2.13.2014

Rand Paul is Suing the Obama Administration and "Vows to Stop the NSA While We Still Can"

Sen. Rand Paul argues that NSA surveillance of U.S. citizens is a violation of the Constitution

Rand Paul, US senator from Kentucky, wrote on his blog yesterday: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated. This is the beginning of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and defines one of the most important rights we have against a potentially tyrannical government. Throughout history, governments have used the confiscation of private property, as well as bullying and surveillance techniques, to keep populations under control and maintain a continuous threat against those who would dare criticize them."

Last night i watched Rand's interview with Erin Burnette on her CNN show 'Outfront'. i've seen Paul speak and be interviewed a number of times in the past few years. He never sounded better than last night. He was calm, measured in his responses and wasn't flustered or diverted, in fact, his arguments were burnished by her questions.

This isn't the first time i've had to acknowledge that Rand Paul 'walks the talk'. Others, like Glen Greenwald who said last year that it was a "Fascinating day: Tea Party Senator [Paul] filibusters torture-supporting CIA nominee over civil liberties, while Dem establishment mocks & fumes." would seldom be expected to agree with Paul's positions, but often must on certain issues.

A few months later the issue was drones. Rand and his father Ron once again stood nearly alone in Washington and embarrassed both Democrats and Republicans by reminding us all that 'silence is complicity'. The Pauls understand that the 'security' apparatus lives in fear of YOU.

There many issues on which i totally disagree with the Rand Paul. IMO, Rand, like his father, should simply apply the same libertarian philosophy to the all the issues that they do to 4th Amendment Rights, drug legalization, defense policies, drones, the Federal Reserve and ending the tyranny of the Empire.

The Mud Report stands with Rand on the issue of our right to privacy. If Rand were to have an epiphany and see that abortion is a private, personal, decision that is outside the purview of government, that homosexuality is too, that a real libertarian philosophy encompasses the fact that every individual has the right to clean air and water and that corporations aren't real people and so have no right to poison the water and air of real people, he could be elected President in 2016.