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I’m Rand Paul and I’m running for President of the United States of America. Ask me anything!

Posted by RandPaul 8 years, 7 months ago to Politics
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I'm Dr. Rand Paul, devoted husband and father, senator from Kentucky, and 2016 United States presidential candidate.

I am running for president to return our country to the principles of liberty and limited government. I am an advocate of a balanced budget amendment, term limits, and privacy reform. I’m proud to be here in Galt’s Gulch with you today and will be back at 4PM ET to provide answers to your questions.

Ask me anything.

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EDIT 3: Radio Interrupted post-show with the Atlas Society: http://www.galtsgulchonline.com/posts...

EDIT 2: A full summary of questions and answers by Dr. Paul can be found here: http://www.galtsgulchonline.com/posts...

EDIT 1: 09.22.15 4:50PM ET: The Senator had to cut it short to keep a date with Wolf Blitzer (CNN). Check out his farewell comment here: http://www.galtsgulchonline.com/posts...

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PROOF: https://twitter.com/RandPaul/status/6...

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FROM SCOTT: Dr. Paul will be here at 4PM ET. Post your questions here now as comments below. IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE QUESTIONS, PLEASE POST THEM AS INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS. Try and keep the questions brief so the senator can get through as many as possible. Also, make sure to vote on the questions (and this post) as the best will rise to the the top of the list.

At 4PM ET, refresh this page with your browser to see the Rand’s replies as they come in.

Also, make sure to join us at 4:30PM today for a special edition of GULCH LIVE: RADIO INTERRUPTED ( http://www.galtsgulchonline.com/g/the... ) for exclusive live commentary from the Atlas Society's David Kelly, Aaron Day, Will Thomas, and Ed Hudgins.

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DONATE TO RAND’S CAMPAIGN: https://secure.randpaul.com/

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DONATE TO FREEDOMWORKS: https://donate.freedomworks.org/contr...
DONATE TO THE ATLAS SOCIETY: http://atlassociety.org/donate

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NOT YET A GULCH PRODUCER?
- Create a new Galt's Gulch Account: https://galtsgulchonline.appspot.com/...
- Upgrade an existing Galt's Gulch Account: http://www.galtsgulchonline.com/accou...

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All Comments

Previous comments...   You are currently on page 2.
  • Posted by $ AJAshinoff 8 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    What are you talking about? I think you misunderstood what I wrote.

    In America, union autoworkers get $25/hr + benefits + sick time + vacation or more

    Outside America (not in America) - people make $25/week to $25/month to make cars.

    The manufacturing costs are so much lower that our vehicles are instantly too expensive to export to many countries. We lose manufacturing jobs as our product go overseas to be made.

    As for automation - they add to the unemployment lines. Unless you are a mechanic this doesn't create as many jobs as it takes.

    As for needing to make $25/hr to guy a car...thats not what this post was referring to.

    A global economy is not beneficial to US interests, it siphons jobs.
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  • Posted by hattrup 8 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    You will not need to make $25/hr to buy a car made by someone paid $25 a month.
    And you can then go out and work on maintaining and fixing the huge numbers of vehicles on the road made for only $25/month.
    100% of the country gets to buy cheaper cars - reducing the cost of living / raising the standard of living.
    You make/export the items and services you have a comparative advantage in.
    With increasing automation and more efficient use of resources in making products - labor and material content are steadily becoming a smaller factor in product cost.

    I would be much more concerned about local, county, state, and federal regulations creating barriers to entry, and high cost of operations than I would with labor rates.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compara...
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  • Posted by flfenn 8 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Thank you for your reply, Dr. Paul. I agree, 'special tax breaks' are only for the corporate rich. I am a school teacher on a fixed income, and my district only pays me monthly. I have no interest in 'tax breaks' per se, only that I pay my fair share, and not a penny more. Paying when I choose to spend my meager salary makes more sense to me than a 1040 form. I'm not hopeful that Social Security for retirement will even be there in 20 years, and if Congress keeps raising the bar, I might die before I reach it, which will make policy-wonks in Washington all the more happy, I am sure.
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  • Posted by $ jbrenner 8 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Elsewhere Rand Paul responded that he would use executive orders to negate Obama's executive orders.
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  • Posted by bwendland24 8 years, 7 months ago
    Will you just turn the prison industrial complex into a drug treatment industrial complex. how pro-marijuana are you are you for decriminalization! and I don't want the jargon that we will see where the states go I want your honest opinion blatant and open don't try to hide it. the majority of Americans want decriminalization of marijuana anyway.
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  • -1
    Posted by TavaresDJUSA12 8 years, 7 months ago
    *DITTO(USA)..."SenatorRand,DoYouBelieveThatYouAre'PresidentialMaterial'...If,So,WhyAndWhoAlsoCurrentlyRunningForPresidentOfTheUSAIn2016DoYouBelieveIs'PresidentialMaterial'And,Again,Why...ThanksMuch/InLiberty,DennisJTavares...SoonerAnd/Not,Later"!!!!!
    >
    >
    >

    🇺🇸🇨🇦🇮🇱🇬🇧🇦🇺😉
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  • Posted by Navyengr 8 years, 7 months ago
    Dr Paul.

    Hi, I've been on board with you and your father since 2007. I voted Bush in 2004, but I've never voted for anyone else but Liberty candidates since then.

    I'm an engineer for the US Navy and I'm proud to protect our ships and our sailors and give our warfighters what they need to win.

    I also happen to be Muslim.

    My beliefs are consistent with the Constitution of this nation. But lately I've been very disturbed by ant-islamic comments from Republican candidates and even voters claiming to be part of the Liberty movement.

    I won't be seeking the highest office any time soon. I'm an engineer and I build things. But what should I tell my kids when they ask about following in the footsteps of their icon - President Rand Paul? Is there any place for us in the Republican party or the Liberty movement?
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  • Posted by joeydasinger 8 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I actually don't know where he is from, or if he was ever the head of DOHS, kinda doubt that last part. He was on Fox and got fired basically for being too libertarian.
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  • Posted by PROOF 8 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    when corporations get as big as governments, they have the power to force their products on the masses in a monopolistic way.....While i am afraid of government getting too big and powerful, i am also afraid of corporations getting too big and powerful....
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  • Posted by cjferraris 8 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I agree with what you're saying about climate policy, however everything that humans try to "control" we end up screwing up. The Colorado river would flood and dry up, now, since we've built that series of dams that control the Colorado river, we seem to be in a drought that has lowered levels substantially.
    With all the talk of CO2 being the "cause" of global warming, why isn't there a tree planting plan in place??

    It seems that the adage that "A giraffe is a mouse made by the government." is true.
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  • Posted by davidmcnab 8 years, 7 months ago
    Dr Paul, can we please address the matter of free trade versus "free" trade?

    Free trade is when 2 or more countries relax their tariffs and allow each others' goods to pass their respective borders without impediment.

    "Free" trade is when some countries relax their tariffs, but notice other countries aren't relaxing theirs. And if the tariffs are relaxed, the other countries instead levy all kinds of subtle market barriers.

    The USA is notorious for preaching free trade, but practising "free" trade. Successive governments have been compromised through undue lobbying influence from livestock farmers, and numerous other industry interest groups, such that the USA has insisted on free access to trading partners' markets, while keeping major parts of their own markets closed.

    Dr Paul, are you willing to commit yourself (and any government you lead) to eliminating this hypocrisy once and for all, such that the USA starts conducting itself with integrity as an honest trading citizen of the world?
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  • Posted by $ AJAshinoff 8 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    A major contributor to our manufacturing troubles is the global economy/marketplace. How can we as a nation compete when a worker in Detroit is demanding payment of $25.00/hr to work an assembly line, when in other nations people are happy to work by hand for $25 a week or a month without sick days or holidays. It is simply not possible to think that what products we make can be priced competitively to make our products attractive in foreign markets.
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  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 8 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Thank you, Senator.
    I hope you will return soon and find more time for us in your busy schedule. I believe you will find here a very favorable audience.
    Regards,
    O.A.
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  • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 8 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    A premise to check. Businesses don't pay taxes they collect for the government and add it into the cost of overhead as COG cost of government. Only the consumer the end user pays tax.

    So you cut income tax a little and add a VAT to the embedded hidden taxes I'm already paying and add an open tax which I'm not paying in a non sales tax state

    Peter pays Paul and Peter Paul's last name is Citizen.

    However if it gets rid of the fascist socialist income tax completely and hopefully applies that to State level I'm all for it. The modified Fair Tax way replaces part of the percentage first mentioned by routing it through business but it's still my choice to buy or not buy.

    I
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  • Posted by iowagarrett 8 years, 7 months ago
    Rand, Donald Trump has accused the media of not being "fair" to him in their questions. Would it be "fair" to point out that in recent years Trump has been active in the pro wrestling scene, having a run-in with "The Boogeyman" and firing cross dressing wrestler "Santina Marella" and now thinks he's qualified to take on ISIS and Putin? ;-)

    LOVE FROM IOWA!!!!

    https://youtu.be/nYcfsLfwQcM (marella)

    https://youtu.be/u2vJN3st5T4 (the Boogeyman)
    Reply | Permalink  
  • Posted by joeschmoses 8 years, 7 months ago
    Dr. Paul, I am a student that's followed your campaign really closely, and have been at work promoting your campaign to everyone that I know. From the beginning you have proven to be the only candidate that continuously fights for the entire bill of rights, limited government, and freedom on a continuous basis. But I'm constantly seeing people support big government candidates...

    Is it ever disheartening working so hard to protect the freedom of Americans when so much of the population seems to support candidates that would take us to war, and increase the size of government?
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  • Posted by ObjectiveAnalyst 8 years, 7 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Thank you, Senator.
    I believe everyone is against pollution, but when the EPA starts regulating CO2 as a pollutant, it is time to fire a few bureaucrats. If elected I hope you reign in these power hungry, over-regulating, un-elected agency personnel
    Respectfully,
    O.A..
    Reply | Permalink  

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