Comments on: Rand Paul Emerges

By: Tracy Saboe

Tracy Saboe — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:15:16 +0000

Rand Pall just got endorsed by the Republican Liberty Caucus too.
http://randforsenate.blogspot.com/2009/11/rand-paul-endorsed-by-republican.html

Tracy

By: SK

SK — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:52:03 +0000

KY is particularly ill suited to the liberterian message since not only is it culturally conservative but it is also economically populist(coal mining and manufacturing roots). So Paul has to deal with the double whammy of people who don’t mind govt handouts and hate gays and pot. Beside NH and Maine, he would run pretty well in the Mountain West where people would be more receptive to his message.

By: Paul C.

Paul C. — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:49:25 +0000

Eric:

In my humble opinion, the most significant part of “DOMA” is not that the federal govt. is preventing one state’s gay marriage to be exported from state to state, but the prevention of the IRS from recognizing gay marriage in their regulations. The disallowance of gay marriage (and the differentiation in taxation provided by marriage) by the federal govt. has much more signifcant financial consequences to a gay couple than a state’s recognition of gay marriage.

By: Eric Seymour

Eric Seymour — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:36:09 +0000

“He … says the U.S. government should not outlaw gay marriage because only churches should be in the marriage business.”

I’m not sure what specific policy position this is endorsing. I couldn’t find any info online about Rand Paul’s position on gay marriage, though I did find the opinion of “only churches should be in the marriage business” attributed to Rand’s father, Ron Paul.

There are two federal issues related to gay marriage: the Defense of Marriage Act, which prevents gay marriage as enacted in one state from being exported to all other states, and the Federal Marriage Amendment, some versions of which would prohibit any state from recognizing gay marriages.

The latter could be construed as “outlawing gay marriage,” although technically it would not prevent churches from recognizing gay marriages–it would only prevent government recognition of gay marriages.

Ultimately, the federal government cannot remain “neutral” on gay marriage. It must decide whether to maintain the status quo (only straight marriages are recognized), recognize gay marriages or civil unions, or stop recognizing any marriages.

Anyhow, I disagree with a lot of both Rand and Ron Paul’s positions, but I welcome them into the Republican Party.

By: Joshua Claybourn

Joshua Claybourn — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:20:49 +0000

Josh, interesting post. However, I am confused by your differentiating Paul, as a libertarian, from a “small-government” type. I don’t mean to be snarky here, but aren’t libertarian’s exactly that?

You’re right, but I think it’s more of an issue of degree.

By: Karl Born

Karl Born — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:13:46 +0000

I’m not sure yet whether the comment procedure has changed, so I apologize if I have another comment that says roughly the same thing — I just don’t see it here, yet.

Josh, I wondering about the same question as Paul C. Were you using “small government” to refer more to people with a focus on low taxes and low regulation instead of the broader “small-government” concerns of the libertarians?

By: Karl Born

Karl Born — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:37:11 +0000

Really? Maine? I must not be familiar enough with it. Does Maine welcome economic freedom more than I think it does?

Also, I had the same question as Paul C. concerning the difference between “small-government types” and libertarians. Are you thinking of the “small government” category as being more defined by a low-tax, low-regulation focus?

By: Rand Paul Takes Lead in the Polls | The Agitator

Rand Paul Takes Lead in the Polls | The Agitator — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:55 +0000

[...] Over at the blog In the Agora, Joshua Claybourn notes that libertarian (and Ron Paul offspring) Rand Paul has taken an early polling lead for the Republican nomination to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.). Paul has already raised far more money than his opponent, Kentucky’s GOP establishment-backed Secretary of State Trey Grayson. But Paul has also been able to convert dollars into poll points. He has jumped 14 points in the last three months. [...]

By: ?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:07:47 +0000

Rand Paul is what Kentucky and this country need. But SK, tell me, what states are suited to his message? NH and Maine I get. Any other places in the south? Like Louisiana? Or just out west, in states like Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado? Just curious.

By: Paul C.

Paul C. — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:04:24 +0000