code with a flat tax of 14.5 percent. In the video, Paul uses several methods, including a chainsaw, to literally destroy the tax code.[16]
- Paul released his tax reform plan on June 18, 2015 in a op-ed in The Wall Street Journal.[17] His plan called for replacing the tax code with a flat 14.5 percent flat rate on income. The corporate tax would be replaced with a 14.5 percent value-added tax, known as a "business activity tax." It would eliminates all estate and gift taxes, (most) tax credits, deductions, and loopholes that favor big business. The proposal would add $1 trillion to the debt under its dynamic analysis but $3 trillion under a more traditional calculation, according to the Tax Foundation, which advocates for lower taxes.[18]
- In July 2015, Paul compared taxation to slavery. He said, "I’m for paying some taxes. But if we tax you at 100% then you’ve got zero percent liberty. If we tax you at 50% you are half slave, half free. I frankly would like to see you a little freer and a little more money remaining in your communities so you can create jobs. It’s a debate we need to have."[19]
- In April 2015, The National Journal noted that Paul's 2016 presidential campaign website initially featured a detailed outline of Paul's tax plan, that included "a universal flat tax of 17 percent, eliminating the estate tax, and taxing investment on the individual level—including things like capital gains." Paul has since replaced this page with a more generalized overview of his tax platform.[20]
- On his Senate website, Paul proposed replacing the current tax code with a low-rate flat tax that would include a standard deduction and personal exemptions. According to Paul, "The flat tax would eliminate every form of unfair double taxation in the United States, including the capital gains, dividend, Estate_and_inheritance_taxes|estate]], gift, and interest tax."[21]
- Paul released a campaign video in April 2015 promoting his belief that taxes should be significantly cut and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) minimized. Paul said, "It’s time to simplify the tax code and downsize the IRS so we can unleash an economic boom that creates millions of jobs, boosts wages, and expands opportunity for all. My tax plan will get the IRS out of your life, and out of the way of every job creator in America. My plan will also cut spending and balance the budget in just five years. It will be the largest tax cut in American history…a tax cut that will leave more money in the paychecks of every worker in America."[22]
Rand Paul on cutting taxes in April 2015. |
- On April 24, 2015, Paul signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. In doing so, Paul promised to “oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes.” Paul previously signed this pledge when he successfully ran for the United States Senate seat in Kentucky in 2010. According to the Americans for Tax Reform, Paul has honored this pledge as a senator.[23]
- During a 2010 debate between Paul and Jack Conway on FOX News, Paul expressed support for extending the Bush-era tax cuts. Paul said, "What I would say about the Bush tax cuts is, is that businesses have made calculations on these for five or 10 years. Business needs predictability. If you take away these Bush tax cuts, if you allow Obama to have the largest tax increase in our history, it will be a disaster for the economy."[24]
- In 2013, Paul voted against S.743 - Marketplace Fairness Act.[25] Paul wrote an op-ed in The Washington Times on April 19, 2013, stating the bill "would allow states to force private companies to impose a sales tax on online purchases. Rather than reform and prioritize their state budgets, governors are looking to the federal government to take more money out of the wallets of their state’s hardworking citizens. Americans are already struggling as a result of higher federal taxes, but some seek to soak the taxpayer at the state level as well. Even worse, state politicians are already fantasizing about all the new spending programs they can create using these additional taxpayer dollars. The last thing we need is more taxes for the purpose of implementing more government."[26]
- In 2013, Paul recommended repealing the medical device tax and sponsored a resolution to nullify IRS guidance on the medical device tax.[27][28]
- In a statement released on his 2010 Senate campaign website, Paul said the estate tax "is one of the most egregious and vile federal taxes, and any attempt to reinstate it should be stopped." Three years later, Paul co-sponsored S.1183 - Death Tax Repeal Act of 2013.[29][30]
Banking policy
- On January 12, 2016, Rand Paul’s legislation] that proposed auditing the Federal Reserve was rejected by the Senate 55-44. Presidential candidates Marco Rubio presidential campaign, 2016|Marco Rubio]] and Bernie Sanders voted for Paul’s proposal.[31]
- Paul co-wrote a January 10, 2016, op-ed in TIME to promote his bill requiring the Federal Reserve be audited. He criticized the lack of transparency in the agency, calling it “a political, oligarchic force, and a key part of what looks and functions like a banking cartel.”[32]
- During a speech in Las Vegas, on December 16, 2015, Paul discussed the Federal Reserve’s decision to raise interest rates. He said, “Is it a good thing or a bad thing to raise the interest rate? Well, I’m kind of agnostic on it. It’s kind of like if you ask me: All right, should the Politburo raise the price of bread or lower the price of bread? I like both prices, but the real question should be: Should the government be involved with setting prices? What amazes me about the Federal Reserve setting interest rates is that almost to a person, conservative economists in our country will say, wage and price controls are a mistake. Most economists will say, yes, we have to have free prices. Yet we very carelessly, I think, allow this power to go [to the Fed]. What happens is the price of money is set, basically, by a Politburo. But just like the price of bread, they have no idea what they're doing. The reason the Soviet Union failed is that it couldn’t come up with something as simple as the price of bread. You could say there are moral reasons for prices, and you wouldn't be an economist. You'd be a politician.”[33]
- In November 2015, Paul introduced two bills to reform the Federal Reserve. The first, S 2232 - Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015, would require a full audit of the Federal Reserve by the Comptroller General. The second, S 2288 - Bring Accountability Now to the Fed Act of 2015, would "prohibit members and staff of the Federal Reserve System from lobbying for or against legislation."[34][35]
- In a February 10, 2015, op-ed for Breitbart, Paul argued that there should be greater regulation of the Federal Reserve rather than of small community banks. He wrote, "So, after the banking crisis of 2008, we got alarmed and we passed regulations. The only problem is, we passed regulations on the banks that weren’t involved and gave more power to the bank that was involved—the Fed. No bank in Kentucky failed during this crisis, yet Dodd-Frank pummeled our small community banks with crippling regulations. What we really needed was more oversight of the Fed, not small community banks." Paul also expressed concern that the Federal Reserve was not properly independent from the executive branch.[36]
- In an August 2013 interview, Paul said the Republican Party should adopt the Tea Party value of opposition to bank bailouts. "It has been a part of the early message of the Tea Party, but the Republican Party hasn’t captured that message. The average guy who’s working class is not real excited about paying taxes and sending it out to bail out a guy who makes $100 million a year. And so I think the Republican message should be that we treat people the same whether you’re a small business person, a working-class guy, or a big bank on Wall Street," Paul said.[37]
- Paul introduced S 202 - Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2011 in January 2011, which sought a full audit of the Federal Reserve.[38]
Government regulations
- Rand Paul reintroduced his Senate bill on November 4, 2015, that would eliminate restrictions on Government Accountability Office audits of the Federal Reserve and mandate that the Federal Reserve's credit facilities, securities purchases, and quantitative easing activities be subject to congressional oversight. The bill is formally known as the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015, but informally it is known as the "Audit the Fed" bill. Paul originally introduced the bill, in the 114th Congress, on January 27, 2015, but reintroduced it to use the Senate's Rule XIV process to put the bill directly on the Senate legislative calendar after the Senate Banking Committee showed no sign of taking action on the measure. Whether or not it would get a vote is up to the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who is one of the bill's thirty-three cosponsors. “The Fed operating under a cloak of secrecy has gone on for far too long. The American people have a right to know exactly how Washington is spending their money. The time to act is now," Paul said.[39] [40] [41]
- Paul introduced a joint resolution on April 28, 2015, to nullify the Federal Communications Commission's recently published regulations on the Internet. Paul expressed opposition to net neutrality in the accompanying press release, "This regulation by the FCC is a textbook example of Washington’s desire to regulate anything and everything and will do nothing more than wrap the Internet in red-tape. The Internet has successfully flourished without the heavy hand of government interference. Stated simply, I do not want to see the government regulating the Internet."[42][43]
- In March 2015, Paul reintroduced S.790 - Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2015. The bill would reduce taxes and government regulations in zip codes where unemployment is greater than one and half times the national average. Paul explained, "The Economic Freedom Zones Act will allow impoverished areas to remove the shackles of big government by reducing taxes, regulations, and burdensome work requirements. These zones will give parents and students the flexibility to find better schools and provide incentives for philanthropy. By taking drastic, meaningful action, we can create new jobs and finally get these communities back to work."[44][45]
- In 2013 and 2014, Paul sponsored or co-sponsored several bills to decrease the regulatory power of the federal government:
- S. 2216 - Protect Small Business Jobs Act of 2014, which would require notice and a 15-day grace period be granted to small businesses for regulatory violations.[46][47]
- S. 1029 - Regulatory Accountability Act of 2013, which would reform the rule-making process of federal agencies by requiring them to consider the nature of the problem and alternative solutions in greater depth.[48]
- S. 191 - Regulatory Responsibility for our Economy Act of 2013, which would require a cost/benefit analysis of any proposed regulation.[49]
- S.204 - National Right-to-Work Act, which would prevent employers from requiring that their employees join or pay dues to a union.[50]
Video released by Paul on October 6, 2011 on the overreach of government regulations. |
- In February 2011, Paul first introduced S. 299 - Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2011 or the REINS Act, a bill that would "require congressional approval of major rules of the executive branch before they may take effect."[51] Paul has since re-introduced the bill in 2013 and 2015, but The Hill suggests the bill is unlikely to pass since "Democrats fear the measure would give Congress a green light to block many much-needed public protections from ever seeing the light of day."[52][53]
International trade
- Rand Paul wrote an op-ed in Kentucky paper The Daily Independent on January 25, 2016 to show his support for steelworkers laid off as a result of “steel dumping” from “unfairly traded imports.” Paul wrote, “I know this is an issue incredibly important to the hard-working families in Ashland and the surrounding areas, as well as Kentucky as a whole. I gave you my word when I made a commitment to the community to monitor this situation and aid in any way possible, and I will continue to stay involved on behalf of the community, workers, and families.”[54]
- At the fourth Republican primary debate, on November 10, 2015, Rand Paul discussed his position on negotiating trade deals. He said, "There is an argument that China doesn't like the [TPP] deal because in us doing the deal, we'll be trading with their competitors. You're exactly right. But I think we've sort of missed the point a little bit here. There is an important point, though, about how we discuss these trade treaties that I do agree with Mr. Trump on. We should negotiate from a position of strength. And we also should negotiate using the full force and the constitutional power that was given to us. I think it's a mistake that we give up power to the presidency on these trade deals. We give up the power to filibuster, and I'm kind of fond of that power. We give up the power to amend. And I think, really, one of the big problems we have in our country is, over the last century, really, so much power has gravitated to the executive branch. Really, Congress is kind of a bystander. We don't write the rules. We don't make the laws. The executive branch does. So even in trade -- and I am for trade -- I think we should be careful about giving so much power to the presidency.[55]
- On June 24, 2015, by a vote of 60-38, the Senate approved trade promotion authority (TPA) as part of HR 2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act. Paul was one of five Republicans to vote against the bill.[56]
- On May 22, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314, which was used as a legislative vehicle for trade legislation with the titles "Trade Act of 2015" and the "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015," by a vote of 62-37. The bill proposed giving the president trade promotion authority (TPA). The bill also included a statement of trade priorities and provisions for trade adjustment assistance. Paul voted against the bill with three other Republican senators.[57][58]
- After a May 2015 town hall event in New Hampshire, Paul told WMUR, ABC 9 that he would vote against trade promotion authority (TPA), and that he would consider voting for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. He said, "I’m hesitant to give blanket authority on stuff we haven’t seen. I’m not saying there wouldn’t be a time I could be for it, if I’d seen the trade agreement, and it’s fine. ...I still might vote for the trade agreement, but I hate giving up power. We give up so much power from Congress to the presidency, and with them being so secretive on the treaty, it just concerns me what’s in the treaty."[59]
- In an October 2014 speech at the Center for the National Interest, Rand Paul expressed support for free trade. Paul said, "President George W. Bush understood that part of the projection of American power is the exporting of American goods and culture. His administration successfully brokered fourteen new free trade agreements and negotiated three others that are the only new free trade agreements approved since President Obama took office. Instead of just talking about a so-called 'pivot to Asia,' the Obama administration should prioritize negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership by year’s end. Free trade and technology should be the greatest carrot of our statecraft. Trade is a critical element of building a productive relationship with other nations, including China.[60]
- In May 2015, Paul was less enthusiastic about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, citing his opposition to trade promotion authority. On May 21, 2015, Paul voted against cloture on a bill that would grant the president the power to send trade agreements to Congress with minimal debate and without the power to amend.[61][62][63]
Paul speaks at the Center for the National Interest in October 2014. |
- In 2011, Paul voted in favor of trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and Korea.[64][65][66]
- In 2011, Paul voted for S Amdt 740 which would "eliminate funding for the trade adjustment assistance for firms program."[67]
Budgets
- Rand Paul introduced two bills that “he says could help scale back spending,” The Hill reported January 20, 2016. One of the bills “would limit authorizations to four years, though lawmakers could request a longer authorization for a specific program” and “add hurdles before Congress can authorize a new program, including identifying the objective, any areas of potential duplication with existing programs and what potential alternatives were studied.” The other bill “would require the Obama administration find $10 billion in savings by eliminating and consolidating government programs within 150 days of the legislation being signed into law.” Paul commented on the legislation, saying, "My bill will lead to real savings right away by cutting wasteful duplicate spending, which is something everyone should agree on."[68]
- Paul released a new edition of “The Waste Report” on January 19, 2016, highlighting the nearly $500,000 spent on the wine industry in Moldova by the U.S. Agency for International Development. “Despite the already absurd idea of spending U.S. tax dollars on a foreign country’s wine industry, this grant will not even go to produce one drop of wine. Instead, the funding will go to the Moldovan National Agency for Rural Development to help identify and get grape grower [sic] signed up with the ‘Wine and Vine Registry,’” Paul wrote.[69]
- In a “special Christmas edition” of “The Waste Report” released on December 21, 2015, Paul highlighted money spent on a government program to promote the sale of Christmas trees.[70]
- In a radio interview on December 20, 2015, Paul condemned the way the omnibus budget bill was passed December 18, 2015. “I voted against it because I won’t vote for these enormous bills that no one has a chance to read. We were given it...the day before the bill came forward, and so this is not a way to run government. It’s a part of the reason why government is broke,” he said.[71]
- On November 3, 2015, Paul criticized Speaker of the House Paul Ryan for voting in favor of the bipartisan budget deal. Paul said, "I think overall, Republicans want us to hold the line on spending and increasing the debt. That's why I start out disappointed because increasing the spending and increasing spending caps is the wrong way to go. I haven't met a Republican outside the beltway who is for raising the debt ceiling and raising the spending caps. So I think we've started out on a bad foot." The deal, signed into law by President Obama November 2, 2015, raised the limit on the government's debt through March 2017, pushing reconsideration of what in recent years has become a contentious issue until after the elections for the White House and Congress in November 2016, according to the Associated Press. The measure also set federal spending through the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years and eased strict caps on spending by providing an additional $80 billion, split evenly between military and domestic programs.[72] [73]
- Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), a conservative advocacy anti-tax group, endorsed two of Rand Paul’s recent bills: the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act of 2015 and the Default Prevention Act. “Together, the Cut, Cap, and Balance Act and the Default Prevention Act will protect the nation from defaulting on its obligations in the event the debt ceiling is increase [sic] while setting the nation on a pathway toward fiscally [sic] responsibility and balanced budgets,” a representative for ATR wrote.[74]
- On October 15, 2015, Paul introduced The Cut, Cap and Balance Act of 2015. The bill “aims to slice $207 billion in cuts for the year, while protecting Medicare, Social Security, military pay and veterans benefits from losing any funds,” according to the Washington Examiner.[75]
- In October 2015, Paul promoted his “Cut Their Card” campaign using a series of web videos to encourage voters to call on Congress to stop federal overspending. [76]
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- In a statement released on September 25, 2015, Paul defended his vote against the short-term continuing budget resolution in the Senate. “Since coming to Washington, I have voted against every spending bill that continues to add to our nation’s mountain of debt. Spending at the levels in this bill will add $400 billion more new debt this year. Time and time again, the President and Congress fail to do one of their most basic jobs, which is to review and adjust federal spending and fund the government. While I support all efforts to stop federal funding of Planned Parenthood, this bill is a clear representation of business as usual in Washington - too much spending and too much debt. The American people deserve better,” said Paul.[77]
- In an August 2015 “Waste Report" published on his Senate page, Paul called out a $250,000 program funded by the State Department to bring 24 Pakistani children to the United States to visit Space Camp. “Why is the federal taxpayer financing a trip around the world for Pakistani kids to play astronaut?” Paul asked.[78]
- During Paul's candidacy announcement on April 7, 2015, Paul advocated for amending the Constitution to require Congress to produce a balanced budget. Paul explained, "Congress will never balance the budget unless you force them to do so. Congress has an abysmal record with balancing anything. Our only recourse is to force Congress to balance the budget with a constitutional amendment."[79] On Paul's campaign website, he reiterated his support for a federal version of the Balanced Budget Amendment that exists in 46 states.[80]
- Paul voted against Paul Ryan's 2013 budget proposal. Paul explained, "Undoing tens of billions of this modest spending restraint is shameful and must be opposed. I cannot support a budget that raises taxes and never balances, nor can I support a deal that does nothing to reduce our nation's $17.3 trillion debt."[81][82]
- When asked about breaching the debt ceiling in a 2013 interview on CNN, Paul responded, "I'm promising to the American people and to the markets to Wall Street that we will always pay the interest on the debt as a priority. Do you know how we do that? We bring in $250 billion in tax revenue every month. The debt payment is about 30 billion. We just promise we will always pay it. What's going on is interestingly the Democrats are scaring people and saying, we might not pay it because Republicans don't want to raise the debt ceiling. If you don't raise the debt ceiling, what that means is you have a balanced budget. It doesn't mean you wouldn't pay your bills. We should pay the interest and we should never scare the markets. So, if I were in-charge, I would say, absolutely, we will never default. I would pass a law saying that the first revenue every month, the first revenue, has to go to pay interest."[83]
- On May 5, 2011, Paul released a video regarding his concerns with raising the debt ceiling. "We need to get control of federal spending before we consider raising the debt limit. What good is it to set a debt limit that we ignore time after time? How much higher can we raise the debt limit without instituting any spending restraints whatsoever?"[84]
Video released by Paul on May 5, 2011, on raising the debt ceiling. |
- Paul opposed a bailout of Detroit in July 2013. Paul said, "You don’t set up an implicit promise from the federal government that everybody is getting bailed out. It’s sort of like too big to fail for banks. If you have too big to fail for cities or for states and they believe they’ll be bailed out they’ll continue to make unwise decisions.”[85]
- According to the Huffington Post, Paul's 2010 U.S. Senate campaign website revealed an early opposition to federal bailouts. The site said "any bailout of private industry is in direct violation of the constitution. It is a transfer of wealth from those who have earned to those who have squandered."[86]
- In 2011, Paul put forward a plan that would have cut $500 billion from the federal budget.[87] Paul's plan would have balanced the budget in five years and would have significantly reduced the size of the Departments of Education, Energy, Commerce, and Housing and Urban Development.[88]
- Paul released an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal regarding his plan on February 7, 2011. Paul described his plan as "a modest proposal when measured against the size of our mounting debt. It would keep 85% of our government funding in place and not touch Social Security or Medicare. But by reducing wasteful spending and shuttering departments that are beyond the constitutional role of the federal government, such as the Department of Education, we can cut nearly 40% of our projected deficit and at the same time remove thousands of big-government bureaucrats who stand in the way of efficiency."[89]
- In a 2010 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Paul said that government earmarks "are a really small percentage of the budget but I think they symbolize a lot of the waste and I think we shouldn't do it." Paul added he would fight for earmarks if there was evidence they were necessary, explaining, "But I will advocate in the committee process. And I think that's the way it should be done. Roads, highways, bridges, things that we need as far as infrastructure, let's go through the committee process, find out, when was this bridge last repaired? How much of a problem is it? Are there fatalities on this road that's not wide enough? Let's use objective evidence to figure out, you know, where the money should be spent. But not put it on in the dead of night, have some clerk in your office stick it on because you're powerful and you stick it on, and you attach your name to it."[90]
Agricultural subsidies
- After receiving an endorsement from the President of the Iowa Farm Bureau, Rand Paul posted on his Facebook, " I'm thankful to have his support. Like him, I believe that much of what agriculture needs is not more government programs, but rather, restraining a bureaucrat-dependent government seated inside the Washington Beltway. It's simple: tear down the Washington machine and unleash American agriculture."[91]
- The Wall Street Journal reported on March 5, 2015, that although Paul has not formally made a statement on subsidies for the corn-based ethanol industry, his spokeswoman said, "[Paul] does not support the government telling consumers or businesses what type of fuel they must use or sell."[92]
- In an April 2014 article about Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy's dispute with the federal government over land and grazing rights, Paul said, “I hope it’ll go through a court. But if it were in a court, I would be siding and wanting to say that, look, the states and the individuals in the state should own these lands.”[93]
- In May 2013, Paul voted in favor of S Amdt 953, an amendment to the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013, which would have limited "the amount of premium subsidy provided by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation on behalf of any person or legal entity with an average adjusted gross income in excess of $750,000, with a delayed application of the limitation until completion of a study on the effects of the limitation."[94]
- In 2013, Paul voted against S Amdt 923, which sought to repeal tobacco crop insurance premium subsidies.[95]
- In 2013, Paul sponsored S 956, which proposed eliminating price supports for peanuts, sugar and milk.[96]
- Paul sponsored an amendment to the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012, which would have limited agricultural benefits and payments under the Farm Bill to farmers with incomes of $250,000 or less.[97] In 2012, Paul also voted in favor of another amendment to repeal sugar subsidies.[98]
Video released by Paul's office in 2012 on limiting subsidies for wealthy farmers. |
- In 2012, Paul introduced an amendment to limit subsidies to farmers whose income is less than $250,000. Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Paul explained, "My friends across the aisle are commonly saying why don't those of means pay more or receive less? This amendment would do precisely that. Nine percent of farmers earn more than $250,000 worth of gross income. This would limit their payments. Currently nine percent of farmers are receiving nearly a third of the benefits....I think this should change and that the wealthy shouldn't be receiving farm subsidies."[99]
- During a 2010 radio interview, Paul said subsidies should not be given to farmers whose income was greater than $2 million. Paul also expressed resistance to ethanol subsidies and aid to corporate farms.[100]
Federal assistance programs
- During an interview in Fox News' Happening Now on November 3, 2015, Rand Paul discussed his proposal to fix Social Security. He said, "People are upset about the government taking money from Social Security and spending it on immediate concerns that have nothing to do with Social Security. This is why we're bankrupt; the right and the left bankrupted this country. For Social Security I would fix it by gradually raising age. Everybody knows the age has to go up. Let the age go up a couple months every year for the next 20 years and that fixes two-thirds of the problem with Social Security."[101]
- Paul expressed skepticism of current disability benefits standards following an event in New Hampshire in January 2015. Paul stated, "The thing is, in all of these programs there’s always somebody who’s deserving. But everybody in this room knows somebody who is gaming the system. What I tell people is, if you look like me and you hop out of your truck, you shouldn’t be getting your disability check. Over half of the people on disability are either anxious or their back hurts. Join the club. Who doesn’t get up a little anxious for work every day and their back hurts? Everybody over 40 has a little back pain.”[102]
- Paul clarified his position on January 14, 2015, "We absolutely should take care of those truly in need of help. But the system is broken, and when people can game the system, they are stealing from those who are truly disabled and won't receive the care and aid they need."[103]
- Paul sponsored S 1469 - Congressional Health Care for Seniors Act of 2013, which proposed allowing those eligible for Medicare benefits to gain access to the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program starting in 2015. The bill also called for raising the qualifying age from 65 to 70 years by 2034.[104]
- In July 2013, Paul wrote an op-ed in The Washington Times outlining the purpose of the bill. Paul wrote, "Medicare, as we know it, is broken and in desperate need of reform....Giving seniors the same plan that every member of Congress enjoys is fair, and it saves $1 trillion over 10 years."[105]
Paul speaking on the floor of the Senate about food stamps in June 2012. |
- Paul sponsored an amendment to S 3240 - Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 to limit the number of people receiving supplemental nutrition assistance benefits, commonly called food stamps.[106]
- Speaking on the Senate foor, Paul explained, "Our system of helping ensure that no one goes hungry in our country is a noble one, but we're now asking to spend $750 billion on food stamps. When we ask this, we need to remember that recently a woman in Chicago faked the birth of triplets in order to receive $21,000 in food stamps....It's about being wise with the taxpayer dollars and not giving people $20,000 a year in food stamps. We need to give it to only those who can't work, those who are infirm, those who have disease and are not able-bodied, but we're giving it to millionaires. We're giving it for junk food, and we're giving it to go to McDonald's, and it's got to stop....It's not that we won't help people. We just need to be conscious of how much money we have and can we help only those who cannot help themselves."[107]
- Paul co-sponsored S 1904 - Welfare Reform Act of 2011. The bill, among other things, proposed revising work requirements, demanding applicants perform a supervised job search and using means-testing on an annual basis. According to a press release from Senator Mike Lee's office, the bill would have saved "$2.43 trillion by 2021 by gradually reducing the costs of the 77 existing welfare programs as unemployment decrease[d]."[108][109]
- In 2011, Paul co-sponsored a bill that proposed gradually increasing the Social Security retirement age to 70 by 2032 and gradually increasing early retirement to 64 by 2028. Paul explained his position was driven by economic considerations, "Social Security is going to incur a $5.4 trillion debt over the next 75 years. There's a big hole in Social Security for two simple reasons: We're living longer and baby boomers are going to retire."[110]
Labor and employment
- In August 2015, Rand Paul said he did not support increasing the minimum wage to $15 because “[a]ll the statistics show that it leads to unemployment and the people who are least skilled lose the jobs.”[111]
Foreign affairs
Iran nuclear deal
- Rand Paul said President Obama was “not in compliance with law” by withholding some documentation related to the Iran nuclear deal. “Corker’s bill is a law. The president signed it, begrudgingly, but he did sign the bill. It is the law of the land that the president is supposed to send all of the paperwork, and any side agreements on the Iran agreement [are] supposed to come to us,” explained Paul.[112]
- On July 21, 2015, Paul said he supported the use of military force against Iran if it were to violate the nuclear deal by building nuclear weapons. Paul explained, “I think military force always has to back up diplomacy. Diplomacy doesn’t work without military force behind it, and I think making that decision is a difficult decision, but ultimately yes you have to have military force that backs up the diplomatic negotiations that you have. We have to say that there has to be force as a backdrop to this.” When acting as a surrogate for his father, Ron Paul, in 2008, Rand Paul expressed incredulity at the idea that Iran posed a threat to American national security.[113]
- On July 14, 2015, Paul spoke out against the final Iran nuclear deal, citing the following concerns: "1) sanctions relief precedes evidence of compliance, 2) Iran is left with significant nuclear capacity, 3) it lifts the ban on selling advanced weapons to Iran.” Paul then said, "While I continue to believe that negotiations are preferable to war, I would prefer to keep the interim agreement in place instead of accepting a bad deal."[114]
- On March 3, 2015, Paul, a co-sponsor of S 615 - Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015, said, "I believe it is in everyone's best interest to find a peaceful way to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Contingent fully upon the approval from Congress, any deal reached must be strong, verifiable, and ultimately, have real consequences if Iran does not comply. This act will give the administration an incentive to negotiate from a position of strength."[115][116] On March 9, 2015, Paul signed an open letter to Iran with 46 other Republican senators regarding the separation of powers and the future legitimacy of any agreement between Iran and President Barack Obama. The letter explained, "The next president could revoke such an executive agreement with the stroke of a pen and future Congresses could modify the terms of an agreement at any time."[117]
Glenn Beck interviews Paul on March 11, 2015 regarding the Iran letter. |
- Prior to the resumption of negotiations with Iran in early 2015, Paul questioned the efficacy of imposing sanctions during negotiations. Paul asked, "Are you ready to send ground troops into Iran? Are you ready to bomb them? Are you ready to send in 100,000 troops? I’m a big fan of trying to exert and trying the diplomatic option as long as we can. If it fails, I will vote to resume sanctions and I would vote to have new sanctions. But if you do it in the middle of negotiations, you’re ruining it.”[118]
- Paul supported sanctions against Iran in 2012, but only with an amendment that prevented the sanctions bill from being "construed as a declaration of war or an authorization of use of force against Iran." Paul explained, "How do you respond or try to prevent them from having nuclear weapons. You could do nothing, you could do a little bit – which I think would be sanctions – or you can have an all out war where you invade. I did finally come down to the conclusion that doing something was better than doing nothing."[119][120]
- In a 2007 radio interview with Alex Jones, Paul expressed skepticism that Iran was a threat since, according to Paul, Iran could not refine its own gasoline and did not possess an air force or navy.[120]
Military preparedness and budget
- During a campaign stop in New Hampshire on December 11, 2015, Rand Paul questioned his Republican opponents’ desire to increase funding for military spending. He said, “How can you be fiscally conservative when you want to add $1 trillion of new military spending? … I’m pretty strong on national defense, but we can’t become stronger from bankruptcy court. How do we project strength, how is it strong as a country to get further and further mired in debt?”[121]
- At the fourth Republican primary debate, November 10, 2015, Paul said that the nation's debt poses a risk the national security. He said "As we go further, and further into debt, we become less, and less safe. This is the most important thing we're going to talk about tonight. Can you be a conservative, and be liberal on military spending? Can you be for unlimited military spending, and say, Oh, I'm going to make the country safe? No, we need a safe country, but, you know, we spend more on our military than the next ten countries combined? I want a strong national defense, but I don't want us to be bankrupt."[122]
- On July 27, 2015, Paul spoke against “Choice Cards,” which allow veterans, under certain conditions, to seek private medical care outside of the VA network. Paul asserted this system was insufficient, saying, “I’m not saying eliminate what we have. I’d say keep some specialty hospitals. But I’d also have the transition, see if we can save some money and help with the convenience of veterans and let them have a choice to go into private care.”[123]
- According to Newsweek, Rand Paul proposed a budget plan in 2011 "that would have reduced military spending and troop size, eliminated many overseas bases and, most importantly, started a long-overdue conversation about what the U.S. military should look like and act like in a post-Cold War world where the major dangers to U.S. security came less from state actors and more from non-state provocateurs and terrorists."[124]
- Paul's 2015 budget proposal included far more robust funding for defense spending by 2016, from $542 billion in his 2011 proposal to $697 billion in his 2015 proposal.[125]
- Rand Paul was a member of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs during the 113th Congress.[126]
- During a 2012 interview with Slate, Paul said, “Conservatives defend military spending. Liberals defend domestic spending. The idea [is] that both sides get together and compromises and we reduce all spending … and right now, and really for the last 50 years, we’ve done the opposite. Our compromise has always been: We raise military spending and we raise domestic welfare spending. So when people say we’re not compromising, they’re missing it completely. We’re compromising all the time to spend more money.”[127]
- After opposing a bill to create a Veterans Job Corps in 2012, Paul wrote an op-ed in The Lexington Herald-Leader explaining his vote was based on fiscal considerations. Paul criticized funding the program by raising corporate income tax payments for two quarters. Paul offered an alternative: eliminate foreign aid to Pakistan, Libya and Egypt, the sum of which could be used to fund not only the Veterans Job Corp, but also increase funding overall to support post-9/11 veterans. Paul wrote, "It is disrespectful to the sacrifice our service members have given to continue sending foreign aid to those countries that we have assisted and defended when people in them attack our embassy, assassinate our ambassador and continue to detain and torture those who have assisted us."[128]
- In an April 2011 interview with CNN, Paul suggested cuts to military spending were necessary to handle the country's debt and deficit challenges. Paul said, "The compromise is for conservatives to admit that the military budget's going to have to be cut. We've doubled military spending. I believe in a strong national defense, but conservatives will have to compromise and we will have to cut military spending."[129]
National security
- At the fifth GOP primary debate on December 15, 2015, Rand Paul discussed Bashar Al-Assad and regime change: “I think regime change in Syria, and this is what - I've been saying this for several years now. In 2013 when we first went in, I said, you are going to give arms to the allies of al Qaida, to radical jihadists? That's crazy. But the other thing I said is the great irony is you will be back fighting against your own weapons. Had Assad been bombed when he used chemical weapons two years ago, ISIS would be in charge of all of Syria now. We have to have a more realistic foreign policy and not a utopian one where we say, oh, we're going to spread freedom and democracy, and everybody in the Middle East is going to love us. They are not going to love us.”[130]
- Paul discussed his non-interventionist foreign policy perspective on October 19, 2015. He said, “I don't think anyone questions that I'm the least likely of all the candidates to take us to war. I also have been the biggest critic of our foreign policy, in the sense that, both under President Obama and under the previous president, we've done things, interventions, that have led to untoward results. For example, why are we bombing anything in Afghanistan? What is the mission and why are we there? The right, the neo-cons, complain, ‘Well, President Obama's not doing enough.’ And my complaint is, ‘Why are we still there at all? Why are we involved with a war in Afghanistan when we've put more money into Afghanistan than the entire Marshall Plan?’”[131]
- In October 2015, Paul dismissed proposals to create a no-fly zone over Syria as “a terrible idea.” He explained, “That's drawing a red line in the sky. Once you draw a red line, and people cross it, what happens? Now we're talking about an incident that could lead to World War III. We went 70 years having open channels of communication with the Russians, trying to avoid having one side shoot down the opposite side's plane. I think the people who call for a no-fly zone are naive.”[132]
Alisyn Camerota interviews Paul on May 19, 2015. |
- On May 27, 2015, Joe Scarborough of MSNBC asked how Paul would defend himself against critics saying ISIS developed because of the non-interventionist stance Paul had previously taken on Syria. Paul responded, "I would say it’s exactly the opposite. ISIS exists and grew stronger because of the hawks in our party, who gave arms indiscriminately, and most of those arms were snatched up by ISIS. These hawks also wanted to bomb Assad, which would have made ISIS’s job even easier. They created these people. ISIS is all over Libya because these same hawks in my party loved — they loved Hillary Clinton’s war in Libya. They just wanted more of it, but Libya’s a failed state, and it’s a disaster. Iraq really is a failed state, or a vassal state now of Iran. So everything that they’ve talked about in foreign policy, they’ve been wrong about for twenty years, and yet they have somehow the gall to keep saying and pointing fingers otherwise."[133]
- Paul appeared on CNN on May 19, 2015, where he discussed how he would handle a potential ISIS infiltration of Baghdad. Paul called for air support, arming the Kurds and offering financial assistance to the Sunni chieftains. Paul previously said in March 2015 that he would support granting Kurds sovereignty in exchange for their assistance in fighting against ISIS, but recognized the diplomatic difficulty of that idea.[134][135]
- In the May 19, 2015 CNN interview, Paul also noted the current process of collecting information on American citizens did not prevent the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. Paul said, "The Tsarnaev boys, we knew that one of them was potentially a plotter. The Russians tipped us off. We interviewed them, but we didn't know he went back to Chechnya. So I don't think we're spending enough time actually looking at and going after and isolating and looking at the records of people who we have suspicion for. I'm all for that. I think we take our eye off the prize when we look at all Americans' records."[134]
- Paul called for a formal declaration of war against ISIS in November 2014. During a Foreign Relations Committee meeting in December 2014, Paul threatened to introduce an amendment to a clean drinking water bill that would force a vote on the issue.[136][137]
- In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal on August 27, 2014, Paul wrote, "A more realistic foreign policy would recognize that there are evil people and tyrannical regimes in this world, but also that America cannot police or solve every problem across the globe. Only after recognizing the practical limits of our foreign policy can we pursue policies that are in the best interest of the U.S. The Islamic State represents a threat that should be taken seriously. But we should also recall how recent foreign-policy decisions have helped these extremists so that we don't make the same mistake of potentially aiding our enemies again."[138]
- In 2014, Paul voted against extending the Patriot Act. Paul said, “In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Americans were eager to catch and punish the terrorists who attacked us. I, like most Americans, demanded justice. But one common misconception is that the Patriot Act applies only to foreigners—when in reality, the Patriot Act was instituted precisely to widen the surveillance laws to include U.S. citizens. As Benjamin Franklin put it, ‘those who trade their liberty for security may wind up with neither.’ Today’s vote to oppose further consideration of the Patriot Act extension proves that we are one step closer to restoring civil liberties in America.”[139]
- In September 2013, Paul opposed military intervention in Syria.[140] A year later, Paul again opposed arming Syrian rebels or sending troops to Syria. Paul said, "There are already those in both parties who insist that we must have American GIs on the ground. I’m not sending any American soldiers. I’m not sending your son, your daughter or mine over to the middle of that chaos. The people who live there need to stand up and fight"[141]
- In March 2011, Paul opposed U.S. intervention in Libya and was critical of President Barack Obama for not gaining congressional consent for Operation Odyssey Dawn. He said, "the president is going to engage us in a third war without any consultation, without any voting in congress and without any congressional authority. I think this is a very serious breach of our Constitution. I think it is something we should not let happen lightly. I think it is something we should object strenuously to."[142]
- According to a 2010 CBS News article, Paul said "he would have voted against a declaration of war against Iraq." In a 2009 lecture at Western Kentucky University, Paul suggested the September 11 terrorist attacks may have been an excuse to initiate a war that would be profitable for Dick Cheney and Halliburton. Paul said, "Most of the people on these committees have a million dollars in their bank account all from different military-industrial contractors. We don't want our defense to be defined by people who make money off of the weapons. We want our defense to be defined by what is an appropriate defense."[143][144]
International relations
- On January 16, 2016, Rand Paul discussed the Iranian government’s decision to release four Americans and the nuclear deal. He said, "It was done, I think, because even though Iran is a country with very limited freedom, we were willing to negotiate. It goes to temperament. All the other Republicans are telling you -- rip up that agreement. I say, 'Really? Don't we want to see if it works first?’" Paul worked to get Saeed Abedini, an American pastor who Iran was holding in prison, returned to the U.S., and said that he hoped that the nuclear deal would promote better relations between the U.S. and Iran. He said, "I’m hopeful that this means Iran is going to begin behaving in a more civilized fashion. Some will remark that this happens on the eve of money being released to them from the exchange account, but it may mean it’s a new opening and thawing of relations. I’ve always said that negotiations are better than war, and the if Iran adheres to this, it will be a good agreement. The reason I was concerned before was that I worried there wasn’t sufficient leverage."[145]
- On January 14, 2016, Rand Paul discussed Iran’s detainment of American sailors on CNN. Paul said it was important to watch Iran "like a hawk." He added, "I still wonder whether or not they want to be part of the civilized world. But you still wonder about a nation that is using what appears to be video of our soldiers as pawns in a propaganda war."[146]
- At the September 2015 GOP debate, Paul advocated for a careful approach to foreign affairs, in which he promised to consider the Iran deal and continue relations with Russia, Iran and China. “I don’t think we need to be rash, I don’t think we need to be reckless, and I think [sic] need to leave lines of communication open,” Paul commented. He later advised against an interventionist mindset: “Every time we have toppled a secular dictator, we have gotten chaos, the rise of radical Islam, and we’re more at risk. So, I think we need to think before we act, and know most interventions, if not a lot of them in the Middle East, have actually backfired on us.”[147]
- Speaking at a campaign stop in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 25, 2015, Paul said President Reagan was often misinterpreted. “Reagan was actually very judicious in the interventions he got involved with. Reagan was also willing to negotiate with the Soviets. Reagan was a more complex character than some people give him credit for. Reagan did believe in a strong national defense. He did believe in stopping our enemies. But he didn’t always believe in intervention was the answer,” Paul said, before suggesting American interventionist policies were partially responsible for the growth of the Islamic State.[148]
- At the Republican debate on August 6, 2015, Rand Paul stated his support for eliminating foreign aid to other countries. "Each one of my budgets has taken a meat axe to foreign aid, because I think we ought to quit sending it to countries that hate us. I think we ought to quit sending it to countries that burn our flag. Israel is not one of those. But even Benjamin Netanyahu said that ultimately, they will be stronger when they’re independent. My position is exactly the same. We shouldn’t borrow money from China to send it anywhere, but why don’t we start with eliminating aid to our enemies," Paul said.[149]
Paul denies he wanted to eliminate aid to Israel in August 2014. |
- In March, 2015, Paul reintroduced the bill, S 633 - Stand with Israel Act of 2015. According to a press release from his office on March 4, 2015, the "legislation would halt all U.S. foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority (P.A.) until the P.A. renounces violence, purges terrorists from its ranks, and recognizes the nation of Israel. The Stand with Israel Act of 2014 was introduced last Congress in response to the P.A.'s attempts to form a unity government with the terrorists of Hamas-a unity government that still remains."[150]
- On January 7, 2015, Paul introduced S 34 - Defend Israel by Defunding Palestinian Foreign Aid Act of 2015. The bill would halt aid to the Palestinian Authority as long as it continues to seek admission to the international Criminal Court. Paul said in a press release, "Certainly groups that threaten Israel cannot be allies of the U.S. I will continue to do everything in my power to make sure this President and this Congress stop treating Israel’s enemies as American allies."[151][152]
- Paul suggested eliminating aid to Israel before in his 2012 budget proposal. According to The Washington Post, Rand described the measure as part of a larger effort to eliminate American aid. Paul wrote, "While this budget proposal does eliminate foreign aid to Israel, it is not meant to hurt, negate, or single out one of America’s most important allies. This proposal eliminates all foreign aid to all countries. Israel’s ability to conduct foreign policy, regain economic dominance, and support itself without the heavy hand of U.S. interests and policies, will only strengthen the Israeli community."[153]
- In January 2015, Scott Conroy of RealClearPolitics reported that Paul said at a private event in New Hampshire, "There’s a lot of reasons why I don’t like the U.N., and I think I’d be happy to dissolve it."[154]
- In a December 19, 2014 op-ed in TIME, Paul stated, "I support engagement, diplomacy, and trade with Cuba, China, Vietnam, and many countries with less than stellar human rights records, because I believe that once enslaved people taste freedom and see the products of capitalism they will become hungry for freedom themselves."[155]
- In February 2014, Paul's initial position in reaction to the turmoil between Russia and Ukraine was for the United States to maintain a "respectful relationship with Russia.” According to the Wall Street Journal in March 2014, "[Paul] later changed his tone, criticizing Mr. Putin after his military mobilized in Crimea."
- On March 9, 2014, Paul wrote an op-ed in TIME detailing how he would handle the Russian-Ukrainian conflict if he were president. Paul's measures included economic sanctions, visa bans and the increased export of American natural gas resource to Europe as ways to economically isolate Russia.[156][157][158]
Epidemic control
Paul comments on White House's response to ebola in October 2014. |
- In January 2015, Rand Paul inspired controversy when he said in a CNBC interview that he had "heard many tragic cases of walking, talking normal children who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines." Paul responded to criticism by explaining, "The point is that I have heard of – I mean who hasn’t ever met a child who has a profound disability and in the parents’ mind they see a connection. But I didn’t allege there is a connection. I said I heard of people who believe there is a connection. I do think that vaccines are a good idea. I’ve been vaccinated. My kids have been vaccinated.” Paul added that he was "not promoting any change to vaccine law."[159]
- In October 2014, Paul criticized government officials for not being honest about how contagious Ebola is. Paul said, "I think from the very beginning they haven’t been completely forthright with us. They’ve so wanted to downplay this that they really I don’t think have been very accurate in their description of the disease."[160]
- When asked in November 2014 whether he supported mandated quarantines for healthcare workers treating patients from the 2014 Ebola outbreak, Paul said, "I think that we have to be very careful of civil liberties," but added, "There is a reasonable public concern that you really shouldn’t be gong to the discotheque."[161]
- Paul also supported restricting commercial flights temporarily from the countries affected by ebola in West Africa in October 2014.[162]
ISIS and terrorism
- In an interview on December 21, 2015, Rand Paul said defeating ISIS without significant local support would require 500,000 American troops and potentially lead to a power vacuum. He said, “If you want to send half-a-million of Americans' sons and daughters back over there, we can militarily defeat ISIS. The problem is, if you militarily defeat ISIS, my fear is, they slither off and another generation arises. I think ultimately the defeat has to come from Sunni Muslims, because they're not going to accept Americans there, even Shiite Muslims there. … That's when you'll get the long-lasting peace,” Paul said.[163]
- At the fifth GOP primary debate on December 15, 2015, Paul discussed the rise of ISIS: “I think that by arming the allies of ISIS, the Islamic rebels against Assad, that we created a safe space or made that space bigger for ISIS to grow. I think those who have wanted regime change have made a mistake. When we toppled Gadhafi in Libya, I think that was a mistake. I think ISIS grew stronger, we had a failed state, and we were more at risk.”[164]
- In an interview with The Daily Caller, published November 19, 2015, Paul opposed the U.S. sending soldiers to Iraq and Syria to fight the Islamic State. “The first Iraq war didn’t make us safer. Didn’t make the region any less chaotic. The first Iraq war destabilized the region and has led to the current chaos. I don’t think another Iraq War is going to make it better. … I do think that to defeat ISIS, there will have to be boots on the ground. But the boots on the ground need to be Arab boots on the ground. And frankly, they will have to be probably Sunni Muslim boots.”[165]
- Paul said on November 18, 2015, that the U.S. should stop participating in arms sales with countries that refuse to accept Syrian refugees. He said, “One of the biggest supporters of Sunni terrorism in the world is Saudi Arabia, Qatar is up there, UAE is up there. Sometimes government, sometimes private donors. What I would say is no more sales of any arms to these countries until they start accepting refugees.”[166]
- In an op-ed on November 17, 2015, Paul argued that the way to defeat ISIS is to cut off their money supply. He wrote, “If we are to eradicate ISIS once and for all, it’s time to take a hard look at what is fueling its growth: money. ...From now on, our message to these governments and their ruling families must be clear: take accountability for your role in murdering our citizens or we will freeze your assets. Locate the citizens who are financing terrorism and lock them up or we won’t sell you a single missile or fighter jet. The U.S. does not do business with terror financiers, period.” Paul also suggested the following strategy for fighting ISIS: “We should consider all our options, including intensifying our covert operations and perhaps considering coordination of air power with Russia, as we determine a winning strategy to eliminate this brutal scourge once and for all. There is no question that we should continue to partner with the Kurds in Iraq and Syria, the only ground force that has a proven track record of taking territory away from ISIS. We must also insist that our Arab ‘allies,’ who face an immediate ISIS threat, focus on the fight.” In addition, he wrote that “defense spending should match our priorities,” U.S. borders should be secured and law enforcement should be supported.[167]
Syrian refugees
- Rand Paul introduced a bill on November 16, 2015, to institute a 30-day waiting period on visas for refugees from Syria and 30 other countries until a strict background check had been performed. "It's about time, and Paris should wake us up that we can't just let anyone come to this country. Forty percent of immigration issues in our country are from visa overstays, and for those visiting us from countries that have large jihadist movements, this will be a bone of contention," Paul said in a press conference.[168]
- On November 13, 2015, after initial reports about the terrorist attacks in Paris were released, Paul questioned whether the U.S. should accept refugees from the Middle East. Paul said, "I don’t think we’ve heard yet everything but obviously our hearts and prayers go out to those that were injured and those who may be kidnapped at this point, but it does show that we’ve really got a big problem. People talk about the large influx of people leaving the Middle East, going to Europe and some of them wanting to go to the United States, that it may not be a benign thing to accept so many tens of thousands of people coming from the Middle East because many of them actually wish us harm."[169]
Domestic
Federalism
Judiciary
- On February 6, 2015, Rand Paul expressed his opposition for Loretta Lynch's nomination as attorney general. Paul said, "Mrs. Lynch has a track-record of violating the individual freedoms granted to us by our Constitution. She considers civil asset forfeiture to be a 'useful tool,' while I consider it to be an infringement on the Fifth Amendment. She remains non-committal on the legality of drone strikes against American citizens, while I believe such strikes unequivocally violate rights granted to us by the Sixth Amendment. Mrs. Lynch also supports President Obama's calls for executive amnesty, which I vehemently oppose. The Attorney General must operate independent of politics, independent of the president and under the direction of the Constitution. I cannot support a nominee, like Mrs. Lynch, who rides roughshod on our Constitutional rights."[170]
- In January 2015, Paul stated he was in favor of judicial activism, "I’m a judicial activist when it comes to Lochner. I’m a judicial activist when it comes to the New Deal. But I’m also a judicial activist when it comes to Brown [v. Board of Education]. I think the [Supreme Court] was right to overturn state governments that were saying separate but equal is fine.” Paul added, "There is a role for the Supreme Court to mete out justice."[171][172]
- Paul opposed President Barack Obama's appointment of David Barron to the United States Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit. To support his opposition, Paul cited a memo written by Barron "thought to be the basis for the killing of Americans overseas."[173]
Legislature
- On September 19, 2015, Rand Paul called for congressional term limits. “We should term limit them all, fumigate the place and bring them home,” he said.[174]
Government accountability
- In January 2015, Rand Paul reintroduced the REINS Act, a bill that would grant Congress "final say over any major rule with an annual economic impact of $100 million or more." Speaking on the bill, which had previous passed in the House of Representatives in 2011 and 2013, Paul said, "If the Obama administration wants to impose regulations that effectively operate as laws on U.S. citizens, it is important that those citizens are made aware of how the laws come to be. Cutting red tape and opening the regulatory process to scrutiny is an important first step in holding government accountable."[175][176]
- In March 2014, Paul cosponsored S 2118 - ENFORCE the Law Act of 2014, which proposed allowing Congress to take civil action against the president for not enforcing federal law. After endorsing the bill on FOX News, Paul said, "We write laws and [Barack Obama]'s just deciding willy-nilly if he likes it he enforces it, if he doesn't he won't enforce it. And we really think he needs to be chastened, rebuked and told he needs to obey the Constitution."[177][178]
First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- On September 3, 2015, Rand Paul suggested the jailing of a Kentucky county clerk who refused for religious reasons to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples was a form of “bullying.” He said, “If society is going to change its opinion on what marriage is, I think it'd probably be better through persuasion than through sort of an aggressive tactic where we federalize everything and force people to do things they don't want to do. Ultimately, I think it would be better to probably let people make their own decisions. … I think persuasion is a much better way than sort of bullying people to believe in what you believe in.”[179]
Paul discusses First Amendment with Glenn Beck on May 8, 2015. |
- In May 2015, Glenn Beck asked Paul for his perspective on Pamela Geller's incendiary comments regarding Islam. Paul responded, "I like the pundits or the constitutional critics that say the First Amendment really isn’t about easy speech. It’s about speech you find despicable. It’s about speech you find offensive. That’s the hard thing to allow that to happen in a free society. And I agree with you. I think it doesn’t serve any purpose. You can talk about the First Amendment without doing things that are really offensive to other people’s religion. But in our country, that’s part of one of our basic freedoms is the right to be wrong. The right to be offensive. And the right to say things that people find despicable. Now, you don’t you have to pay for them. You don’t have to have them in your building, if it’s your building."[180]
- In 2011, Paul stated, "[I]f someone is attending speeches from someone who is promoting the violent overthrow of our government, that’s really an offense that we should be going after—they should be deported or put in prison."[181]
- On November 3, 2014, Paul posted the following comments on his Facebook page: "The First Amendment is clear, and its intent is not to keep religious people out of government, but rather to keep government out of religion. I'll continue to stand for religious freedom."[182]
- In March 2014, Paul commented on the pending Hobby Lobby decision before the Supreme Court. Paul said, "Most of us, whether you’re Republican or Democrat, believe … in free exercise of your religion. But if they’re telling you that your tax dollars have to go to something you find morally reprehensible, I think that’s not free exercise of religion." Paul later affirmed this belief in August 2014, stating the case was about religious not reproductive rights, adding, "It's about whether a business should be able to choose what sort of insurance they buy."[183][184]
- Paul cosponsored S 1204 - Health Care Conscience Rights Act in 2013, which proposed amending the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, to exempt individuals and organizations from purchasing or providing insurance coverage that included abortion services or any "other item or service to which the individual has a moral or religious objection."[185]
Paul discusses Citizens United at the University of Chicago in April 2014. |
- Paul advocated for the protection of paid speech in April 2014 while speaking at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics. Paul said, "I do, however, agree with Citizens United in the sense that I think speech, whether you pay for it or not, is speech. And the thing is that, let's say I own The Chicago Tribune. I've got a much bigger voice than millions of people, and yet no one is proposing that we restrict how much The Chicago Tribune, what articles they write and where their bias is. So I think paid speech really has to be protected."[186] Paul added that he supported campaign finance reform as applied to government contractors and unions. Paul explained, "I think there is campaign finance reform–this is campaign finance reform that I support that would be held constitutional–what I would do is I would take all government contracts and I would put a clause in them that says: 'If you want to do work with the government, if you're going to get this 10 billion dollar contract if you're a defense contractor, or if you're a big union and you're going to get a big contract, you sign the contract, but part of the clause of the contract says your contract is only valid if you don’t participate in the donation to candidates.'"[187]
Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)
- During an interview on April 7, 2015 for FOX News, Sean Hannity asked Rand Paul to comment on Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Paul said, "I think what’s amazing to me is that it’s [RFRA] necessary…I think our Founders would be aghast that anyone would think that they could tell you to do something, to perform a ceremony or be part of a ceremony, that’s against your religious beliefs. That being said, though, I think the law ought to be neutral, and I don’t think we ought to treat people unfairly."[188]
Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- On January 23, 2016, Rand Paul dismissed the significance of reports that former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) might launch an independent presidential campaign. He described Bloomberg as “[a]nother gun control advocate who doesn’t have much respect for he [sic] Bill of the Rights in the race, but we already have Hillary Clinton and Sanders who don’t have any respect for the Second Amendment either.” He continued, “I am not sure he would get a whole lot of votes really. I don’t know that what he offers is really that distinctive.”[189]
- Speaking at the New England College New Hampshire Student Convention on January 5, 2016, Paul was critical of President Obama’s executive actions on gun control. Paul said, “He needs to come to Capitol Hill and ask us to write a law. But he can’t declare law, otherwise he would be a king. I think what he’s done is going to be found unconstitutional.”[190]
- On December 21, 2015, Paul introduced the Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act, “which would void and prohibit funding for any of President Obama’s executive orders on gun control that undermines the powers reserved for Congress under the Constitution.”[191]
- Paul wrote an op-ed in TIME on December 9, 2015, to defend the Second Amendment in the wake of global terrorism. He said to promote national security, the U.S. should be “advocating for more concealed carry ability for law-abiding Americans and an end to unconstitutional gun free zone” and “fully examine and reform our border security, including refugee and visa programs.”[192]
Paul speaks about the Second Amendment in April 2015. |
- Gov. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire vetoed SB 116-FN, a bill designed to repeal legislation that required licensure to carry a concealed revolver or pistol, in July 2015. Paul encouraged the people of New Hampshire in September 2015 to ask state Sens. Andrew Hosmer (D), Donna Soucy (D) and Jeff Woodburn (D) to override the veto on Senate Bill 116. According to Paul, SB 116 “enables every law-abiding citizen to bear arms as the Constitution intended: without government permission.”[193][194]
- In a video released by his campaign in April 2015, Paul said, "There are too many in Washington who give lip service to the Second Amendment, but vote to restrict gun ownership. I do not support any proposed gun control which would limit the right to gun ownership. Washington needs leaders that not only understand the Second Amendment but the entire Bill of Rights. And, gun rights advocates need to know that the Second Amendment is only as good as the Fourth Amendment. If we are not free from unreasonable and warrantless searches, no one’s guns are safe."[195]
- During a question and answer session on KSBW in April 2015, Paul discussed what he would do to address gun violence in schools. Paul said, "What we've done in our society is we've put up signs on all of our schools saying 'there's no weapons here.' Well, that's like a sign to a crazy person, 'come and shoot our kids.' I think we should do the opposite. We should put a sign in every school saying we have an armed security guard, whether you do or don't, or our teachers may well have a gun locked in their desk. I think we should send the other message to crazy kids that you don't get a free shooting spree if you show up at a school. But above and beyond that, the Second Amendment's in our Bill of Rights and if people want it to be different, they have to change the Constitution."[196]
- In July 2014, Paul sponsored an amendment to minimize gun regulation in the District of Columbia. The Washington Post summarized the amendment as intending to "repeal the registration requirement, end the ban on semi-automatic rifles and high-capacity magazines, expand the right to carry guns outside the home and protect the right to carry guns on federal land in D.C. and elsewhere in the country. In essence, the bill would eliminate the District’s local gun laws, leaving only federal firearms law to regulate gun ownership and use in the city."[197][198]
- In an April 10, 2013 op-ed for CNN, Paul listed several potential laws he believed would undermine Second Amendment rights: "Potentially on the table are new laws that would outlaw firearms and magazines that hold more than 10 rounds as well as require universal background checks, which effectively restrict the right of law-abiding citizens to buy guns at gun shows and give or sell them to friends and family without having to get the government's permission. One version of the legislation pending before the Senate goes so far as to empower the attorney general to tax gun transactions and creates a new felony crime for knowingly failing to report for more than 24 hours that a gun has been lost or stolen."[199]
- On March 29, 2013, in an op-ed in the Washington Times, Paul wrote, "When Congress reconvenes next month, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is expected to bring gun control back to the Senate floor. If this occurs, I will oppose any legislation that undermines Americans’ constitutional right to bear arms or their ability to exercise this right without being subject to government surveillance."[200]
- In March 2013, Paul voted for S Amdt 139, which sought "[t]o uphold Second Amendment rights and prevent the United States from entering into the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty."[201][202]
- In 2013, Paul voted against several bills restricting the rights of gun ownership. These bills included S Amdt 711, which sought to limit the sale of "assault weapons," and S Amdt 714, which would have limited the magazine capacity of firearms.[203][204]
Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- Rand Paul wrote an op-ed in the New Hampshire Union Leader on January 5, 2016, on the balance between national security interests and personal liberty. “Sweeping bulk data collection simply doesn’t work. Spying on Americans failed to stop the underwear bomber or the Boston Marathon attack. In both circumstances, the FBI and other officials received tips of suspicious activity, but with billions of innocent Americans’ phone calls to worry about, they did not have the time or the resources to sift through the data that was actually important, and real threats went undetected. … Let’s spy on more terrorists and not on innocent Americans. I reject the premise that our Constitution does not work as it is written and that we must choose between having the Bill of Rights and national security,” he wrote.[205]
- At the fifth GOP primary debate on December 15, 2015, Paul discussed government surveillance and immigration: “We are not any safer through the bulk collection of all Americans' records. In fact, I think we're less safe. We get so distracted by all of the information, we're not spending enough time getting specific immigration - specific information on terrorists. The other thing is, is the one thing that might have stopped San Bernardino, Calif., that might have stopped 9/11 would have been stricter controls on those who came here. And Marco has opposed at every point increased security - border security for those who come to our country. On his Gang of Eight bill, he would have liberalized immigration, but he did not - and he steadfastly opposed any new border security requirements for refugees or students. Last week, I introduced another bill saying we need more security, we need more scrutiny. Once again, Marco opposed this. So Marco can't have it both ways. He thinks he wants to be this, "Oh, I'm great and strong on national defense." But he's the weakest of all the candidates on immigration. He is the one for an open border that is leaving us defenseless. If we want to defend the country, we have to defend against who's coming in, and Marco is - has more of an allegiance to Chuck Schumer and to the liberals than he does to conservative policy.”[206]
- The Senate rejected on October 22, 2015, Paul’s amendment to the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act which would have removed liability immunity for companies that break user or privacy agreements.[207]
- On August 29, 2015, Paul said he would convert the National Security Agency’s data center in Utah "into a Constitutional Center to study the Fourth Amendment" and reiterated his opposition to bulk data collection.[208]
- In August 2015, Paul introduced several amendments to S 754 - Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act to better protect the privacy of Americans’ records, including those held by third parties.[209]
- On May 20, 2015, Paul took control of the Senate floor to argue against the reauthorization of the Patriot Act.[210][211] Prior to beginning his speech, Paul posted on his official Facebook page, "I have taken to the U.S. Senate floor to launch my filibuster to stop ANY extension or reauthorization of the 'PATRIOT Act's' unconstitutional and illegal domestic spying programs. I will not rest. I will not back down. I will not yield one inch in this fight so long as my legs can stand."[212] Paul spoke for nearly 11 hours, arguing against the mass collection of metadata by the National Security Agency and warrantless wiretapping. Paul's filibuster effectively delayed the vote on HR 2048 - USA Freedom Act of 2015 until May 23, 2015.[213]
- In a speech at Bowie State University in March 2015, Paul invoked the targeting of Civil Rights activities with wiretapping as one reason the Fourth Amendment must be protected. Paul said, "Think about what happened in the 1960s. Think about how Martin Luther King’s phone was tapped. Think about how hundreds of people involved in the Civil Rights Movement had their phones tapped. Think about how many people who protested against the war had their phones tapped. You have to have these protections not because there is one particularly bad person in government, but because there is the potential for bad people some day to take charge of government.”[214]
- In November 2014, Paul voted against cloture on S 2685 - USA FREEDOM Act of 2014, a bill that would have extended the Patriot Act and reformed regulations regarding the government's collection of electronic information. Paul said, “In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Americans were eager to catch and punish the terrorists who attacked us. I, like most Americans, demanded justice. But one common misconception is that the Patriot Act applies only to foreigners—when in reality, the Patriot Act was instituted precisely to widen the surveillance laws to include U.S. citizens. As Benjamin Franklin put it, ‘those who trade their liberty for security may wind up with neither.’ Today’s vote to oppose further consideration of the Patriot Act extension proves that we are one step closer to restoring civil liberties in America.”[139][215]
Paul discusses the Fourth Amendment in February 2014. |
- In February 2014, Paul filed a class action lawsuit against President Barack Obama's administration alleging it infringed citizens' privacy rights when the National Security Agency collected their phone data. The case, Paul v. Obama, was put on hold by Judge Richard Leon of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in September 2014 pending similar metadata cases.[216][217][218]
- Paul introduced S 1121 - Fourth Amendment Restoration Act of 2013 to prevent government agencies from conducting warrantless searches of American's phone records.[219]
Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- On October 31, 2015, Rand Paul said he opposed the use of eminent domain to take land away from crop and livestock farmers for a pipeline running through North Dakota, South Dakota and Iowa. “There are times we have to use eminent domain for roads and things like that, but for this, if it is going to another private property owner, I don’t think the government should be taking property through eminent domain,” Paul said.[220]
- In an April 2015 interview with Sean Hannity on FOX News, Paul suggested minorities are disproportionately impacted by the improper application of the Fifth Amendment. Paul said, "The Fifth Amendment says you should get due process. The Sixth Amendment says you can get a speedy trial. There are many people in our country, particularly minorities, who aren't being treated fairly. They're not getting due process. They're not getting a speedy trial."[221]
- In July 2014, Paul introduced S 2644 - Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act, which would have revised "the federal criminal code to increase the federal government's burden of proof in civil forfeiture proceedings to clear and convincing evidence." Paul co-wrote an op-ed for CNN with Tim Walberg that discussed instances where the Internal Revenue Service improperly seized property. In this article, Paul stated the FAIR Act "would bolster protections for property and property owners by raising the level of proof necessary for the federal government to prove a civil asset forfeiture case–requiring that the IRS and Department of Justice prove guilt, rather than the individual prove innocence."[222][223]
- In May 2014, Paul criticized the nomination of David Barron to the United States Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit because of Barron's interpretation of the Fifth Amendment. Paul questioned supporting a man who "has spoken openly about his role in crafting the Administration’s legal position that it can kill Americans abroad without due process."[224]
- Paul questioned President Barack Obama's use of drone strikes in May 2013. Paul said, "[T]here's still a question in my mind of what [Obama] thinks due process is. Due process, to most of us, is a court of law. It is a trial by jury, and, right now, their process is him looking at some flash cards and a PowerPoint presentation on 'Terror Tuesdays' in the White House. For a lot of us, that's not really due process."[225]
Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
- Rand Paul advocated in favor of states’ rights in regard to crime and drug legalization at the September 2015 Republican debate. “I would let Colorado do what the Tenth Amendment says,” stated Paul. “This power — we were never intended to have crime dealing at the federal level. Crime was supposed to be left to the states. Colorado has made their decision. And I don’t want the federal government interfering and putting moms in jail, who are trying to get medicine for their kid.”[147]
- In June 2014, Paul questioned the fairness of a Kentucky state law that prohibits a candidate from running for two offices. Paul asked, "Can you really have equal application of federal law if someone like Paul Ryan or Joe Lieberman can run for two offices but in Kentucky you would be disallowed? It seems like it might not be equal application of the law to do that. But that means involving a court, and I don't think we've made a decision on that. I think the easier way is to clarify the law."[226]
- Paul cosponsored S 2473 - Federal Land Designation Requirements Act of 2011, which proposed prohibiting the federal government from designating an area for natural conservation or recreation without approval by the state legislature from the state in which the area is located.[227]
Separation of powers
Paul speaks during Senate Foreign Relations Committee on separation of powers in March 2015. |
- In March 2015, Rand Paul attended a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing where he criticized President Barack Obama's administration for overstepping its authority. Paul said, "This is an administration who I believe has trampled the Constitution at many turns. This is an administration that seeks to legislate when that is not in their purview, whether it be immigration, whether it be health care or whether it now be a war that's been going for eight months without congressional authorization."[228]
- On September 12, 2014, Paul said, “I think the first executive order that I would issue would be to repeal all previous executive orders, We’ve done way too many things [the wrong way]: Signing statements, altering legislation by the president, are wrong and unconstitutional and shouldn’t happen. Executive orders shouldn’t either." Sergio Gor, a spokesperson for Paul explained Paul's comments. Gor said, "Senator Paul's statement was meant to emphasize this president's overt and unconstitutional executive orders, it was not meant to be taken literally."[229]
- In January 2013, Paul introduced S 82 - Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act of 2013, a bill that nullify executive actions that "infringe the powers and duties of Congress."[230] Paul condemned ceding legislative powers to the executive, stating, “It’s been a long battle that we’ve been losing gradually and even Republican presidents have also usurped their executive privilege to exert more authority than the Constitution gave them,” he said. “But, you know, our founders looked to Montesquieu, and Montesquieu wrote that there can be no liberty when you combine the executive and legislative powers.”[231]
Crime and justice
- During the seventh Republican presidential primary debate on January 28, 2016, Rand Paul talked about criminal justice reform and race: “You know, I've supported legislation to allow body cameras. I've been to Ferguson, Mo. I've been trying to look for solutions to our criminal justice problem. One thing I discovered in Ferguson was that a third of the budget for the city of Ferguson was being reaped by civil fines. People were just being fined to death. Now you and I and many of the people in this audience, if we get a $100 fine, we can survive it. If you're living on the edge of poverty and you get a $100 fine or your car towed, a lot of times you lose your job. I also think the war on drugs has disproportionately affected our African-American community, and what we need to do is make sure that the war on drugs is equal protection under the law and that we don't unfairly incarcerate another generation of young African-American males. In Ferguson, for every 100 African-American women, there are only 60 African-American men. Drug use is about equal between white and black, but our prisons -- three out of four people in prison are black or brown. I think something has to change. I think it's a big thing that our party needs to be part of, and I've been a leader in Congress on trying to bring about criminal justice reform.”[232]
- Speaking at the New England College New Hampshire Student Convention on January 5, 2016, Paul criticized politicians like Jeb Bush who have admitted to using marijuana. Paul said, “It’s a matter of do as I say but not as I do. I think it’s time we end the war on drugs.” Paul also called for criminal justice reform: “Criminal justice reform in general is something that should bring us together, both right and left. We shouldn’t have a system in which the wealthy are able to escape and the poor are caught up in a terrible situation. I’m not here to encourage (drug use). I’m just here to tell you we shouldn’t put people in jail for hurting themselves. And understand that there is a racial disparity in how we are putting people in jail for doing drugs.”[233]
- In response to the occupation of a federal refuge in Oregon, Paul said on January 4, 2016, “I’m sympathetic to the idea that the large collection of federal lands ought to be turned back to the states and the people, but I think the best way to bring about change is through politics. That's why I entered the electoral arena. I don’t support any violence or suggestion of violence toward changing policy."[234]
- On September 2, 2015, Paul suggested the heroin epidemic in New Hampshire could be addressed through increasing the employment rate. “People always come up to me and say, 'We got heroin problems and all these other problems.' You know what? If you work all day long, you don't have time to do heroin. … We need to attach work to everything. I don't think any able-bodied person in America should get a penny unless they work. No handouts, no gifts, no welfare. Everything should have work," Paul said.[235]
Interview with Paul on PBS NewsHour regarding the REDEEM Act in July 2014. |
- Speaking at the Bipartisan Summit on Fair Justice in July 2015, Rand Paul pushed for criminal justice reforming, saying, “I think the biggest impediment to employment and to voting in our country is a criminal record.” Paul noted he worked with Senator Cory Booker (D) on a bill to expunge criminal records and end solitary confinement for young offenders.[236]
- On March 9, 2015, Paul sponsored S 675 - Record Expungement Designed to Enhance Employment Act of 2015, a reintroduction of a criminal justice reform bill Paul had developed with New Jersey Senator Cory Booker the previous year. Paul said in a press release, "It is my hope that the REDEEM Act will help many of these young people escape this trap by reforming our criminal justice system, expunging records after time served, and preventing non-violent crimes from becoming a permanent blot on one's record." Paul also noted the financial benefits of criminal justice reform given the increase in corrections expenditures over the past 30 years.[237][238]
- Paul previously sponsored bills in 2014 to eliminate minimum mandatory sentencing, allow some felons to vote, make some felonies misdemeanors and make it easier for individuals to expunge their records. Paul wrote an op-ed in USA Today on July 11, 2014, detailing some of these proposed changes for penalties of minor non-violent crimes. Paul explained, "The war on drugs has disproportionately affected men and women of color; minorities are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for certain nonviolent drug offenses, like drug possession, even though surveys show that white Americans use drugs at the similar rate. This is a travesty. I think that drugs are a scourge and are bad for young people, but a lifetime in prison as punishment is not the answer. The war on drugs has not lessened drug use. It has simply transformed a health problem into a prison problem, and ultimately an employment and voting rights problem."[239][240]
- On August 14, 2014, after the police shooting of Michael Brown and public rioting in Ferguson, Missouri, Paul argued against the militarization of local police forces and the erosion of civil liberties in the name of safety. He wrote, "When you couple this militarization of law enforcement with an erosion of civil liberties and due process that allows the police to become judge and jury—national security letters, no-knock searches, broad general warrants, pre-conviction forfeiture—we begin to have a very serious problem on our hands. Given these developments, it is almost impossible for many Americans not to feel like their government is targeting them. Given the racial disparities in our criminal justice system, it is impossible for African-Americans not to feel like their government is particularly targeting them. This is part of the anguish we are seeing in the tragic events outside of St. Louis, Missouri. It is what the citizens of Ferguson feel when there is an unfortunate and heartbreaking shooting like the incident with Michael Brown. Anyone who thinks that race does not still, even if inadvertently, skew the application of criminal justice in this country is just not paying close enough attention. Our prisons are full of black and brown men and women who are serving inappropriately long and harsh sentences for non-violent mistakes in their youth."[241]
- In July 2014, when asked about his stance on the death penalty, Paul said that it should be left to the states to decide, according to the Washington Times.[239]
Paul testifies to the House Natural Resources Committee on the FOCUS Act in 2012. |
- In his 2012 book, Government Bullies, Paul criticized the Lacey Act which prohibits the trafficking of illegal fish, wildlife and plants. Paul called the Lacey Act “a frightening example of our government criminalizing activity that really shouldn't be criminal.” On February 2, 2012, Paul sponsored S 2062 - Freedom from Over-Criminalization and Unjust Seizures Act of 2012, which would have removed all references to foreign law in the Lacey Act and shifted penalties from the criminal to civil system. Paul reintroduced the bill in 2015 under S 1019 - Freedom from Over-Criminalization and Unjust Seizures Act of 2015.[242][243][244][245]
Natural resources
Energy production
- During a question and answer session on KSBW in April 2015, Rand Paul said, "Now we have so much natural gas that I think we are the greatest, maybe the largest producer in the world. So I think we've come a long way towards energy independence. I think that you can have both a clean environment and economic growth, but I think you have to have a balance of both."[246]
Paul discusses coal and energy production at a Kentucky Chamber in October 2010. |
- In March 2014, when asked about energy independence in reaction to Russia invading Ukraine, Paul stated that if he were president, he would "immediately get every obstacle out of the way for our export of oil and gas.”[247]
- Paul's 2014 budget proposed opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the outer continental shelf for drilling, approving the Keystone XL pipeline and increasing permission to drill on public lands.[248]
- During his 2010 campaign, Paul stated his support for the exploration of domestic oil, gas and mining.[249]
Renewable energy
- According to his Senate website, Paul supported "allowing domestic oil, gas and mining exploration to proceed while encouraging the competitive development of alternative, renewable energy sources." Paul reiterated this belief during an interview with Bill Maher in November 2014. Paul said, "We need more energy, and maybe cleaner energy will supplant less clean energy over time–and it already is–but I don't think that shutting down dramatically one form of energy is a good idea for an economy."[250][251]
Keystone XL Pipeline
- In a March 2014 op-ed in TIME, Rand Paul stated if he were president, he "would support immediate construction of the Keystone Pipeline."[252]
- Paul cosponsored S 2280, which would have authorized the continuation of the Keystone XL pipeline. The bill failed on November 18, 2014.[253]
- In 2013, Paul voted for an amendment to the budget that would have established "a deficit-neutral reserve fund to promote investment and job growth in United States manufacturing, oil and gas production, and refining sectors through the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline." It passed by a vote of 62 - 37 on March 22, 2013.[254]
- Paul again supported an amendment to approve the Keystone XL pipeline project in 2012. It failed by a vote of 56-42 on March 8, 2012.[255]
- According to the Associated Press, Paul initially blocked a bill to improve pipeline safety in 2011 because he was opposed "to the notion of additional federal regulation" rather than its specific terms. The bill, S 275 - Pipeline Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2011, eventually passed the Senate with an amendment from Paul requiring older, untested pipes be strength-tested.[256][257][258][259]
Fracking
- Rand Paul spoke at the Reagan Foundation in May 2013 where he briefly discussed how fracking could improve California's economy. Paul said, "Overregulation makes California less competitive, particularly in the oil market. And this is extraordinary: The Wall Street Journal reported recently that oil output in California is down 21% in the last decade, and it isn’t because there's not enough oil. The Department of Energy estimates that California has doubled the amount of oil that North Dakota has, and yet North Dakota surpassed California last year in oil production. Why is North Dakota kicking California’s butt? Because in California, you're not allowed to do any fracking, which is a technique that they're using, and there's an explosion of jobs in North Dakota. So while California languishes, economies in states like North Dakota and Texas are booming."[260]
Climate change
- In his latest “Waste Report” issued on November 30, 2015, Rand Paul questioned the merits of a $450,000 National Science Foundation project to teach high school students about climate change. He wrote that ”the real science behind this game is psychology and political science” focused on “indoctrinating kids into the climate change way of thinking.”[261]
- At the fourth Republican primary debate, on November 10, 2015, Paul said he would reverse regulations that he believes are hindering the energy sector. He said, "The first thing I would do as president is repeal the regulations that are hampering our energy that the President has put in place. Including the Clean Power Act. While I do think that man may have a role in our climate, I think nature also has a role. The planet's 4.5 billion years old, we've been through geologic age after geologic age. We've had times when the temperatures been warmer, we've had times when the temperatures been colder. We've had times when the carbon in the atmosphere's been higher. So, I think before we -- we need to look before we leap. President's often fond of saying he wants a balance solution, but, really we do need to balance both keeping the environment clean, and we will have some rules for that. We got to balance that with the economy."[262]
- In January 2015, Paul voted in favor of an amendment stating it was the Senate's belief that climate change is real, but voted against an amendment recognizing "human activity significantly contributes to climate change."[263][264]
- In September 2014, Paul criticized Hillary Clinton for suggesting climate change is one of the country's greatest threats. Paul responded, "I don’t think we really want a commander-in-chief who’s battling climate change instead of terrorism.”[265]
- During an interview with David Axelrod in April 2014 at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics, Paul expressed skepticism of conclusions made about climate change based on a data set limited to the past century. Paul said, "I think that scientific debate should not be dumbed down to politics. I think this debate has become so dumbed down beyond belief. The Earth is 4.54 [billion] or 4.6 billion years old. Anybody who's ever studied any geology knows that over periods of time, long periods of time, that the climate changes, mmkay? I'm not sure anybody exactly knows why. But we have twenty-, thirty-, hundred-thousand sort of year cycles that go on with the climate. It has been much warmer than it is today. We have real data [for] about 100 years. So somebody tell me what 100 years data is in an Earth that is 4.6 billion years old? My guess is that the conclusions you make from that are not conclusive."[266]
Environmental protection
- On March 24, 2015, Rand Paul reintroduced S 1731 - Endangered Species Management Self-Determination Act. Previously submitted to the Senate in November 2013, Paul said in a press release, "This bill will better protect endangered species by allowing a more tailored response as implemented by the states. The Endangered Species Management Self-Determination Act ensures that local needs will be considered in the regulation process and places the decision-making into the hands of the states by allowing them to choose whether regulation occurs on the state or federal level."[267][268]
- In June 2012, he voted in favor of S Amdt 2313, an amendment to the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 that sought to repeal the Forest Legacy Program.[269]
Environmental Protection Agency
- Rand Paul sponsored S 890 - Defense of Environment and Property Act of 2013, which proposed creating a narrower definition of “navigable waters” and allowing a state or individual to request judicial review an Army Corp of Engineers' determination that affects their property. Paul reintroduced the bill on April 2015, stating in a press release, "Every year, thousands of property owners across America fall victim to the EPA and Army Corps of Engineer’s bullying tactics. I firmly believe it is the landowners’ Constitutional rights to do what they please with their own property. The time has come to bring common sense back to the federal jurisdiction over navigable waters and place necessary limitations on out-of-control government agencies."[270][271]
- In June 2014, Paul sponsored S 2414 - Protecting Jobs, Families, and the Economy From EPA Overreach Act, which sought to prohibit the EPA from regulating carbon emissions.[272]
- In May 2013, Paul cosponsored S 861- Coal Jobs Protection Act. Paul explained on his website, "To stop Washington bureaucrats from limiting our energy choices and waging their war against one of the most affordable and abundant forms of energy we have, I have co-sponsored Senate Republican Leader, and fellow Kentuckian, Mitch McConnell's S. 861 Coal Jobs Protection Act. Our bill keeps the EPA from using back-door tactics to stifle coal production."[273][274]
- On August 31, 2011, Paul published an op-ed in The Washington Times that criticized the EPA regulations for harming the economy and individual rights. Paul wrote, "Since its creation in 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency has done more harm than good. EPA regulations cost more than 5 percent of our annual gross domestic product - the equivalent of the costs of defense and homeland security combined. Since EPA regulations have expanded, unemployment in America has increased by 33 percent. This abuse of power by the implementation of regulations infringes upon our basic constitutional rights. There have been too frequent reports of individual rights being violated by abusive and power-hungry EPA bureaucrats. These regulations have hampered landowners’ ability to manage their private property as they please and have impaired job creation. Americans are suffering from the overreach of regulatory agencies such as the EPA."[275]
- In March 2011, Paul cosponsored S 609 - Comprehensive Assessment of Regulations on the Economy Act of 2011, which sought to create a Regulatory Assessment Committee to determine the energy and economic impact of proposed EPA rules.[276]
Healthcare
- Rand Paul voted in favor of a Senate bill to repeal large portions of the Affordable Care Act on December 3, 2015.[277]
Wolf Blitzer of CNN interviews Paul in February 2014 on Obamacare. |
- When asked in January 2015 what would happen if the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, were repealed, Paul answered, "We could try freedom for a while. We had it for a long time. That's where you sell something and I agree to buy it because I like it. That is how we operate in most of rest of the marketplace other than health care. Now the president has said you can only buy certain types of health care that I approve of, and anything I don't approve of, you are not allowed to purchase. We could try freedom. I think it might work. It works everywhere else."[278]
- Prior to entering public service, Paul was an ophthalmologist for 18 years. On his presidential campaign website, Paul wrote, "As a doctor, I have had firsthand experience with the immense problems facing health care in the United States. Prior to the implementation of Obamacare, our health care system was over-regulated and in need of serious market reforms—but Obamacare is not the answer." Paul added, "I was not a member of the United States Senate during the 111th Congress, but if I had been I would have voted against Obamacare. As your President, one of my first acts would be to repeal the abomination that is Obamacare."[279][280]
- Paul described alternatives to healthcare on his Senate website. Paul wrote, "Government interventions in health care have driven up the cost of coverage. I have long supported making all medical expenses tax deductible, allowing insurance to be bought across state lines, tort reform (state-level), and empowering all citizens to save for health expenses by removing the high-deductible insurance policy requirement to access to [sic] Health Savings Accounts."[281]
- In January 2013, Paul cosponsored S 177 - ObamaCare Repeal Act. While speaking at Harvard University's Institute of Politics, Paul later conceded in 2014 that it would be "difficult" to eliminate Obamacare now that consumers have become accustomed to it. Instead, Paul recommended making it "voluntary" and to "get rid of the coercion."[282][283]
- In 2010, Paul argued against a socialized healthcare system. Paul wrote, "Socialist medicine does not work because socialism does not work. When people blame the current crisis on the free market they are making a grave intellectual error. Simply because these large companies are benefiting does not mean we currently have a free market. When the government passes legislation, regulations, and mandates, this can hardly be called a 'free' market. It is well known that socialism leads to long lines, rationing, and a lack of choice. But more importantly, socialized medicine stifles innovation. We might not have the best coverage in this country (as a result of government intervention), but we do have the best health care. That is because we are the only country that rewards innovation on the market place. The answer therefore is more and not less freedom."[284]
- While speaking before the Center-Right Coalition in 2009, Paul suggested several methods to minimize Medicare. Paul said, "We can't just eliminate Medicare. But we have to figure out how to get more to a market-based system. It's counter-intuitive to a lot of people, but you have to pay for things if you want prices to come down. So you really need higher deductibles. And the real answer to Medicare would be a $2,000 deductible, but try selling that one in an election. But that's the real answer is, you have to pay for things. And when you do, but you also get rid of price controls. So you raise the deductible, you get rid of price controls, and you allow more competition. And you may have to allow more competition from other parties. Nurse practitioners, we already have some. Pharmacists. There have to be ways to allow medicine to come down."[285]
Immigration
- During the seventh Republican presidential primary debate on January 28, 2016, Rand Paul talked about border security and Marco Rubio’s “Gang of Eight” bill: “But I would say that if you want to defend the country, it begins with border security. And this is where I've had my disagreement with Senator Rubio. When he brought forward the ‘Gang of Eight’ bill to give citizenship to those who came here illegally, I put forward an amendment that says we should have more scrutiny on those who are coming as students, those who are coming as immigrants, those who are coming as refugees, because we had two refugees come to my town in Bowling Green and try to attack us. Marco opposed this because they made a deal. He made a deal with Chuck Schumer that he would oppose any conservative amendments. And I think that's a mistake, and I just don't think Marco can have it both ways. You can't be in favor of defend us...against Islam -- radical Islam -- if you're not for border security.”[286]
- At the fifth GOP primary debate on December 15, 2015, Paul discussed government surveillance and immigration: “We are not any safer through the bulk collection of all Americans' records. In fact, I think we're less safe. We get so distracted by all of the information, we're not spending enough time getting specific immigration - specific information on terrorists. The other thing is, is the one thing that might have stopped San Bernardino, Calif., that might have stopped 9/11 would have been stricter controls on those who came here. And Marco has opposed at every point increased security - border security for those who come to our country. On his Gang of Eight bill, he would have liberalized immigration, but he did not - and he steadfastly opposed any new border security requirements for refugees or students. Last week, I introduced another bill saying we need more security, we need more scrutiny. Once again, Marco opposed this. So Marco can't have it both ways. He thinks he wants to be this, "Oh, I'm great and strong on national defense." But he's the weakest of all the candidates on immigration. He is the one for an open border that is leaving us defenseless. If we want to defend the country, we have to defend against who's coming in, and Marco is - has more of an allegiance to Chuck Schumer and to the liberals than he does to conservative policy.”[287]
- On September 21, 2015, Paul said the U.S. should stop expediting permanent legal status applications for Cubans and "just make the policy consistent with the rest of immigration policy.”[288]
- In August 2015, Paul said of birthright citizenship, “If you are looking at border security, and we’re going to have a secure border, then I’m not sure we need to change citizenship. Birthright citizenship is a beacon for the world. So is what we did for the Dreamers. Birthright citizenship – it is what it is. That's the way the law has been interpreted. But is it a good idea to do that with an open border? Probably not." As a freshman senator in 2011, Paul joined in on a resolution to clarify “that under the 14th Amendment a person born in the United States to illegal aliens does not automatically gain citizenship."[289]
- Following the Chattanooga shooting at two Marine recruitment centers in July 2015, Paul stated there should be heightened security for immigrants coming from “countries that have hotbeds of jihadism and hotbeds of this Islamism.”[290]
- On his presidential campaign website, Paul described his immigration platform. Paul wrote, "I do not support amnesty, but rather I support a legal immigration process. I recognize that our country has been enriched by those who seek the American Dream and have a desire for a better life. However, millions of illegal immigrants are crossing our border without our knowledge, and this threatens our national security. As President, I would secure our border immediately. Before issuing any visas or starting the legal immigration process, we must first ensure that our border is secure.[291]
- When asked in January 2015 if he would nullify President Barack Obama's executive orders on immigration. Paul responded, "[T]he 11 million, I think, are never going home, don’t need to be sent home, and I would incorporate them into our society by giving them work visas and making them taxpayers."[292]
Paul speaks at U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on immigration in March 2013. |
- Paul introduced S 3015 - Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act of 2014 in response to President Obama's executive order to delay deportation proceedings for certain immigrants residing in America without legal permission.[293][294][295]
- In June 2013, Paul said, "he would support a comprehensive immigration bill if senators accept his amendment to increase Congressional oversight over border security," according to the Washington Post.[296]
- As a member of the 112th Congress, Paul cosponsored S J Res 2 in January 2011 to amend constitutional requirements for citizenship. Paul also cosponsored S 723 - Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011, which would have required citizenship by birth be granted only to those with at lesast one parent who is American, a lawful permanent resident, or an active service member.[297][298]
- Paul wrote a column for The Washington Times in February 2013 discussing his stance on immigration. Paul wrote, "The gang of eight wants back taxes and fines. Most of these undocumented immigrants are poor and may not be able to ever pay ten years of back payroll taxes. I would be willing to forego the fines and back taxes in exchange for a longer and significant time period before these folks are eligible to enter into the green card line."[299]
- In June 2010, Paul suggested he did not support citizenship by birth if the child's parents were here without legal permission. According to The Hill, Paul said "he would support amending the Constitution to deny automatic citizenship to children born in the United States." Paul explained that "the 14th amendment actually says that you will be a citizen as long as you are under the jurisdiction of the United States. Many argue that these children that are born to illegal aliens are really still under the jurisdiction of the Mexican government. I think we need to fight that out in the courts. If we lose, then I think we should amend the Constitution because I don't think the 14th amendment was meant to apply to illegal aliens. It was meant to apply to the children of slaves."[300]
Education
- The U.S. Senate approved the conference report for S. 1177 - Student Success Act on December 9, 2015. Joining 11 other Republicans, Rand Paul voted against the measure, which overhauled the No Child Left Behind Act. President Obama signed the bill into law on December 10, 2015. [301][302]
Paul discusses eliminating the Department of Education in April 2014. |
- Paul cosponsored S 182 - Learning Opportunities Created At Local Level Act or the LOCAL Level Act in January 2015, which would prevent the federal government from issuing mandates on elementary and secondary school curriculum, academic standards or contingent financial support.[303]
- During an event at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics in April 2014, Paul discussed education policy with Institute Director David Axelrod and argued that control of education should be returned to the state and local level. Paul explained, "Education historically was a state and local subject and I think that what we've seen is since we've spent about a hundred billion dollars in the Department of Education each year and that's been going on since 1980. I'm not so sure we're better off than we were before."[304]
- At this lecture, Paul also advocated for implementing distance learning programs. Using the Khan Academy as an example, Paul explained, "If you have one person in the country who is, like, the best at explaining calculus, that person maybe should teach every calculus class in the country,” the senator said. “You'd still have local teachers to reinforce and try to explain and help the kids, but you'd have some of these extraordinary teachers teaching millions of people in the classroom.”[305][304]
- In a 2014 interview on FOX News, Paul opposed the Common Core. Paul said, “I don’t think really the curriculum ought to be nationalized. I think each state can handle education better than the federal government. The same way that the federal government doesn’t know whether you are a good teacher or not, they also don’t know what curriculum is the best. I think more innovation would be by giving more freedom to the states and localities. So, I’m for less federal control of education and more local control.”[306]
- According to a 2013 article in The Washington Post, Paul supported charter schools, voucher programs, and permitting students to attend "any public school in a community, regardless of their neighborhood and property lines." To this end, in May 2014, Paul cosponsored S 2304 - Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act.[307][308]
- In July 2014, Paul elaborated on his support for choice in education at the National Urban League's annual conference. Paul said, "They say education is the great equalizer, but all schools aren't equal. Many of the large schools in our cities are functioning with low standards. Many of the schools have become dropout factories. Some schools lack discipline and are unsafe. I saw the status quo is unacceptable. But Washington has no clue how to fix this problem. Washington has no clue how to fix education. Washington doesn't know whether you're a good teacher or a bad teacher. We should allow innovation to occur at the local level. I propose that we allow school charters, school choice, vouchers, competition. Competition breeds excellence and encourages innovation. And boy, we really need innovation. My kids went to great public schools. I went to great public schools. The president's kids go to great private schools. There are a lot of choices out there. I want to make it where all American get the option of choosing the best schools for their kids."[309]
Abortion
- Rand Paul introduced the “Life at Conception Act” on January 21, 2016, which “would implement equal protection under the 14th Amendment for the right to life of each born and unborn human.”[310]
Video released by Paul discussing abortion rights in April 2015. |
- On September 22, 2015, Rand Paul said that he would vote for a bill to defund Planned Parenthood and proposed a plan for funding the government. He said, "Why wouldn’t we put all 12 appropriations bills up? They’ve passed the committees. Just put them up one at a time, have a separate vote on Planned Parenthood. Those things that don’t get 60 votes, guess what, we don’t spend any money on."[311]
- On September 10, 2015, Paul said that Republicans should send a funding bill to President Barack Obama that does not include funds for Planned Parenthood. He said, "If the Democrats want to shut down government over this, then it goes to Democrats. The Democrats want to shut down government, we should point the finger and say, 'If you want to shut down the government over spending money on harvesting organs from babies, so be it, but we will take a stand.' I, for one, will take a stand. I have never voted for any funds for Planned Parenthood and I never will....Now some are saying we don't have enough votes. We don't have enough votes to defund Planned Parenthood. That gets it exactly wrong. You have to fund Planned Parenthood. You have to have 60 votes to affirmatively fund Planned Parenthood. So don't accept the notion that we have to get to 60. The other side has to get to 60. The other side has to find 60 votes to fund Planned Parenthood. This is not a problem – they do not have 60 votes to fund Planned Parenthood – as long as we separate the bills and tell them 'You go out and find 60 votes to fund Planned Parenthood.'"[312]
- In an interview on CNN’s "State of the Union" on August 2, 2015, Paul distinguished between the fight over women’s health services and the funding of Planned Parenthood. "I think we can have disputes, you know, over abortion. Our country is divided. Some people are pro-choice, some are pro-life. I think a lot of people are upset by these videos. . . . If you look at this, we have 9,000 community health centers that do everything that Planned Parenthood does, but they don’t get into abortions. It would be much less emotional for everyone if we just funded community health centers and didn't fund Planned Parenthood," Paul said.[313][314]
- On July 24, 2015, Paul claimed credit for fast-tracking legislation to defund Planned Parenthood by invoking Rule 14, which allows a bill to bypass committee consideration and head to the Senate floor for a vote. Paul wrote in a statement, "Since the inhumane acts of Planned Parenthood have surfaced, I have vowed to defeat and defund this taxpayer-funded organization. I am more appalled than ever by Planned Parenthood's complete disregard for the sanctity of human life. Today, I implemented Rule 14 and fast-tracked legislation to strip every dollar of Planned Parenthood funding. I will continue to lead this charge in defense of the unborn.” A spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) suggested it was McConnell who “started the Rule 14 process on the floor."[315][316]
- On July 22, 2015, Paul introduced an amendment to the highway bill to cut almost $500 million in public funding to Planned Parenthood. Paul said, "The continued disregard and disrespect for human life at Planned Parenthood, a partially taxpayer-funded organization, is shocking and appalling. Recent video revelations, involving potentially criminal activity, make it more obvious than ever that this organization has absolutely zero respect for the sanctity of human life and is an affront to the most basic human dignity enshrined in our founding documents. Not one more taxpayer dollar should go to Planned Parenthood and I intend to make that goal a reality."[317]
- On July 21, 2015, Paul said he would do everything he could to defund Planned Parenthood. He stated in an interview on Fox News, "Everything that Planned Parenthood does other than abortion is done by community health clinics. There is no reason in the world to have Planned Parenthood other than abortion. No taxpayer dollars should go to it because they are indirectly, if not directly, paying for abortion. . . . We should stop all funding for Planned Parenthood."[318]
- On his official website, Paul stated he "believe[d] in the sanctity of life." Paul continued, "Since Roe v. Wade decision, over 50 million children have been killed in abortion procedures. As President, I would strongly support legislation restricting federal courts from hearing cases like Roe v. Wade, in an effort to stop harming the lives of the unborn."[319]
- During an interview on CNN in April 2015, Wolf Blitzer questioned whether Paul followed a more traditional libertarian belief regarding abortion rights. Paul responded, "The thing is, is that there is a role for government in our lives, and the role is basically to prevent violence. And so when a baby is born–I'm a physician and so I examine babies in the neonatal nursery often. Sometimes these babies are one and two pounds. They can fit in the palm of my hand. And everybody agrees that that baby that I examine has rights, that no one can injure that baby, and the government has a role to come even into the household if a mother or dad or a relative is somehow injuring a baby, that the baby has rights. So somehow we have to decide when does a baby get rights? So a one-pound baby has rights, but a seven-pound baby in the uterus still, getting ready to be born or a nine-pound baby would have no rights. It seems like an abrupt sort of diminution of rights that all of a sudden you have rights and then a couple minutes before you didn't have rights." Paul then stated he has voted for and against legislation with exceptions for extenuating circumstances like rape and incest, adding, "Basically, my point of view has been that anything that puts forward and develops and says, 'You know what? There is something special about life, and there's a role for government,' I've supported."[320]
Paul discusses late-term abortions on CNN in April 2015. |
- In 2014, Paul cosponsored S 946 - No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act to prohibit any taxpayer funding of abortions.[321]
- In 2013, Paul sponsored S 583 - Life at Conception Act of 2013, which sought to measure the beginning of life "at the moment of fertilization." The bill did note that new definition should not "be construed to require the prosecution of any woman for the death of her unborn child."[322]
- According to The New York Times in 2009, Paul believed "abortions should be illegal, even in cases of rape, incest or where the life of the pregnant woman is at stake." On March 19, 2013, Paul appeared on "The Situation Room" on CNN, where Wolf Blitzer asked about his no-exceptions position to abortion rights. Paul replied, "Well, I think that once again puts things in too small of a box. What I would say is that there are thousands of exceptions. You know, I'm a physician and every individual case is going to be different, and everything is going to be particular to that individual case and what's going on with that mother and the medical circumstances of that mother."
- Paul's Chief of Staff, Doug Stafford, clarified Paul's position two days later, saying, "Paul meant that a singular exception to save the life of the mother would likely cover thousands of individual cases – for example, ectopic pregnancies or others that directly threaten the mother’s life." Stafford added that this does not apply to "more nebulous 'health of the mother' exception that pro-life advocates argue can be applied to any woman facing an unwanted pregnancy."[323][324][325]
Gay rights
- During a speech at Drake University on October 14, 2015, Rand Paul argued that protections for gender identity discrimination were unnecessary. He said, "I think, really, the things you do in your house, we can just leave those in the house, and they wouldn't have to be part of the workplace, to tell you the truth. These are very difficult decisions, on what you decide will be employers' decisions and not. And it really isn't so much about that question as it is about that it sets a classification, or a class of people, who can now sue."[326]
Paul discusses gay marriage in April 2015 on CNN. |
- In response to the video showing a Kentucky clerk refusing to give out same-sex marriage licenses in the first week of September, Paul said, “I think people who do stand up and are making a stand to say that they believe in something is an important part of the American way.”[327]
- The Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional on June 26, 2015. Following the decision, Paul wrote in a Time op-ed, "While I disagree with Supreme Court’s redefinition of marriage, I believe that all Americans have the right to contract." He also questioned whether government has a place in regulating marriage. "Perhaps it is time to be more careful what we ask government to do, and where we allow it to become part of our lives."[328]
- Following the decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, Rand Paul wrote an op-ed in TIME on June 28, 2015, to oppose the involvement of the government, in any capacity, in marriage. Paul wrote, "While I disagree with Supreme Court’s redefinition of marriage, I believe that all Americans have the right to contract. The Constitution is silent on the question of marriage because marriage has always been a local issue. Our founding fathers went to the local courthouse to be married, not to Washington, D.C. I’ve often said I don’t want my guns or my marriage registered in Washington."[329]
- Suggesting that religious liberty must be protected in the wake of Obergefell, Paul added, "Perhaps it is time to be more careful what we ask government to do, and where we allow it to become part of our lives. The Constitution was written by wise men who were raised up by God for that very purpose. There is a reason ours was the first where rights came from our creator and therefore could not be taken away by government. Government was instituted to protect them."[329]
- When asked his opinion on gay marriage in April 2015, Rand Paul responded, "States will end up making the decisions on these things. I think that there’s a religious connotation to marriage. I believe in the traditional religious connotation to this, but I also believe people ought to be treated fairly under the law. I see no reason why if the marriage contract conveys certain things, that if you [a female reporter] want to marry another woman, that you can do that and have a contract, but the thing is the religious connotation of marriage that has been going on for thousands of years, I still want to preserve that. You probably could have both. You could have both traditional marriage, which I believe in, and then you could also have the neutrality of the law that allows people to have contracts with another.” [330]
- Paul attended a prayer breakfast at the Capitol Hill Club on March 26, 2015, where he stated that there is a "moral crisis that allows people to think that there would be some sort of other marriage" in the United States.[331]
- During a March 2013 interview, Paul suggested the tax code could be adjusted to account for contracts between adults in relationships outside of traditional marriage. Paul explained, “I’m an old-fashioned traditionalist. I believe in the historic and religious definition of marriage. That being said, I’m not for eliminating contracts between adults. I think there are ways to make the tax code more neutral, so it doesn’t mention marriage. Then we don’t have to redefine what marriage is; we just don’t have marriage in the tax code.”[332]
Civil liberties
- During a campaign event on November 9, 2015, at the University of Minnesota, Rand Paul said, "The government, it's none of their damn business what you do with your credit card.” Paul also “called for less government intrusion into personal financial records, according to the Star Tribune.[333]
- Paul discussed marijuana while speaking to a group of students at the University of Colorado-Denver on October 27, 2015. He said, “I want to give you an idea what it’s like in Washington. They are really, really worried about you. … And I kid you not, they think you are wielding axes and running naked through the streets. They think it’s utter mayhem out here. ...I’m not here to advocate for marijuana. But I’m here to advocate for freedom. And you know what, if I’m president I’m going to leave Colorado the hell alone.”[334]
- On March 10, 2015, Paul cosponsored a bipartisan bill, S 683 - Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act of 2015, that would allow states with medical marijuana programs to function freely without fear of federal prosecution and lower the classification category of marijuana.[335]
- In a 2013 interview with the Hoover Institution, Paul questioned the harsh penalties for marijuana possession while noting the drug's harmful effects. Paul said, "What I think is that if your kid or one of his friends goes out and gets caught with marijuana, sticking them in prison is a big mistake. So I don’t really believe in prison sentences for these minor, non-violent drug offenses, but I’m not willing to go all the way to say it is a good idea either. I think people who use marijuana all the time lose IQ points, I think they lose their drive to show up for work.”[336]
- The Hill reported in November 2014 that Paul was opposed to the government restricting online gambling.[337]
Race and ethnicity
- During an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on August 26, 2015, Rand Paul said the Black Lives Matter movement should reconsider its name. “I think they should change their name maybe, if they were ‘All Lives Matter’ or ‘Innocent Lives Matter.’ I am about justice, and frankly I think a lot of poor people in our country, and many African-Americans, are trapped in this war on drugs and I want to change it. But commandeering the microphone and bullying people and pushing people out of the way I think really isn’t a way to get their message across.”[338]
- On August 24, 2015, Rand Paul addressed the Black Lives Matter movement in a television interview. “Do I think it's a good idea for people to jump up and commandeer the microphone? No, and I wouldn't let them take my microphone. You know things cost money, and they need to learn that things cost money, and really all lives matter. Someone said that the other day, and then they had to apologize, and it's like 'Really? You're apologizing because you said all lives matter?' But I think there are some grievances, and I think the drug war has disproportionately affected black individuals, and I'd be willing to meet with them anytime; I'd be willing to sit and have a forum with them. I've been to 10 criminal justice forums that include many African Americans talking about all these same things, but we do it in a civil way. We don't get up there and grab someone's microphone and yell at them. And they're getting attention, but I don't know if they're making a good point,” Paul said.[339]
Chris Matthews of MSNBC interviews Paul about Eric Garner case in December 2014. |
- On June 30, 2015, Rand Paul tweeted, "You can be a minority because of the color of your skin or the shade of your ideology. #StandWithRand."[340]
- In December 2014, Paul suggested there was a connection between overreaching cigarette laws and the death of Eric Garner, a black man who died after a white police officer placed him in a chokehold. Paul explained, "I think there's something bigger than just the individual circumstances. Obviously, the individual circumstances are important, but I think it's also important to know that some politician put a tax of $5.85 on a pack of cigarettes. So they've driven cigarettes underground by making them so expensive. But then some politician also had to direct the police to say, 'Hey, we want you arresting people for selling a loose cigarette.' And for someone to die over, you know, breaking that law–there really is no excuse for it. But I do blame the politicians. We put our police in a difficult situation with bad laws."[341]
- Paul wrote an op-ed in TIME in response to the unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, following the death of Michael Brown, a young black man shot and killed by a white police officer. Paul wrote, "In the search for culpability for the tragedy in Ferguson, I mostly blame politicians. Michael Brown’s death and the suffocation of Eric Garner in New York for selling untaxed cigarettes indicate something is wrong with criminal justice in America. The War on Drugs has created a culture of violence and put police in a nearly impossible situation. In Ferguson, the precipitating crime was not drugs, but theft. But the War on Drugs has created a tension in some communities that too often results in tragedy." Paul cited the racially disproportionate consequences of drug laws and noted "there is a gnawing feeling that simply being black in a high-crime area increases your risk for a deadly altercation with police."[342]
- After discussing the connection between crime and poverty, Paul cautioned, "Reforming criminal justice to make it racially blind is imperative, but that won’t lift up these young men from poverty. In fact, I don’t believe any law will. For too long, we’ve attached some mythic notion to government solutions and yet, 40 years after we began the War on Poverty, poverty still abounds....Escaping the poverty trap will require all of us to relearn that not only are we our brother’s keeper, we are our own keeper. While a hand-up can be part of the plan, if the plan doesn’t include the self-discovery of education, work, and the self-esteem that comes with work, the cycle of poverty will continue."[342]
- On July 22, 2014, Paul cosponsored a bipartisan Senate resolution encouraging organization to interview at least one minority candidate for managerial positions.[343]
- In April 2014, Paul supported thea Supreme Court upholding a ban on racial preferences in the admissions process at Michigan’s state-run universities. Paul said, “There was a time when we had done such terrible things in our country that there really needed to be special protections. We’ve come a long way, and I think really that the time in which justice can be colorblind is now, as far as admissions and things like that.”[344]
Urban policy
- During the seventh Republican presidential primary debate on January 28, 2016, Rand Paul discussed criminal justice reform and racial inequality in the context of Ferguson, Missouri. He said, “You know, I've supported legislation to allow body cameras. ... One thing I discovered in Ferguson was that a third of the budget for the city of Ferguson was being reaped by civil fines. People were just being fined to death. Now you and I and many of the people in this audience, if we get a $100 fine, we can survive it. If you're living on the edge of poverty and you get a $100 fine or your car towed, a lot of times you lose your job. I also think the war on drugs has disproportionately affected our African-American community, and what we need to do is make sure that the war on drugs is equal protection under the law and that we don't unfairly incarcerate another generation of young African-American males. In Ferguson, for every 100 African-American women, there are only 60 African-American men. Drug use is about equal between white and black, but our prisons – three out of four people in prison are black or brown. I think something has to change. I think it's a big thing that our party needs to be part of, and I've been a leader in Congress on trying to bring about criminal justice reform.”[345]
- In January 2015, Paul worked with U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) to develop a bill that would use repatriation to pay for federal transportation projects. Paul said, "All across the country, bridges and roads are deficient and in need of replacement. We can help fund new construction and repair by lowering the repatriation rate and bringing money held by U.S. companies back home. This would mean no new taxes, but more revenue, and it is a solution that should win support from both political parties."[346]
- In his 2014 budget proposal, Paul criticized the Section 8 voucher program which provides federal funding for affordable housing to low-income individuals and families. He wrote that the program has increased crime in areas where the vouchers are used, disincentivized "personal advancement" and was incongruous with many states' regulations. Paul recommended, instead, that communities should rely on organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Rebuilding Together, CATCH Neighborhood Housing and Enterprise Community Partners for affordable housing.[347]
- In July 2014, Paul sponsored an amendment to minimize gun regulations in the District of Columbia. The Washington Post summarized the amendment as intending to "repeal the registration requirement, end the ban on semi-automatic rifles and high-capacity magazines, expand the right to carry guns outside the home and protect the right to carry guns on federal land in D.C. and elsewhere in the country. In essence, the bill would eliminate the District’s local gun laws, leaving only federal firearms law to regulate gun ownership and use in the city."[348][349]
- In July 2014, Paul elaborated on his support for choice in education at the National Urban League's annual conference. Paul said, "They say education is the great equalizer, but all schools aren't equal. Many of the large schools in our cities are functioning with low standards. Many of the schools have become dropout factories. Some schools lack discipline and are unsafe. I saw the status quo is unacceptable. But Washington has no clue how to fix this problem. Washington has no clue how to fix education. Washington doesn't know whether you're a good teacher or a bad teacher. We should allow innovation to occur at the local level. I propose that we allow school charters, school choice, vouchers, competition. Competition breeds excellence and encourages innovation. And boy, we really need innovation. My kids went to great public schools. I went to great public schools. The president's kids go to great private schools. There are a lot of choices out there. I want to make it where all American get the option of choosing the best schools for their kids."[350]
- In an interview with Breitbart in December 2013, prior to opening a Republican National Committee outreach office in Detroit, Paul commented on the lack of Republican support in urban areas. "Around the country, we’re going to be opening offices in all the major cities in the United States. And when you look at the red-blue map of party divisions around the country, the Republican Party tends to win the countryside and the rural cities and small towns but we’re not doing so well in the big cities. So I think we need to spend more time in the big cities. And I think spending time will help to introduce our message to those people in those cities," he said.[351]
- Paul also promoted establishing "Economic Freedom Zones" in Detroit and other cities to spur economic development. Such cities would benefit from "a reduction in individual and corporate income tax to a single, flat rate of 5 percent, a reduction in the payroll tax, the providing of child education tax credits to parents, a suspension of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) non-attainment designations, and a suspension of the Davis-Bacon wage requirements."[351]
- Paul opposed the bailout of Detroit in July 2013. Paul said, "You don’t set up an implicit promise from the federal government that everybody is getting bailed out. It’s sort of like too big to fail for banks. If you have too big to fail for cities or for states and they believe they’ll be bailed out they’ll continue to make unwise decisions.”[352]
- According to a 2013 article in The Washington Post, Paul supported charter schools, voucher programs, and permitting students to attend "any public school in a community, regardless of their neighborhood and property lines." To this end, in May 2014, Paul cosponsored S 2304 - Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act.[353][354]
- As part of his 2011 plan to reduce the federal budget by $500 billion, Paul said he would abolish the Department of Housing and Urban Development.[355][356]
Rural policy
- On January 4, 2016, Rand Paul opposed the armed occupation of a federal building in Oregon to protest federal control of western lands. "I’m sympathetic to the idea that the large collection of federal lands ought to be turned back to the states and the people, but I think the best way to bring about change is through politics. That's why I entered the electoral arena. I don’t support any violence or suggestion of violence toward changing policy," Paul said.[357]
- After receiving an endorsement from the president of the Iowa Farm Bureau in April 2015, Paul posted on his Facebook, "I'm thankful to have his support. Like him, I believe that much of what agriculture needs is not more government programs, but rather, restraining a bureaucrat-dependent government seated inside the Washington Beltway. It's simple: tear down the Washington machine and unleash American agriculture."[358]
- In March 2015, Paul introduced the "Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2015" in the U.S. Senate, which would designate certain municipalities exempt from some environmental and wage rate regulations.[359] He had previously supported this concept in 2013 as a way to encourage growth in rural areas like eastern Kentucky.[360]
- A spokeswoman for Paul said in March 2015 that Paul "does not support the government telling consumers or businesses what type of fuel they must use or sell.”[361]
- Discussing Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy's dispute with the federal government over land and grazing rights in April 2014, Paul said, “I hope it’ll go through a court. But if it were in a court, I would be siding and wanting to say that, look, the states and the individuals in the state should own these lands.”[362]
- In 2013, Paul voted in favor of an amendment to the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2013, which would have limited "the amount of premium subsidy provided by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation on behalf of any person or legal entity with an average adjusted gross income in excess of $750,000, with a delayed application of the limitation until completion of a study on the effects of the limitation."[363] He also voted against an amendment which sought to repeal tobacco crop insurance premium subsidies.[364]
- Paul sponsored an amendment to the Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012, which would have limited certain agricultural benefits and payments to farmers with incomes of $250,000 or less.[366] In 2012, Paul also voted in favor of an amendment to repeal sugar subsidies.[367]
- During a 2010 radio interview, Paul said subsidies should not be given to farmers whose income was greater than $2 million. Paul also expressed resistance to ethanol subsidies and aid to corporate farms.[368]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Rand + Paul + 2016
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul dropping out of White House race," February 3, 2016
- ↑ ABC News, "Rand Paul Suspends 2016 Presidential Campaign," February 3, 2016
- ↑ [ http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/02/03/rand-paul-presidential-campaign/79654314/ USA Today, "Rand Paul to end presidential bid," February 3, 2016]
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul dropping out of White House race," February 3, 2016
- ↑ Rand Paul, "About," accessed May 27, 2015
- ↑ RandPaul.com, "About Rand," accessed April 7, 2015
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ National Journal, "Ron Paul Steps Toward Third Presidential Race," April 25, 2011
- ↑ United States Senate, "Senators Who Became President," accessed October 16, 2013
- ↑ Crowdpac, "2016 Presidential Election," accessed July 27, 2015
- ↑ Leadership Project for American PAC, "Candidate's Grades and Comparisons," accessed July 27, 2015
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Voter Identification Requirements|Voter ID Laws," March 9, 2023
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Do I need an ID to vote? A look at the laws in all 50 states," October 27, 2014
- ↑ The Blaze, "Rand Paul’s Response to Those Who Say His Tax Plan Will Leave the Government Under-Funded," September 14, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Rand Paul: Income Inequality Comes From 'Some People Working Harder' Than Others," August 9, 2015
- ↑ Business Insider, "Watch Rand Paul literally shred the US tax code with a chainsaw," July 21, 2015
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Blow Up the Tax Code and Start Over," June 18, 2015
- ↑ Forbes, "Rand Paul's Tax Cut Isn't Quite What It Seems," June 18, 2015
- ↑ MSNBC, " Rand Paul draws parallel between taxes, slavery," July 6, 2015
- ↑ The National Journal, "Rand Paul's Tax-Policy Page Has Reappeared... Without Any Specifics," April 10, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky, “Taxes," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Rand Paul, "Dr. Rand Paul on Taxes," accessed May 20, 2015
- ↑ Americans for Tax Reform, "Senator Rand Paul Signs Taxpayer Protection Pledge to the American People," April 24, 2015
- ↑ FOX News, "Kentucky Senate Showdown," October 3, 2010
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.743 - The Marketplace Fairness Act," accessed May 20, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, "PAUL: An ill-advised Internet tax mandate," April 19, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul on Obamacare compromise: ‘Maybe’," September 23, 2013
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.J.Res.8 - A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Internal Revenue Service of the Department of the Treasury relating to taxable medical devices.," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Rand Paul, U.S. Senate 2010, "Jack Conway joins Ally Obama in Proposing New Death Tax," accessed May 20, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.1183 - Death Tax Repeal Act of 2013," accessed May 20, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Senate rejects Paul’s push to audit the Fed," January 12, 2016
- ↑ TIME, "Sen. Rand Paul: The Fed Is Crippling America," January 10, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "After interest rate announcement, Rand Paul compares Federal Reserve to Soviet Politburo," December 16, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.2232 - Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015," November 3, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.2288 - Bring Accountability Now to the Fed Act of 2015," November 17, 2015
- ↑ Breitbart, "Sen. Rand Paul: Audit the Fed," February 10, 2015
- ↑ Bloomberg, "Rand Paul on Republicans' Voter Appeal and the Federal Reserve," August 8, 2013
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.202 - Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2011," accessed December 9, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Paul in new push for 'Audit the Fed' bill," November 4, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul Senate website, "Sen. Rand Paul Reintroduces 'Audit the Fed'," November 4, 2015
- ↑ Congressional Research Service, "The Legislative Process on the Senate Floor: An Introduction," August 13, 2014
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky, "Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Joint Resolution of Disapproval to Repeal Internet Regulation," April 29, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.J.Res.14 - A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission regulating broadband Internet access.," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky, "Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2015," March 18, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.790 - Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2015," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Open Congress, “S.2216 - Protect Small Business Jobs Act of 2014," archived March 7, 2016
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.2216 - Protect Small Business Jobs Act of 2014," accessed May 21, 201
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.1029 - Regulatory Accountability Act of 2013," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.191 - Regulatory Responsibility for our Economy Act of 2013," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.204 - A bill to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities.," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.299 - REINS Act," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, S.226 - Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Republicans introduce bill to rein in regulators," January 22, 2015
- ↑ The Daily Independent, "U.S. SENATOR RAND PAUL: Still Fighting for Ashland," January 25, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Who said what and what it meant: The 4th GOP debate, annotated," November 10, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2146)," accessed September 7, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 1314," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, "H.R. 1314 (Ensuring Tax Exempt Organizations the Right to Appeal Act)," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ WMUR.com, "Paul opposes granting Obama fast-track trade authority," accessed May 13, 2015
- ↑ The National Interest, "Rand Paul: The Case for Conservative Realism," October 23, 2014
- ↑ The Hill, "Rand Paul to oppose fast-track," May 12, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Trade bill clears Senate hurdle," May 21, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Hatch Amdt. No. 1221 to H.R. 1314 )," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, “H.R.3078 - United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, “H.R.3079 - United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, “H.R.3080 - United States-Korea Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.740 to S.Amdt.738," accessed May 15, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Paul looks to rein in government programs," January 20, 2016
- ↑ Rand Paul U.S. Senator for Kentucky, "Sen. Rand Paul Uncovers USAID Spending $500,000 on Moldova’s Wine Industry," accessed January 20, 2016
- ↑ Rand Paul, U.S. Senator for Kentucky, "Sen. Rand Paul Releases Special Christmas Edition of ‘The Waste Report,’" December 21, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Paul: Nobody read the $1.1 trillion omnibus bill," December 20, 2015
- ↑ CNN Politics, "Paul blasts Ryan for budget vote, says starts relationship 'on bad foot,'" November 3, 2015
- ↑ Yahoo News, "Obama signs 2-year budget, debt deal before default deadline," November 2, 2015
- ↑ Americans for Tax Reform website, "ATR Supports Sen. Rand Paul’s Legislation to Prevent Default and Cut, Cap, and Balance," accessed October 20, 2015
- ↑ Washington Examiner, "Paul shows how he'll cut $207b in spending, balance budget," October 17, 2015
- ↑ ABC News, "Rand Paul Wants to Cut Nation's Credit Card," October 8, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Senator for Kentucky, Rand Paul, "Sen. Rand Paul Votes Against Continuing Resolution," September 25, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Senator for Kentucky, Rand Paul, "Sen. Rand Paul Exposes $250K Taxpayer Funded Trip to Space Camp & Dollywood for Foreign Kids in Latest ‘The Waste Report,’" August 10, 2015
- ↑ Time, "Transcript: Read Full Text of Sen. Rand Paul’s Campaign Launch," April 7, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul, "Spending and Debt," accessed May 20, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, “Rand Paul rips 'shameful' budget plan," December 11, 2013
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.J.Res.59 - Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2014," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Real Clear Politics, "Sen. Rand Paul: U.S. Won't Default If Debt Ceiling Is Not Raised," October 3, 2013
- ↑ Senator Rand Paul, "Sen. Rand Paul's Concern with Raising the Debt Ceiling," May 5, 2011
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul: No government bailout for Detroit," July 19, 2013
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Rand Paul Flip Flops On Bank Bailout Vow, Seeks Fundraising Help From GOP Senators Who Voted For It," June 22, 2010
- ↑ Courier Press, “Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul rolls out budget ax," January 27, 2011
- ↑ ABC News, "Sen. Paul Unveils 5-Year Budget Plan: Eliminates Four Federal Agencies," March 17, 2011
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "A Modest $500 Billion Proposal," February 7, 2011
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Rand Paul and Earmarks," November 10, 2010
- ↑ Facebook, "Rand Paul, April 25, 2015," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "GOP Presidential Hopefuls Risk Iowans’ Ire on Ethanol," March 5, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, “Rand and Ron Paul ride to the rescue for Bundy in Nevada standoff with feds," April 16, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.953 to S.954," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.923 to S.954," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.956 - A bill to permanently suspend application of certain agricultural price support authority.," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.2181 to S.3240," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.2393 to S.Amdt.2392," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator, "Senate Votes on Paul Amendment to Farm Bill," accessed May 15, 2015
- ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Paul tempers opposition to federal farm subsidies," July 1, 2010
- ↑ Newsmax, "Rand Paul: Lawmakers Are 'Wimps' When It Comes to Social Security," November 3, 2015
- ↑ MSNBC, "Rand Paul: Half of disability recipients are ‘gaming the system’," January 14, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Rand Paul: Disability Insurance Wasted On People With Anxiety And Back Pain," January 14, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.1469 - Congressional Health Care for Seniors Act of 2013," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Times, "Paul: Health care for seniors," July 26, 2013
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.2182 to S.3240," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ C-SPAN, "Clip from June 13, 2012 Senate Session," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.1904 - Welfare Reform Act of 2011," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ Mike Lee, U.S. Senator for Utah, "Republicans Announce Welfare Reform Act of 2011," November 16, 2011
- ↑ The Hill, "GOP senators: Raise retirement age to 70," April 13, 2011
- ↑ WCAX, "Sen. Rand Paul attends Vt. GOP event," August 31, 2015
- ↑ Daily Signal, "Rand Paul: ‘The President Is in Defiance of the Law’ on Iran Deal," September 23, 2015
- ↑ BuzzFeed, "Rand Paul Says He Supports Using Military Force If Iran Is Building Nukes," July 22, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul comes out against Iran deal," July 14, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.615 - Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015," accessed May 22, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky, "Sen. Rand Paul Cosponsors Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015," accessed April 10, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Republicans Warn Iran Against Nuclear Deal With Obama," March 9, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Rand Paul Challenges Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz on Iran," January 26, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul blocks Iran sanctions bill," March 27, 2012
- ↑ 120.0 120.1 Bloomberg, "Rand Paul Finally, Sort of, Responds to the Iran Negoations," April 6, 2015
- ↑ New Hampshire Union Leader, "Rand Paul speaks in Derry, says he is only true fiscal conservative in Presidential race," December 11, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Who said what and what it meant: The 4th GOP debate, annotated," November 10, 2015
- ↑ South Carolina Radio Network, "Rand Paul calls for VA to reduce medical services, offer vouchers instead," July 27, 2015
- ↑ Newsweek, "What Rand Paul Thinks About Defense Spending," April 7, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul now wants more defense spending. Welcome back to the old GOP.," March 26, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, "Committee Assignments," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ Slate, “Jettison Some of the Crap," July 23, 2012
- ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Sen. Rand Paul: Vote was against wasteful bill, not veterans," October 15, 2012
- ↑ CNN, "Budget debate shifts to raising debt ceiling," April 18, 2011
- ↑ CNN, "Rush Transcript second debate: CNN Facebook Republican Presidential Debate," December 15, 2015
- ↑ CNBC, "10 questions for Rand Paul," October 19, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul: No-fly zone in Syria ‘could lead to World War III,'" October 7, 2015
- ↑ National Review, "Rand Paul: Republican Hawks Are Arming ISIS," May 27, 2015
- ↑ 134.0 134.1 CNN, "New Day, May 19, 2015, Transcript," accessed May 22, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Rand Paul: Kurds would fight ISIS 'like hell' if promised a country," March 11, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Rand Paul Calls for a Formal Declaration of War Against ISIS," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Rand Paul's surprise move on ISIS," December 5, 2014
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "How U.S. Interventionists Abetted the Rise of ISIS," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ 139.0 139.1 Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky,, "Sen. Paul Blocks the Renewal of Patriot Act," November 18, 2014 Cite error: Invalid
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tag; name "Freedom" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ CNN, “Rand Paul: U.S. involvement in Syria a 'mistake'," September 1, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul slams Syria plan," September 18, 2014
- ↑ Courier Press, “Kentucky Senator Paul berates Obama for 'cavalierly taking us to war'," March 30, 2011
- ↑ CBS News, “Sarah Palin: Big Tent Republican?" February 10, 2010
- ↑ Mother Jones, "Rand Paul Says Dick Cheney Pushed for the Iraq War So Halliburton Would Profit," April 7, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul: Iran prisoner release may lead to ‘thawing of relations’," January 16, 2016
- ↑ CNN Politics, "Rand Paul: Sailor video means we need to watch Iran 'like a hawk'," January 14, 2016
- ↑ 147.0 147.1 CNN, "CNN REAGAN LIBRARY DEBATE: Later Debate Full Transcript," September 16, 2015
- ↑ The Blaze, "Rand Paul Lists Ways People ‘Misinterpret’ Reagan, Says He’s Candidate Most Aligned With Him on Intervention," August 25, 2015
- ↑ TIME, "Transcript: Read the Full Text of the Primetime Republican Debate," August 6, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky, "Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Stand with Israel Act of 2015," March 4, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.34 - Defend Israel by Defunding Palestinian Foreign Aid Act of 2015," accessed May 22, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul introduces bill to defund Palestinian Authority," January 7, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul : Ending foriegn aid for Israel would be good for Israel," August 7, 2014
- ↑ Bloomberg, "Rand Paul Would Be 'Happy to Dissolve' the United Nations," January 14, 2015
- ↑ TIME, "Rand Paul: Cuba Isolationists Just Don’t Get It," December 19, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Post, “Rand Paul: GOP shouldn’t ‘tweak’ Russia over Ukraine," February 25, 2014
- ↑ Wall Street Journal, "GOP Hawks Are on the Rise," March 5, 2014
- ↑ Time, “Sen. Rand Paul: U.S. Must Take Strong Action Against Putin’s Aggression," March 9, 2014
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Rand Paul irritated by vaccine questions," February 12, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul’s claim that the White House suggested Ebola transmission is like AIDS," October 20, 2014
- ↑ The Hill, "Rand Paul torn on Ebola quarantine policy," November 2, 2014
- ↑ National Review, "Rand Paul Urges ‘Temporary’ Ebola Flight Restrictions: ‘We’ve Underplayed the Risk of This’, October 10, 2014
- ↑ Newsmax, "Rand Paul: Will Take Half-Million Troops to Defeat ISIS," December 21, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Rush Transcript second debate: CNN Facebook Republican Presidential Debate," December 15, 2015
- ↑ The Daily Caller, "Rand Paul: ‘The First War Was A Mistake And I Oppose Going Back Again’," November 19, 2015
- ↑ Real Clear Politics, "Rand Paul: No More Arm Sales To Middle East Until They Start Accepting Refugees," November 18, 2015
- ↑ TIME, "Rand Paul: Punish Those Who Fund ISIS," November 17, 2015
- ↑ Washington Post, "Rand Paul introduces bill to bar refugees from Syria, subject French citizens to waiting period," accessed November 17, 2015
- ↑ Boston Globe, "After Paris attacks, GOP hopeful Rand Paul warns of refugees," accessed November 16, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Rand Paul opposes Loretta Lynch's confirmation," accessed February 10, 2015
- ↑ Reason, "Rand Paul Rejects Judicial Restraint, Says 'I'm a Judicial Activist'," January 14, 2015
- ↑ WND, "Rand Paul: Let's think about judicial activism," January 13, 2015
- ↑ The Blaze, “Just Watch Rand Paul Deliver an Epic, Scathing Constitutional Argument Against an Obama Nominee: ‘I Rise Today to Oppose the Nomination…’," May 21, 2014
- ↑ Detroit Free Press, "Sen. Rand Paul calls for term limits for Congress," September 19, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Republicans introduce bill to rein in regulators," January 22, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.226 - Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2015," accessed May 23, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.2118 - ENFORCE the Law Act of 2014," accessed May 23, 2015
- ↑ FOX News, "House backs bill to sue president over ignoring laws," March 13, 2014
- ↑ CBS News, "Rand Paul: Trump third party run 'could give us another Clinton'," September 3, 2015
- ↑ Glenn Beck, "Court rules NSA program overstepped their authority," May 8, 2015
- ↑ http://www.salon.com/2011/06/01/free_speech_4/ Salon.com, "Criminalizing free speech," accessed February 10, 2015]
- ↑ Facebook.com, "Sen. Rand Paul," November 3, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul on what Obama should tell Pope Francis," March 25, 2015
- ↑ The Des Moines Register, "Rand Paul: GOP doesn't oppose birth control," August 6, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.1204 - Health Care Conscience Rights Act," accessed May 23, 2015
- ↑ University of Chicago's Institute of Politics, "CLIP: Sen. Rand Paul on Citizens United," April 23, 2014
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "There Is One Campaign Finance Regulation That Rand Paul Supports," April 23, 2014
- ↑ Breitbart, "Rand Defends Indiana RFRA," accessed April 16, 2015
- ↑ The Blaze, "Rand Paul: Bloomberg ‘Doesn’t Have Much Respect’ for Second Amendment, Probably Wouldn’t Get Many Votes," January 23, 2016
- ↑ WMUR, "Rand Paul tells students people should not be jailed ‘for hurting themselves’ with drugs," January 5, 2016
- ↑ Rand Paul, U.S. Senator for Kentucky, "Sen. Rand Paul Reintroduces Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act," accessed December 22, 2015
- ↑ TIME, "Rand Paul: Let’s Destroy ISIS — Not the Constitution," December 9, 2015
- ↑ New Hampshire Union Leader, "Rand Paul targets 3 state senators on NH gun bill," September 15, 2015
- ↑ Governor.nh.gov, "Governor Hassan’s Veto Message Regarding SB 116," July 6, 2015
- ↑ YouTube, "Dr. Rand Paul on the Second Amendment," accessed May 23, 2015
- ↑ KSBW, "Conversation with the Candidate: Rand Paul (Part 2)," April 3, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.3478 to S.2363," accessed May 23, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul again targets D.C. gun laws with Senate amendment," July 9, 2014
- ↑ CNN, "The government wants your gun rights," April 10, 2013
- ↑ Washington Times, "PAUL: A duty to preserve the Second Amendment," accessed February 10, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, “On the Amendment (Inhofe Amdt. No. 139)," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.139 to S.Con.Res.8," accessed May 23, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.711 to S.649," accessed May 23, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.714 to S.649," accessed May 23, 2015
- ↑ New Hampshire Union Leader, "Another View -- Rand Paul: Fighting terror without sacrificing liberty," January 5, 2016
- ↑ CNN, "Rush Transcript second debate: CNN Facebook Republican Presidential Debate," December 15, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, Senate shoots down Paul's contested cyber amendment," October 22, 2015
- ↑ Facebook, "Rand Paul," August 29, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Senator for Kentucky, Rand Paul, "Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Amendments to Cybersecurity Bill," August 4, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Paul begins Patriot Act filibuster," May 20, 2015
- ↑ C-SPAN, "Senate Session, May 20, 2015," accessed May 20, 2015
- ↑ Facebook, "Rand Paul," May 20, 2015
- ↑ C-SPAN, "Senate Session, May 20, 2015," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Brietbart, "Standing Ovation: Rand Paul Blows Away Liberal Black Audience with Conservative Message at Bowie State," March 14, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S 2685 - USA FREEDOM Act of 2014," accessed May 24, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Paul sues Obama over NSA spying," February 12, 2014
- ↑ Law360, "Rand Paul Brings NSA Phone Dragnet Class Action," February 12, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "Ran Paul's NSA lawsuit put on hold," September 22, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.1121 - Fourth Amendment Restoration Act of 2013," accessed May 24, 2015
- ↑ The Gazette, "Rand Paul opposes eminent domain for Bakken line," October 31, 2015
- ↑ FOX News, Exclusive: One-on-one with presidential candidate Rand Paul," April 8, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.2644 - FAIR Act," accessed May 24, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Rand Paul: How feds can legally steal your money," January 30, 2015
- ↑ Breitbart, "Exclusive–Sen. Rand Paul: With Barron Nomination, Does Obama Even Believe We Have a Fifth Amendment," May 14, 2014
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul urges drone due process fixes," May 26, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul weighing dual run for White House, Senate," June 6, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.2473 - Federal Land Designation Requirements Act of 2011," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky, "Sen. Paul Questions Secretary Kerry on Authorization for War with ISIS," March 11, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Rand Paul says as president he would repeal all executive orders," September 12, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.82 - Separation of Powers Restoration and Second Amendment Protection Act of 2013," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Breitbart, "Sen. Rand Paul to Propose Bill to 'Nullify' Obama's Executive ORders on Gun Control," January 17, 2013
- ↑ The Washington Post, "7th Republican debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant," January 28, 2016
- ↑ WMUR, "Rand Paul tells students people should not be jailed ‘for hurting themselves’ with drugs," January 5, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Cruz, Paul call for peaceful end to Oregon standoff," January 4, 2016
- ↑ New York Magazine, "Rand Paul Says Employed People Don’t Have Time for Heroin," September 2, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, "Rand Paul: ‘Biggest impediment to employment and to voting in our country is a criminal record’," July 22, 2015
- ↑ United States Senator for Kentucky, "Sens. Paul and Booker Re-introduce the REDEEM Act," March 9, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.675 - REDEEM Act," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ 239.0 239.1 The Washington Times, “Rand Paul says death penalty is a state issue," July 24, 2014
- ↑ USA Today, "Rand Paul: Give kids a second chance after drug crime," July 11, 2014
- ↑ Time.com, "Rand Paul: We Must Demilitarize the Police," accessed February 10, 2015
- ↑ Paul, Rand. (2012). Government Bullies. New York: Center Street. (pages 108-109)
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky, "FOCUS Act," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.2062 - Freedom from Over-Criminalization and Unjust Seizures Act of 2012," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.1019 - Freedom from Over-Criminalization and Unjust Seizures Act of 2015," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ KSBW, "Conversation with the Candidate: Rand Paul (Part 2)," April 3, 2015
- ↑ Think Progress, “Rand Paul Says He Would Respond To Ukrainian Crisis By ‘Drilling In Every Possible Conceivable Place’," March 9, 2014
- ↑ Senate.gov, “Sen. Paul Unveils FY2014 Budget: A Clear Vision to Revitalize America," March 22, 2013
- ↑ Rand Paul 2010, “Issues: Energy Innovation," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky, "Advancing Energy Security," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Rand Paul takes climate change with Bill Maher," November 14, 2014
- ↑ TIME, "Sen. Rand Paul: U.S. Must Take Strong Action Against Putin’s Aggression," March 9, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.2280," accessed February 10, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.494 to S.Con.Res.8," accessed February 10, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, "U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 112th Congress - 2nd Session," accessed February 10, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Rand Paul, Kentucky Senator, Blocks Oil Pipeline Safety Bill," September 27, 2011
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.275 — Pipeline Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2011," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.784 to S.275," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Dianne Feinstein, United States Senator for California, "Senate Passes Pipeline Safety Bill," October 18, 2011
- ↑ Reagan Foundation, "A Reagan Forum with Rand Paul – 5/31/13," June 1, 2013
- ↑ Rand Paul, U.S. Senator for Kentucky, "Sen. Rand Paul Uncovers National Science Foundation $450,000 Global Warming Video Game in Latest ‘The Waste Report’," accessed December 1, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Who said what and what it meant: The 4th GOP debate, annotated," November 10, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.29 to S.Amdt.2," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.58 to S.Amdt.2," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul hits Hillary Clinton climate comments," September 5, 2014
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Rand Paul Warns Climate Change Debate 'Should Not Be Dumbed Down' -- Then Dumbs It Down," April 23, 2014
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky, "Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Endangered Species Management Self-Determination Act," March 24, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.1731 - Endangered Species Management Self-Determination Act," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Senate.gov, “On the Amendment (Lee Amdt. No. 2313)," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.890 - Defense of Environment and Property Act of 2013," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky, "Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Defense of Environment and Property Act of 2015," April 17, 2015
- ↑ [hhttp://web.archive.org/web/20160229210706/ttp://www.opencongress.org/bill/s2414-113/show Open Congress, “S.2414 - Protecting Jobs, Families, and the Economy From EPA Overreach Act," archived February 29, 2016]
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky, "Advancing Energy Security," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.861 - A bill to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to provide guidance and clarification regarding issuing new and renewal permits, and for other purposes.," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, "PAUL: EPA regulations violate constitutional rights," August 31, 2011
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.609 - Comprehensive Assessment of Regulations on the Economy Act of 2011," December 9, 2014
- ↑ CBS News, "Senate passes Obamacare repeal bill," December 3, 2015
- ↑ FOX News, "Sen. Rand Paul's remedy for ObamaCare: 'We could try freedom for awhile. We had it for a long time,'" January 5, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul, "About," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul, "Health Care," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul, United States Senator for Kentucky, "Putting Patients First," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.177 - ObamaCare Repeal Act," accessed February 10, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Paul: 'Difficult to turn the clock back' on O-Care," April 25, 2014
- ↑ Vote Smart, "Issue Position: Health Care," January 1, 2010
- ↑ Politifact, "Jack Conway says Rand Paul backs a $2,000 deductible for Medicare," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "7th Republican debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant," January 28, 2016
- ↑ CNN, "Rush Transcript second debate: CNN Facebook Republican Presidential Debate," December 15, 2015
- ↑ BuzzFeed, "Rand Paul Says He’d Probably Stop Giving Cubans Special Immigration Status," September 22, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul explains why he wants to stop ‘birthright citizenship’," August 20, 2015
- ↑ Breitbart, "Rand Paul on Tennessee terror: Restrict immigration from Muslim nations," July 17, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul, "Immigration," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ Bloomberg, "Rand Paul on Immigration: 'The 11 Million Are Never Going Home'," January 15, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul Introduces Bill to Kill President Obama's Immigration Order," December 14, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.3015 - Preventing Executive Overreach on Immigration Act of 2014," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, "Executive Actions on Immigration," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, “Sen. Rand Paul offers border security amendment to Senate immigration bill," June 12, 2013
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.J.Res.2 - A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to United States citizenship.," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.723 - Birthright Citizenship Act of 2011," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, "Sen. Rand Paul: Trust but verify on immigration reform," February 8, 2013
- ↑ The Hill, “Rand Paul supports amendment to deny citizenship to children of illegals," June 24, 2010
- ↑ The Hill, "Senate approves No Child Left Behind rewrite, sending legislation to White House," December 9, 2015
- ↑ NBC Washington, "Obama Set to Sign Education Overhaul Bill to Replace No Child Left Behind," December 10, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.182 - LOCAL Level Act," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ 304.0 304.1 YouTube, "Sen. Rand Paul on Eliminating the Department of Education," accessed February 13, 2015
- ↑ Politico, “Rand Paul to make education push – First look: Fundraisers in the House – Waiting for waivers – Teachers take to the streets – Charter report sparks dispute," July 24, 2014
- ↑ FOX News, "Sen. Rand Paul on Harry Reid versus rancher Cliven Bundy: We need to tone down the rhetoric, but the government has overreached," April 21, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul wants more school choice for poor, minority students," July 29, 2013
- ↑ Congress.gov, "Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ Education Week, "Sen. Rand Paul Talks School Choice at the National Urban League Conference," July 25, 2014
- ↑ Rand Paul U.S. Senator for Kentucky, "Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Life at Conception Act," accessed January 21, 2016
- ↑ The Hill, "Here we go again: Cruz vs. McConnell and Boehner," accessed September 24, 2015
- ↑ WashingtonExaminer.com, "Rand Paul: Blame Dems for shutdown over Planned Parenthood," accessed September 20, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul: Defund Planned Parenthood, fund community health centers instead," August 2, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Paul: Planned Parenthood 'a front for doing abortions'," August 2, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "McConnell to fast-track bill to defund Planned Parenthood," July 24, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul, "Senator Rand Paul Begins Fast-tracking the Defunding of Planned Parenthood," July 24, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Senator for Kentucky, Rand Paul, "Dr. Rand Paul Introduces Amendment to End Taxpayer Funding of Planned Parenthood," July 22, 2015
- ↑ The Daily Signal, "Rand Paul Vows to End Taxpayer Funding of Planned Parenthood," July 21, 2015
- ↑ Rand Paul, "Sanctity of Life," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "The Situation Room, April 8, 2015," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ Congress, “S.946 - No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act," archived March7, 2016
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.583 - Life at Conception Act of 2013," accessed February 13, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "In Kentucky, a Senate Candidate With a Pedigree for Agitation," November 25, 2009
- ↑ CNN, "The Situation Room, March 19, 2013," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ LifeSiteNews, "Sen. Rand Paul clarifies remarks on abortion, confirms he is 100% pro-life," March 21, 2013
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul: ‘Plenty of places’ will hire you if you’re fired for being gay," October 14, 2015
- ↑ Washington Post, "Rand Paul says KY clerk’s gay marriage protest is ‘part of the American way,’" September 1, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul breaks silence on gay-marriage ruling," June 29, 2015
- ↑ 329.0 329.1 TIME, "Rand Paul: Government Should Get Out of the Marriage Business Altogether," June 28, 2015
- ↑ YouTube, "Sen. Rand Paul on gay marriage," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ Bloomberg, "Rand Paul and the 'Moral Crisis' of Gay Marriage: A Timeline," March 29, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul is right on marriage," March 13, 2013
- ↑ Star Tribune, "GOP's Rand Paul courts students with small government message," November 9, 2015
- ↑ The Denver Post, "Ahead of GOP debate, Rand Paul talks marijuana, budget filibuster," October 27, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.683 - Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act of 2015," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Rand Paul: Marijuana Use Makes You Lazy, Lose 'IQ Points'," June 18, 2013
- ↑ The Hill, "Online gambling fight in need of consistency from politicians," November 15, 2014
- ↑ BuzzFeed News, "Rand Paul: Black Lives Matter Should Change Its Name," August 26, 2015
- ↑ KING 5, "Presidential hopeful Rand Paul sits down with KING 5," August 24, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul says you can be a ‘minority’ because of your politics. Let’s break that down.," July 2, 2015
- ↑ MSNBC, "Paul on Eric Garner: I ‘blame the politicians’," December 3, 2014
- ↑ 342.0 342.1 TIME, "Rand Paul: The Politicians Are To Blame in Ferguson," November 24, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Res.511 - A resolution establishing best business practices to fully utilize the potential of the United States.," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ Bloomberg, "Rand Paul Appeals to Democratic Base in Obama’s Hometown," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "7th Republican debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant," January 28, 2016
- ↑ The Hill, "Paul, Boxer team up on transportation funding," January 29, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Senator for Kentucky, Rand Paul, "A Clear Vision to Revitalize America: Fiscal Year 2014 Budget of the United States Government," accessed February 2, 2016
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.3478 to S.2363," accessed May 23, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul again targets D.C. gun laws with Senate amendment," July 9, 2014
- ↑ Education Week, "Sen. Rand Paul Talks School Choice at the National Urban League Conference," July 25, 2014
- ↑ 351.0 351.1 Breitbart, "Rand Paul: 'Economic Freedom Zones' for Detroit, Other Cities,'" December 5, 2013
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul: No government bailout for Detroit," July 19, 2013
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Rand Paul wants more school choice for poor, minority students," July 29, 2013
- ↑ Congress.gov, "Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Act," accessed May 26, 2015
- ↑ Courier Press, “Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul rolls out budget ax," January 27, 2011
- ↑ ABC News, "Sen. Paul Unveils 5-Year Budget Plan: Eliminates Four Federal Agencies," March 17, 2011
- ↑ The Courier-Journal, "Rand Paul breaks with Bundy family over Oregon," January 6, 2016
- ↑ Facebook, "Rand Paul, April 25, 2015," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.790 - Economic Freedom Zones Act of 2015," accessed January 20, 2016
- ↑ WFPL News, "Senator Rand Paul Proposes Economic ‘Freedom Zones’ for Detroit, Other Depressed Areas," December 5, 2013
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "GOP Presidential Hopefuls Risk Iowans’ Ire on Ethanol," March 5, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Times, “Rand and Ron Paul ride to the rescue for Bundy in Nevada standoff with feds," April 16, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.953 to S.954," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.923 to S.954," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, “S.956 - A bill to permanently suspend application of certain agricultural price support authority," accessed December 9, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.2181 to S.3240," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.2393 to S.Amdt.2392," accessed February 9, 2015
- ↑ Lexington Herald-Leader, "Paul tempers opposition to federal farm subsidies," July 1, 2010
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