Monday, May 13, 2013

Washington Post Features Rand Paul On Its Front Page

First, WaPo informs:
Earlier this spring, Sen. Rand Paul and his wife, Kelley, invited a crew from the Christian Broadcasting Network into their Kentucky home for what turned into two full days of reality TV. In a half-hour special, “At Home With Rand Paul,” the couple are seen bird-watching in the woods, going to McDonald’s and, especially, talking about religion — their belief in traditional marriage and the senator’s call for a “spiritual cleansing” in America.
Then, naturally, there is the obligatory "How much is Rand separating from his father?":
 Paul’s play for evangelical support is part of a broader effort by the rookie senator to court the Republican establishment — much of which views him with suspicion — and become a mainstream political player in a way his father never was[...] The first step for Paul is to make clear who he is and who he is not. For instance, he embraces support for Israel and does not, as Ron Paul did during a memorable moment in a 2011 debate, deliver impassioned defenses for letting people use heroin if they want.
Note well, how WaPo treats Rand gently and then distorts Ron's message.  Dr. Paul in the 2011 debate delivered, as he always does, an impassioned defense of liberty, which includes the use of heroin, but Dr. Paul did not, as WaPo implies, go out of his way for some kind of special plea for heroin users.

The theme of Rand separating from his father then droned on in the front page piece:
When one pastor inquired about ideological ties between Paul and his father, the senator asked that he be judged as his own man.
And then there is the launch of a "more moderate libertarian" approach---translation, not libertarian at all:
The younger Paul, for instance, does not call himself a libertarian, but rather a “libertarian Republican.”[...] In an interview a day before his Iowa trip, Paul, 50, also tried to make clear just what kind of politician he is. “To some, ‘libertarian’ scares people,” he said. “Some of them come up to me and they say, ‘I kind of like you, but I don’t like legalizing heroin.’ And I say, ‘Well, that’s not my position.’ ”
Paul said he believes in freedom and wants a “virtuous society” where people practice “self-restraint.” Yet he believes in laws and limits as well.
That's it Rand, stick the knife in your father and other principled libertarians and then twist, like you did when attempting to give the impression that libertarians are a bunch of naked pot smokers:
“I’m not advocating everyone go out and run around with no clothes on and smoke pot,” he said. “I’m not a libertarian. I’m a libertarian Republican. I’m a constitutional conservative.”
Is that how you want us to think of your father, Rand? As a naked, pot smoker?

7 comments:

  1. I'm starting to think that Rand Paul is to Ron Paul as smooth jazz is to jazz. Nothing against smooth jazz (I enjoy listening to it from time to time), but smooth jazz is a more commercialized, geared for radio airplay form of jazz that lacks the improvisation, lengthy compositions, and sometimes some of the virtuosity of jazz. Compare your average Kenny G record to your average John Coltrane or Wayne Shorter record. They're quite different.

    While Rand Paul is better than all of the other senators put together (much in the same way that Kenny G, in my opinion, is much better than most Top 40 songs), Ron Paul is miles ahead of Rand Paul when it comes to consistently applying and defending libertarian philosophy and principle.

    Rand Paul is particularly dangerous. While he doesn't claim to be a libertarian, he claims to be a part of the greater liberty movement, which is a libertarian movement and which Ron Paul arguably played a large role in starting. With his non-libertarian positions on foreign policy and other key issues, he has the potential to muddy the libertarian name, which will be a major setback. He also has the potential to become another Reagan: somebody who speaks libertarian rhetoric and sometimes makes liberty-oriented decisions in areas that ultimately don't really matter, yet can be trusted by the powers-that-be not to make radical, libertarian changes.

    Please continue to place the spotlight on Rand Paul!

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    Replies
    1. Nothing was more damaging to the growth of jazz music than "smooth jazz."

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    2. Smooth jazz. Is there anything more vomit-inducing in the music world (besides nu-metal)? Jazz without improvisation is not jazz! You know, I think you have pretty much come with the perfect description of Ron and Rand. Ron is Ornette Coleman. Rand is Kenny G.

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  2. What's wrong with running around naked and smoking pot? Those are two of my favorite activities! Fuck you, Rand.

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    Replies
    1. @Ed,

      LOL. First he stabs his own father in the back...

      ... and now Aqua Buddha, TOO??? Shocking.

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  3. Truth be told...

    Ron Paul is a "libertarian" Republican. I don't know what Rand is...

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  4. In for a penny, in for a pound.

    ReplyDelete