Tagged: Rand Paul

Kentucky’s junior U.S. Senator says he’ll make a decision within the next two years on a possible presidential run. Bowling Green Republican Rand Paul told a New York City radio station he will seek to play a major role in determining the future of the GOP and wants to “try to be part of the national debate.”

Paul admitted the Republican Party is currently unpopular with many American voters, and is an almost non-factor in several parts of the country, including the west coast and New England. The Warren County native said the GOP must “evolve and adapt”, or face becoming a “permanent minority party.”

As for a possible White House bid in 2016, Senator Paul said he believes his brand of conservatism could play well in parts of the country that normally don’t embrace Republican ideals.

The Senate this week will take up relief payments for areas hit by Superstorm Sandy, and Senator Rand Paul says he will oppose the measure.  Paul says the Northeast does need help after the storm, but he would like to offset the costs with spending cuts elsewhere in government.

A measure authorizing $9 billion in relief already passed Congress. The Republican-controlled House recently approved an additional $51 billion package, which Paul says is laden with pork spending.

“I would have given them 9 billion and I would’ve taken the 9 billion from somewhere else. I would have taken it from foreign aid and said you know what, we don’t have money for Egypt or Pakistan this year because we have to help the Northeast.”

Kentucky Congressmen Brett Guthrie, Andy Barr and Thomas Massie all opposed the legislation in the House.

U.S. Senator Rand Paul plans to introduce legislation that would prevent the federal  government from defaulting if it fails to raise the debt ceiling. President Barack Obama and Congress are once again tussling over increasing the nation’s debt limit. The president says he won’t negotiate the issue, while the GOP wants to tie any change to spending cuts.

If an agreement isn't reached, the U.S. will be unable to pay its bills. Paul, a Republican from Bowling Green, says his legislation will force the president pay debt interest, entitlements and the military before using remaining funds.

“Why would we ever try to scare the markets by saying, oh if you don’t raise the debt ceiling we’ll default. We bring in over $200 billion dollars every month and the interest payment is $30 billion," explains Paul.

The nation will hit its debt ceiling in the next few months.