Rand Paul

Threatened Filibuster On Vote On Gun Regulation Should Lead To Filibuster Reform In Response

Ronald 35 Comments

The threatened filibuster of having a vote on gun regulations, in the wake of the Sandy Hook Massacre, should be enough to lead to filibuster reform in response!

Five Tea Party affiliated Senators should be ashamed of themselves for not allowing a vote at the least, since the likelihood of major reform is highly unlikely. But in honor of the 20 dead children and six educators at Sandy Hook, plus the victims in the Aurora, Colorado movie theater and other tragedies, why not let a vote take place? How obscene and heartless can these five Senators be?

The five Senators who should be roundly vilified and condemned are :

James Inhofe of Oklahoma
Mike Lee of Utah
Rand Paul of Kentucky
Ted Cruz of Texas
Marco Rubio of Florida.

The latter three have Presidential ambitions, but if the GOP were to nominate Paul, Cruz, or Rubio after not allowing a vote by a threatened filibuster on the gun issue, then they are most certainly dooming themselves for the long term future, as a party being led by heartless lunatics of the far right!

Majority Leader Harry Reid is threatening filibuster reform, which is a simple majority of the Senate, if the extreme right wing stands in the way of a vote on background checks for gun purchases, supported by 90 percent of the nation and 80 percent of Republicans in recent polls. And John McCain has protested the idea of a filibuster, and even Senator Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania seems ready to promote some kind of gun regulation reform.

The GOP cannot allow its fringe members to destroy the party’s future, which is what the threatened filibuster would do!

Presidential Commitment To World Role: Woodrow Wilson War Message 96 Years Ago

Ronald 6 Comments

On this day in 1917, 96 years ago, President Woodrow Wilson announced a Presidential commitment to a world role as he called upon Congress to declare war against Imperial Germany, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the Ottoman Turkish Empire, what became America’s involvement in the First World War.

Germany had declared unrestricted submarine warfare on January 31, and the Zimmermann Telegram or Note, detailing Germany conspiring with Mexico against our nation, had been exposed in March, and this led Wilson, reluctantly, to ask that America go to war to preserve democracy in the world, with a major US commitment.

The dispute over America’s role in the world has continued for 96 years, with battles between internationalists and isolationists still going on, now with political leaders such as Ron Paul and Rand Paul, and with new challenges from North Korea and Iran on the front burner.

America has made mistakes in its commitments, but remains convinced that our nation cannot shut itself off from the world community, as global affairs affect our prosperity and national security! We just have to use wisdom and intelligence in deciding where our commitments should be concentrated!

Quinnipiac Poll: Hillary Clinton Would Defeat Jeb Bush And Marco Rubio In Florida In 2016 Presidential Poll

Ronald 3 Comments

Bad news for the Republican Party: Two of their more viable candidates, both from the significant “swing” state of Florida, former Governor Jeb Bush, and Senator Marco Rubio, would lose big time to Hillary Clinton in their home state, an absolutely amazing result.

Clinton would defeat Bush by 51-40 and Rubio by 52-41, and former Governor Charlie Crist, who switched from Republican to Independent to Democrat, and is considering challenging Florida Governor Rick Scott for reelection in 2014, leads Scott by the massive margin of 50-34 percent.

This is far ahead, but portends bad news for Florida’s Governor next year, and for the GOP in 2016, if they cannot win Florida with candidates from Florida!

And since illegal immigration is a hot issue, and neither Bush nor Rubio nor Rand Paul nor really anyone else considering running, is unwilling to consider a pathway to citizenship for eleven million people, there is no way that, with the increasing Hispanic and Latino vote, that ANY Republican can win the White House anytime soon, not just in 2016 but beyond!

The Conservative Political Action Conference: A Bunch Of Retreads And Future Losers!

Ronald 10 Comments

Conservatives are in the third of four days of their annual Conservative Political Action Conference, and it is quite an event, a circus of retreads and future losers, who fail to see that the nation has rejected their ideology when it is presented to them in Senate races, and only holding on to power in the House of Representatives because of gerrymandered districts created by the Tea Party uprising of 2010, which led to a large number of Republican governors and state legislatures at the precisely correct time to affect the shaping of House districts for the ten year cycle following the census figures.

The Tea Party movement has had its heyday, and there are already signs of its future demise, although they will persist in some rural districts in the House, and have their Senators, including Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Rand Paul, all ambitious to be President of the United States, but none of them should be delusional that they will actually be the next President, while they are all fighting to outdo each other three years ahead of 2016!

Attention at this conference is given to such retreads as Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Donald Trump, Paul Ryan, and Newt Gingrich.

Also, such losers as Wayne La Pierre, Grover Norquist and the usual right wing talk show hosts, including Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, are part of the “distinguished” speakers spewing forth their divisiveness.

And the conservatives are making clear that they will not budge in any form on the issue of gay rights, immigration reform,their “traditional” view of women being submissive to men, and refusal to separate science from the influence of religion!

There are differences on foreign policy between the libertarians and the neoconservatives, however, and any suggestion of moderation on ANY issue has led to Chris Christie and Bob McDonnell being denied an invitation to speak.

The ultimate reality is that it does not matter what happens at the CPAC, as it is like Don Quixote battling the windmill! The American people are NOT going to elect any of these “clowns”, even those who seem more “moderate”, such as Christie, to the White House in 2016. The Republicans are fighting a civil war, primarily over who shall represent them in 2016, but it is all for naught!

The next President will, assuredly, be a Democrat—whether Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Martin O’Malley, Andrew Cuomo, Elizabeth Warren, Mark Warner, Amy Klobuchar or someone else not yet known!

“Don’t Drone Me, Bro”—The Self Destruction Of Rand Paul AND Ted Cruz!

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When Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky spoke yesterday at the first day of the Conservative Political Action Conference, a supporter yelled: “Don’t drone me, Bro”, referring to Paul’s 13 hour filibuster demanding an answer from President Obama that he would never use a drone on an American citizen on American soil, a stunt which gave Senator Paul a lot of attention, and led to his promoting the idea of the likelihood of his Presidential candidacy in 2016.

Meanwhile, Texas Senator Ted Cruz showed just what a bully, and an arrogant, overbearing person he is, making himself very unpopular even among fellow Republican Senators with his loony absolute interpretation of the Second Amendment, and showing lack of respect for Senator Diane Feinstein, who lived through the carnage of the murder of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone in 1978. The fact that even Justice Antonin Scalia has stated that there are limits to the Second Amendment does not phase Senator Cruz, as he fancies himself to be a “constitutionalist”!

Both of these Republican Senators fancy that the nation is ready for their looniness—Paul, the libertarian, who wants to bring about a utopian world of little government in people’s lives; and Cruz, using Joseph McCarthy type demagogic techniques to create turmoil and mistrust, and also to throw a “firebomb” as a method to grab for more power and influence!

Both Senators are upstart freshmen, who are showing total ignorance and total disrespect for the institution of the Senate, and their style and methods are designed to promote their own ambition, but will have the effect over time, if not fought bitterly by sane elements, to destroy the Republican Party and its long, much of the time, respectable history and leadership!

The nation is NOT going to accept either Senator Paul or Senator Cruz as their Commander in Chief, as they both, in different and competing ways, are promoting anarchy and chaos in the political arena, and are both VERY dangerous!

Longest Filibusters In US Senate History

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Kentucky Senator Rand Paul’s nearly 13 hour filibuster this week drew attention to that tactic which has been used to delay or prevent Senate action, or to protest something the government is engaged in.

Paul’s filibuster turns out to be the ninth longest filibuster, according to Senate records, by any individual.

The list of the top nine all time is as follows:

Senator Strom Thurmond, Democrat, South Carolina, 1957—24 hours 18 minutes

Senator Alfonse D’Amato, Republican, New York, 1986, 23 hours, 30 minutes

Senator Wayne Morse, Independent, Oregon, 1953, 22 hours, 26 minutes

Senator Robert La Follette, Sr,, Republican, Wisconsin, 1908, 18 hours, 23 minutes

Senator William Proxmire, Democrat, Wisconsin, 1981, 16 hours, 12 minutes

Senator Huey Long, Democrat, Louisiana, 1935, 15 hours, 30 minutes

Senator Alfonse D’Amato, Republican, New York, 1992, 15 hours, 14 minutes

Senator Robert Byrd, Democrat, West Virginia, 1964, 14 hours, 13 minutes

Senator Rand Paul, Republican, Kentucky, 2013, 12 hours, 52 minutes

Rand Paul Becomes A Potential Presidential Candidate, And That Is Good For Democrats!

Ronald 4 Comments

Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has become a celebrity, due to his 13 hour filibuster, postponing consideration of John Brennan, a twenty five year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency, to become its head, The purpose of the filibuster was to gain a guarantee from the Obama Administration that drones would not be used on American soil against American non combatant citizens.

It has caused the American Civil Liberties Union to back Rand Paul, and some Democrats as well, including Oregon Senator Ron Wyden, as well as several progressive journals and web sites.

But the biggest manifestation has been the split developing in the Republican Party between the Tea Party Movement supporters (such as Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio) and the neocons (John McCain and Lindsey Graham, particularly), and this is great news for the Democratic Party!

Rand Paul is now being talked about more seriously as a potential Republican nominee for President, a thought that makes 2012 candidates for the nomination look as the beginning of a trend of continued disaster that will only become worse in 2016.

Bring on Rand Paul, and watch the GOP split asunder, and watch Rand Paul make Mitt Romney, John McCain, and Bob Dole, past GOP Presidential losers, appear brilliant by comparison! RIck Perry, Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Herman Cain were all embarrassing and disastrous, but Rand Paul would be the most disastrous nominee in history!

If Rand Paul is nominated, and even if he divides the Republican Party while losing the nomination, he will only insure a massive popular vote victory by any Democratic nominee for President, particularly Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, but including others, such as Martin O’Malley, Andrew Cuomo, Elizabeth Warren, or Mark Warner!

Rand Paul Goes Whacko On Senate Floor: Unnecessary Filibuster!

Ronald 10 Comments

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul held up the confirmation of John Brennan for more than 13 hours on the Senate floor yesterday, concerned about the thought that, somehow, Barack Obama intended to use drones against non combat Americans on American soil.

Rand Paul was engaged in pure grandstanding, and it led to Senators John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina condemning their Republican colleague on the Senate floor today!

By his filibuster, Paul only encouraged the conspiracy theorists who see FEMA helicopters about to take over the skies, arrest people who have guns, and intern large numbers of Americans in “concentration camps”, all part of the belief that our President is trying to become a dictator.

This crazy fear and hate mongering has led to more death threats against our first African American President than any other President, and we now know that there are eight times the number of right wing hate groups in 2013, as compared to 2008, over 1,300 in number!

Rand Paul and his libertarian views are dangerous, because libertarians see the federal government as the enemy, and all it does is promote militia group and “Patriot” group activities and threats against the “evil’ federal government. It is paranoia gone mad!

The only good that came out of this was that Attorney General Eric Holder came out with a clear cut statement that the President had declared that, under no circumstances, would the federal government ever use drones against non combat Americans on American soil. As if anyone who has common sense and rational thinking would think otherwise!

Chuck Hagel Confirmed, But Republicans Only Add To Their Bad Image By Refusing To Support Former Colleague!

Ronald 6 Comments

Former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, arguably one of the most principled, decent Republican Senators of the past twenty years, along with Richard Lugar and Olympia Snowe, was finally confirmed as Secretary of Defense today, but failed to gain the support of his former colleagues, including John McCain, Lisa Murkowski, and Susan Collins, who went along with their more right wing colleagues in refusing to give support, without good reason other than a vendetta against an independent minded Republican.

Surprisingly, the four Republicans who supported the Hagel confirmation were Rand Paul of Kentucky (totally inexplicable), Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Richard Shelby of Alabama, and Mike Johanns of Nebraska, the man who replaced Hagel in the Senate in 2009.

It is a sad day when a man who had a decent record of public service is repudiated by “moderates” of his own party, who are afraid to challenge the right wing turn of their party, referring here to Murkowski and Collins, who should have supported their former colleague.

McCain is another story, an example of a man who should, if he had principle, do what the Pope did, and resign in disgrace as a total hypocrite! Here is a man who in 2000 raved about his colleague, and said he would want him in his administration, if he became President. Once Hagel expressed doubt about the George W. Bush “Surge” policy in Iraq in 2007, McCain was so furious, that he exhibited his ugly side, this despite the fact that Bush had trashed McCain’s reputation so often, and Hagel never did!

McCain is now clearly seen as a bitter old man, who should not have run in 2010 for another six year Senate term at age 74, and hopefully will not run at age 80 in 2016, as his time in the Senate is long overdue to end!

McCain is an excellent argument for term limits or, at the least, age limits, with age limits the more sensible concept, in this author’s mind!

Rick Scott,Jan Brewer, John Kasich Accept ObamaCare Medicaid; Rick Perry And Nikki Haley Still Show No Concern For Those Without Health Care!

Ronald 9 Comments

A total of seven Republican Governors, including Rick Scott of Florida, Jan Brewer of Arizona, and John Kasich of Ohio, along with the Governors of New Mexico, Nevada, Michigan and North Dakota have dropped their opposition to ObamaCare in the form of federally backed funds for expanded Medicaid for their poor citizens, with Scott’s announcement the most stunning reversal of all, but with gubernatorial elections around the corner in 2014.

This has led to fury among Tea Party radicals who cannot believe that Scott has reneged on his Tea Party followers, and it might lead to a primary challenge to Scott, who has also reversed course on education funding. So this could make it harder for him and other Republican Governors to win another term in office, and give Democrats the chance to retake the Governor’s chair in many “Red” states, many of whom went that direction in 2010, giving the Tea Party prominence that it has used to try and take America back to the 19th century!

But two prominent holdouts remain–Governor Rick Perry of Texas and Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina— representing two states that are, overall, more degraded in their poverty statistics than most other states. These two Governors are making victims of millions of citizens, who are being condemned for being poor, an absolute disgrace!

And meanwhile, Tea Party Senators are becoming more outrageous in their rhetoric, including Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, with the latter being coined by some the “new Joseph McCarthy” , due to his wild and false accusations against former Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Barack Obama’s choice to be Secretary of Defense. These two men have no problem in being reckless in their behavior, as both are extremely ambitious, and think they will be President in 2017, a total delusion on their part!

It is people like Paul and Cruz, along with Perry and Haley, that demonstrate that the Republican Party is doomed in the future, until and when they purge these hateful, despicable figures out of the equation of the future of the GOP!