As of February 3rd, Rand Paul has suspended his presidential campaign.
ISSUES
Environmental Regulation and Climate Change
Paul has stated that he does believe in climate change, but he does not believe that it is man made, or that humans contribute to climate change. He has not made any specific policy proposals regarding climate change, but does have plans regarding energy, in addition to reducing regulations by the EPA. His stance is that there are too many regulations by the EPA that inhibit business owners and cost too many jobs for the regulations to be justified. He believes that energy companies in particular have too many regulations imposed upon them, and he vows that has president he would cut the “red tape.”
Policy Proposals
Relevant History
Representative Quotes
Policy Proposals
- Repeal the Clean Power Plan created by Obama because he thinks it hinders businesses with thresholds for level of emissions allowed from energy companies.
- Remove regulations restricting U.S. oil and gas exports.
- Supports renewable energy, but not to the exclusion of other energy sources/fossil fuels: “I don't think that shutting down dramatically one form of energy is a good idea for an economy.”
- Supports the Keystone pipeline.
Relevant History
- Rand Paul has a lifetime score of 9% (voting for environmental bills) on the National environmental scorecard.
- Introduced the Regulations from the Executive Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, which was created to regulate environmental regulations to make sure they aren’t too restrictive on business.
- Sponsored the Protecting Jobs, Families, and the Economy From EPA Overreach Act, which was meant to restrict the EPA from creating carbon emission regulations.
- Sponsored the Coal Jobs Protection Act, which was supposed to stop the EPA from putting too many restrictions on coal production, which he believes is an affordable and abundant energy source.
- Sponsored the Comprehensive Assessment of Regulations on the Economy Act, which would have created a committee that would evaluate the environmental and economic impact of EPA regulations before they were implemented.
Representative Quotes
- “Since its creation in 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency has done more harm than good.”
- “Washington's bureaucratic regulations, corporate subsidies, and excessive taxation have made it unnecessarily difficult for energy developers to take advantage of new and innovative forms of cheap and clean energy.”
- “I think the environment has been cleaned up dramatically through regulations on emissions as well as clean water over the last 40 or 50 years, but I don't want to cut down on energy such that thousands and thousands of people lose jobs.”
Gun Control and Gun Violence
Paul opposes laws that are passed to limit the right to own guns. As a libertarian, Paul’s main objective is to uphold liberty and emphasize freedom of choice and self judgment. He says he will oppose any gun legislation restricting the ownership of guns. He has voted against the restriction of handguns and opposes the United Nations’ Arms Trade Treaty in which countries regulate the international trade of weapons because he believes it is an infringement on Americans’ rights to bear arms. He has also stated that with restrictions it is hard to access guns and that there is no point in keeping guns that one can’t access. In addition, Paul has continuously stated that he believes the Fourth Amendment is just as important as the Second Amendment, because if one is not free from random searches for no reason, the no one’s guns are safe.
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton criticized Rand Paul for writing legislation that would interfere with the current DC gun laws. Norton said that this would go against what he claims to be his political principles.
Policy Proposals
Relevant History
Representative Quotes
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton criticized Rand Paul for writing legislation that would interfere with the current DC gun laws. Norton said that this would go against what he claims to be his political principles.
Policy Proposals
- Opposes bans on assault weapons and other types of firearms.
- Would not deny a gun owner’s ability to conceal a weapon in public.
- Would not allow for a limit in magazine capacity.
Relevant History
- Voted no on a bill that would expand background checks at gun shows and online.
- Voted no on a bill that would grant the Attorney General the power to deny someone the right to buy a firearm if the Attorney General suspected them of being a terrorist.
- Supported a bill that would have loosened the gun control legislation in DC.
- Opposed a 2013 bill that would have banned assault weapons.
- Voted no on a bill that would have banned certain high capacity magazines.
- Supported a bill that would allow someone to carry a concealed weapon across state borders if they had a "concealed carry" permit and the state they were entering allows people to have concealed firearms.
Representative Quotes
- “I will not support any proposed gun control law which would limit the right to gun ownership by those who are responsible, law-abiding citizens.”
- “I oppose legislation that undermines Americans' constitutional right to bear arms. I worry that legislation mandating more regulations on law-abiding citizens will lead to an infringement on the ability to exercise constitutional rights without being subject to government surveillance. I also worry that these efforts will merely disarm the people who follow the law and empower those who ignore it.”
Drugs and Criminal Law
Rand Paul takes a hands-off approach to government, generally favoring states’ rights over a large federal government. He places heavy focus on reforming the current criminal justice system. Senator Paul believes the current federal system disproportionately affects minorities through its drug laws and sentencing recommendations; in response to this issue, he believes the federal government should reduce its penalties and let states handle drug and sentencing issues. Senator Paul believes states should expand drug courts, which are rehabilitative drug programs that serve as an alternative to jail. He opposes recreational marijuana but would not focus on enforcing those laws as president, especially because he believes they harm minorities. Senator Paul applies the same theory to capital punishment: he wants to let states apply it as they find necessary and favors only using federal capital punishment the most serious crimes such as treason. Senator Paul is against mandatory minimums on the federal level, but wants to let states apply their own rules as they see fit.
Chris Christie attacked Paul’s hands-off, rehabilitative-focused approach to the drug problem: “if Senator Paul thinks that the only victim is the person, look at the decrease in productivity, look at the way people get used and move on to other drugs when they use marijuana as a gateway drug, it is not them that are the only victims. Their families are the victims too, their children are the victims too, and their employers are the victims also. That's why I'll enforce the federal law, while you can still put an emphasis on rehabilitation, which we've done in New Jersey.” Christie has also attacked Paul for supporting limits on law enforcement and on NSA surveillance.
Policy Proposals
Relevant History
Representative Quotes
Chris Christie attacked Paul’s hands-off, rehabilitative-focused approach to the drug problem: “if Senator Paul thinks that the only victim is the person, look at the decrease in productivity, look at the way people get used and move on to other drugs when they use marijuana as a gateway drug, it is not them that are the only victims. Their families are the victims too, their children are the victims too, and their employers are the victims also. That's why I'll enforce the federal law, while you can still put an emphasis on rehabilitation, which we've done in New Jersey.” Christie has also attacked Paul for supporting limits on law enforcement and on NSA surveillance.
Policy Proposals
- Supports the “REDEEM Act,” which would allow adults to seal federal criminal records after 15 years so long as the crimes were nonviolent.
- Return federal voting rights to nonviolent ex-convicts if a court believes he or she has been rehabilitated. He would not change state laws regarding ex-convict suffrage.
- Give federal judges more discretion so that they may “depart from mandatory minimum sentencing laws if they find that it is in the best interests of justice to do so.”
- Reclassify the possession of small amounts of controlled substances as federal misdemeanors. This would reduce the current racial drug disparity and would help many first time offenders.
- Take a hands off approach to crime and allow states to have and enforce drug laws, and to have capital punishment, independent of the federal government and of each other.
Relevant History
- During his tenure in the Senate, he has worked to pass many bills that generally reduce sentences, help minorities, and pass rights to states.
- On the national level, he has generally voted with his party when considering crime. Some of those votes include increasing benefits for injured police officers, banning government officials with confidential knowledge from trading in that area, and protecting people of all genders from discrimination.
- Sponsored a bill that would subject the Bureau of Prisons to Congressional oversight.
Representative Quotes
- “We say we like the 10th Amendment — until we start talking about this. And I think the federal government has gone too far. I think that the war on drugs has had a racial outcome and really has been something that’s really damaged our inner cities. Not only do the drugs damage them, we damage them again by incarcerating them and then preventing them from getting employment over time. So, I don’t think that the federal government should override the states. I believe in the 10th Amendment, and I really will say that the states are left to themselves.”
- “Our nation's laws should focus on imprisoning the most dangerous and violent members of our society. Instead, our criminal justice system traps nonviolent offenders--disproportionately African-American men--in a cycle of poverty, unemployment, and incarceration.”
- “Most crimes are adjudicated at the state level and should be, so there really are almost no crimes at the federal level really under the Constitution that would require the death penalty – I think treason being one. It isn’t a big issue, I think as far as a change in federal policy, and I would leave it for the most part to the states.”
Civil Rights - Gender and Sexual Orientation
Rand Paul is against abortion. As a physician, he says that there is value to every fetus because it is a life. As stated on his website, “Under the 14th Amendment, it is the government’s duty to protect life as defined in our Constitution.” He sees his job as a physician to protect the safety of every life, taken from their mission to “Do no harm.” In addition, Paul sees marriage as a state matter. Paul himself doesn’t believe in same sex marriage because he sees the “traditional family unit” as a part of our history and something that should remain permanent. But Paul makes a point in saying that while he doesn’t believe in same sex marriage, that doesn’t mean that the federal government should outlaw it. For example, he states that Kentucky bans same sex marriage, but it works in New York and that is okay.
In response to the Supreme Court’s June 2015 decision on same sex marriage, he said "while I disagree with Supreme Court’s redefinition of marriage, I believe that all Americans have the right to contract. The Constitution is silent on the question of marriage because marriage has always been a local issue. Our founding fathers went to the local courthouse to be married, not to Washington, D.C.” Paul stresses the fact that this is a decision to be made by the states. Paul doesn’t believe same sex marriage to be an issue of huge importance to the Republican party and that there needs to be a way to allow “younger people” who may not share the same opinions to still find common ground and join the Republican party. While Paul says that he does not support discrimination of any kind, he also doesn’t believe in making sexual orientation a classification that would give anyone special protections.
Policy Proposals
Relevant History
Representative Quotes
In response to the Supreme Court’s June 2015 decision on same sex marriage, he said "while I disagree with Supreme Court’s redefinition of marriage, I believe that all Americans have the right to contract. The Constitution is silent on the question of marriage because marriage has always been a local issue. Our founding fathers went to the local courthouse to be married, not to Washington, D.C.” Paul stresses the fact that this is a decision to be made by the states. Paul doesn’t believe same sex marriage to be an issue of huge importance to the Republican party and that there needs to be a way to allow “younger people” who may not share the same opinions to still find common ground and join the Republican party. While Paul says that he does not support discrimination of any kind, he also doesn’t believe in making sexual orientation a classification that would give anyone special protections.
Policy Proposals
- Defund Planned Parenthood and all organizations that facilitate or advocate for abortions.
- Take a mixed state and federal approach to banning abortion in the US. He stated in the most recent debate that he would like to see Roe v. Wade overturned, in order to give room for states to make their own laws regarding abortion. An example of the federal approach that Paul supports is his proposal of the Life at Conception Act which would apply the 14th Amendment to fetuses in the womb. This gives each fetus “the right to life.”
- Wants to repeal all of Obama’s executive orders dealing with LGBT issues, including one that explicitly protects LGBT workers from discrimination.
- Defund Planned Parenthood.
Relevant History
- During his first election to the Senate and on a 2010 Christian Coalition Survey, he said he would propose an amendment banning same sex marriage.
- Paul has stated that he wasn’t against adjusting the tax code as to not have any tax status based on marriage (making couples who cannot be married not at a disadvantage). This would also partly be taking the government out of marriage. By changing how married couples are taxed, this would take out the possibilities of discriminating against gay couples.
- Paul has stated that though he did not vote on the 1996 passing of DOMA, there are some sections of the bill that he believes should have been left up to the states’ discretion.
- Voted against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (EDNA), which would have banned any discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Representative Quotes
- “I really don’t understand any other kind of marriage. Between a man and a woman is what I believe in, and I just don’t think it is good for us to change the definition of that.”
- “I think that the Republican Party, in order to get bigger, will have to agree to disagree on social issues. The Republican Party is not going to give up on having quite a few people who do believe in traditional marriage. But the Republican Party also has to find a place for young people and others who don’t want to be festooned by those issues.”
Civil Rights - Race and Ethnicity
Rand Paul has acknowledged that the flaws in the justice system have lead to a lot of racial tension recently and he wishes to implement certain laws in order to reform the system and ease the tensions. He has focused a lot on criminal justice reform in order to get rid of systemic racism, while many other Republican candidates have not. He has said that the Republican Party needs to change and expand its scope past white conservatives and to minorities as well.
Many people in the black community such as Wade Henderson, leader of the Leadership Conference on Human Rights, are skeptical of Paul’s sincerity in his intentions due to his comments about Baltimore and comments in other speeches. People are saying that it is not enough to speak out if he is not willing to reach out in order to better understand the depth of racial inequality in America.
Policy Proposals
Relevant History
Representative Quotes
Many people in the black community such as Wade Henderson, leader of the Leadership Conference on Human Rights, are skeptical of Paul’s sincerity in his intentions due to his comments about Baltimore and comments in other speeches. People are saying that it is not enough to speak out if he is not willing to reach out in order to better understand the depth of racial inequality in America.
Policy Proposals
- Enable judges to stray from the mandatory minimum sentencing laws if they believe the cause promotes justice.
- Restore voting rights to non-violent felons.
- Reclassify possession of very small amounts of controlled substances as a misdemeanor instead of a felony, and get rid of the sentencing disparity between crack and cocaine.
- Require the government to prove with clear evidence that property was being used for illegal purposes before it is seized.
- Create a judicial process through which adults who are federal non-violent offenders are able to seal their criminal records, including automatically erasing criminal records for non-violent juveniles offenders under the age of 15.
Relevant History
- Other than supporting the bills listed above, Rand Paul’s history regarding racial issues has changed a bit over time. In 2010, he spoke out about the Civil Rights Act of 1964, but recently he has tried to clarify that he is not against the act itself, but rather some of its “ramifications and extensions.” By this, he means that he does not agree with the property rights element of the act and that the government has overstepped by banning private businesses from discriminating against others.
Representative Quotes
- "If you look at the war on drugs, 3 out of 4 people in prison are black or brown. White kids are doing it, too. In fact, if you look at all the surveys, white kids do it just as much as black and brown kids," he said to an overwhelmingly older, white crowd. "But the prisons are full of black and brown kids because they don't get a good attorney, they live in poverty; it's easier to arrest them than to go to the suburbs."
- “There is at least one prominent example on the stage of someone who says they smoked pot in high school, and yet the people going to — to jail for this are poor people, often African-Americans and often Hispanics, and yet the rich kids who use drugs aren’t.”
- "There are so many things we can talk about: the breakdown of the family structure, the lack of fathers, the lack of a moral code in our society," he said. "This isn't just a racial thing."
Fundraising Sources
Money Raised
Paul’s campaign committee has raised $9,442,031, and outside groups, such as super PACs and nonprofits, have raised an additional $5,788,107. Most types of businesses that donated were securities and investment ($2,934,437) and electronics maintenance and equipment ($1,202,856)
Super PACs
Criticism
Rand Paul is not able to find the same amount of support from wealthy donors as his Republican opponents, and many who once supported him have left him in the lurch for candidates such as Rubio and Clinton. Paul tried to gain support from Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle, but was beaten to it by Marco Rubio. Paul tried to have Sean Parker, co-founder of Napster, as a donor, but he now has given his support to Hillary Clinton. Paul was also depending on a donation from Peter Thiel, a venture capitalist who donated $2.3 million to Paul’s father’s presidential campaign. However, Peter Thiel has stated that he will not give any money to the Rand Paul campaign, leaving Paul with little support.
Paul’s campaign committee has raised $9,442,031, and outside groups, such as super PACs and nonprofits, have raised an additional $5,788,107. Most types of businesses that donated were securities and investment ($2,934,437) and electronics maintenance and equipment ($1,202,856)
Super PACs
- The three largest super PACs that support Rand Paul are Rand Paul’s super PAC, America’s Liberty PAC ($3.1 million), Reinventing a New Direction PAC ($723,500), and Concerned American Voters ($1.9 million).
- The Concerned American Voters PAC has already hired 40 full-time field staffers to make house calls in Iowa, however, the PAC has recently received some discouragement from Paul’s campaign committee because it wants the personal super PAC, America’s Liberty PAC, to receive more support.
- Donors to the America’s Liberty PAC include Jeff Yass, one of the founders of the trading analytics firm Susquehanna International ($1 million), and George Macricostas, CEO of Ragingwire Enterprise, a data center company ($1.1 million). These two donors account for 68% of the super PAC’s donations.
- Rand Paul’s personal super PAC has the lowest donations of any other Republican candidate.
Criticism
Rand Paul is not able to find the same amount of support from wealthy donors as his Republican opponents, and many who once supported him have left him in the lurch for candidates such as Rubio and Clinton. Paul tried to gain support from Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle, but was beaten to it by Marco Rubio. Paul tried to have Sean Parker, co-founder of Napster, as a donor, but he now has given his support to Hillary Clinton. Paul was also depending on a donation from Peter Thiel, a venture capitalist who donated $2.3 million to Paul’s father’s presidential campaign. However, Peter Thiel has stated that he will not give any money to the Rand Paul campaign, leaving Paul with little support.
Defense and Foreign Policy
Paul is a libertarian; therefore, he takes what he considers a constitutional approach to the use of military force and states that justifiable military action needs to be approved by Congress. Like seemingly all Republican candidates Paul also believes that peace comes through strength, and that America should stand closely by allies like Israel and others. At the same time, Paul advocates more of an isolationist approach to foreign policy whereby our allies, rather than us, should fight for their causes. He explained in the September debate that many American interventions in the Middle East have backfired. For this reason he is against further intervention in Syria and Iraq. He feels strongly that the Iraq war was a mistake and will not put boots on the ground in Iraq again (telling voters they can choose another Clinton or Bush if that is what they want) as he explained in the September debate.
As a candidate who has proposed withdrawal from the UN, ending all foreign aid, and who has opposed the Iraq War, Paul's opinions are unique among Republicans. This has enabled the other candidates to criticize him. For example, Marco Rubio caims that Paul is “an isolationist candidate whose intent is weakening our military and intelligence capabilities.” Lindsey Graham says that “We’ve made the case that Rand Paul’s foreign policy views are weaker than President Obama’s and he’s sinking because of that.”
Policy Proposals
Relevant History
Representative Quotes
As a candidate who has proposed withdrawal from the UN, ending all foreign aid, and who has opposed the Iraq War, Paul's opinions are unique among Republicans. This has enabled the other candidates to criticize him. For example, Marco Rubio caims that Paul is “an isolationist candidate whose intent is weakening our military and intelligence capabilities.” Lindsey Graham says that “We’ve made the case that Rand Paul’s foreign policy views are weaker than President Obama’s and he’s sinking because of that.”
Policy Proposals
- Supports the “Stand with Israel Act,” which prohibits any taxpayer dollars from going to the Palestinian Authority unless the President certifies that the PA has formally recognized Israel’s right to exist, renounced terrorism, and renounced other anti-Israel and American activities.
- Supports limiting foreign aid and using the money instead for domestic investment.
Relevant History
- Paul has a history of taking libertarian or Tea Party-favored positions since entering the Senate. For example he steadfastly stood against the Iraq War and a subsequent return of American soldiers during the current crisis. Although earlier in his career he proposed ending all foreign aid he has now modified this unrealistic idea to a less radical approach allowing the US to provide foreign aid.
- Paul has also advocated that the U.S. withdraw from participation in the United Nations.
- Paul has been critical of the intervention in Libya saying it paved the way for the growth of ISIS.
Representative Quotes
- "Like Ronald Reagan, I believe in 'Peace through Strength.'"
- ”If you want boots on the ground, and you want them to be our sons and daughters, you’ve got 14 other choices. There will always be a Bush or Clinton for you if you want to go back to war in Iraq.”
- “To defend our country we must understand that a hatred of our values exists, and acknowledge that interventions in foreign countries may well exacerbate this hatred, but that ultimately, we must be willing and able to defend our country and our interests.”
Business Regulation and Corporations
Rand Paul believes that freeing up cash and capital across the board is the best way to stimulate the economy. He believes that less restraints on businesses such as lower taxes will allow the economy to run its natural, growing course. He views high minimum wages as detrimental to running a true free enterprise and is staunchly against raising them. However Rand Paul believes that the biggest danger to the economy is the ever growing debt, and has proposed many cuts and balancing the budget to address this issue.
The principal criticisms to Paul’s economic policies focus on the possibility of leaving the economy too unprotected. After the financial crash of 2008, many people are skeptical that providing businesses with the same amount of freedom they had previously enjoyed. Paul’s plan has no “safety net”, which troubles many due to the volatile nature of any economy. There have also been criticisms aimed at his tax plan, which some economists believe will be unable to provide benefits for the American people. According to Ramesh Ponnuru, a journalist for BloombergView, “For the middle class, however, the plan looks like a wash: What middle-income households no longer owe in payroll taxes they'll pay in hidden consumption taxes. The Tax Foundation concludes that the plan would reduce federal tax revenue by $3 trillion over a decade, not counting any effects it would have on economic growth. Paul says he'd cut spending to prevent the deficit from rising, so this would mean benefit cuts that affect the middle class.”
Policy Proposals
Relevant History
Representative Quotes
The principal criticisms to Paul’s economic policies focus on the possibility of leaving the economy too unprotected. After the financial crash of 2008, many people are skeptical that providing businesses with the same amount of freedom they had previously enjoyed. Paul’s plan has no “safety net”, which troubles many due to the volatile nature of any economy. There have also been criticisms aimed at his tax plan, which some economists believe will be unable to provide benefits for the American people. According to Ramesh Ponnuru, a journalist for BloombergView, “For the middle class, however, the plan looks like a wash: What middle-income households no longer owe in payroll taxes they'll pay in hidden consumption taxes. The Tax Foundation concludes that the plan would reduce federal tax revenue by $3 trillion over a decade, not counting any effects it would have on economic growth. Paul says he'd cut spending to prevent the deficit from rising, so this would mean benefit cuts that affect the middle class.”
Policy Proposals
- $2 trillion tax cut that would repeal the entire IRS tax code and replace it with a low tax of 14.5% on individuals and businesses.
- Pass a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget (spending only what comes in in revenues); this would include cuts to spending in all areas and devolving responsibility to state and local governments.
- Conduct a thorough audit of the Federal Reserve, returning regulatory control to Congress. Paul opposes what he sees as interference caused by the Fed through its control of the money supply and interest rates.
Relevant History
- Voted against an economic stimulus bill in 2012, in accordance with his belief that government intervention is harmful.
- The Cato Institute's Center for Trade Policy Studies has identified Paul as a "free trader” due to his pro-free trade, pro-market, and anti-subsidies voting record.
Representative Quotes
- “What I will say is 200 jobs even if they pay minimum wage are a lot better than zero jobs that pay zero dollars. . . . It is a fact, an economic fact, that when you raise the minimum wage the people who are hurt the worst are minorities and kids.”
- “As president, I would promote a Fair and Flat Tax plan, known as the 'EZ Tax.' My tax plan would be the largest tax cut in American history, reforming individual, business, and worker taxes”
- “To me, there is no greater threat than our debt”
Education
Rand Paul believes in more local control over education. He argues that the best educational system is the one which the parents, localities, and states play the largest role in the schooling of children. The federal government should not decide what happens in local schools. As the size of the Department of Education has increased, Paul claims that standardized test scores have decreased. He opposes federal government intervention that erodes educational standards. Therefore, Paul wants to abolish the Department of Education, and he opposed the No Child Left Behind Act. Paul also wants to abolish the Common Core standards in order grant greater power to local communities. Local schools should develop their own standards, instead of having “one size fit all” method nationwide, he argues. In Paul’s view, a national curriculum hinders the growth of individualism and innovation, qualities that are essential for today’s economy. In terms of college fees, Paul advocates for tuition as a tax deductible. In other words, he wants to grant tax credits for student loans. Paul has shown support for school voucher legislation.
Critics of Paul’s tax plan criticize his school voucher system and its hostility towards the public school system. Opponents of school vouchers, such as the nonprofit group Parents Across America, argue that these programs send money to private and charter schools where there is less public oversight. They also fear that money is being taken away from public schools which need it the most. Washington Senator Patty Murray opposed Paul’s bill and stated, “ Today, public schools across the country, and particularly those schools with high concentrations of students in poverty, need more funding, not less. We cannot afford to send scarce federal resources away from public schools to benefit private schools. Secondly, vouchers would send federal taxpayer dollars to private schools that are in no way accountable to the public. Proposals to create vouchers do not require private schools to adopt strong academic standards or to provide students with disabilities with the same services they have in public schools. And unlike public schools, private schools do not need to serve all students.” In the 2000 Senatorial Debate Hillary Clinton said, “I do not support vouchers. And the reason I don’t is because I don’t think we can afford to siphon dollars away from our underfunded public schools.”
Policy Proposals
Relevant History
Representative Quotes
Critics of Paul’s tax plan criticize his school voucher system and its hostility towards the public school system. Opponents of school vouchers, such as the nonprofit group Parents Across America, argue that these programs send money to private and charter schools where there is less public oversight. They also fear that money is being taken away from public schools which need it the most. Washington Senator Patty Murray opposed Paul’s bill and stated, “ Today, public schools across the country, and particularly those schools with high concentrations of students in poverty, need more funding, not less. We cannot afford to send scarce federal resources away from public schools to benefit private schools. Secondly, vouchers would send federal taxpayer dollars to private schools that are in no way accountable to the public. Proposals to create vouchers do not require private schools to adopt strong academic standards or to provide students with disabilities with the same services they have in public schools. And unlike public schools, private schools do not need to serve all students.” In the 2000 Senatorial Debate Hillary Clinton said, “I do not support vouchers. And the reason I don’t is because I don’t think we can afford to siphon dollars away from our underfunded public schools.”
Policy Proposals
- Abolish the Department of Education to increase the role states, localities, and parents play in their children’s schooling.
- Transfer certain responsibilities of the Department of Education, such as disbursing student loans and Pell Grants, to other Departments.
- Get rid of the Common Core Curriculum so local schools can develop their own standards and encourage innovation.
- Transfer $100 billion dollars spent on maintaining the Department of Education each year to local and state level. (The Department of Education already uses a percentage of the money to grant states with more money to provide students with financial aid; however, Paul wants to directly give the money to local and state governments which he believes are more productive and efficient than the “Washington machine.”)
- Make all tuition and student loan debt to be fully tax deductible, allowing college students to deduct the entire cost of college tuition over the course of their working career.
Relevant History
- Voted against the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act, the Comprehensive Student Loan Protection Act, and Student Loan Affordability Act.
- Voted to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling.
- Introduced the Cut Federal Spending Act of 2011 to defund the Department of Education programs.
- Worked with Senator Lamar Alexander to propose a “school choice” amendment, which would have used $14.5 billion in current Title I funding (Title 1 is the federal program that provides funding to local school districts to improve the academic achievement of disadvantaged students) for school vouchers for 11 million students. School vouchers are government funded vouchers which are redeemable for tuition fees at schools other than free local public schools.
Representative Quotes
- "Many of you in college may not care about taxes because you don’t pay them, your parents do. Many of you may not care about excessive regulations because you haven’t seen the harm up close and personal. But regulations and taxes do affect your ability to get a job. When you graduate from college, I want each and every one of you to have a job."
- “The implementation of this federal government takeover (No Child Left Behind) of our education system has hurt not helped parents, teachers, administrators, and most importantly, students.”
Taxes and Economic Policy
As a libertarian-leaning Republican, Paul believes the government tax code is corrupt and overgrown, so he advocates tax cuts. Paul favors a flat tax — his proposal is for a “Fair and Flat Tax” which is also called the “EZ Tax.” Paul is in favor of taxing wages and pensions, but he opposes taxing capital gains, dividends, and interests on individuals. However, Paul supports making those taxes applicable to businesses. He is against the estate tax and also opposes the alternative minimum tax. Both of these taxes primarily apply to wealthy individuals. But he also proposes something to help low and middle income people, making Social Security payroll tax inapplicable to them. Rand Paul would match his tax reductions with large decreases in the expenditures of the federal government.
One critic points out that Paul’s tax proposal contains a hidden tax. Individuals are paying a consumption tax in the form of greater prices for goods they purchased and in the form of lower salaries. A Huffington Post critic of the Paul tax plan indicated that the plan would be very costly to the government in terms of revenue. He cited two sources that claim the loss of revenue over 10 years would range from $2.97 trillion to $15 trillion. The writer was skeptical of Paul’s response, describing it as “unspecified spending cuts that would magically balance the budget.” Another writer indicated that a former economic adviser to Vice President Biden views the tax as “highly regressive and a serious revenue loser,” and also said that “In a climate of heightened inequality and insufficient revenues to achieve sustainable budgets, it’s precisely the way to go.” Marco Rubio gave a speech on January 11 in which he attacked Paul and Cruz for their VATs : “... They try to hide their support for the VAT by renaming it a 'business flat tax.' But don't be fooled. If it acts like a VAT, [and] taxes like a VAT – it's a VAT.” He explained that these VATs trick people into believing their taxes are being lowered, when in reality they're being shifted to employers, meaning Americans would feel its impact through higher prices and lower wages. He also pointed out that one would need to increase the workforce of the IRS by some 20,000 to collect VAT taxes, which is antithetical to Paul’s view on the overgrown IRS.
Policy Proposals
Relevant History
Representative Quotes
One critic points out that Paul’s tax proposal contains a hidden tax. Individuals are paying a consumption tax in the form of greater prices for goods they purchased and in the form of lower salaries. A Huffington Post critic of the Paul tax plan indicated that the plan would be very costly to the government in terms of revenue. He cited two sources that claim the loss of revenue over 10 years would range from $2.97 trillion to $15 trillion. The writer was skeptical of Paul’s response, describing it as “unspecified spending cuts that would magically balance the budget.” Another writer indicated that a former economic adviser to Vice President Biden views the tax as “highly regressive and a serious revenue loser,” and also said that “In a climate of heightened inequality and insufficient revenues to achieve sustainable budgets, it’s precisely the way to go.” Marco Rubio gave a speech on January 11 in which he attacked Paul and Cruz for their VATs : “... They try to hide their support for the VAT by renaming it a 'business flat tax.' But don't be fooled. If it acts like a VAT, [and] taxes like a VAT – it's a VAT.” He explained that these VATs trick people into believing their taxes are being lowered, when in reality they're being shifted to employers, meaning Americans would feel its impact through higher prices and lower wages. He also pointed out that one would need to increase the workforce of the IRS by some 20,000 to collect VAT taxes, which is antithetical to Paul’s view on the overgrown IRS.
Policy Proposals
- Repeal the current tax code and replace it with a 14.5% tax on all income, including wages, salaries, dividends, capital gains, rents and interests. This would exclude a family of four making less than $50,000 annually.
- Create a 14.5% “business activity tax” or “business transfer tax” that functions like a Value Added Tax (VAT) which taxes items multiple times throughout their production.
- Eliminate “all loopholes” that benefit the wealthiest Americans and large American corporations, so that no one ever pays less than 14.5% rate on income taxes or salaries or gains
- Eliminate payroll taxes for people in the workforce who make minimum wage (low income and some middle income workers, relieving the burden to pay social security and medicare taxes.
- Eliminate the Estate tax, which is a 40% tax on an estate after the death of the owner but before it is handed down to the heirs, applicable to homes worth more than $5.5 million for individuals and $7.5 million for couples.
- Eliminate some federal taxes like telephone taxes and gift taxes, and eliminate all duties and tariffs to promote the free market, something very central to Paul’s ideology.
- Eliminate all deductions except for mortgage and charities.
Relevant History
- Signed the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, an oath to never, under any circumstances, vote to raise taxes on anyone.
- Supported an amendment in 2012 that would have balanced revenue and expenses by placing spending limitations on Congress, as well as requiring a supermajority vote to raise any taxes.
- Co-sponsored a joint resolution on the debt limit which disapproved of the President's exercise of authority to increase the debt limit.
- Criticized the Obama administration and Congress for the auto industry bailouts and the bank bailouts, which he considered an overstepping of government into the free market.
Representative Quotes
- “The bank bailout represented everything that was wrong with Washington.”
- “There is absolutely no question that the burdensome US Tax Code needs to be reformed.”
- “What America needs is not Robin Hood, but Adam Smith.”
- “The IRS, through political hacks like former IRS official Lois Lerner, routinely abused its auditing power to build an enemies list and harass anyone who might be adversarial to President Obama’s policies. A convoluted tax code enables these corrupt tactics.”
Immigration
The most important thing to Rand Paul is to secure our border. He believes that illegal immigrants pose a huge national security threat and wants to immediately shut down our southern border before he takes any other actions. He will focus on his “Trust but Verify” proposal he made while in Congress so that we can track everyone who enters and exits the U.S. to ensure the safety of America in his view. He wants Congress to enact these measures because he believes the bureaucracy is failing America. Paul says that the Department of Homeland Security cannot be relied upon to come up with a plan.
Policy Proposals
Relevant History
Representative Quotes
Policy Proposals
- ”Trust but Verify”: wants Congress to make a new border security plan and implement new security measures to track visa holders.
- Build a fence along the southern border, and close down the border until his tracking system is in place.
- He is highly opposed to letting in more immigrants, but has admitted that there might be no other option than to naturalize the 11 million undocumented immigrants.
Relevant History
- Voted for shutting down sanctuary cities (that openly defy laws and act as a place for undocumented immigrants to go without fear of being deported), building a fence along the border, and establishing an electronic tracking system at every port of entry.
- Opposed the 2013 immigration reform bill because it gave too much leeway for undocumented immigrants to move down a path to citizenship.
Representative Quotes
- “I recognize that our country has been enriched by those who seek the American Dream and have a desire for a better life. However, millions of illegal immigrants are crossing our border without our knowledge, and this threatens our national security.”
- "The 11 million, I think, are never going home, don’t need to be sent home, and I would incorporate them into our society by giving them work visas and making them taxpayers."
Health Care and Social Security
Rand Paul, like most Republicans, is strongly against the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and wants to repeal it immediately if voted president. He believes because the federal government has intervened in health care, there is less coverage, higher costs, and less choice in the health care system. Instead of the ACA, he wants a market-based system where health care would be available for purchase across state lines. He also wants to make sure Americans have access to Health Savings Accounts so they can save up money to pay for their medical expenses. Regarding Social Security, Paul is proposing a reform of the system so seniors will get their benefits and so the system will be preserved for younger generations. Part of his reform includes increasing the retirement age in the future, so those close to retirement now will not be affected.
Rand Paul’s main opposition comes from the Democratic party, especially Bernie Sanders. They have extremely different philosophies when it comes to health care. Sanders believes that health care is a fundamental right that everyone deserves, while Paul thinks the exact opposite. In a 2011 debate in the Senate, both senators went head to head in a discussion about healthcare where Paul described free healthcare as “slavery” for doctors and other medical employees.
Policy Proposals
Relevant History
Representative Quotes
Rand Paul’s main opposition comes from the Democratic party, especially Bernie Sanders. They have extremely different philosophies when it comes to health care. Sanders believes that health care is a fundamental right that everyone deserves, while Paul thinks the exact opposite. In a 2011 debate in the Senate, both senators went head to head in a discussion about healthcare where Paul described free healthcare as “slavery” for doctors and other medical employees.
Policy Proposals
- Make all medical expenses tax deductible.
- Raise the full retirement age.
- Make health insurance available for purchase across state lines.
- Promote Health Savings Accounts- a tax-free account in which users can save money to pay for medical expenses.
Relevant History
- Voted in favor of repealing parts of the ACA whenever possible.
- Voted no on the Protecting Access to Medicare Act, which delayed cutting down on the payment of Medicare physicians.
Representative Quotes
- “As a doctor I promise you this: I will make it my mission to heal this nation, reverse the course of Obamacare, and work to repeal every last bit of it.”
- "If I’m a physician in your community and you say you have a right to health care, do you have a right to beat down my door with the police, escort me away and force me to take care of you? That’s ultimately what the right to free health care would be. If you believe in a right to health care, you’re believing in basically the use of force to conscript someone to do your bidding."
Poverty and Social Welfare Programs
Rand Paul believes that the government’s meddling in citizens' financial affairs is standing in the way of people’s ability to create better lives for themselves. Because of this, he is calling for a complete overhaul of the system, removing the IRS, and implementing his own tax plan that would even the playing field for everyone: a flat tax for everyone, with no loopholes for anyone. He believes that this new tax code would jumpstart the economy, providing new and better-paying jobs, which would also lead to a lessened dependency of government benefits. To compliment this new growth, he would reform welfare services to make sure that they were only going to those who needed them the most.
Although Paul has engaged with his opponents on other issues, he has said more about others’ social welfare proposals than they have said about his. However, in regards to his new financial plans, Donald Trump called Rand Paul “an ineffective guy” who needs to “focus on Kentucky.”
Policy Proposals
Relevant History
Representative Quotes
Although Paul has engaged with his opponents on other issues, he has said more about others’ social welfare proposals than they have said about his. However, in regards to his new financial plans, Donald Trump called Rand Paul “an ineffective guy” who needs to “focus on Kentucky.”
Policy Proposals
- Reduce business tax rates in “economically depressed” areas to 5%, which he believes will help stimulate the economy, provide more jobs, and help people get out of poverty.
- Reform Social Security by raising the retirement age, and increase the requirements to qualify for disability checks. In addition, workers would have to pay Social Security Tax on their entire paycheck instead of the current $170,000+.
Relevant History
- Voted against bills that would would financially burden businesses such as raising the minimum wage, or raising the business tax such as the “Minimum Wage Fairness Act”.
- Has supported bills that would do things such as limit who can receive welfare, reduce payroll taxes, and limit eligibility for SNAP (food stamps).
Representative Quotes
- "Those of us who are actively pursuing the American Dream simply want government to get out of our way. For those of us who feel separated and distant from the American Dream, we don't want be perpetually talked down to, forgotten, and left in perpetual poverty. Many are discouraged that the "gifts" offered by liberals have not generated wealth, but rather perpetuated poverty. People want a way out — not fake concern and baubles."
- “Millions of Americans depend on Social Security and if we are to keep our promises to them, we can no longer ignore the fiscal state of this undoubtedly important program.”