Posted on 05/10/2010 12:54:59 PM PDT by speciallybland
Elections are about choices, and in the GOP primary on May 18th the choice for republicans should be Rand Paul. Here are ten of the top reasons why:
1. Americans have grown justifiably weary of “politics as usual”. In 2008 an emerging sentiment in our nation helped propel a man into the Presidency in large part because he gave people hope that he would change the way things were going to be done in Washington DC. He didn't, and now Obama’s popularity has plummeted. Yet ever since his campaign ended, the cry for change has grown louder, and has spread like wildfire throughout the nation. Along the way it has also ignited a spark in the hearts of those loyal to the Republican Party and those who join in spirit the respectful yet insistent members of the TEA party movement calling for a return to conservative principles. Rand Paul is born of this movement; he brings to the Kentucky GOP much needed new blood. He alone offers a fresh break from the politics of the past. Rand Paul articulates a more sincere conservative vision than Grayson whose scripted responses seem to repeat as if by rote the chant of the old guard party line. If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results, then perhaps it’s time for Kentucky republicans to come to our senses by remembering our history, and our battles. In the beginning it was the Republican Party which challenged an entrenched political system throughout the Commonwealth offering the people fresh ideas and new blood. We were the challengers to a system of patronage and hand picked successors which was closed to all but a handful of political insiders. Rand Paul’s challenge is reminiscent of our party’s heritage, his campaign helps us remember our our struggles as outsiders to the system and his inspiration offers our stuporous party a better chance for re invigoration. Our choice next Tuesday will become the face and the future of our party. In the climate of that new future Rand Paul has shown that he will be a more credible representative of conservatism and republicanism than Trey Grayson.
2. Rand Paul has clearly articulated a vision designed to meet head on the fiscal crisis facing our nation. He offers details rather than the kind of platitudes we've come to expect from more seasoned politicians. His answers to questions are thoughtful which inspires confidence in him across a broad spectrum of voters. His answers to our problems may seem tough at times, but when the going gets tough, the tough know how to get going. Grayson by comparison has offered what at best can be described as timid responses to hard questions, appearing more often to agree with Dr. Paul than thinking on his own. With Rand Paul Kentucky republicans get a man who says “I Will”, with Grayson they'd get a man who says “Me Too”.
3. Rand Paul has attracted incredible national attention, not only because he is articulate and clear thinking, but because he represents the mood of the country without the need to offer hollow platitudes. If elected it is likely that he will become a rising star in his own right, which will be good for Kentucky. Grayson by comparison has hitched his wagon to fading stars, and his campaign has demonstrated that he is unable to stand on his own the way Paul does. Kentucky deserves two votes in the United States Senate and only with Rand Paul will that be possible.
4. Rand Paul is the only true conservative. Grayson on the other hand was raised and schooled in the home of democrats, educated by progressives. It is time for Northern Kentucky Republicans to remember from whence he came: For decades we republicans in Northern Kentucky fought lopsided battles against an entrenched democratic political machine. The grease which kept that machine running was money raised in part from those influenced by Grayson’s father, Merwin Grayson II. For decades Mer was a powerful force within the democratic power base against which republicans battled. We fought for the right to bring new ideas and new candidates into the political debate. We lost many of those battles before we began to win. Yet all the while Republicans were working to build the party and to break the democratic stranglehold on Northern Kentucky, in his home around his dinner table, in rightful admiration of his father and his political friends, Merwin Grayson III (Trey) was being indoctrinated in the ideology and political strategy of democrats, liberals and progressives. He registered as a democrat, worked as a Clinton democrat and only switched parties after it became clear that his side was losing more than it was winning. Grayson's background as a democrat, his decision to switch parties and the wonderful work he has done for the GOP are all things for which he should be proud. Both Grayson and Paul are men of respect. And out of respect for their families, their mentors and their friends neither would ever disavow the people who helped shape him and instill in him his core principles. As such it is worthy to note that when it comes to having had instilled into him core republican principles, that description belongs exclusively to Rand Paul.
5. Paul is a first time candidate motivated to run, he says, by the urgency of the financial and leadership crises facing our nation. In this sense he better represents our founder’s image of “the citizen legislator”. Grayson has succeeded in becoming what he always aspired to be, a career politician. There is a stark contrast between the motivations of these two men as they seek the nomination of the Republican Party.
6. I conducted one of the first interviews with Rand Paul. I asked him why he formed an exploratory committee at a time when Jim Bunning was still in the race. He said that Trey Grayson’s decision to run inspired him. He was concerned that if the power brokers in the Republican Party were allowed to “hand pick” the nominee, that the people would be offered no meaningful choice. He immediately expressed his loyalty to and respect for Jim Bunning. Grayson on the other hand conspired with Mitch McConnell to run against Jim Bunning. Together they worked behind the scenes to elbow Bunning out of the race. Republican voters would be well advised to remember that this is not the first example of Grayson's propensity for disloyalty. It must be remembered that he announced plans to run against a sitting republican Governor, Ernie Fletcher, at Fancy Farm. Of course he abandoned that ill conceived plot but only after his disloyalty caused many republicans to rail against him. When we are asked to consider all of the good work Trey has done as a loyal republican, we must not ignore the fact that his record also includes both historic and recent instances where he has demonstrated a lack of party loyalty and, in the case of Jim Bunning, a man Grayson called “his mentor”, a lack of personal loyalty as well. As such, republican voters have every right to be concerned that his past behavior may well foretell his potential conduct in office should he be elected to the United States Senate. Might he abandon the party of conservative principles, as Arlen Specter and others have? Might he stray from the conservative conscience of Kentucky when tempted by the seductive flirtations of those offering him personal advancement in exchange for his vote? Grayson’s record is of his own making. His record of "political" philandering squarely places his "political" fidelity in issue.
7. Rand Paul has managed to raise a surprising amount of money without the taint of special interest groups and lobbyists. Grayson on the other hand has climbed in bed with special interests, their Political Action Committees and been the debutante at Beltway Balls sponsored by the very groups who worked to help AIG and other beneficiaries of Federal bailout money. Lately, with Grayson down in the polls by double digits one of these “shadowy” secretive special interest groups linked to some of the most notorious smear campaigns in modern history has funneled money into Kentucky to help Grayson. If one is known by the company he keeps, Grayson, will be seen by many as having chosen to lie down with dogs and covered with their fleas. He made his choice and for that reason expect many to reject him as their choice.
8. Because Trey Grayson is the state official who presides over elections, he had to know that someday he would be called upon to address concerns regarding the “appearance of impropriety” should he insist upon presiding over his own election. When that day came Grayson solicited and then celebrated an ethics opinion which said he need not step aside. Grayson could have taken a higher road. He chose otherwise. Kentucky deserves better.
9. Rand Paul offers Kentucky “fresh legs”. His clearly articulated vision for America demonstrates that he will be ready on day one to help with the formidable task of setting our nation’s ship of state back on the right course. He offers much needed “new blood” to the Republican Party of Kentucky; he is not a “hand picked” career politician and has none of the political baggage dragging behind Grayson. In fact the worst things Grayson has been able to say about Rand Paul he had to be piece together from snippets of Paul's speeches, and for the most part taken out of context. This has resulted in Rand Paul saying many times that the Grayson campaign has been "intellectually dishonest". If Grayson has tried to fool the public then he has demonstrated little or no respect for the intelligence of voters. Even Dr. James Dobson says that “senior GOP leaders” tried to mislead him about Rand Paul in order to secure his endorsement for Trey Grayson. Mitch McConnell is one of Grayson's primary supporters, and certainly ranks among the “senior” leaders of the GOP. Mitch must know exactly to whom Dr. Dobson was referring yet endorsed Grayson's campaign anyway. In contrast Rand Paul’s campaign has offered Kentucky a fresh, clear, strong, conservative message while Grayson’s campaign has only sputtered, spewing forth misleading information engaging in dirty tricks and demonstrating a fundamental disrespect for the will and intelligence of the 2010 republican voter. Voters have every right to consider political campaigns as a preview of the performance in office of the candidates they seek to advance. The lesson learned from watching these two campaigns, is really very simple: voting against intellectual dishonesty is a no brainer.
10. Dr. Rand Paul has a life of accomplishment outside of politics. His motivations for running have been thoroughly vetted and are soundly based upon solid conservative principles. His respect for the traditions of our party, his respect for Jim Bunning, his respect for the intelligence of the voters, the transparency of his campaign and his ability to clearly communicate his thoughts, his beliefs and his vision for the future truly breathes a breath of fresh air into the world of Kentucky politics which the public sees as having been run for far too long out of smoke filled rooms, cloaked in secrecy, and populated by shadowy characters. The Republican Party of Kentucky should always be looking for a set of fresh legs. It will thrive with an infusion of new blood. And perhaps what is even more important, Kentucky can come to the aid of our nation at this critical time in our history by sending a man to Washington with the vision, energy and principled leadership to help solve our most pressing problems, rather than sending one who has cast in with those who are part of the problem.
If the time has come for republicans to break clean from the politics of the past, if the time has come for the republican party to prepare for the future with boldness, rededicated to the mission of advancing the conservative agenda, then on May 18th 2010, when republicans go to the polls for the purpose of nominating their candidate for the United States Senate, the right choice is a clear choice.
It must be Rand Paul.
Whatever crazy.
Rand was endorsed by Jim DeMint, Sarah Palin, Dr. James Dobson, Steve Forbes, and Jim Bunning.
Paul wins all conservatives, church goers, gun owners, social conservatives and remains a consistent 15 points ahead of Trey (Bill Clinton/Romney Trey).
The only Republicans that Grayson has won is the pro-choice Republicans, all that sounds pretty solid to me.
I like him. BTW, he is neither and truther or a birther.
And Palin is backing Carly Fiorina, too. I couldn't care less who or what she supports anymore.
I notice you’re making snippy remarks to established FReepers.
You must be a Paulbot.
Boo-hoo.
Palin saved us from Trey Grayson, and she is trying to save us from Tom Campbell.
Christine Whitman just endorsed the front runner, and the guy that has been winning the race all along, Tom Campbell.
Tom Campbell is the guy winning the race easily, that is why Palin jumped in here at the last minute. Absentee voting started today.
“During the campaign for U.S. Senate in 2000, Campbell touted his 100 percent pro-choice voting record. He opposed a ban on “partial birth’ abortions, one of the most horrific abortion practices. (”Conservatives Agonize Backing Campbell,” Roll Call, August 7, 2000.)
Campbell in 1992 made abortion the center stage of his campaign. In the 1992 election, Campbell’s TV ad ran with the following caption: “For choice, for jobs, for U.S. Senate.” In another ad, he said, “I’m pro-choice and one of the most conservative members of Congress when it comes to spending.”In a Republican debate, he described his abortion views, as good for voters “looking for someone who is willing to break with the party line from time to time.” (Gerry Braun, “Herschensohn Won’t Pledge to Back GOP Pick; Senate Opponents Renew Acrimony in Last Debate,” San Diego Union Tribune, June 1, 1992.)
Herschensohn, for his part, described Campbell exactly as he is during that debate: “I don’t believe a Republican has to pass a litmus test, (but) I feel that Tom Campbell is so far away from the Republican umbrella that it would be easier to run against a Democrat. . .
Yeah, she’s saving us from J.D Hayworth too. What a gal.
When does she hit the campaign trail for Kokesh?
Yep...you’re definitely a Paultard. LOL
Are you just an endless supply of short whines?
Why not make an effort to sell Trey Grayson to us?
Because I don’t a damn about Trey Greyson, troll. My concern is the Pauls and their travelling truther freakshow.
LOL, you are the one trolling, with meaningless, childish, emotional outbursts.
In the Senate race between Trey Grayson and Rand Paul, you want Kentucky voters to choose the man that is widely perceived as being too liberal, Trey Grayson.
You haven’t made any case for why conservatives, gun owners, pro life voters, church goers, should all shift their support to the ex Bill Clinton supporter, currently Romney supporter, Trey Grayson.
If you want people to vote for him, then you need to sell him some.
How would you explain to pro-military conservatives Rand Paul’s support for a left-wing antiwar activist who believes the U.S. government had a hand in bringing down the World Trade Center?
I don’t know about that other race and candidates.
In the Senate race between Trey Grayson and Rand Paul, you want Kentucky voters to choose the man that is widely perceived as being too liberal, Trey Grayson.
You haven’t made any case for why conservatives, gun owners, pro life voters, church goers, should all shift their support to the ex Bill Clinton supporter, currently Romney supporter, Trey Grayson.
If you want people to vote for him, then you need to sell him some.
You haven’t made any case for why pro-military conservatives should support Rand Paul, in light of his support for a left-wing antiwar activist who believes the U.S. government had a hand in bringing down the World Trade Center.
If you want to make a phony claim of Rand being a truther, you will have to do better than that.
Conservative voters of Kentucky are not buying your man Trey.
Adam Kokesh is a truther. Rand Paul is supporting him.
For a nomal, sane person, that would be a non-starter for endorsing a candidate. Not so for the Paul kid. I wonder why?
Yeah, I’m going to have to go with Paul, too. We just don’t have any other choice. Grayson is a democrat in republican clothing. I just can’t vote for Trey.
Look, if you have something you want to tell us, tell us, I’m not interested in spending the next week researching to find out what you are trying to say.
Give us the full tale of your conspiracies and connections between various politicians and political races and the Kentucky Senate race.
Tell everyone why you think that Trey Grayson will make a more conservative Senator.
Why did Jim Demint, and Jim Bunning endorse Rand Paul?
You needn't spend a week researching. A moderately resourceful person could find everything they need to know about Kokesh and RandRon Paul's support for him in about five minutes (10 minutes with a dial-up connection).
Why DeMint, Bunning, Palin, Dobson et al chose to endorse him is a question for them, not me. Endorsements don't move me, facts do. And the facts are, Rand Paul supports Adam Kokesh... and that says a lot about Rand Paul and the Cult of Paul itself. They're fellow travelers with the hard, anti-America left.
But if you must have links, here's a start:
Adam Kokesh: An anti-war smear merchant in “Republican” clothing
9/11 Families Reject Adam Kokesh as a Serious Candidate for Congress
Adam Kokesh: An Open Statement Concerning his candidacy
INTERVIEW WITH MCCAIN HECKLER ADAM KOKESH. (Admits that Ron Paul delegate gave him a pass)
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