Senator Rand Paul - Asking Questions No One Wants To Answer

Political Realities ^ | 03/08/13 | LD Jackson

[LD Jackson]

The big news of the day seems to be the aftermath of the filibuster held for 13 hours by Senator Rand Paul. He should need no introduction, as his father is former Representative Ron Paul. He shares some of his father's extreme libertarian ideology, but not all. If nothing else, it seems he is more than willing to ask the questions of government that many of our politicians are not willing to ask. That's why he began the old-school talking filibuster in the first place. He asked a question of Attorney General Eric Holder and not being satisfied with Holder's quibbling of an answer, took matters into his own hands.

The main topic of the push backs by Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham is simple. They believe Rand Paul is asking a question that has no merit and demeans the nature of the United States Senate. Senator Graham even went so far as to say the question did not deserve an answer. To that, I say hogwash. Blindly trusting that President Obama, or any other President, will do what is right is more than a little naive and/or ignorant.

(Ace of Spades) Now it's possible they're suspicious of Rand Paul and think he's carrying water for his father's Doctrinaire Pacifism but under the false flag of a much more narrow issue on which he has the right; that is, they think he's trying to move opinion to the Doctrine Pacifist camp in the typical way the Pacifists and anti-American agitators do it, to wit, seizing one one particular grabby issue at a time.

I have to confess I have the same suspicion. I do believe Rand Paul is his father's son.

But even so, to just dogmatically bark that we should trust the president and the military on every question and assume they're "acting for our own good" is idiotic.

For one thing, the greatest crimes occur when large groups of people convince themselves they're "acting for the greater good."

For another thing, it is fundamentally undemocratic to tell American citizens their duty is to simply trust those higher-up in the chain of command and to not bother with all this questioning business.

American citizens are actually at the top of the chain of command: They're citizens. Or at least we used to think so.

McCain and Graham seem to have a military mindset in which orders come from command and duty comes from the troops. That is a fine and noble mindset... for people acting within the command structure of the Armed Forces of the United States of America for missions undertaken for the Armed Forces of the United States of America. It will not due for a Senator, though, and neither would it due for a Senator's superior officer, a citizen of the United States.

And while a soldier must obey his superior officer as to military business, in the ballot box he's his own man.

McCain and Graham should stop trying to be Good Soldiers and start trying to be Good Citizens for a change.

There are some issues on which I disagree with Senator Rand Paul. On others, not so much. But at the very least, he is willing to ask questions. More than that, he is willing to demand answers to those questions, which many of our political leaders do not want in the light of day. Is it not possible that our country would not be in the shape it is in, had those questions been asked and answered many years ago? If for no other reason, Rand Paul has my support for his filibuster and the questions it raised.

[Travis McGee]

On MSNBC the other night on "the Ed Show," those commie rat bastards were talking about drone striking right wing radicals, and they were not kidding. They are not thinking about wiping out Al Queda in America, but "Constitution fanatics" who refuse to obey new gun laws etc.

So even though Holder "sort of" said no, (after being asked six times by Cruz), and Kid Carney said no, (under great pressure to respond), I don't for a second believe that they are not proceeding with domestic armed drones under federal control.

[Mount Athos]

Price of freedom is vigilance.

He’s being vigilant, and warning the president we’re watching to see if he breaks the constitution.

The press and beltway don’t like it, but the consciousness of the constitution is being increased.

[The Sons of Liberty]

Senator Rand Paul - Asking Questions No One Wants To Answer

Least of all the DISGUSTING and DISGRACEFUL duo of McLame and Light in the Loafers Lindesey!

[DooDahhhh]

I think that Rand Paul diverted a coup by this administration in their attempt to expand the Presidential powers. DHS having 1.6 billion in bullets, ordering tank like trucks, drones out the a$$, and trying to give the Pres the right to kill Americans. What does that all add up to. Sounds like dictator talk to me!

[cdcdawg]

Rand Paul got them to admit that they didn’t have the power to do something. His example was extreme to the max, and it still took extensive grilling of the AG, and a 13 hour filibuster, to get the regime to admit it. He (with help) made them admit that there are legal limits to their power.

[The Sons of Liberty]

Rand Paul and Ted Cruz are the first people in DC that have stood up for the American people in a long, long time!

[Georgia Girl 2]

Its good to know that when the 1776 solution kicks into gear there are at least a handful of people in office who might be able to keep the Republic after the dust clears.