Let's meet ... Rand Paul!
Rand's campaign website is chock full of information about current events. It even has a twitter feed displaying relevant information. The entire presentation looks very fresh and informative, and I found navigation easy and intuitive (though I do wish Rand would move his personal thoughts on the issues closer to the top of the main page).
Here's where Rand stands on the issues.
First, Rand feels as though the national debt should be the government's top concern, and wants to balance the budget and cut spending.
Second, Rand wants to end NSA spying and cut the government's growing collection of personal cell phone data.
Third, Rand wants to set stricter term limits to combat settled-in career politicians.
Fourth, Rand wants to cut taxes at every level and ensure the tax code becomes easier to navigate.
Fifth, Rand wants to audit the Federal Reserve and ensure Congress exerts greater control over its regulation.
Sixth, Rand wants to improve national security by ensuring Congress takes control over decisions to wage war, and that they will consider this responsibility seriously.
Seventh, Rand wants to implement free-market American health care, but in such a way that health care professionals are more responsive to patients as opposed to government bureaucracy.
Eighth, Rand wants to make it easier for energy developers to develop clean forms of their product, as opposed to being tied up in governmental regulations.
Ninth, Rand wants to make legal immigration the only way to immigrate into America by strengthening borders.
Tenth, Rand wants to cut back on all forms of governmental regulation.
Eleventh, Rand wants to reform the criminal justice system so people with criminal records don't have as much trouble becoming a productive member of society.
Twelfth, Rand wants to bring the Bill of Rights back to the public consciousness by cutting back on the power the Federal government currently exerts.
Thirteenth, Rand wants to reform educational practices by removing the one-size-fits-all system and giving more control to states, individual schooling systems, and parents.
Fourteenth, Rand supports Israel and wants to cut funding that gives money to Palestine.
Fifteenth, Rand wants to fix social security by making sure it only benefits individuals who plan their lives around it.
Sixteenth, Rand wants to improve relations between veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as make sure veterans receive the support they need following their service.
Seventeenth, Rand is pro-life and wants to restrict federal legislation supporting abortions while granting such decisions to individual states.
Eighteenth, as mentioned in the twelfth issue, Rand wants to bring the Bill of Rights back to the public consciousness, but especially issues regarding the right to bear arms.
For more information about Rand, click here to read the quotes OnTheIssues.org has collected from him.
What's my opinion?
Like my thoughts on George Pataki, I was impressed that Rand included information regarding the potential future First Lady on his campaign website. Good on you, sir!
Compared to the other candidates I've studied thus far, I think Rand had the least amount of contradictory stances. However, I felt like his desires to 'cut taxes' didn't make any sense in regards to his plans trimming the national debt. Balancing the budget and cutting federal spending does not remove debt. Instead, it only slows its steady rise. If we want to decrease the national debt, we citizens will need to be taxed more.
In the end, each and every candidate I've studied has danced around this issue. People will not vote for someone who wants to increase taxes. At the same time, people are also concerned about the national debt. Candidates become stuck trying to please both viewpoints.
Ah, well. See you tomorrow for the snapshot, and every day the week after!
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