The Things You Have to Say (and do) to Get Elected

Rand Paul Explains His Platform

By Adam S. Sulfridge / Staff Writer for the TimesTribune.com

Dr. Rand Paul, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, explained his position on taxes, government spending, the drug abuse epidemic, welfare and other government benefits during an exclusive interview with the Times-Tribune, just hours before his appearance at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg.

Initially, Dr. Paul addressed drug abuse in rural Kentucky. As a doctor, he immediately zeroed in on more vigilant policing of doctors who recklessly write prescriptions. He asked, “Are they being disciplined? I’m a doctor and occasionally I’ll get notification from the medical licensure board of people who are having their licenses suspended.”

Referencing a recent report which listed Whitley County as one of five Kentucky counties which averaged more than four controlled substances per resident, Dr. Paul said, “There needs to be more policing through the state licensure board… if you’re prescribing inappropriately or to somebody who is selling their medication, and there’s evidence of that, your medical career should be over.”

“I don’t know of anyone who has a magic bullet or answer… if they did, we’d have gotten rid of it by now,” he added. One idea Paul proposed was imposing drug testing on those who receive government benefits. He explained, “If you’re giving people money from the government, perhaps you could tie the money from taxpayers to the drugs.”

Shifting topics, he explained, “Of course, if more of your tax money was left at home, you could hire more officers to combat crime.”

“I think we ought to leave more of Kentucky’s tax money in Kentucky… if you need more money in Whitley, Knox, or Laurel, let’s stop sending so much to Washington D.C.” He defended his position, saying, “A lot of your tax money gets lost on the middle man… projects are better financed at the local level.”

“I think every individual taxpayer is entitled to retain as much of their hard earnings as they can… I don’t believe it should be taken from you, sent to Washington, and only 50 percent sent back to your community.”

When asked about Congressman Rogers’ record of securing federal funding for special projects across southeastern Kentucky, Dr. Paul pledged his opposition to earmarks. “I don’t have a comment on Congressman Rogers,” he said. “But as far as the earmarking process, or saying that I’ll go to Washington promising to ‘show you the money,’ I’ve made a promise to not make earmarks.”

However, he was quick to point out that even though he wouldn’t make earmarks, he believes “if we can balance the budget and be fiscally responsible, then yes, Kentucky should gets its fair share from the federal government.” The problem now, he says, is that Americans can no longer finance special projects in any state.

Turning to a more local topic, Dr. Paul congratulated Whitley County for landing Global Green Cars Inc. He said a community south of his current residence near Bowling Green recently missed out on a similar factory which would have produced Zap! cars. When asked his opinion of the Obama administration’s decision to not award any grant money to help Global Green Cars, he focused primarily on the administration’s gross spending habits.

While Global Green Cars may have deserved funding, Dr. Paul said, “My point is there’s no money to give anybody right now.” He asked, “Was it a good idea to give people $4,500 cash for clunkers?” And then answered the question himself, saying “Well yeah, if you’re the recipient.”

Read the full article here.