Rand Paul (R-KY) took to the Senate floor for 10 hours and 30 minutes to protest the reauthorization of the Patriot Act, which would continue the widespread spying on ordinary Americans by the NSA.
There was some discussion about whether this actually constituted a filibuster under Senate rules, but at least he actually got up and spoke nonstop (lately, often just the casual threat of a filibuster was enough to kill a bill), and it will have the effect of bringing attention to the spying bill.
Paul began by saying:
There comes a time in the history of nations when fear and complacency allow power to accumulate and liberty and privacy to suffer. That time is now, and I will not let the Patriot Act, the most unpatriotic of acts, go unchallenged.
Even if he is just grandstanding to gain attention as a presidential candidate, I applaud his efforts. It is time to reign in the spying abuse.
9 Comments
That’s awesome. Good job Rand Paul.
Actually from what I read, it is not technically filibuster, but he has caused enough delay that house cannot vote (or perhaps senate) to reauthorize patriot act. So everyone has to vote for/against USA act (forgot exact name) which is milder version of PATRIOT act.
So something was achieved.
If nothing else he IS true to his principles. He’s always been against excess power in the government, much like his father.
That’s the scary/dangerous thing about both the political Pauls — every now and then, they say something completely wonderful that no other pol would dare say. And low-information progressive voters salivate on cue.
Unfortunately, it’s like the infinite number of monkeys with the infinite number of typewriters — every now and then, they produce Shakespeare.
Most of the time, these guys could have steeped straight out of Mein Kampf — they are frighteningly elitist, racist, misogynistic, and uninformed. Just like George Bush, when they say “freedom,” they mean “$$$$.”
*g* It is kinda funny to watch this Congress now that they have figured out all this Patriot Act stuff is also being done to them, isn’t it?
Kudos to RP, whether or not he’s grandstanding it’s for all the right reasons. He (and we) should also be thanking Edward Snowden for bringing the NSA excesses to light and sacrificing his own freedom and risking his life. The Patriot Act as implemented is patently unpatriotic and unconstitutional. Isn’t this what we fought the Cold War over?
And then he goes and says that the right to healthcare equates to slavery…fail.
You can watch Rand Paul claim that universal healthcare is slavery (repeatedly!) in this video — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUXwDMqjC-A
That is one of the stupidest analogies I’ve ever heard. Does Paul believe that forcing fire fighters to put out everyone’s house fires is also slavery?
The response from Bernie Sanders in that video is great too.
Agreed! Didn’t say I’d vote for him, but once in a while he gets gets it right. His views on the IRS are pretty wacky too.
Bernie for Prez! Warren for VP!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T61L68lBf0In لبنى ابيضار زين لي فيك