Rand Paul Pledges to Immediately End NSA Mass Surveillance If Elected President • Hacker News Board

Re: Rand Paul Pledges to Immediately End NSA Mass Surveillance If Elected President

#51

Post by bsbechtel » Sun, Apr 12, 2015, 1:46 AM UTC

lubos wrote: post #30

This is not surprising. Rand Paul, similar to his father Ron Paul, has very libertarian political views which means they prefer no government involvement, not just in the Internet but anywhere. This is not as good as it sounds. For example, he doesn't support FED in controlling money supply. But FED was instrumental in making USD the most stable currency in the last 100 years. He doesn't like energy regulations and b…

I take it you aren't one who has made any investments in Bitcoin over the past few years.

Re: Rand Paul Pledges to Immediately End NSA Mass Surveillance If Elected President

#52

Post by sb057 » Sun, Apr 12, 2015, 1:46 AM UTC

ikeboy wrote: post #35

lettergram wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could you expand? Your comment doesn't really add anything to the conversation, expand my knowledge, or even explain why anyone should value your opinion... I don't mean to be rude, but it was a rather harsh comment, without much (if any) addition to the conversation.

http://www.factcheck.org/2015/02/paul-repeats-baseless-vacci... http://religiondispatches.org/rand-paul-we-wouldnt-need-laws...

>http://www.factcheck.org/2015/02/paul-repeats-baseless-vacci...

That quote is taken out of context. To quote the entire thing:

"The point is that I have heard of – I mean who hasn’t ever met a child who has a profound disability and in the parents’ mind they see a connection,” Paul said. “But I didn’t allege there is a connection. I said I heard of people who believe there is a connection. I do think that vaccines are a good idea. I’ve been vaccinated. My kids have been vaccinated."

>http://religiondispatches.org/rand-paul-we-wouldnt-need-laws...

The headlines says "Rand Paul: We Wouldn’t Need Laws If Everyone Were Christian". Paul never said anything like that. He said that "Christian values" like non-violence and such are good.

Re: Rand Paul Pledges to Immediately End NSA Mass Surveillance If Elected President

#53

Post by Alex3917 » Sun, Apr 12, 2015, 1:47 AM UTC

lubos wrote: post #30

This is not surprising. Rand Paul, similar to his father Ron Paul, has very libertarian political views which means they prefer no government involvement, not just in the Internet but anywhere. This is not as good as it sounds. For example, he doesn't support FED in controlling money supply. But FED was instrumental in making USD the most stable currency in the last 100 years. He doesn't like energy regulations and b…

> Even a broken clock is right two times a day.

What matters though is which of these policies would actually get implemented if he becomes president. My guess is that ending NSA surveillance and the war on drugs would, the others not so much. You'd probably get a couple bad laws and a couple bad Supreme Court justices, but that's not much worse than you'd get with anyone else. I probably wouldn't vote for him for president, but I'd have no problem with him winning the Republican primary.

Re: Rand Paul Pledges to Immediately End NSA Mass Surveillance If Elected President

#54

Post by morgante » Sun, Apr 12, 2015, 1:48 AM UTC

lubos wrote: post #30

This is not surprising. Rand Paul, similar to his father Ron Paul, has very libertarian political views which means they prefer no government involvement, not just in the Internet but anywhere. This is not as good as it sounds. For example, he doesn't support FED in controlling money supply. But FED was instrumental in making USD the most stable currency in the last 100 years. He doesn't like energy regulations and b…

I don't think it's fair to call someone who advocates against abortion and same-sex marriages a libertarian.

Re: Rand Paul Pledges to Immediately End NSA Mass Surveillance If Elected President

#55

Post by dntrkv » Sun, Apr 12, 2015, 1:49 AM UTC

woah wrote: post #25

meowface wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I honestly think that between POTUS Rand Paul and NSA mass surveillance programs, the latter is the leser of two evils. It would be very nice to see other candidates making similar pledges though.

No explanation in this comment either

http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Rand_Paul.htm

Some of his positions:

Life begins at conception.

Endorsed Liberty Candidate: End the Federal Reserve.

Women won the "war on women": they're no longer downtrodden.

Punishing the rich means the poor lose their jobs.

Blacks look who's in prison & conclude cops out to get them.

EPA regulations cost $15 trillion in 2012.

Exit the UN; maintain US sovereignty.

Defund, repeal, & replace federal care with free market.

Defense should be largest part of much smaller budget.

Social Security is a Ponzi scheme.

Economic growth comes when we lower taxes for everyone.

Voted NO on authorizing states to collect Internet sales taxes.

Tax cuts help the poor because local businesses will hire.

Yeah, no thanks.

Re: Rand Paul Pledges to Immediately End NSA Mass Surveillance If Elected President

#56

Post by morgante » Sun, Apr 12, 2015, 1:50 AM UTC

lettergram wrote: post #50

lubos wrote: post #30

This is not surprising. Rand Paul, similar to his father Ron Paul, has very libertarian political views which means they prefer no government involvement, not just in the Internet but anywhere. This is not as good as it sounds. For example, he doesn't support FED in controlling money supply. But FED was instrumental in making USD the most stable currency in the last 100 years. He doesn't like energy regulations and b…

Alright, two things.. (1) It seems you are just dismissing him and his father have similar ideas, which aren't necessarily any crazier than every other politician ever (i.e. social security is so awesome). Rand and Ron Paul both supported STATES rights, which lets be honest, makes it possible to move between states and have different taxes, laws, and unique experiences. This leads me to my second point... (2) "His re…

> Constitutionally, the president doesn't control a state religion, abortion, marriage, etc.

The Establishment Clause is pretty clear that states should not and cannot enact state religions, and its up to the federal government to enforce that.

The fact that Rand Paul is clearly biased by his religion makes him distinctly un-libertarian.

Re: Rand Paul Pledges to Immediately End NSA Mass Surveillance If Elected President

#57

Post by ftwinnovations » Sun, Apr 12, 2015, 1:52 AM UTC

lubos wrote: post #30

This is not surprising. Rand Paul, similar to his father Ron Paul, has very libertarian political views which means they prefer no government involvement, not just in the Internet but anywhere. This is not as good as it sounds. For example, he doesn't support FED in controlling money supply. But FED was instrumental in making USD the most stable currency in the last 100 years. He doesn't like energy regulations and b…

Everyone has different opinions, such as Rand Paul's view on family/abortion/etc. Some people agree with his views, others don't.

However beyond that, you should be more educated before spouting historical "facts".

California Energy Deregulation: http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampentland/2013/10/13/after...

Federal Reserve History: https://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/federal-100-years-de...

In this case, your clock is simply wrong 24 hours a day.

Re: Rand Paul Pledges to Immediately End NSA Mass Surveillance If Elected President

#58

Post by AnthonyMouse » Sun, Apr 12, 2015, 1:53 AM UTC

lubos wrote: post #30

This is not surprising. Rand Paul, similar to his father Ron Paul, has very libertarian political views which means they prefer no government involvement, not just in the Internet but anywhere. This is not as good as it sounds. For example, he doesn't support FED in controlling money supply. But FED was instrumental in making USD the most stable currency in the last 100 years. He doesn't like energy regulations and b…

There is no such thing as a good candidate overall. Different citizens want different things.

But if the positions Rand Paul takes that you disagree with are the ones shared by other Republicans then you should still want Rand Paul to win the Republican nomination. Because if a Republican wins in the general election then at least it will be a Republican with the right position on mass surveillance, and if a Democrat wins then it will be a Democrat forced by Rand Paul to take more sensible positions on the issues that Rand Paul is right about.

Re: Rand Paul Pledges to Immediately End NSA Mass Surveillance If Elected President

#59

Post by cowsandmilk » Sun, Apr 12, 2015, 1:53 AM UTC

AnthonyMouse wrote: post #18

meepmorp wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, he has effectively zero chance of becoming president, so it is kinda too good to be true.

Isn't that what they said about Barack Obama?

no...

Barack Obama was viewed as a major contender for the Democratic Party nomination from the beginning of the primaries. He and Hillary were the only two candidates that had raised over $20MM in the first 3 months of 2007. So, 19 months before the election, the two serious democratic candidates had already taken the lead. In January 2008, Obama won 3 of the 4 first primaries, and tied with Hillary in the 4th.

Rand Paul is viewed as following in his father's footsteps, who was never taken seriously by the national party. In his best performance in 2012, Ron Paul only won the primary in the US Virgin Islands.

Re: Rand Paul Pledges to Immediately End NSA Mass Surveillance If Elected President

#60

Post by joshuapants » Sun, Apr 12, 2015, 1:53 AM UTC

morgante wrote: post #56

lettergram wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Alright, two things.. (1) It seems you are just dismissing him and his father have similar ideas, which aren't necessarily any crazier than every other politician ever (i.e. social security is so awesome). Rand and Ron Paul both supported STATES rights, which lets be honest, makes it possible to move between states and have different taxes, laws, and unique experiences. This leads me to my second point... (2) "His re…

> Constitutionally, the president doesn't control a state religion, abortion, marriage, etc. The Establishment Clause is pretty clear that states should not and cannot enact state religions, and its up to the federal government to enforce that. The fact that Rand Paul is clearly biased by his religion makes him distinctly un-libertarian.

It seems like you're grasping at straws. Good luck finding a single human anywhere that isn't biased in some way. I'm also not aware of any Libertarian Cabal documents stating that nobody with vaguely libertarian views can have a religion, or that in having a religion one is so tainted as to be unable to compartmentalize one's personal and professional lives.