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Rand Paul: Time for GOP to soften war stance
Press TV ^ | 27 Jan 13

Posted on 01/31/2013 5:08:50 PM PST by xzins

The Republican Party needs to broaden its appeal by softening its edge on some volatile social issues and altering its image as the party always seemingly "eager to go to war," U.S. Sen. Rand Paul told hundreds of Greater Cincinnati Republicans Saturday.

"We do need to expand the party and grow the party and that does mean that we don't always all agree on every issue," the Kentucky Republican said at the Northeast Hamilton County Republican Club's annual pancake breakfast at the Sharonville Convention Center.

To help the party rebound from two successive losses in presidential races, Republicans must find new strategies and messages to reach voters who now often look askance at the GOP, Paul told a crowd of more than 500.

Toward that end, the party needs to become more welcoming to individuals who disagree with basic Republican doctrine on emotional social issues such as gay marriage, Paul said.

“We're going to have to be a little hands off on some of these issues ... and get people into the party,” Paul said.

Paul, a tea party favorite whose name is among those mentioned in the early speculation over the 2016 presidential campaign, expanded on that theme in a brief interview with The Enquirer after his speech.

“Even bigger to me than the social issues is the idea of war,” Paul said.

Republicans, he said, might attract voters put off by the party's hawkish image “if we had a less bellicose approach, if we were for a strong defense but a little bit less aggressive defense around the world”.

“If we didn't have to be everywhere all the time, if maybe we tried to reserve it for when our national interests were impacted or a vital interest of ours was - and if Republicans didn't seem so eager to go to war - I think we'd attract more young people”. wtsp.com


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Kentucky
KEYWORDS: 911truther; gop; homofascistagenda; homonaziagenda; homosexualagenda; iran; kentucky; libertarian; libertarians; no; randnesty; randpaul; randpaultruthfile; ronpaultruthfile
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To: xzins

I agree with Paul that we shouldn’t try to democratize any more Islamic countries, and should avoid getting involved in wars in Africa.

But I don’t get the comments on gay marriage. The GOP already has plenty in its ranks who support gay marriage or civil unions. The question which Paul fails to address is how the question ultimately gets decided.

Will it be left to the states to decide for themselves as it should? Will Congress retain the power to decide for federal purposes, as it should? Or will the Courts usurp power and impose recognition of gay unions on the entire nation?

That’s what worries me when Republicans talk like this. It makes me think they are okay with the Courts hijacking the issue and imposing the Left’s will. The people of Kentucky overwhelmingly voted to ban gay marriage, and that decision should stand forever unless the people of Kentucky decide to reverse course. I hope Paul at least agrees with that.


21 posted on 01/31/2013 7:47:05 PM PST by Aetius
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To: xzins

Yeah, Democrats never start wars.


22 posted on 01/31/2013 7:50:23 PM PST by Trailerpark Badass (So?)
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To: xzins

Will he protect religious orgs/churches and children from gay rights groups then? Doubt it.


23 posted on 01/31/2013 7:57:54 PM PST by RginTN
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To: ConservativeInPA

Rand Paul is a lot more socially conservative than he lets on ... he is a christian social conservative and is raising his kids that way but he doesn’t think the Federal gov’t should be involved in many of these issues. He would be different as governor of Kentucky than president for example because if he were the governor he can dictate what goes on in the state like banning gay marriage but if he were president he would not do that.


24 posted on 01/31/2013 8:27:09 PM PST by JohnPDuncan
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To: RginTN

Yes he would. One of the problems with those calling for federal bans of marriage, do you really want the Democrats in the Senate defining marriage and getting involved ? NO. Rand points out that this is bad for Christians and that they should work at state level and not call for more Federal involvement.


25 posted on 01/31/2013 8:30:17 PM PST by JohnPDuncan
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To: xzins; All

” - - - To help the party rebound from two successive losses in presidential races, Republicans must - - - “

_________________ STOP BEING REPUBLICANS IN NAME ONLY !

DUH!


26 posted on 01/31/2013 8:37:08 PM PST by Graewoulf ((Traitor John Roberts' Commune Obama"care" violates Anti-Trust Laws, AND the U.S. Constitution.))
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To: xzins

And Rand Paul continues his decline into RINOism.

Why don’t you RINO’s just wave a white flag and switch to the Dem party since you want to “soften” everything and “appeal” to (fill in the blank).

What next? More welfare? Triple Obamacare spending?

Any Repubican tyring to out pander a Dem will always lose.

Might as well change their name to “The Whigs”


27 posted on 01/31/2013 8:39:44 PM PST by Fledermaus (I'm done with the GOP. Let them wither and die. Let's start over.)
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To: xzins

There is only one political party in the US, the Fabian Communist Gobalist Party of which the democrats represent the left wing and the republicans, the right wing.


28 posted on 01/31/2013 8:44:12 PM PST by Enough is ENOUGH
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To: Aetius

I don’t think it matters what Republicans say about any issue. It will just be distorted by the media in order to shape public perceptions that will favor their leftist agenda.


29 posted on 01/31/2013 8:46:29 PM PST by virgil
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

Thanks xzins.
...by softening its edge on some volatile social issues and altering its image as the party always seemingly "eager to go to war... We do need to expand the party and grow the party and that does mean that we don't always all agree on every issue" ... the party needs to become more welcoming to individuals who disagree with basic Republican doctrine on emotional social issues such as gay marriage... “We're going to have to be a little hands off on some of these issues ... and get people into the party,” Paul said.
And less bellicose, y'know, like, stop supporting our allies and let his foreign employers overrun the world.


30 posted on 01/31/2013 8:55:41 PM PST by SunkenCiv (He's Obama Lite!)
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To: Aetius

“But I don’t get the comments on gay marriage. The GOP already has plenty in its ranks who support gay marriage or civil unions. The question which Paul fails to address is how the question ultimately gets decided.”

A few years ago, Texas approved a constitutional amendment that marriage is between a man and a woman. So, it’s decided in this state.


31 posted on 01/31/2013 8:57:15 PM PST by Marcella (Prepping can save your life today. Going Galt is freedom.)
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To: JohnPDuncan
Yes he would. One of the problems with those calling for federal bans of marriage, do you really want the Democrats in the Senate defining marriage and getting involved ? NO. Rand points out that this is bad for Christians and that they should work at state level and not call for more Federal involvement.

Thus far no one advocating giving up on social issues have offered any protections for religious orgs/children. Gay rights orgs will sue churches, go after children in schools and they will be fighting back on their own because Republicans have been told to surrender. That's what will happen,

Gays rights groups work on all levels of govt. They push first and we shouldn't surrender.

32 posted on 01/31/2013 9:00:56 PM PST by RginTN
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To: ConservativeInPA

no it’s great. I really enjoyed it.


33 posted on 01/31/2013 9:15:51 PM PST by dervish (either the vote was corrupt or the electorate is)
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To: xzins; Morgana

I think we need to bring the troops home, no more nation building. Kill the bads and come home. But soften the stance on social issues??

Well, he will never get my vote.


34 posted on 01/31/2013 10:46:33 PM PST by GeronL (http://asspos.blogspot.com)
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To: xzins

I don’t approve of using our military for nation building/social engineering other nations. We can’t afford it and it does not work.

We need to ditch the Powell idea of ‘You break it, you fix it.” When we are attacked by someone’s terrorists and need to take them out, that is all we should do and leave.

I appreciated Reagan’s approach with Quadafi when he flapping his anti-american lips and doing terrorist hits against us. He bombed his house, killed some of his family members, and then we had no further problems with the creep.

Obama’s drone take out is the way to target problems and not do all out war. But I despise our troops being used as nation builders/peace corps volunteers. I could give a crap about building up Muslim nations. Our nation needs building up. You wack the problem and get out.


35 posted on 02/01/2013 12:24:06 AM PST by SaraJohnson
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To: zeestephen
"You can’t have open borders and a welfare state…” Rand Paul
36 posted on 02/01/2013 12:31:35 AM PST by jpsb
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To: jpsb
Thanks for the immigration quote.

That’s a pleasant surprise.

I like a lot of things about Rand Paul.

But I do worry about his semi-isolationist views on foreign policy, the military, and Israel.

37 posted on 02/01/2013 12:45:11 AM PST by zeestephen
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To: xzins
"Daddy, daddy, did I do good? I really gave old Dubya what-fer!" Imagine 'Pubbie impertinence, 'eager to go to war' just because a bunch of terrorists killed 3000 innocent Americans at their desks and in their airliners on a pellucid Tuesday morning when the country was at peace.

Warmongers! Boo, hiss!!

What, did Dalton Trumbo write the script for this speech?

38 posted on 02/01/2013 1:56:00 AM PST by lentulusgracchus
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To: zeestephen
But I do worry about his semi-isolationist views on foreign policy, the military, and Israel.

It isn't even isolationism any more, if he drags out the President of the United States for cracking open a giant can of whoopass on people who committed mass terror-murder on our soil unsanctioned by any belligerent nation or lawful declaration of hostilities.

39 posted on 02/01/2013 1:59:47 AM PST by lentulusgracchus
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To: xzins; Jim Robinson
Thought this might interest you Jim.

Seems the real Rand Paul is beginning to show itself.

40 posted on 02/01/2013 2:27:35 AM PST by SoConPubbie (Mitt and Obama: They're the same poison, just a different potency.)
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