Why Calling Rand Paul An Isolationist Is And Was Stupid

The Federalist ^ | 09/03/2014 | Mollie Hemingway

[SeekAndFind]

Various folks expressed surprise when the Associated Press wrote “Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky pounced Friday on President Barack Obama’s ‘we don’t have a strategy yet’ comments.”

Rick Perry, sure, but Rand Paul? Isn’t he supposed to be an “isolationist” as the AP claims in a later paragraph?

The broader debate pits those who favor the GOP's traditional muscular foreign policy — a group that includes Perry and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio — and those, like Paul and Cruz, who prefer a smaller international footprint. The so-called isolationist approach plays well with grassroots activists and a war-weary public, but worries many Republican officials and donors who prefer an aggressive American role in world affairs.

Oh please. Preferring a smaller international military footprint is hardly isolationism. It could simply indicate support for good old-fashioned statesmanship, propriety, conservatism, or even just an acknowledgement of limited human and financial resources. Certainly there are people whose idea of national defense is so limited that it might be called isolationism — and Paul is certainly closer to these people than Dick Cheney is. But people who believe in robust trade between nations, healthy use of diplomacy — but also not bombing most of the countries that have serious problems — these aren’t isolationists! And Rand Paul and others whose view of limited government extends to our foreign military entanglements are not accurately termed isolationists. Yes, it’s kind of tricky for AP writers and more bellicose members of the right to get this because Rand Paul is of course the son of Ron Paul and, well, sometimes his foreign policy views tend toward extremes.

[DManA]

Fool, he’s a Republican.

[DManA]

Then you read trash.

[Responsibility2nd]

Like his old man?

Sure. OK.

[Bigg Red]

He’s a stupid pro-illegal isolationist.

[DManA]

My gosh you’re stupid. [eom]

[TexasCajun]

Oh Contraire!

RAND PAUL: DEMS SCARED I WILL RUN LEFT OF 'HAWK' HILLARY

Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press," Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said in the 2016 Presidential election he would be able to attract independents and "even some Democrats" voters nervous about entering into a new Middle East war with a "gung-ho" President Hillary Clinton.

Paul said “I think the American public is coming more and more to where I am and that those people, like Hillary Clinton, who—she fought her own war, 'Hillary’s war,' you know?"

"And I think that’s what scares the Democrats the most: Is that in a general election, were I to run, there’s going to be a lot of independents and even some Democrats who say, ‘You know what? We are tired of war. We’re worried that Hillary Clinton will get us involved in another Middle Eastern war because she’s so gung-ho," he added.

“If you want to see a transformational election in our country, let the Democrats put forward a war hawk like Hillary Clinton, and you’ll see a transformation like you’ve never seen," the Kentucky junior senator concluded.

[ansel12]

At one time he was a political operative for the Libertarian party, but following his father;s lead, he is now in the GOP and calls himself a “libertarian republican”.

“I’m a libertarian Republican.”

[Responsibility2nd]

What ARE you talking about?

(eom)?

Have you suddenly gone fanboi for Rand Paul here?

[tacticalogic]

he is now in the GOP and calls himself a “libertarian republican”.

“I’m a libertarian Republican.”

"libertarian republican", or "libertarian Republican"? They're not interchangeable.

[ansel12]

What do you think he is?

[OldNewYork]

I’m not convinced Rand Paul is firm enough on immigration to leave us a country for him to be isolationist about.

[tacticalogic]

What do you think he is?

How will knowing that answer the question of whether he's describing himself as "republican" or "Republican"?

[ansel12]

Since you won’t say what you think he is, what do you hope he is?

[tacticalogic]

Since you won’t say what you think he is, what do you hope he is?

Doesn't matter. I'm not playing this bullshit game with you. You obviously aren't going to answer the question, so there's no point in wasting time on it.

[ansel12]

It wasn’t me posting to you to play games.

[tacticalogic]

It wasn’t me posting to you to play games.

You provided the quote. Do you know if he was describing himself as "republican" or "Republican"? If you don't know, say so.

[DManA]

I’m just sick of this spamming of every thread that mentions Paul. It’s not discussion, it’s just bad faith slimming.

[ansel12]

You don’t seem interested in what he is, or even in what you think he is, you don’t have an opinion, yet you are so angry, strange stuff.

[tacticalogic]

You don’t seem interested in what he is

If I wasn't interested I wouldn't have asked for clarification of the ambiguous statements posted, one saying he described himself as "libertarian republican", and then another saying it was "libertarian Republican".

I do understand the tactics of answering questions with questions to put people on the defensive, looking for some opening to attack. Getting "angry" is counter productive. Let your emotions get out in front, and they'll lead you right down that rabbit hole.

[ansel12]

Rand Paul is a libertarian.