No Bottom To Rand Paul's Cynical Hypocrisy

 

The people of several states, including the Commonwealth of Kentucky, were devastated by the tornadoes and severe storms that swept through their communities on Friday (see photos below). Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) has been proactive in getting Federal emergency disaster relief. Then there's Kentucky's far right, nihilistic, wanker clown of a Senator, Rand "Ayn Rand" Paul, who sent this letter off to the White House, begging for Federal assistance:

(click to enlarge)

The fact is that Paul, in his despicable two terms in the Senate, voted against disaster relief for other states, like Florida, Texas, New Jersey and New York. He also voted against aid to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria devastated the island in 2017.

Federal disaster relief will go to Kentucky and the other affected states, as it should. But it would be nice if President Biden would respond to Paul's letter by pointing out that, while Paul now requests relief for his state, he's been maliciously consistent in his opposition to aid to other states after natural disasters. List each example of Paul's opposition, but let him know that, thanks to Gov. Beshear, relief is on the way, so take a seat. Oh and STFU when it comes to disaster relief henceforth. Copies to every media outlet in Kentucky.

Assaults

The Trump Republican Party's assault on the health of our planet continues unabated:

Four Republican senators this week demanded an investigation of the National Science Foundation’s grants, accusing the federal agency of “propagandizing” by supporting a program to encourage TV meteorologists to report on climate change.  

In a letter sent to the agency’s inspector general Wednesday, the senators ― Ted Cruz (Texas), Rand Paul (Ky.) and James Lankford (Okla.) and Jim Inhofe (Okla.) ― said the $4 million Climate Matters program, which sponsors classes and webinars for meteorologists and provides real-time data and graphics with TV stations, went beyond the scope of the National Science Foundation’s mission of funding “basic research.” They urged the inspector general to probe whether the grants violated the 1939 Hatch Act, which bars government agencies from engaging in partisan activity. 

They couldn't possibly be operating out of any corrupt motive, could they?

The senators who authored the letter are among the biggest recipients of fossil fuel donations. In a ranking of all U.S. senators over the last three decades, Cruz came in third for the all-time largest total of direct contributions from oil and gas companies, receiving over $2.7 million since he took office, including during his presidential campaign, according to data collected by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Inhofe ― who infamously brought a snowball to the Senate floor as proof of climate scientists’ supposed folly ― ranked seventh, with nearly $1.9 million. Lankford ranked 16th, with $1.1 million. Paul fell well below the others at $284,328. 

Cruz is running scared this year against Democratic challenger Rep. Beto O'Rourke. Let's see if we can help Beto (and our planet) win in November, and rid us of one of these four malevolent creatures of the fossil fuel industry.

Meanwhile, Sneaker of the House Paul "Lyin'" Ryan and his merry band of Republican sociopaths and nihilists are doing what only they can do:  after cratering the deficit by passing a trillion dollar tax giveaway to corporations and the wealthy, they now see the need to address that deficit by sticking it to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security recipients:

House Republicans released a proposal Tuesday that would balance the budget in nine years — but only by making large cuts to entitlement programs, including Medicare, that President Trump vowed not to touch. 

The House Budget Committee is aiming to pass the blueprint this week, but that may be as far as it goes this midterm election year. It is not clear that GOP leaders will put the document on the House floor for a vote, and even if it were to pass the House, the budget would have little impact on actual spending levels. 

Nonetheless the budget serves as an expression of Republicans’ priorities at a time of rapidly rising deficits and debt. Although the nation’s growing indebtedness has been exacerbated by the GOP’s own policy decisions — including the new tax law, which most analyses say will add at least $1 trillion to the debt — Republicans on the Budget Committee said they felt a responsibility to put the nation on a sounder fiscal trajectory.

Wow. No one could've seen this coming from this bunch of assholes! (Are we being uncivil?)

Comforting the comfortable and afflicting the afflicted is all Republicans ever have done, are doing and will do.

They Said It! (Cont.)

Here's the latest in our continuing series cataloging the back- and- forth between the occupants of the Republican clown car bus.  Take it away (far away, please!):

Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul (R-Dudebro) on neo- fascist fartbag Donald "Rump" Trump: 

"Donald Trump is a delusional narcissist and an orange-faced windbag. A speck of dirt is way more qualified to be president.”

(Apparently, Paul's polling so low he's off Rump's radar, because =crickets= from Rump so far.)

On the other hand, we get this from the twitter slough of the "delusional narcissist" and "orange-faced windbag:"

"@Rketeltas: Rubio isn't experienced enough to be Commander in Chief. Rubio is a carbon copy of Obama. We need a true leader Vote Trump"

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2016

Ted Cruz is a nervous wreck. He is making reckless charges not caring for the truth! His poll #'s are way down!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2016

Cruz lies are almost as bad as Jeb's. These politicians will do anything to stay at the trough!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2016

We are simultaneously smiling and feeling we need a hot shower.

They Said It! (Cont.)

Here's the latest installment in our on-going feature capturing the sniping among Republican "presidential" candidates.  Wallow in the schadenfreude!

"Snarly" Carly Fiorina on Sen. "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz:

"Ted Cruz is just like any other politician," Fiorina told [CNN's Dana] Bash. "He says one thing in Manhattan, he says another thing in Iowa."

"He says whatever he needs to say to get elected, and then he's going to do as he pleases," she insisted. "I think the American people are tired of the political class that promises much and delivers much of the same."

Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul on Sen. "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz and Sen. Marco "Glug Glug" Rubio:

I resolve to spend less time voting in the Senate so @Marcorubio & @tedcruz don't look bad bc they don't show up for work. JK. Do your jobs.

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 1, 2016

Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul on Donald "Rump" Trump:

I resolve to speak in vague but bombastic generalities more #newyearsresolution pic.twitter.com/AR741BUOvQ

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 1, 2016

Happy Festivus!

Today, December 23, it's Festivus ("for the rest of us"), a celebration eschewing the commercialization of the season.  So, get your aluminum Festivus pole, prepare your Festivus dinner, then engage in the Airing of the Grievances and Feats of Strength!  Let's rumble!



BONUS:  Better not be appropriating Festivus if you're a dudebro libertarian Republican!

More Evidence Of The "Talent" In The Republican Field

Just for sh*ts and giggles, let's take a look at some of the recent back- and- forth among contenders for the highest office in the land (and part of a "well-qualified," "talented" field of Republicans).  First, let's hear from frontrunner Donald "Rump" Trump:

Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul, your response, sir?

"I'll tell you this, I think we'll be around just as long as Trump, or longer," Paul said.  [snip]

 "I'm thinking, how did we get the race for the most important office in the free world to sink to such depths, and how could anyone in my party think that this clown is fit to be president?"   (our emphasis)

And in a preemptive strike against Trump mini-me Sen. "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz (Nihilist-TX), "Ayn" Rand had this analysis (with which we wouldn't quibble):

"Ted has chosen to make this really personal and call people dishonest in leadership and call them names, which really goes against the decorum and also against the rules of the Senate, and as a consequence, he can’t get anything done legislatively," Paul told Kilmeade. "He’s pretty much done for and stifled, and it's really because of personal relationships, or lack of personal relationships, and it is a problem."  (our emphasis)

Of course, "Tailgunner Ted's" numbers rise when the knuckle- draggers in the base see him as a truth- telling outsider (which he is neither), so it's not really a problem for "Tailgunner Ted."

But to build on "Ayn" Rand's point, how could anyone think that these clowns (and the rest of them in the Republican clown car bus) is fit to be president?

Government Shutdown Republicans: Same Cast, Same Script

Bloomberg's Sahil Kapur reminds us that the same nihilist Republican cranks and opportunists who shut down the federal government in 2013 over Obamacare are now using the same discredited script to try to block funding for Planned Parenthood:

Republicans who want to shut the down the federal government rather than provide $500 million in funding to Planned Parenthood insist that their party won't be punished for having the courage of its anti-abortion convictions.

They say the millions of Americans inconvenienced by the closing of national parks and delays of services (not to mentioned missed paychecks for federal workers) won't blame Republicans for refusing to pass a federal funding bill that contains money for the women's health care services provider. Instead, the theory goes, voters will blame the Democratic president, who plans to veto the bill if it doesn't include money for Planned Parenthood.

And, once again, how did that genius theory work for them in 2013?

In the end, Republican lost the fight. Not just because they had to cave and pass a bill that continued funding for Obamacare, but because they took the political hit for it: 81 percent of Americans disapproved of the shutdown, and the public blamed Republicans by a 53 percent to 39 percent margin, according to a Washington Post/ABC poll taken at the time. Nine days into the shutdown, Gallup found that the GOP's approval rating had sunk to an all-time low. Democrats' approval dipped more modestly.

The cast of crackpots characters remains the same:  the grandstanding uber-cynic Sen. "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz, "establishment" flavor of the week Sen. Marco "Glug Glug" Rubio, Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul (hovering around 4 percent in the polls), and unteachable House crazies like Rep. Jim "Air Head" Jordan (R-OH).  Of course, Cruz, Rubio and Paul are simply in this doomed fight to score points with the base voters who are itching for another confrontation with Obummer and the Demoncrats, to hell with gummint!  This is pure posturing and, to an extent, whistling past the graveyard, since all were around to see how this blame-the-President strategy has blown up on them with the general public over and over again.  But now, they're in a "Lord of the Flies" primary, and the votes up for grabs are those cast by the most low-information, angry yahoos -- and they want their share of those votes.  But, unlike 2013, which led up to an off-year election, shenanigans pulled this year are leading up to a presidential election, with greater attention and turnout implications.

If they follow the script and succeed in shutting down government over Planned Parenthood funding (something a whopping 71 percent of the American people don't want), the reviews are going to be harsh... again.

You Have Cliven Bundy's Vote (If He Votes), Rand Paul!

Self-certified ophthalmologist, plagiarist, and Republican presidential  loser candidate Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul (Dudebro-KY) may want to check himself for fleas after laying down with this dog:

Scofflaw rancher Cliven Bundy said he met with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) for nearly an hour this week and found he sees eye to eye with the GOP presidential candidate.

Bundy, whose ongoing dispute over grazing rights on federally owned land sparked an armed militia standoff last year with the Bureau of Land Management, said Paul assured him he would grant the rancher’s demands and make Nevada a sovereign state if elected next year to the White House.  [snip]

The rancher said Paul’s campaign staff escorted him to an impromptu meeting with the candidate after Bundy attended an event in Mesquite.  [snip]

Paul said during the campaign event that he believed all land issues – including endangered species protections – should be handled by the states and not the federal government.

Bundy said the candidate expressed an appreciation for the American Lands Council – a Koch brothers-funded group that is working to give states control over federally owned land through legislation and litigation.  (our emphasis)

A "sovereign state" filled with "sovereign citizens" like egomaniacal racist moocher Cliven "Hoof" Bundy, huh. We're not sure how that works in the context of the Constitution (o.k., it doesn't), and perhaps neither does "Ayn" Rand Paul, and certainly not nitwit Bundy, who doesn't recognize, and therefore owes no allegiance to, the Federal government (a.k.a., United States of America). But we see the Koch brothers' operation is working on it day and night, so freedumb!

At least now "Ayn" Rand Paul has cornered the tumbleweed- racist- moocher "sovereign citizen" vote ... except, wait;  since "sovereign citizens" don't recognize the Federal government, would they even vote in a Federal presidential election?  It would seem highly hypocritical if they did, wouldn't it?  We believe that's called a cornpone-nundrum!

(Photo:  Welfare rancher Cliven "Hoof" Bundy has himself a candidate!)

Rand Paul: Still Just Making Stuff Up

You would think, as a person who's been burned in the recent past by his loose connection with the truth, Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul (Dudebro-KY), would be a little more careful with historic accuracy.  And you would be wrong.

Via Buzzfeed:

Many of the quotes attributed to the Founding Fathers in two of Rand Paul’s books are either fake, misquoted, or taken entirely out of context, BuzzFeed News has found.

Paul’s first two books — Government Bullies, which was an e-book best-seller, and The Tea Party Goes to Washington — lay out the conservative manifesto he hoped to bring to Washington following the tea party wave in 2010.

A heavy theme in Paul’s books is that the tea party movement is the intellectual heir to the Founding Fathers, with Paul often arguing he knows what position our country’s earliest leaders would have had on certain issues.  (our emphasis)

"Ayn" Rand seems to have a particular fondness for attributing faux quotes to Thomas Jefferson, presumably in order to convince his knuckle-dragging, low-information tea bagger audiences that, yessir, they are freedom freedumb fighters in the American revolutionary tradition when, in fact, nothing could be farther from the truth.

These books have been out there for some time, and the misquotes of the various Founding Fathers have been used by "Ayn" Rand for years with no consequences.  But since he's fond of quotes, here's one, the proof of which he's been relying on, that we'd like to offer: "A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." 

Republican Racist Blood Money (Updated)

This offers another clue why Republicans want to avoid acknowledging the primacy of racial hatred in the Charleston murders.  The right-wing group noted here is the "Council of Conservative Citizens" (which, by the way, says the Charleston killer had "legitimate grievances"):

The leader of a rightwing group that Dylann Roof allegedly credits with helping to radicalise him against black people before the Charleston church massacre has donated tens of thousands of dollars to Republicans such as presidential candidates Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Rick Santorum.

Earl Holt has given $65,000 to Republican campaign funds in recent years while inflammatory remarks – including that black people were “the laziest, stupidest and most criminally-inclined race in the history of the world” – were posted online in his name.  (our emphasis)

It's their base, and they don't want to offend them!  Even Ben "On Meds?" Carson can see that.

In the great scheme of things, with Republicans awash in Koch brothers and Adelson millions, this is a drop in the bucket.  But it's hard to imagine this is the only racist dumbass that's been lining Republican pockets at the local, State and Federal levels.  And, more importantly, it defines what you are as a party if you rely on any support from low-life white supremacists, financial or philosophical.

BONUS:  Charles Pierce knows this isn't an anomaly for the right.

BONUS II:  Michelle Goldberg on the Council of Conservative Citizens/ Republican Party connection.

BONUS III:  Seems like this Earl Holt dolt gave to 48 Republicans in a number of states. 

Republican Campaigns Already Coming Apart

All is not well in the Republican presidential pool;  someone throw them an anchor!

Ben "On Meds?" Carson:

The presidential candidacy of Ben Carson, a tea party star who has catapulted into the top tier of Republican contenders, has been rocked by turmoil with the departures of four senior campaign officials and widespread disarray among his allied super PACs.

In interviews Friday, Carson’s associates described a political network in tumult, saying the retired neurosurgeon’s campaign chairman, national finance chairman, deputy campaign manager and general counsel have resigned since Carson formally launched his bid last month in Detroit. They have not been replaced, campaign aides said.

"Ayn" Rand Paul:

Rand Paul’s presidential campaign, by many recent accounts, is sputtering. The candidate, according to the Atlantic’s Molly Ball, is “flailing.” His campaign, reports National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar, has been called a “disaster.” 

Future clown car entrant John Ellis "J.E.B." Bush:

Jeb Bush is just days away from formally launching his presidential campaign and already a shake-up is underway.

In a surprise move Monday, Bush tapped Republican strategist Danny Diaz to serve as his campaign manager, shoving aside another aide, David Kochel, to head his still-unofficial presidential operation.

Diaz’s promotion is a frank acknowledgment that Bush’s six-month “exploratory phase” has not met expectations and that the former Florida governor needed a new consultant to take the reins ahead of his campaign kickoff in Miami on Monday.

Rick "Frothy Mix" Santorum:

When just one Iowan showed up to Rick Santorum's 2 p.m. campaign stop at a restaurant here Monday, the winner of the 2012 Iowa caucuses made a quick decision: Might as well order lunch.

"I haven't eaten, actually, all day," he said to his guest, Peggy Toft, an insurance agent and chair of the county's Republican Party.

For Santorum, who's making a second go at the Republican nomination for president, the low turnout wasn't surprising, he said, but all part of the plan.

Yes, yes, "part of the plan."  Genius, I tells ya'!  Bwahahahaha.

Meanwhile, the campaign of prohibitive Democratic favorite Hillary Clinton continues to hit the right notes on "dreamers," income inequality, and voter enfranchisement, with more policy broadsides to come.  A campaign based on real issues about real people.  What a novel concept.

BONUS:  Michael Tomasky on Hillary's big roll-out this weekend in New York.

Jennifer Rubin: I See Crackpots!

At first blush, reading Republican neo-con Likudnik Jennifer Rubin's piece in today's once great Washington Post Bezos Bugle, we could be excused for thinking someone had stolen her password and was sending in semi-coherent columns:

[After an obligatory dig at Hillary Clinton...] Republicans have their own problem: They tolerate far too many crackpots.

Dr. Ben Carson joins Mike Huckabee in refusing to accept that Supreme Court decisions, on gay marriage for example, are binding. Pressed by Chris Wallace, Carson insisted that Marbury v. Madison and more than 200 years of history have not settled the issue. “It is an open question. It needs to be discussed.” Actually, it’s not open, and him taking this seriously should disqualify him from office since he is telling us up front he won’t be bound by court decisions, something not even President Obama has done.

Huckabee has said much the same thing. And to boot he’s hawked “nutritional supplements” as a cure to diabetes. He insisted on Sunday, “One of the elements of the plan was dietary supplements, but it is not the fundamental thing.” (Then why encourage people to buy them?) He declared, “I don’t have to defend everything that I’ve ever done.” So he’s both a constitutional and dietary charlatan. Either one should disqualify him.

Then there is Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), who cynically chooses to pander to the conspiracy-mongers who turning a military exercise primarily in Texas into a secret plan to impose martial law. Cruz has taken their nonsense as legitimate and made inquiries at the Pentagon. [snip]

In less obvious ways, some presidential hopefuls also play on the ignorance and fear of the public. How many times has Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) falsely suggested the National Security Agency is listening to the content of millions of phone calls? Before reversing himself, he also gave support to the anti-vaccine hooey. At what point do voters say, you know, that’s not the mindset or character of someone who we’d want as president? (our emphasis)

Ouch.  Well, o.k.  Two points here.  First, Carson, Huckabee, Cruz and Paul are all several bulbs short of a chandelier.  If you noticed, though, she eased over the biggest political story of the past 50 years:  that the Republican Party -- her Republican Party -- doesn't just tolerate crackpots, it has actively fed and encouraged a crackpot base, then recruited and elected crackpots for many decades.  It is the Party of Crackpots.  Rubin and her fellow cogs in the right-wing noise machine can take a lot of the credit for that.

Also, note the names Rubin has omitted from her Crackpot Call-out:  Sen. Marco "Glug Glug" Rubio, Gov. Scott "Koch Head" Walker, and John Ellis "J.E.B." Bush, all of whom Rubin has promoted in past columns, and who would pass auditions for the Shelly Adelson/ Koch brothers billionaire "establishment" blessing.  However, while not quite descending to the Carson/ Huckabee/ Cruz/ Paul level of crackpottery, all three are outside the American mainstream on issues such as immigration reform, same sex marriage, global climate change, and economic fairness and growth.  They'd also like to bust unions and take health insurance away from millions of Americans.  Call them proto- crackpots.

But then, in her piece de derp, Rubin says "responsible conservatives" (an oxymoron these days) should "name and shame [the crackpots] — lest the GOP be seen as a haven for the unhinged."  Hahahahaha. Too late!

(Image: Jennifer Rubin, in search of crackpots; doesn't own a mirror --via Sparklepony)

Tweet Of The Week

Rand Paul is running from Libertarianism faster than Ayn Rand ran to the mailbox for her Social Security checks.
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) April 13, 2015

On Rand Paul's Campaign Kickoff

If you want a snapshot of the disconnect between the Beltway Republican-wired Conventional Wisdom and, uh, reality, read this upbeat take on Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul's (Dudebro-KY) campaign kickoff by one of the once great Washington Post's Bezos Bugle's premier wingnut enablers political analysts horse race touts Chris "Lizard" Cillizza, then check out Jon Stewart's take on the odd characters and staging of the same kickoff:

You might have heard that Rand Paul has officially entered the presidential race.

"I have a vision for America," the GOP senator from Kentucky said, kicking off his campaign in Louisville on Tuesday. "I want to be part of a return to prosperity."

The announcement surprised no one since Paul has made clear for the better part of the past two years that he was going to run for president in 2016. But his announcement is a nice peg to try to answer this key question: Can he actually win?

The answer, I think, is yes -- although to do so Paul would not only need to overcome a crowded and talented field of rivals but also be on the leading edge of a transformation of the Republican Party, the likes of which we haven't seen in more than three decades. (our emphasis)

"...talented field of rivals"??  What passes for talent to an untalented hack, that is.

"Can he actually win?"  [Pause for sustained and raucous laughter.]  Well, he can "win the morning" with the likes of Cillizza and the Politic-ho crowd.  Otherwise, not so much.

Paul's "vision" for America apparently doesn't include "eductation" or basic proofreading skilz by his crack, libertarian campaign team.  And this clown wants to abolish the U.S. Department of Education (that's how it's spelled, Dudebro).  Freedumb!

Now for the reality portion of our program:

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook,Daily Show Video Archive

BONUS: You can get more reality here.

BONUS II:  Dudebro also gets testy with uppity women who ask about his flip-flopping.

Rand Paul - The Next Clown Emerges From The Republican Clown Car

Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul (Dudebro-KY) made his entry into the Republican presidential race official today (from, we kid you not, a joint in Louisville called the Galt House Hotel), joining fellow conspiracy nutbag Sen. "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz (R-Texass) as the only two announced Republican candidates so far (it's expected Sen. Marco "Glug Glug" Rubio (Teabagger-FL) will be joining them next week, as long as he has access to a bottle of water). 

To save everyone time and effort, Wonkette helpfully collected most of the reasons Paul will not be President here.  Paul is also having a tough time with two significant Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid Party constituencies (other than the dazed and confused).  Neo-con chickenhawks have, as expected, started an anti-Paul campaign in earnest.  In addition, his expedient flip-flopping has caused many libertarians to back off their former hero and nut- who- didn't- fall- far- from- the- tree. We also would like to remind folks that not only is Paul about as shape-changing a weasel-politician as you're going to find, but that he's a liar and plagiarist to boot.

Same-Sex Couples: Stop! You're Offending Rand Paul!

So, stop with your same-sex marriages, because you offend "libertarian," plagiarist and self-certified ophthalmologist Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul (Dudebro-KY)!!

Disqualifying?

The editorial board of the once great Washington Post Bezos Bugle says this about the recent statements on vaccinations by Gov. Chris "Krispycreme" Christie and Kentucky Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul (Nut-Self Certified):

TWO POTENTIAL Republican presidential candidates, Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, have made irresponsible comments about vaccines at a time when measles has reappeared in the United States. Their remarks call into question their judgment and their fitness for higher office.

Ya think? You can add these items to the mounting evidence of their unfitness as well:

During Krispycreme's "disaster" (Economic World) visit to Great Britain this week, the conservative Daily Mail reported the anger- management- challenged Christie had this exchange (via Washington Monthly):

‘Is there something you don’t understand about, “No questions”?’ Christie snapped when a reporter asked whether he’d discussed the Islamic State group during his meetings with dignitaries during the visit to the Globe [Theater].

There's also this piece of patronizing condescension by "Ayn", who doesn't exactly exhibit Presidential qualities when speaking to this reporter (via Rachel Maddow Show):



That these two thin-skinned egotists would appear on any organization's list of potential Presidential candidates only makes sense when you consider it's the Stupid Party we're talking about.

Rand And Ron Paul: The Acorn And The Nut

It's long been known that uber-libertarian Ron "Uncle Crazy" Paul, the tree from which Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul (Dudebro-KY) fell (landing on his head) has some fringe ideas and associates, especially when it comes to "states rights", views that he's still more than happy to share with us:

“A lot of times people think secession, they paint it as an absolute negative,” said former representative Ron Paul (R-Tex.). After all, Paul said, the American Revolution was a kind of secession. “You mean we should have been obedient to the king forever? So it’s all in the way you look at it.” 

That's the old coot speaking this past weekend at a "one-day seminar" on secession in Houston, TX.  It's also part of his worldview that, well,

“Sanity will not return to U.S. leaders until our financial system collapses..."

Yay, financial collapse!  Also, since when does Uncle Crazy get to talk about "sanity?"

All of which (and much more in Uncle Crazy's career) might be somewhat problematic for political scion and likely Republican presidential candidate "Ayn" Rand.  That's because "Ayn" Rand needs to broaden his support from his father's crackpot shock troops to a larger, though equally loony, Republican "mainstream:"

Rand, 52, is contemplating a presidential run — at its heart, an act of optimism. He is moderating some hard-line positions and introducing himself to donors and voters. [snip] 

Rand Paul will need to broaden his appeal far beyond his father’s hard-core supporters if he hopes to win the GOP nomination his father never could. But some members of that core said he was losing them by adopting policies closer to the GOP mainstream.

If by "mainstream" you mean anti-science, anti-immigrant, anti-minority, anti-same sex marriage, anti-Obamacare, anti-choice, anti- etc., etc.

That's why "Ayn" Rand was in Rancho Mirage (!!), California, this weekend at a cattle call luxe retreat sponsored by the paleo-right billionaire Koch brothers, hoping to pick up support from plutocrats who are hoping that they won't be flushing their ill-gotten wealth down the crapper like they did in 2012. We are assuming that having your dangerously eccentric daddy talking about secession and financial system collapse on the same weekend doesn't play well with the big money boys.  It has to make them wonder if the acorn is as much of a nut as its progenitor.

(Photo: Ron "Uncle Crazy" Paul - "Get them cannons aimed at Ft. Sumter, boys!")

GIF of the Week: Runnin' Rand

As we noted on Tuesday,  hypocritical flip-flopper Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul (Galt-KY), henceforth to be known as "Runnin' Rand", took a powder when two DREAMers approached the table where he was chowing on a burger with crazy ass Rep. Steve "Cantaloupe Calves" King (Melon-IA).  ("Ooops.  =gurgh= I heard 'DREAMer.'  Must be those Messicans.  Time to get while the gettin's good!") Here's the GIF of the week that forever memorializes Runnin' Rand's hasty retreat:

(via Slate.com)

Perry vs. Paul, Round Two

Prospective Republican presidential candidates (must control glee) Gov. Rick "Oops" Perry (Secessionist-TX) and Sen. "Ayn" Rand Paul (Galt-TN) are engaging in a nasty back- and- forth (froth?) over a topic neither of them knows squat about: foreign policy.  After Oops' aide wrote an op/ed for him in the once great Washington Post Bezos Bugle the other day, we were all waiting for Ayn to, um, parry.  Well, wait no longer!

There are many things I like about Texas Gov. Rick Perry, including his stance on the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution. ["Powers retained by the states and the people"-  segregation states rights!]  But apparently his new glasses haven’t altered his perception of the world, or allowed him to see it any more clearly. 

There are obviously many important events going on in the world right now, but with 60,000 foreign children streaming across the Texas border, I am surprised Governor Perry has apparently still found time to mischaracterize and attack my foreign policy. 

Governor Perry writes a fictionalized account of my foreign policy so mischaracterizing my views that I wonder if he’s even really read any of my policy papers.

Nice zingers, Ayn (or whoever wrote your response for you)!

The schism between the isolationist/Fortress America wing of the party (Paul) and the neo-conservative /Dick Cheney wing (Perry) is only one of the fracture lines in the Republican/ New Confederate/ Stupid Party;  burn it down teabaggers (see post below) vs. country club establishment being another easily identifiable one.  Right-wingers would not hesitate for an instant to exploit differences in the Democratic Party, and Democrats should not shy away from returning the favor for Republicans.  It's not hard ball, it's smart ball.  Let's see if we can play it.

BONUS:  Gov. Oops did make that all-important photo op visit to the border (along with Fux News meathead Sean "Heil" Hannity).  Headline at Borowitz Report:   SIGHT OF RICK PERRY AT BORDER CONVINCES IMMIGRANTS THAT ANYONE CAN SUCCEED IN AMERICA.

(Image:  Paul and Perry - they pledge allegiance to the flag...)