Is Rand Paul a libertarian?(says DOMA ruling will lead to human-animal marriage)

[Blue3]

Are we sure that Rand Paul is actually a libertarian?

He doesn't support gay marriage, or abortion, or drug legalization. He had a few issues with drones, but now he's ok with them.

And today, Rand Paul went on Glenn Beck's show. Beck was saying this could leady to polygamy. Paul went further:

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[PPT Spiral]

He's a libertarianish conservative. He says so himself. To call him a pure libertarian is ridiculous.

[Maxwell]

He's a libertarianish conservative. He says so himself. To call him a pure libertarian is ridiculous.

It's the classic Rand Paul strawman. WHY ISN'T HE A TR00 LIBURTURIAN?

[Reluctant Republican]

He said this to ABC

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http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/06/rand-paul-on-gay-mmarriage-gop-needs-to-agree-to-disagree/#.Ucs8EmrZuXk.twitter

Probably the best we're going to get on this front from a Republican in 2016. and 2020. and probably 2024.

Rand's a decent politician, but he really needs to stop trying to please everyone. He has a way of making everyone think he's agreeing with them without actually doing so, which will one day come back to haunt him.  Even as someone who likes him, I think he could find himself in a tricky position in a primary, not to mention the general. Eventually he'll have to make a definitive statement one way or the other, and at this point he really risks hurting his credibility when he does so.

[TNF]

Rand Paul is a liar and a hypocrite, an opportunist and nothing more.

[© tweed]

'libertarian' in US lexicon is so removed from its actual and originally European meaning of stateless/ultra-leftish socialism.  so he probably is, according to our new and dystopian definition.

[Blue3]

He said this to ABC

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/06/rand-paul-on-gay-mmarriage-gop-needs-to-agree-to-disagree/#.Ucs8EmrZuXk.twitter

Probably the best we're going to get on this front from a Republican in 2016. and 2020. and probably 2024.

Rand's a decent politician, but he really needs to stop trying to please everyone. He has a way of making everyone think he's agreeing with them without actually doing so, which will one day come back to haunt him.  Even as someone who likes him, I think he could find himself in a tricky position in a primary, not to mention the general. Eventually he'll have to make a definitive statement one way or the other, and at this point he really risks hurting his credibility when he does so.

So he just panders, and how he panders depends on who his audience is that minute?

[CatoMinor]

This question is sooooo 2011.

He is not now, nor has he ever claimed to be a libertarian. At best he says he is a libertarian leaning conservative. His father is much more libertarian.

[Grumpier Than Thou]

Santorum/Paul 2016!

[windjammer]

Rand Paul is a liar and a hypocrite, an opportunist and nothing more.

Same opinion of him. Hypocrite, opportunist, extremist, a member of the "great" Paul's family.
Maxwell, Sjoyce, you're 2 good guys, I just don't want you to be fooled by this extremist.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

He's a libertarian

[CatoMinor]

Santorum/Paul 2016!

Come on, you're better than this.

[Maxwell]

Rand Paul is a liar and a hypocrite, an opportunist and nothing more.

Same opinion of him. Hypocrite, opportunist, extremist, a member of the "great" Paul's family.
Maxwell, Sjoyce, you're 2 good guys, I just don't want you to be fooled by this extremist.

I've been switching between Rand and Christie for months honestly. Those are the only two that I would most definitely vote for if the general election had them as the Republican nominees, though Walker comes close.

[windjammer]

Rand Paul is a liar and a hypocrite, an opportunist and nothing more.

Same opinion of him. Hypocrite, opportunist, extremist, a member of the "great" Paul's family.
Maxwell, Sjoyce, you're 2 good guys, I just don't want you to be fooled by this extremist.

I've been switching between Rand and Christie for months honestly. Those are the only two that I would most definitely vote for if the general election had them as the Republican nominees, though Walker comes close.

I think that Rand Paul is, even for you, too far on the right economically and he would have probably a conservative score, so you don't have many things in common.
For Christie, I suppose you're really similar economically (he will be more "capitalist" after his reelection) but you're again much more liberal socially than him. Gary Johnson would be the perfect candidate for you but he won't win the republican nomination...

[bballrox4717]

Ron Paul is a paleo-conservative, not a libertarian. I wouldn't go so far as to call Rand a paleo conservative, since he seems to be as far right conservative with selected libertarian views that will help him win future elections.

[The Free North]

He's a libertarianish conservative. He says so himself. To call him a pure libertarian is ridiculous.

[tpfkaw]

Again, this is either being dumb or playing dumb, what he's obviously talking about in context is the proposal to "let churches decide," and he's saying that if that happens then there would necessarily be a door opened to more exotic relationships having equal status in law.

I happen to disagree with him in that I don't necessarily see anything wrong with that, but he was not talking about gov't recognition of SSM.

[Blue3]

How is Rand Paul different from the typical generic Republican of 2013?

[Bull Moose Base]

How is Rand Paul different from the typical generic Republican of 2013?

Way more gaffes

[Maxwell]

How is Rand Paul different from the typical generic Republican of 2013?

Well to start he was the one who brought the drones thing as an issue and moved the Republican conversation to the Dems left on privacy. Rand Paul also, on foreign policy, doesn't want to nuke Iran, which bothers his Republicans. He is to the right of his father, seeing that there should be some military role in the world, but he also wants to cut the military budget, which runs opposite of the Military Complex Republicans. He also thinks Homosexuals should be equal in terms of the actual law, ensuring fair treatment of gay couples in terms of the tax code, health benefits, and visitation rights. He also is against the Patriot Act.

[freefair]

'libertarian' in US lexicon is so removed from its actual and originally European meaning of stateless/ultra-leftish socialism.  so he probably is, according to our new and dystopian definition.

But Liberalism suffered the same fate- in Europe, Classical Liberalism meant a secular small-as-possible government supporting  free-market capitalism . The US definition is closer to Social Liberalism, possibly even more leftist than that.

[Blue3]

How is Rand Paul different from the typical generic Republican of 2013?

Well to start he was the one who brought the drones thing as an issue and moved the Republican conversation to the Dems left on privacy. Rand Paul also, on foreign policy, doesn't want to nuke Iran, which bothers his Republicans. He is to the right of his father, seeing that there should be some military role in the world, but he also wants to cut the military budget, which runs opposite of the Military Complex Republicans. He also thinks Homosexuals should be equal in terms of the actual law, ensuring fair treatment of gay couples in terms of the tax code, health benefits, and visitation rights. He also is against the Patriot Act.

Drones were an issue before Rand Paul. Besides, Paul kind of flipped on it.

Only McCain, Graham, and Ayotte are really war hawks on Iran. They're in the minority. Rand Paul is joining the majority there.

Republicans also let the sequester affect the military. So Rand Paul isn't atypical from the modern typical Republican there.

Same with on gay equality.

Surveillance is also an issue many Republicans no longer support now that they know Obama supports it. The PATRIOT Act was barely renewed in the House a year or two ago, so Paul isn't that different from most Republicans.


So yeah, Rand Paul isn't that different.

[Maxwell]

How is Rand Paul different from the typical generic Republican of 2013?

Well to start he was the one who brought the drones thing as an issue and moved the Republican conversation to the Dems left on privacy. Rand Paul also, on foreign policy, doesn't want to nuke Iran, which bothers his Republicans. He is to the right of his father, seeing that there should be some military role in the world, but he also wants to cut the military budget, which runs opposite of the Military Complex Republicans. He also thinks Homosexuals should be equal in terms of the actual law, ensuring fair treatment of gay couples in terms of the tax code, health benefits, and visitation rights. He also is against the Patriot Act.

Drones were an issue before Rand Paul. Besides, Paul kind of flipped on it.

Only McCain, Graham, and Ayotte are really war hawks on Iran. They're in the minority. Rand Paul is joining the majority there.

Republicans also let the sequester affect the military. So Rand Paul isn't atypical from the modern typical Republican there.

Same with on gay equality.

Surveillance is also an issue many Republicans no longer support now that they know Obama supports it. The PATRIOT Act was barely renewed in the House a year or two ago, so Paul isn't that different from most Republicans.


So yeah, Rand Paul isn't that different.

You are twisting so many of the generic Republican ideals to your argument it hurts. They let the Sequester go because it was any cuts, and called Obama's bluff on the military cuts. Clearly, only Rand Paul actually wants to cut the military, most Republicans, if there was the option to save military for the same amount of cuts elsewhere, they clearly would.

On foreign policy, Rand Paul is, clearly, changing the conversation. While McCain, Graham, and Ayotte are extreme on Iran, you can't possibly argue that Republicans don't want to nuke Iran. Look at the Republican Presidential debates of 2012. You CAN'T tell me that those guys were more or as cautious than Rand Paul is on foreign policy.

Drones were an issue before Rand Paul, correct, but Rand Paul was the only on who cared about it before his filibuster on the Republican side.

And the Patriot Act was a Republican idea that Rand Paul opposed before and after he became a Senator, so if he's not as different as the Republican message in 2013, it's because he's pushing the GOP toward those his ideas. He seems to be the only one out there trying to be a Presidential candidate and expand the GOP. Even if he's blowing it on some occasions, at least he's working.