Ron Paul’s tweets tonight show why he’s a big liability for Rand Paul in 2016

Vox ^ | November 4, 2014 | Zack Beauchamp

[2ndDivisionVet]

It's been a pretty good election night for Republicans so far. That means that, naturally, former GOP member of Congress and general gadfly Ron Paul decided to rain on the parade:

Ron Paul ✔ @RonPaul

Republican control of the Senate = expanded neocon
wars in Syria and Iraq. Boots on the ground are coming!

7:34 PM - 4 Nov 2014

1,168 Retweets 524 favorites

On a night when most of his former party is celebrating its moves toward taking the Senate, Paul is bemoaning the idea of a Republican takeover on grounds that it'll lead to more wars in the Middle East. Normally, vitriol from an ex-congressman wouldn't bother anyone. But there's the small matter of Paul's son, Rand — the GOP senator who's almost certainly running for president in 2016. This tweet bemoaning the GOP takeover of the Senate is just a taste of the problems that the father will cause the son in his bid to win the Republican nomination.

Here's the big issue. Both Ron and Rand Paul share a commitment to downsizing America's involvement in foreign wars. But while Ron is an absolutist more interested in speaking his mind than building allies in the Republican party, Rand is a strategist who's built a version of foreign policy non-interventionism designed to succeed in the actual Republican party.

This isn't to say that Rand agrees with Ron on everything and is lying to voters. That doesn't appear to be true: Rand has long had a different vision of the world than Ron. But not everyone believes that. A number of media reports have already linked Rand and his ideas to Ron's ideas, each time providing grist for the anti-Rand Paul mill among more hawkish Republicans.

And Rand Paul is already facing an uphill battle on that front. The Republican consensus on foreign policy is considerably more aggressive than Rand's views are. He's trying to gently nudge them in a different direction — but the more he's linked to father's extreme — and sometimes outright crankish — views, the harder that's going to be. Ron Paul is toxic among Republican elites, exactly the kind of people Rand needs to win over in his presidential bid.

Which is why things like this tweet are so problematic. For one thing, Ron's prediction here is kind of crankish: the president, not Congress, will determine whether US soldiers go to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria. Moreover, he's implicitly saying that Democrats (as the somewhat less interventionist party) are better if you hold views like his — or Rand's. When Ron says things like this in a high profile way — say, on election night — it raises questions about Rand-Ron links among exactly the wrong people.

It's not clear Ron is going to stop anytime soon. He's now the chairman of the Ron Paul Institute, a think tank whose publications have names like "Neocon Watch." Ron's publications have been a problem for him in the past, but it doesn't look like he plans on packing his keyboard away. But as long as he's publishing, he's a threat to his son's 2016 campaign.

[2ndDivisionVet]

[SoConPubbie]

Hat tip to SunkenCiv for compiling this list.

• Sec. of State Kerry: U.S. Not Responsible for Chaos in Iraq, Libya
• NANCY PELOSI: IRAQ IS NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY
• Paul Blames Iraq Crisis on Bush Administration
• Rand Paul Defends Obama Against Dick Cheney

Rand Slams Congress for Funding Egypt's Generals: 'How Does Your Conscience Feel Now?'

Sen. Rand Paul is hammering his fellow senators for keeping billions in financial aid flowing to Egypt's military -- even as Cairo's security forces massacre anti-government activists. [by "anti-government activists" is meant church-burning Christian-murdering jihadists]

[Posted on 08/15/2013 5:44:10 PM PDT by Hoodat]

• Paul: We probably can't get rid of 'Obamacare'
• Paul: We probably can't get rid of 'Obamacare' - [Sep. 21, 2013 9:56 PM EDT ]
• Paul: 'Difficult to turn the clock back' on O-Care
• Rand Paul: GOP 'probably can't defeat' Obamacare
• Rand Paul on abortion: "We're not changing any of the laws until the country is persuaded otherwise"
• Sen. Paul: 'We're Not Changing Any' Abortion 'Laws Until the Country is Persuaded Otherwise'

Rand Paul On Shutdown: "Even Though It Appeared I Was Participating In It, It Was A Dumb Idea"

I said throughout the whole battle that shutting down the government was a dumb idea. Even though it did appear as if I was participating in it, I said it was a dumb idea. And the reason I voted for it, though, is that it's a conundrum. Here's the conundrum. We have a $17 trillion debt and people at home tell me you can't give the president a blank check. We just can't keep raising the debt ceiling without conditions. So unconditionally raising the debt ceiling, nobody at home wants me to vote for that and I can't vote for that. But the conundrum is if I don't we do approach these deadlines. So there is an impasse. In 2011, though, we had this impasse and the president did negotiate. We got the sequester. If we were to extend the sequester from discretionary spending to all the entitlements we would actually fix our problem within a few years.

[Posted on 11/19/2013 12:16:51 PM by Third Person]

• Rand Paul: I think Republicans may have over-emphasized voter fraud
• Rand Paul: Republicans Need to Soften on Social Issues

Rand Paul: Time for GOP to soften war stance

...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.

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

• Rand Paul Wants Bigger GOP: 'You Go to a Republican Event and It's All White People'
• (Rand) Paul: GOP Needs to 'Look Like the Rest of America' to Win Again (again)
• Rand Paul slams Cliven Bundy's racist rant
• Rand Paul: Bundy's racist remarks are 'offensive'
• Rand Paul: I'm Open to Voting for Immigration Bill
• Paul: Still hope for immigration reform this year

Rand Paul's immigration speech

...The Republican Party must embrace more legal immigration.

Unfortunately, like many of the major debates in Washington, immigration has become a stalemate-where both sides are imprisoned by their own rhetoric or attachment to sacred cows that prevent the possibility of a balanced solution.

Immigration Reform will not occur until Conservative Republicans, like myself, become part of the solution. I am here today to begin that conversation.

Let's start that conversation by acknowledging we aren't going to deport 12 million illegal immigrants.

If you wish to work, if you wish to live and work in America, then we will find a place for you...

This is where prudence, compassion and thrift all point us toward the same goal: bringing these workers out of the shadows and into being taxpaying members of society.

Imagine 12 million people who are already here coming out of the shadows to become new taxpayers.12 million more people assimilating into society. 12 million more people being productive contributors.

[Posted on 03/19/2013 7:04:07 AM PDT by Perdogg]

---

Rand Paul calls on conservatives to embrace immigration reform

Latinos, should be a natural constituency for the party, Paul argued, but "Republicans have pushed them away with harsh rhetoric over immigration." ...he would create a bipartisan panel to determine how many visas should be granted for workers already in the United States and those who might follow... [and the buried lead] "Imagine 12 million people who are already here coming out of the shadows to become new taxpayers...

[Posted on 04/21/2013 1:52:42 PM PDT by SoConPubbie]

---

[but he's not in favor of amnesty, snicker, definition of is is]

[Bettyprob]

Wow, that’s pretty sad of you. You’re not going to endear anyone to your candidate by tearing down other conservatives.

[Fledermaus]

Good. Rand Paul needs to go away. If he runs for president it’s only because of his ego.

[gusopol3]

Lew Rockwell made him do it.

[SoConPubbie]

Wow, that’s pretty sad of you. You’re not going to endear anyone to your candidate by tearing down other conservatives.

Sorry Bettyprob, I didn't tear down Rand Paul, he tore himself down by the actions he committed and I posted.

Oh, and I may not endear myself to Rand Paul supporters who aren't conservatives, but I'm pretty sure the rest of Freeperdom is not going to be too disappointed by me posting the truth about Rand Paul.

[NoLibZone]

Drop RonPaul over Syria where he can live with his brethren.

[Bettyprob]

Uh-huh. You keep it up. There’s a reason Paul is at or near the top in the national and early primary polls, and that won’t be changed by being palpably threatened that he could beat out your candidate.

[flaglady47]

Rand Paul is Ron Paul in camouflage.

[2ndDivisionVet]

I said a few weeks ago that you were a Paulestinian, and now you go and prove it! Hahahahaha!

[SoConPubbie]

Uh-huh. You keep it up. There’s a reason Paul is at or near the top in the national and early primary polls, and that won’t be changed by being palpably threatened that he could beat out your candidate.

Let me get this straight, you're on a conservative web-site, politicking for a candidate who has proven that he isn't a conservative, and taking me to task for pointing out his lack of conservatism?

Like I posted to you before Bettyprob, you ain't fooling anybody.

[Bettyprob]

Who cares what you said a few weeks ago? I support Scott Walker for President right now.

[Politicalkiddo]

“... Boots on the ground are coming!”

What a tool! He’s like Jesse Ventura. Both psychotic weirdos.

[SoConPubbie]

I said a few weeks ago that you were a Paulestinian, and now you go and prove it! Hahahahaha!

They just can't help themselves.

This one has been posting snarky little comments on Ted Cruz threads all over the place.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Might actually be OFA disguised as a Rontard.

[Yaelle]

Paulistinian, hilarious word. I’d like to hope rand paul doesn’t sound quite as antiSemitic as his dad.

[Bettyprob]

politicking for a candidate who has proven that he isn't a conservative

You're as goofy as those claiming McConnell or Thad Cochran is a socialist. Please explain to me how Rand Paul is some leftist. Show me the votes he's made in the Senate. He's only got a 100 from the ACU and an A+ from the GOA, as far as I can see, and you're going to sit there and give me this bunk that he's some Dem in GOP drag. It's completely ridiculous.

[Mastador1]

I’m not sure if Ron took one acid trip to many or too few!

[AllAmericanGirl44]

On the top of what polls? The ones handed out to college kids?

Seriously, I educated no less then 5 people tonight on Rand’s view of amnesty. He’s toast, stick a fork in him.

Hint: Cantor

[SoConPubbie]

You're as goofy as those claiming McConnell or Thad Cochran is a socialist. Please explain to me how Rand Paul is some leftist.

Try reading some of the links I posted about Rand Paul and his softening on the Social Issues, his Amnesty, his kissing up to the worst of the Liberal Black Agenda.

His Amnesty proposal was the worst.

It was so bad and he was getting so much heat from conservatives on his Amnesty plan, that he had to start walking back the worst parts of it.

Worst of all is his lack of principles. He will say almost anything to try and get the most votes rather than lead by principle.

Sad, because he had potential back in 2010, until he made the stupid decision to move to the center because he thought that was the path to the presidency and money from big GOP-E Donors.