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| − | '''Rand Paul''' (born January 7, 1963) is a candidate for the [[Republican]] nomination for president in 2016, and currently serves as a [[conservative]] [[United States Senator]] from [[Kentucky]]. Rand is [[pro-life]] and spoke at the [[March for Life]] rally in 2013. He is also critical of federal spending and is emerging as a [[movement conservative]]. Unlike many politicians of both major political parties, Rand Paul supports sharply reducing the size of government. He has criticized pro-war politicians and won the [[CPAC]] [[straw poll]] in 2013 and 2014. | + | '''Rand Paul''' (born January 7, 1963) is a candidate for the [[Republican]] nomination for president in 2016, and currently serves as a [[conservative]] [[United States Senator]] from [[Kentucky]]. He is also critical of federal spending and is emerging as a [[movement conservative]]. |
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| | + | [[Julian Assange]] is an admirer of Rand Paul.<ref>http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/08/19/julian-assange-loves-rand-paul-and-his-very-principled-positions.html</ref> |
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| | + | == Life == |
| | + | Paul was born on January 7, 1963 in Pittsburgh. His father is [[Ron Paul]]. Rand Paul was '''''not''''' named after the objectivist and libertarian author [[Ayn Rand]].<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD-R_OeP6tU</ref> |
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| | In 2010, he won the Republican primary after defeating moderate candidate [[Trey Grayson]] by a landslide. Despite intense opposition by [[liberals]] and the [[lamestream media]], Rand Paul won by an overwhelming margin first against a [[RINO]] Republican favored by the establishment, and then against [[Democrat]] [[Jack Conway]] in the [[2010 Midterm Election]]. This was the seat formerly held by [[Jim Bunning]], one of the [[Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars|greatest conservative sports stars]], who endorsed Paul in the Republican primary. | | In 2010, he won the Republican primary after defeating moderate candidate [[Trey Grayson]] by a landslide. Despite intense opposition by [[liberals]] and the [[lamestream media]], Rand Paul won by an overwhelming margin first against a [[RINO]] Republican favored by the establishment, and then against [[Democrat]] [[Jack Conway]] in the [[2010 Midterm Election]]. This was the seat formerly held by [[Jim Bunning]], one of the [[Essay:Greatest Conservative Sports Stars|greatest conservative sports stars]], who endorsed Paul in the Republican primary. |
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| − | Rand Paul's father is [[Ron Paul]]. Rand Paul was '''''not''''' named after the objectivist and libertarian author [[Ayn Rand]].<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oD-R_OeP6tU</ref> | + | On March 2013, Rand led a [[filibuster]] of Obama's CIA nomination [[John Brennan]] due to the fact that the administration was unwilling to forbid ordering [[drone]] targeting of Americans on American territories, in violation of the 5th Amendment. A month of letter writings without a reply and March 6th testimony from Attorney General [[Eric Holder]] prompted the filibuster. A number of GOP Senators joined him including [[Ted Cruz]], [[Marco Rubio]], [[Mike Lee]], among others and one Democrat Senator, [[Ron Wyden]]. A vote on a non-binding statement clarifying that Obama shall not kill Americans with drone warfare was denied by Democrats in the Senate. |
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| − | On March 2013, Rand led a [[filibuster]] of Obama's CIA nomination [[John Brennan]] due to the fact that the administration was unwilling to forbid ordering [[drone]] targeting of Americans on American territories, in violation of the 5th Amendment. A month of letter writings without a reply and March 6th testimony from Attorney General [[Eric Holder]] prompted the filibuster. A number of GOP Senators joined him including [[Ted Cruz]], [[Marco Rubio]], [[Mike Lee]], among others and one Democrat Senator, [[Ron Wyden]]. A vote on a non-binding statement clarifying that Obama shall not kill Americans with drone warfare was denied by Democrats in the Senate. | + | On April 7, 2015, Paul announced that he would seek the Republican nomination in the [[2016 presidential election]].<ref>Rand Paul launches 2016 White House bid: ‘We have come to take our country back’ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/04/07/rand-paul-set-to-announce-presidential-run/</ref><ref>http://www.c-span.org/video/?325139-1/senator-rand-paul-rky-presidential-campaign-announcement</ref> |
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| − | [[Julian Assange]] is a admirer of Rand Paul.<ref>http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/08/19/julian-assange-loves-rand-paul-and-his-very-principled-positions.html</ref> | + | == Political Positions and Views== |
| | + | Unlike many politicians of both major political parties, Rand Paul supports sharply reducing the size of government. Paul opposes [[gun control]]<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/01/14/rand_paul_on_gun_control_executive_order_obama_is_not_king.html</ref> and same-sex marriage.<ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Rand_Paul.htm</ref> He opposes prison sentences for minor drug offenders.<ref>http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/03/24/1767241/rand-paul-is-right-on-marijuana-and-that-should-scare-democrats-into-action/</ref> Paul sued the Obama administration because the Espionage of American civilians through the [[NSA]].<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/04/sen-rand-paul-to-sue-over-nsa-spying-practices/</ref> |
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| − | On April 7, 2015, Paul announced that he would seek the Republican nomination in the [[2016 presidential election]].<ref>Rand Paul launches 2016 White House bid: ‘We have come to take our country back’ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/04/07/rand-paul-set-to-announce-presidential-run/</ref><ref>http://www.c-span.org/video/?325139-1/senator-rand-paul-rky-presidential-campaign-announcement</ref>
| + | === Abortion === |
| | + | Rand is [[pro-life]] and spoke at the [[March for Life]] rally in 2013. |
| | + | === Foreign Policy === |
| | + | He has criticized pro-war politicians and won the [[CPAC]] [[straw poll]] in 2013 and 2014. Paul is against an American intervention in the [[Syrian Civil War]]<ref>http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/item/14691-sen-rand-paul-is-obama-administration-hiding-arms-trade-to-jihadists</ref> and was opposed to the [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] or the [[Patriot Act]]. Paul is an opponent of the [[United States embargo against Cuba]].<ref>http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/dgreenfield/the-cuban-embargo-isnt-just-about-the-embargo/</ref> |
| | + | === Illegal Immigration === |
| | + | Paul supports the Pathway to introduce [[illegal aliens]] to citizenship.<ref>http://nation.foxnews.com/rand-paul/2013/03/19/rand-paul-endorses-pathway-citizenship</ref> |
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| − | == Political Positions ==
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| − | Rand Paul is pro-life. He opposes foreign interventionalism and perpetual war. Paul is against American intervention in the [[Syrian Civil War]]<ref>http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-news/item/14691-sen-rand-paul-is-obama-administration-hiding-arms-trade-to-jihadists</ref> and was opposed to the [[Operation Iraqi Freedom]] or the [[Patriot Act]]. He opposes [[gun control]]<ref>http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/01/14/rand_paul_on_gun_control_executive_order_obama_is_not_king.html</ref> and same-sex marriage.<ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Rand_Paul.htm</ref> Paul supports the Pathway to introduce [[illegal aliens]] to citizenship.<ref>http://nation.foxnews.com/rand-paul/2013/03/19/rand-paul-endorses-pathway-citizenship</ref> He opposes prison sentences for minor drug offenders.<ref>http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/03/24/1767241/rand-paul-is-right-on-marijuana-and-that-should-scare-democrats-into-action/</ref> Paul sued the Obama administration because it spied Americans by the [[NSA]].<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/04/sen-rand-paul-to-sue-over-nsa-spying-practices/</ref> Paul is an opponent of the [[United States embargo against Cuba]].<ref>http://www.frontpagemag.com/2014/dgreenfield/the-cuban-embargo-isnt-just-about-the-embargo/</ref>
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| | ==See also== | | ==See also== |