He's the default candidate for me, and I'm not nearly as excited about him as I was the father (fool that I was).
"Is libertarianism taking hold of GOP?" by Tom Keane | Globe Columnist, March 11, 2014
News reports from CPAC describe the 2016 Republican field as “unsettled,” which doubtless is the case. At one point it had seemed New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie might at least paper over the party’s divisions, but Bridgegate has made him vulnerable and few will be automatically ceding him the nomination.
Related: Christie Had Concern About Bridge Traffic
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, brother of George W., possibly could clear the field, but he doesn’t seem interested. And so there is an array of names.
Another Bush? No thanks.
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Some are familiar from past campaigns: preacher and former Alabama Governor Mike Huckabee, Texas Governor Rick Perry, and former US Senator Rick Santorum.
Nope, nope, nope (although Perry pi$$ed off the Federal Reserve the last time).
Others are new, Rand Paul and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal.
Related: Jindal Jumps Into Presidential Campaign
Folks like Huckabee and Santorum represent the party’s religious right, and in their speeches they seemed to give no quarter. “If this nation forgets our God, then God will have every right to forget us,” Huckabee warned. On the other hand, it seemed as if it was the libertarians who held sway.
Makes you wonder how.... never mind.
The highlight of the conference was its straw poll of candidates, and the fiery Rand Paul won it decisively, with a plurality of 31 percent. His words were a clarion call for reform: “Our party is encumbered by an inconsistent approach to freedom. The new GOP, the GOP that will win again, will need to embrace liberty in both the economic and personal sphere.” Moreover, three of the next top-four finishers were all more or less Paul’s ideological kinsmen, either mainstream Republicans like Christie and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, or firebrands such as US Senator Ted Cruz.
See: Walker's Woes
So is some version of libertarianism taking hold of the GOP?
Can only be a good thing for those country-club establishment types.
Here’s another interesting indicator. In the same straw poll, a significant majority approved either legalizing recreational use of marijuana (41 percent) or at least making it available for medical use (another 21 percent). This is not, as they would say, your father’s GOP.
And indeed, it better not be. The big problem with the GOP is that its ideologies profoundly alienate vast swaths of the electorate. Gay rights and same-sex marriage — overwhelmingly supported by the young — are as thoroughly owned by Democrats as were civil rights two generations ago. Republicans’ harsh rhetoric on immigration puts off the rapidly growing Hispanic population. Democratic stances on choice and workplace equality attract women. And GOP opposition to a higher minimum wage drives working-class voters into Democratic arms.
It's all social issues to him, and the economic mention is an issue that is kicked around every two years. Nothing about wealth concentration at the top, aid to Israel, or the ceasele$$ war machine.
Thus, the crying need for a Republican makeover. If the GOP wants to capture the presidency in 2016, it needs to shed its preachy moralizing and divisive rhetoric and come up with something new and all-encompassing.
Ron Paul won twice, then was trounced (we were told) in the primaries. Rand Paul now to follow in father's footsteps or become loser to Hitlery?
The old ideas just don’t sell anymore.
Ma$$ media is finding that out.
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You can't pick Paul, he's an obstructionist (he's also a doctor).
"Surgeon general nominee said to be too political
WASHINGTON — Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky placed a procedural hurdle in front of Dr. Vivek Murthy’s confirmation as surgeon general Wednesday, citing his political activity for the Obama administration. But a spokesman for Senate majority leader Harry Reid said it would not cause a meaningful delay in Murthy’s confirmation vote, which has not yet been scheduled....
“Dr. Murthy has disqualified himself from being surgeon general because of his intent to use that position to launch an attack on Americans’ right to own a firearm under the guise of a public health and safety campaign,” Paul, a Republican, wrote in a letter to Reid.
Paul’s criticisms echoed concerns from other Republicans voiced during Murthy’s confirmation hearing earlier this month in front of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. But at that hearing, at least one critic said he expected Murthy would be confirmed. Murthy promised during the hearing that he would focus on public health education rather than politics. Paul, who serves on the committee, did not attend the hearing.
Reid’s spokesman, Adam Jentleson, said in an e-mail Wednesday that revised Senate procedures, which allow filibusters of nominees to be overcome by a simple majority vote, will render Paul’s efforts to place what is known as a “hold” on the confirmation less effective than they were in the past. He noted that Paul had recently placed holds on other nominations, including Janet Yellen, who was confirmed to lead the Federal Reserve in January.
Yeah, $trange how she was not stopped.
He said the only practical effect of Paul’s action would be forcing the Senate to take an additional vote to schedule confirmation, something that has become routine because of the sharp increase in delay tactics in recent years....
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Looks like Paul is having an effect:
"White House regroups on surgeon general nominee" by Nedra Pickler | Associated Press March 15, 2014
WASHINGTON — The White House is backing off its push for quick confirmation of President Obama’s pick to be surgeon general in the face of opposition from the National Rifle Association and concerns among Democrats up for reelection who don’t want to take another tough vote on a controversial nominee.
Ever notice EVERYTHING is POLITICS with this administration?
Dr. Vivek Hallegere Murthy, a Harvard Medical School physician and Obama political organizer, is the latest nominee to be targeted for defeat by an outside group in the midst of the midterm election campaign....
It's the ire of the NRA.
The White House has decided that, at least for now, it won’t put its vulnerable incumbents in the position of taking a vote that could hurt them in November.
Whose incumbents? I thought they were Democrats; I didn't know they were the White House's.
It’s an embarrassing setback for Obama, a week after the Senate blocked his pick of Debo Adegbile as the government’s chief civil rights attorney.
Related: Nominee for civil rights post is rejected
Mumia a cause celebre among the controlled-opposition left.
Murthy, 36, would be the first Indian-American surgeon general and is backed by many medical groups. But the NRA said his support of gun control raised questions.
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Related: Romney to Again Run For President
The savior cometh!
UPDATE: Ohio seeks to host GOP convention
"Senator Rand Paul’s criticisms of President Obama and other government leaders over recent surveillance disclosures were warmly received on Wednesday at the University of California, Berkeley. Paul, a Republican who is considering a presidential bid and is seen as one of several GOP front-runners ahead of the 2016 elections, held forth for 30 minutes on what he perceives to be abuses of government spy programs and a lack of oversight of the National Security Agency. ‘‘I find it ironic that the first African-American president has without compunction allowed this vast exercise of raw power by the NSA,’’ said Paul. He noted that other black heroes such as Martin Luther King Jr. were targets of illegal government spying."
