Changes

== Political positions==

== Political positions==

[[File:Rand Paul 2013 CPAC by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|250px|Paul at CPAC in 2013.]]

[[File:Rand Paul 2013 CPAC by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|250px|Paul at CPAC in 2013.]]

Unlike many politicians of both major political parties, Rand Paul supports sharply reducing the size of government. Notably in 2018, he single-handedly shutdown the entire Federal government (for a few hours, at least) while he spoke against the hypocrisy of his own party in desiring to pass a 700-page bill that nobody had read and that would create the same deficit spending that his party opposed during the Obama administration.<ref>https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/373069-rand-paul-blockade-pushing-senate-to-late-night-budget-vote</ref>

Unlike many politicians of both major political parties, Rand Paul supports sharply reducing the size of government. Notably in 2018, he single-handedly shutdown the entire Federal government (for a few hours, at least) while he spoke against the hypocrisy of his own party in desiring to pass a 700-page bill that nobody had read and that would create the same deficit spending that his party opposed during the Obama administration.<ref>https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/373069-rand-paul-blockade-pushing-senate-to-late-night-budget-vote</ref> As he is opposed to the use of [[continuing resolution]]s to fund operations (believing funding should come in what is commonly referred to as "regular order"), in 2025 he voted against both the Democratic and Republican versions of them, both before and during the [[government shutdown]]s (he did, though, vote for the [[Department of Defense]] appropriations bill and the National Defense Authorization Act).

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>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/04/sen-rand-paul-to-sue-over-nsa-spying-practices/</ref> Paul is distrustful of [[capital punishment]] but also thinks that it should be a state issue.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/rand-paul-on-death-penalty.html Rand Paul on the Death Penalty]</ref>

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>https://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/04/sen-rand-paul-to-sue-over-nsa-spying-practices/</ref> Paul is distrustful of [[capital punishment]] but also thinks that it should be a state issue.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/rand-paul-on-death-penalty.html Rand Paul on the Death Penalty]</ref>