It is really not taking Rand Paul much time at all to be morphed like clay in the hands of Mitch McConnell. Yes, the further away from his primary win he gets, and the more time he spends with the Kentucky Republican taskmaster Rand Paul is being shaped into Mitch McConnell. One need only look at his now rescinded promise to balance the budget in a year to see that. You see, Mitchie-master got to little Ayn through the malted hops and bong resin and let him know that Kentucky Republicans don't balance the budget because that does not leave room for huge tax breaks for Corporations and the very wealthy during a time of "war".
It appears as if the antics of Rand Paul may be catching up with him. Despite earlier polls showing him with a sizable lead a new poll out is showing Jack Conway with a jump of ten points to barely lead, or be locked in a virtual tie with the mad doctor. Now, it appears this is anyone's race to win or lose.
Freshmen Senators in the upper chamber are quickly figuring out one thing. Far from running as the Constitution dictated and as our forefathers intended, the United States Senate has become a "House of Lords". Yes, this is the place where things that could benefit average working America go to die and get replaced by Corporate Welfare and tax cuts for the rich. Now, some of them are speaking out and proposing changes to make the Senate a more effective body more in line with what it was created for.
You know, this tea-bag mentality that spurned such candidates as Rand Paul quickly shows just how unrealistic it's ideology is when unraveled. You see, to "starve the beast" and provide "freedom" from the federal government you have to do away with many things that many people want and depend on and sooner or later it comes back to bite you when you have to back step and as Republicans call it "flip-flop". You also have to bankrupt the state and local governments you put so much faith in.
Man, Rand Paul sure has a lot of people fooled. The self-proclaimed "Christian Conservatives" of the tea-party movement are first and foremost on that list. Now, while most of these folks are Christian as long as they do not have to follow the preachings of Christ, such as loving your neighbor and not being greedy it appears as if their "leader" Rand Paul fits right in with this self-righteous band of hypocrites. You see, far from Christian values his college days were filled with sacrilegious activities and yes, plenty of good old bong hits not to mention a freaky episode of ritualistic kidnapping.
One thing that keeps shining through in this campaign is not only is Rand Paul's ideology dangerous to this country, it is ignorant. His ideas seek to take this country back to a time of discrimination, death at work, and seeks to starve the federal government of any funding in turn bankrupting the states by forcing them to replace federal money with their own. All this is done under the guise of "small government" but the true mission of this ideology is to let those with money and power prey on the rest of us and make the federal government powerless to stop it.
Well, it is nice that some people are seeing what we have known quite a while here. Rand Paul's vision of government is not only dangerous but as to quote a mine safety advocate, it is "idiotic". Yes, Rand Paul has been traveling this great Commonwealth letting everyone know that Corporations should have rights and they should not and now he is being called on it once again. In question are his comments about miner safety in of all places, Harlan County.
With all the fights so far in the last many months in Congress a new, very important fight in the direction of our country is soon to be joined. With the Bush Tax Cuts set to expire a fight will ensue on renewing them, renewing a few of them, or renewing them all. This is one fight we should use common sense on. Yes, the economy is hurting and the deficit is booming. However, after decades of a free ride, and being the only "patriots" to ever receive a tax cut in a time of "war" it is essential that the wealthy once again pay their fair share and that the middle and lower classes reap the benefits for once.
It is no big secret that in the last several decades millions of women have been forced to enter the workforce. For the most part in working America due to stagnant wages and decreased opportunity households are forced to subsist on two incomes. Essentially gone are the days when the father worked to support the family and the mother stayed home to raise the children and tend the house. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with women wanting to work, what is really wrong is the fact that when they do work they have consistently been paid less than men on average.
In his anti-government crusade Rand Paul seeks to leave many folks behind. From the unemployed, to minorities that business owners do not like and now to Kentucky's farmers Rand Paul's heartless campaign to "starve the beast" leaves millions of people behind. Even in a farming state, Rand Paul wishes to end farm subsidies because quite frankly, he does not want Corporate America or the very wealthy to pay taxes. Over here in Western Kentucky that position would threaten many livelihoods.
Remember when Rand Paul was running in the primary?? He painted himself as an "outsider" who did not believe in "big government" and taxpayer bailouts. Since that time he has proven himself to be quite a hypocrite and a far cry from the fiscally responsible candidate he convinced his supporters he was. From crawling into bed with Mitch McConnell to raise funds, to wanting businesses to discriminate the real Rand Paul started to stand up. Now after he and McConnell enjoyed their after love-making cigarette, Rand Paul is crawling into bed with another unsavory character.
In his quest to keep the rich and Corporate America from paying any taxes Rand Paul continually shows us one thing. He just does not get it. Yes, because of his hatred of the federal government his "starve the beast" mentality would actually "starve Kentucky" and deny us much needed federal money. Paul's answer?? Let our cash-strapped state pay for everything itself.
It is really an amazing thing. The more oil that gushes into the Gulf of Mexico, the more Republicans step forward to defend BP. It really should come as no surprise. Republican politicians have long ago sold what little soul they had to the devil that is Corporate America. They constantly defend the greed, lunacy and unpatriotic actions of the greediest and least patriotic among us at every turn. To them, all the folks out of work because of the actions of bailed out corporate America need only get off their lazy asses and get a job. Yes, while they want to hold YOU accountable, Corporate America should not be responsible for anything but sucking up Corporate welfare and taking huge tax breaks and taxpayer subsidies to outsource our jobs.
You know, as much as Progressives are always forced to speak out against their own party one thing should be certain. When we get a proven, Progressive voice that is not afraid of making the tough votes and fighting for real progress in this country we simply must fight for them. Russ Feingold, no matter what state you are from is a Senator for Progressives everywhere. His record speaks for itself and it is hard to forget when only one Senator voted against the Patriot Act that Senator was Russ Feingold. He has the courage and conviction to stand alone for the right thing, which is a rarity in Washington.
Well, after all the Tea Party banter and everything else in Kentucky's Senate race as Harry Carey used to say, "we have a brand new ballgame". Yes, even with his resounding victory in the Republican Primary after placing his foot in his mouth several times and being reeled in by Mitch McConnell, then joining the McConnell machine it appears as if Rand Paul may not be the odds on favorite in the Kentucky Senate race. According to Public Policy Polling as of today the race for Kentucky Senate is tied.
Poor Rand Paul. He thought he would use the fundraising base of his father and cruise to tea-party victory. What he did not depend on however was his extremist views on just about everything being completely exposed by those who are voting. Now, in a state rich with farming some of those statements are coming back to haunt him as rural Kentucky sees that he scorns them as much as everyone else. Of course, in typical McConnell Republican fashion the Mad Doctor is just flip-flopping and floundering.
Rand Paul does not seem to know what letter is flashed in front of his name on the T.V. shows. It is an (R). As a Republican he indeed has a very short memory as to what has caused all the problems we are now facing. Deregulation. Corporate Welfare. Coddling Corporations by appointing Corporate shills to oversee their own industries and practices. Now, after the disaster that was the Bush Administration and the destruction heaped upon our economy and workers Rand Paul is showing just how out of touch with reality he can be.
Besides the millions of gallons of crude leaking into the Gulf of Mexico the continued deregulation of industry in general and in particular the oil and gas industry has caused much death and misery. The continued quest of profits over people has determined that to pinch pennies some workers are just plain expendable to fatcat Corporate CEOs. Along with lower wages, shrinking benefits and an uncaring attitude by management this has been a big part of the war on the American worker waged relentlessly by Corporate America with their enablers in both political parties. However, thankfully the sorry record these folks have compiled as they basically regulate themselves has not amused everyone in Washington. Today Patty Murray (D-WA) blasted the industry on the sorry record they have compiled.
Well, that did not take long. After months of claiming he would shun the "establishment" the mad doctor Rand Paul now feels like he is firmly a part of the machine. After slipping up and letting the true Republican view on Civil Rights and BP slip out, the establishment indeed stepped in and swept him up to shut him up. Now, with a little McConnell soap and water to clean him up, Rand Paul is just a typical politician with twisty curls.
The Kentucky Senate race has some new developments today. The Mad Doctor Rand Paul is ignoring the fact that the budget gets written in the House and he is running for the Senate, and in a move no doubt intended to fire up the tea-bag fringe has announced that he will write his own balanced budget for the United States. Meanwhile, the Conway campaign is pounding him with a web ad that puts his Senate run in perspective.
