Sen. Rand Paul: GOP's voter ID push "completely crazy"

CBS News ^ | May 10, 2014, 2:03 PM | Jake Miller

[SoConPubbie]

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., condemned his party's push for voter identification laws as "completely crazy" Friday, saying it's "wrong for Republicans to go too crazy on this issue because it's offending people."

The comments, delivered during an interview with The New York Times, make Paul the most prominent member of the GOP to speak out against a crusade that has energized the Republican base but alienated some of the young and minority voters the party hopes to court.

Notably, Paul disputed the political wisdom behind voter ID laws, but he did not question their substance or merit. He's previously said it is reasonable for states to require voters to present identification before casting a ballot.

The courts have put voter ID laws on hold in three states so far, with a federal court saying the rules in Texas imposed "unforgiving burdens" on... Thirty states have instituted voter ID requirements in recent years, though several laws have recently been struck down by federal and state courts.

Republicans, who have been the driving force behind the new laws, say they're protecting the integrity of elections by preventing voter fraud. Democrats, though, say there's no evidence of widespread voter impersonation or other forms of fraud. Many spy a more sinister motive, accusing Republicans of trying to depress turnout among students, African-Americans and other groups that lean Democratic and are more likely to lack a photo ID.

Paul, who has acknowledged that he is weighing a presidential bid in 2016, has urged his party to expand its appeal, and he has reached out in recent months to groups that don't traditionally align with the GOP.

[SoConPubbie]

	"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton "We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[servantboy777]

Here lately, it seems ol Rand has just gone off to the left. Puzzled by some of his comments.

[Da Coyote]

So are you, Rand.

After all, we don’t need no stinkin’ IDs...to get beer, to fly on planes, to get into my workplace, to drive a car.

Shove it up your very little Obamahole.

[Jagdgewehr]

because it's offending people

Yeah, we can't have that now can we.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

It's crazy to require photo ID for anything then, right Randy?

[Real Cynic No More]

It offends me that we require ID to keep people from stealing our money, but we don’t want ID to keep people from stealing our government.

[freedumb2003]

>>because it’s offending people
Yeah, we can’t have that now can we.<<

Principles, shrinciples, they are meaningless. The important thing is POPULARITY!

[mcshot]

Rand, Your nonsensical position regarding voter ID has deleted you from from my list of presidential contenders.

[Mich Patriot]

So disappointing. Why not just sign the country over to Mexico if we’re so hell-bent on becoming it.

[Principled]

Why does he think that acquiescing to accepting illegal voting will help? Does he think those he allows to vote illegally will vote R?

Undocumented voting - an act of love.

[dalereed]

when someone is wrong I’ll offend them as much and as often as I can!!

[mountainlion]

Colorado allows voting in a county that “you might like to move to”. That is how they got the votes to legalize drugs and a green worshiper like Chickenpooper.

[Nachum]

[RIghtwardHo]

Paul is always good for a laugh. That’s about all he’s good for though.

[AD from SpringBay]

The satire just writes itself these days.

[MichaelCorleone]

Take a hike traitor.

[BitWielder1]

There is plenty of evidence of voter fraud.
Republicans are not trying to prevent any group from voting, only that the individuals who vote are eligible and only vote once.
That is the law. Let's enforce it.
If there was widespread voter fraud conducted by Republicans, libs would quickly demand two forms of photo ID for every vote.

[ZULU]

Just when you thought libertarians aren’t totally insane, they disappoint you.

[Jagdgewehr]

Apparently, that’s the age in which we live. The only sin is offending people.

[RinaseaofDs]

Paul is done before he got started. Good.