The Other McCain

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Rand Paul Has Made A Fine Transition From Rock And Roll

Posted on | May 19, 2010 | 17 Comments

by Smitty

His early rockabilly days were certainly memorable:

Now that he’s on the November ballot for Kentucky Senator, he still remembers how to tell the opposition to “bring it on”, even if the “mike foxtrot” is delivered in parenthesis:

While empathizing with Stacy’s disappointment over PA-12, if the Tea Parties around the country take it in the proper “Don’t get cocky, kid” light, and double down on the intensity, then the loss won’t be catastrophic.

The cusp of Socialist Hell where the country currently resides was not a sudden arrival. One important lesson of the PA-12 defeat should be that quick fixes arrive on Golden Hover Ponies. PA-12, like California, has deeper problems that are going to take more time and effort to tackle. For Conservatives to divide, rather than rally about the “generally acceptable” candidate, is to hand the victory to the Left. Cut that noise out.

I’m generally favorable to Rand Paul. Lisa Grass is unimpressed with Paul’s stance on the American’s with Disabilities Act:
While it’s easy to empathize with individuals in wheelchairs, things like ADA cause me three worries:

  1. They end up favoring larger businesses who can make contributions to politicians, engaging in lawfare against smaller businesses. The argument “Think of the disadvantaged!” always comes up, and we should, as we’re likely to be among them one way or another one day. Yet the cost of conforming to more and more reams of legislation is destructive to the little businessman, who seems to get scant love, save that of the prison variety.
  2. The precedent is set that it’s OK for the Federal government to cruise at a fairly low legislative level. How is a wheelchair ramp an Interstate Commerce concern, exactly? Should the 10th Amendment matter here? To exactly what degree does the 14th Amendment impact the discussion?
  3. Are we blowing off market solutions? For a reasonable population size, would there not be a business case to take better care of ADA customers?

Rand promises to be an interesting character to watch. The Paul Cabal rides tall and all, but will it stall in the Fall or make the opposition crawl?


And yes, I realize Rand Paul is not Brian Setzer.

Comments

17 Responses to “Rand Paul Has Made A Fine Transition From Rock And Roll”

  1. chuck cross
    May 20th, 2010 @ 3:42 am

    I 100% support and back Rand Paul in his run, but he shouldn’t interview on so little sleep from the previous night, as evidenced by his blunder of an interview with Rachel Maddow tonight. (Stacy, he could use your help with the sleep deprivation matter)

    Well, as much as I call it a blunder, the guy did stick to his principles, but he sorely lacked an easy example of why we should let private businesses make their own rules.

    This too shall pass. Five months, plenty of time to flush out this wonk’ish point.

  2. chuck cross
    May 19th, 2010 @ 10:42 pm

    I 100% support and back Rand Paul in his run, but he shouldn’t interview on so little sleep from the previous night, as evidenced by his blunder of an interview with Rachel Maddow tonight. (Stacy, he could use your help with the sleep deprivation matter)

    Well, as much as I call it a blunder, the guy did stick to his principles, but he sorely lacked an easy example of why we should let private businesses make their own rules.

    This too shall pass. Five months, plenty of time to flush out this wonk’ish point.

  3. chuck cross
    May 20th, 2010 @ 3:47 am

    And here is the video of Paul avoiding creating a soundbyte — painful.

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/37244354#37244354

  4. chuck cross
    May 19th, 2010 @ 10:47 pm

    And here is the video of Paul avoiding creating a soundbyte — painful.

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/37244354#37244354

  5. chuck cross
    May 20th, 2010 @ 4:45 am

    Found this comment over on Maddow’s blog. I think this man strikes at the core issue.

    http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/05/19/4310399-rachel-maddows-interview-with-rand-paul-519

    Rachel,

    I am a 45 year old Black American male who loves your show but I strongly disagree with you about your position on Rand Paul. Just so you know I voted for Obama and Kerry because I was horrified by both Bush and Palin respectively. Here’s where I disagree with you.

    1. If someone in the Klan owns a restaurant and doesn’t want to serve me, why on earth would I want to support him by giving him my money? I don’t want my money going to buy little Klan baby clothes. I’d rather the privately owned establishments wear their racism on their sleeves so I know who to support. If they want to lose my money, and the money of all other minorities and people with brains and a conscience, then fine. Racism is bad business.

    2. There’s two facts none of us can get around. Churches are still the most segregated places in America every Sunday morning. Its called freedom of religion. There are still restaurants where you can’t go in D.C. and I can’t go in Georgia. That’s called tribalism. Integration cannot be forced privately, only publicly. Tribalism cannot be defeated by legislation. Freedom of speech and of religion means also freedom of @!$%#s. I prefer them with their hoods off.

    3. I respectfully say that I think you’re wrong to imply that Rand Paul is a racist for believing that

    Woolworth’s should be allowed to be segregated. I will go on the record right now and state that I believe that Woolworth’s and any other privately owned business should be allowed to be segregated. We Black’s have a choice now that we didn’t back before the Civil Rights Act. Why would I want to support cracker ass Woolworth’s if that’s who owns the store? I’ll take my money elswhere. If you had your way, I wouldn’t know one from the other. I hope we can one day agree to let Woolworth’s be free to take off its Klan Hood so you and I both know where to spend our money. Its not like and oil company. We all “have to” buy gasoline for now. We blacks have a choice which lunch counter we want to sit at in 2010. Rand Paul stated that when violence occurred it was wrong. He said it was morally reprehensible and he would never support it? He shouldn’t be smeared as a racist.

    I love you to pieces and as a person of color I identify with your pain, but I’m glad these racists and homophobes want to come out into the open now. I don’t think Rand Paul is one of them.

    Oteil Burbridge

    Bassist Allman Brothers Band

    Lawrenceville, Georgia

  6. chuck cross
    May 19th, 2010 @ 11:45 pm

    Found this comment over on Maddow’s blog. I think this man strikes at the core issue.

    http://maddowblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/05/19/4310399-rachel-maddows-interview-with-rand-paul-519

    Rachel,

    I am a 45 year old Black American male who loves your show but I strongly disagree with you about your position on Rand Paul. Just so you know I voted for Obama and Kerry because I was horrified by both Bush and Palin respectively. Here’s where I disagree with you.

    1. If someone in the Klan owns a restaurant and doesn’t want to serve me, why on earth would I want to support him by giving him my money? I don’t want my money going to buy little Klan baby clothes. I’d rather the privately owned establishments wear their racism on their sleeves so I know who to support. If they want to lose my money, and the money of all other minorities and people with brains and a conscience, then fine. Racism is bad business.

    2. There’s two facts none of us can get around. Churches are still the most segregated places in America every Sunday morning. Its called freedom of religion. There are still restaurants where you can’t go in D.C. and I can’t go in Georgia. That’s called tribalism. Integration cannot be forced privately, only publicly. Tribalism cannot be defeated by legislation. Freedom of speech and of religion means also freedom of @!$%#s. I prefer them with their hoods off.

    3. I respectfully say that I think you’re wrong to imply that Rand Paul is a racist for believing that

    Woolworth’s should be allowed to be segregated. I will go on the record right now and state that I believe that Woolworth’s and any other privately owned business should be allowed to be segregated. We Black’s have a choice now that we didn’t back before the Civil Rights Act. Why would I want to support cracker ass Woolworth’s if that’s who owns the store? I’ll take my money elswhere. If you had your way, I wouldn’t know one from the other. I hope we can one day agree to let Woolworth’s be free to take off its Klan Hood so you and I both know where to spend our money. Its not like and oil company. We all “have to” buy gasoline for now. We blacks have a choice which lunch counter we want to sit at in 2010. Rand Paul stated that when violence occurred it was wrong. He said it was morally reprehensible and he would never support it? He shouldn’t be smeared as a racist.

    I love you to pieces and as a person of color I identify with your pain, but I’m glad these racists and homophobes want to come out into the open now. I don’t think Rand Paul is one of them.

    Oteil Burbridge

    Bassist Allman Brothers Band

    Lawrenceville, Georgia

  7. Virginia Right! News Hound for 5/20/2010 | Virginia Right!
    May 20th, 2010 @ 5:36 am

    […] Rand Paul Has Made A Fine Transition From Rock And Roll […]

  8. ak4mc
    May 20th, 2010 @ 11:50 am

    Oteil has his head on straight — which means he thinks too much to be a “good” progressive.

  9. ak4mc
    May 20th, 2010 @ 6:50 am

    Oteil has his head on straight — which means he thinks too much to be a “good” progressive.

  10. Wondering Jew
    May 20th, 2010 @ 12:20 pm

    They are fighting Rand because, unlike the worthless Republican establishment, he actually threatens their power. Bring it on Liberals. It is going to get ugly, but if we actually believe in freedom, federalism, and the 10th amendment, we need to stick up for candidates who will support that.

  11. Wondering Jew
    May 20th, 2010 @ 7:20 am

    They are fighting Rand because, unlike the worthless Republican establishment, he actually threatens their power. Bring it on Liberals. It is going to get ugly, but if we actually believe in freedom, federalism, and the 10th amendment, we need to stick up for candidates who will support that.

  12. Count Vikula
    May 20th, 2010 @ 2:41 pm
  13. Count Vikula
    May 20th, 2010 @ 9:41 am
  14. theCL
    May 20th, 2010 @ 4:27 pm

    I watched the video with Maddow, and think he did a fine job. His position is no different than that of Goldwater or William F. Buckley for example.

    The right should quit allowing the left to paint them into a corner. Paul didn’t allow her to do that. Go Rand Paul!

  15. theCL
    May 20th, 2010 @ 11:27 am

    I watched the video with Maddow, and think he did a fine job. His position is no different than that of Goldwater or William F. Buckley for example.

    The right should quit allowing the left to paint them into a corner. Paul didn’t allow her to do that. Go Rand Paul!

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    May 20th, 2010 @ 3:00 pm

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