Senator Rand Paul Delivers Maiden Speech in Senate

[yadig2012]

Paul-Rubio*2016

[rickcain2320]

@UBSCARED

Its always good to have lofty goals, because sometimes you achieve them.

[cciraulo]

Senator Paul talks about two of my cousins Henry Clay and Cassius Marcellus Clay. I love this speach contrasting my two distant cousins.

[JayCaesar12]

Henry Clay was the greatest statesman this country has ever had. In his 50 year career he was able to save the Union three times. Granted slavery is wrong and a moral blight on his and our nation's character, but at because of Henry Clay, we still had a nation to fix the wrongs that we have committed in the past. Mr. Paul talked about how Clay's willingness to compromise cost him the presidency? Henry Clay said it himself "I'd rather be right than President."

[JayCaesar12]

Henry Clay was the greatest statesman this country has ever had. In his 50 year career he was able to save the Union three times. Granted slavery is wrong and a moral blight on his and our nation's character, but at because of Henry Clay, we still had a nation to fix the wrongs that we have committed in the past. Mr. Paul talked about how Clay's willingness to compromise cost him the presidency? Henry Clay said it himself "I'd rather be right than President."

[boredomstryks]

@UBSCARED Rand Paul is doing what we pay him to do. It's those who don't wish to get up to the task who are to blame and are doing nothing more than symbolic bullcrap and fear-mongering.

[sharinganclan213]

@UBSCARED and what are you? you're a waste of oxygen. Rand paul is one of the few senators who are bold enough to challenge the problem we face, unlike the"Seasoned" legislators you speak of.

[UBSCARED]

This speech is childish as hell. If Rand Paul does not compromise, he will accomplish nothing. It's that simple. He proposed 500 billion in spending cuts and it was pure symbolism. The proposal was place in the circular file and mocked by seasoned legislators. He is making himself irrelevant and wasting his time and the tax payers money. He will advance no cause and he will fail as a senator.

[ohiopigeon]

Truly a great speech and a great Statesman

[boochance]

As a Democrat I can't agree with all you say but I do agree that we have to change Social Security, Medicare and Defense. If they are not reworked we will all go down with the ship. I like your dad too.

[rickcain2320]

@boochance

The problem is not Social Security nor Medicare, its for profit insurance that is destroying our health care system, Medicare and Social Security. Its a totally un-necessary business that removes valuable health care dollars out of a vital system and puts it in the pockets of a few rich elites and provides nothing in return.

Defense needed to be cut in 1991 after the Soviet Union collapsed but there are many private companies that depend on tax money so they pressure congress.

[shiffty1032231]

Rand Paul, the best senator in the senate.

[MagicStarER]

I am a descendant of Henry Clay. And YOU, sir, are not fit to tie his shoes!

[saltMagic]

@MagicStarER Your also a douche

[FlashVirus]

@MagicStarER

Who cares about Henry Clay? The man was not a friend to liberty. Central bank, anyone? The only Whig President I like is John Tyler.

[cary19642003]

I hope this gentleman get a mojority of people on his train of thought. This countrymakes plently of money to efend us, help us grow in the private sector, become completely energy independent, and strong again. However If the people at the top can't see past their own pockets wich are getting with cash from lobbyists, pork project kickbacks, and investments designed to make them rich while hurting the common man then nothing will come to fruition. It is past time to stop spending!

[3martijns]

Rand Paul is a True American Patriot with Steadfast Honest Principles.

God Bless him!

[ritwingr]

Wow....that sounds like the kind of speech that the great senators of the past might have made. Historically literate, about big ideas, and soundly principled.

Senator Paul, I wish you represented me. Kentuckians should be proud.

[EMHO3]

@ritwingr Rand Paul is a racist moron. You can have him!

[chinkzilla03]

@EMHO3 yeah this speech really makes him sound like a racist.

[mauibrad]

OUTSTANDING SPEECH.

[picard0957]

An excellent first speech. Given the tendency of GOP leaders like McCain, Graham , Alexander , even McConnell , to "reach across the aisle to get things done" , this frames our coming debate on reducing government perfectly. 

The entire GOP caucus was put back into power because we know that increasing taxes only encourages more spending.

no compromise on spending cuts, or on taxes

[Oboysfan]

It was a very good speech and interesting to know who's desk you will be sitting at. I always enjoy when we are reminded of our ancestors and how we can still learn lessons from them even today.

For those who do not know how Clays were related, Cassius M. Clay was Henry Clay's second cousin. They are kin through their great-grandparents.

[EMHO3]

He's an idiot!!

[abnormallyhugeweiner]

@EMHO3 How so?

[bunkka84]

He is a nut.

[Mikey2448]

@bunkka84 So people who abide by the constitution and the advice of the founders are nuts? No wonder this country is going down the shitter.

[MooseOfReason]

@bunkka84 Who's a nut?

[bunkka84]

Why is he talking about Henry Clay and his brother Cassius Clay? By the time he gets to the point of his speech , its lost its meaning.

[ExperiencedPatriot]

@bunkka84 Your inability to comprehend the content of this clearly articulated speech is a testament to one fundamental problem in our country today. So Many no longer think for themselves and, as a result, cannot follow honest dialog. Instead, an alarming number of citizens openly submit to being led and fed by those who consider themselves superior to the average citizen. There is much to be learned from history, but you must be interested enough to engage in meaningful conversation.

[bunkka84]

Why is he talking about Henry Clay?

[MooseOfReason]

@bunkka84 Henry Clay served as a US Senator from Kentucky. Rand Paul wanted to make a speech about compromise.

[633562]

Nice speech, Senator. However, I would probably draw a much stronger connection between slavery and debt. Rising debt levels is like another insidious kind of slavery, the bonds of which we are willingly putting upon ourselves and our children. In fact, during the Greek and Roman times, people willingly placed themselves under slavery of a rich benefactor because of their debts.

[holidaygolight]

My idea of compromise is to put welfare, state housing, and food stamps to an end; and cut the Pentagon budget by the same amount.

If they want to raise taxes; compromise for a flat consumption tax plan.

If they want to spend money on teacher pay or tuitions; vote yes in exchange for shutting down the Department of Education.

[catchyournoise]

Rand,

Your dad was decades ahead of the rest of those buffoons in Washington with his wisdom, integrity, and foresight.

Here's hoping, for the sake of the American people, that it doesn't take that long for them to catch up with you.

Ron Paul 2012

[LicketyDSlit]

The Peoples' voice must be heard, NOT the Bankers', eliminate the cash cow that silences the people; End the Fed; and bring back Lincoln's Greenbacks.

[Oboysfan]

1family4me & Perseiden2 Why are you two still at it? Yes I know this is African American History Month and I'm sure some people might find all this educating. Some of us might be interested in seeing those scanned copies of those 1830's pamphlets.

[1family4me]

@Oboysfan I'm always interested in US History.

[Oboysfan]

@1family4me Glad someone else is besides me although I try not to debate it. I try not to debate history on on-line because some assume they are correct even if I'm staring directly at the fact. Not saying anyone here is wrong it just my normal preference. A clear error I might correct, but a minor error I'm ignoring.

[1family4me]

@Oboysfan As long as we can keep it civil I think it's great.

[germanpaymaster]

rand paul might be a good physician but he has no understanding of our present monetary system

our monetary system lives from the debt...no debt equals no money

austerity measures will lead to economic depression, financial collapse, mass unemployment and the uprising of a new dictator

heinrich brüning implemented the same program as rand paul proposes in the 1930s in germany...the final point was hitler came to power...seems like rand paul wants to build a new fourth reich in the US

[Apollo9733us]

The Senate gets a history lesson...LMAO

[bdmenne]

So Proud! So Proud.

[MooseOfReason]

You likely won't hear this on MSNBC when they talk about Rand's speech, but Wisconsin used nullification to nullify the Fugitive Slave Act.

[MooseOfReason]

Mr. Smith makes his first speech.

[FreedomsReigning]

hmmmmmm

Paul 2016? We'll be there for ya.

[dependentonunclesam]

When New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Conn, RI, NH, elects a Senator like this we will be able to clean up this mess the career politicians have made.

[cliffyknight]

How awesome would it be if ALL of Congress had his beliefs? We'd be better off.

[Perseiden2]

@cliffyknight

what beliefs are those ?

[1stBrillo]

@Perseiden2

Not enough time here but

#1 NO DEMOCRAT COULD GET ELECTED WITH OUT SPENDING WORKING AMERICANS MONEY

#2 Understanding that no company, one person or 100,000 PAYS TAXES! They only COLLECT THEM!

Company's are in business TO MAKE MONEY! The Tax Burden Is Passed On To The Finale Product

Being Sold. Meaning......ONLY PEOPLE PAY TAXES!!!!!!!! There is your start to the real world.

Get Your Brain In Gear!

[MooseOfReason]

@Perseiden2 Conservatism.

[Aeschylus]

Great speech, and in his talks and interviews he's come across as quite measured and thoughtful, but before we talk presidency, let him have a term or two in the Senate! Then, if we still like him, maybe he can get some executive experience in his home state before we talk about the White House.

[blogegog]

I like this guy much more than I do his father.

[hjhemin1]

Much like his father Ron, Rand is looking to be one hell of a Senator. It's time to challenge the Globalists and their false choices left right paradigm.

Rand is a true Conservative, worthy of the Old Right, the NeoCons are gonna hate this guy. Hope to see more people like Rand take office in the future.

[RighteouslyWicked]

Those are some big slide cards.

[eazee420]

@RighteouslyWicked lol

[katkinne]

u go Senator paul!!!

[fugel1981]

That sounded... dare I say, PRESIDENTIAL!!!

[StepUPNJ]

Good stuff Rand!

[mothersbow333]

Now that is a REPRESENTATIVE! Rand and Ron....our new forefathers in living flesh! What a speech!

[darsh5k]

Seems like Rand Paul doesn't like the Whig Party.

[jbjumpback]

Now is the time for all good men to.......

[DelmarBos]

Wow, great speech, I have high hopes for Rand, a real tea partier and classical liberal

[Mal3volution]

I wish a thumbs-down required a comment to be counted. I'm curious as to why this video has more than zero.

[P51ride]

@Mal3volution AMEN !!!!

[Mal3volution]

@P51ride

Thanks. I guess most folks don't realize that most speeches / comments given in Congress are not as, er, entertaining as, say, your average Chris Christie video. Still, I'm curious. Maybe a lot of folks just don't like libertarians, or think Rand's father's a nut. Oh well, at least no one here is spitting "vitriol" :)

[rdk89]

Very good speech :)

USA VOTE FOR PAUL'S :D

[pwnttothemax]

once people actually hear him speak, and stop listening to pundits analyze him, they will come to the side of liberty

[Oboysfan]

Nice first speech Senator Paul.  Hoping for more of them.

[adialfonso]

Rand Paul will run for President in 2020 After his father Ron Paul's two terms in 2012 & 2016!!!

[GaryVolts]

Well put my good man.

[fivestarmichael]

And than Cassius Clay became a Muslim and changed his name to Muhammad Ali... and now you know the rest of the story. :)

[P51ride]

@fivestarmichael Different Cassius Clay and 100 years earlier

[Jtucker74]

Awesome speech, Senator!!! That's what we need to hear on a daily basis in a Senate controlled by the most liberal buffoon ever...Harry Reid.

[Leoninmiami]

Some politicians run for office and get elected. Others, were never politicians, they were statesmen all along! Such is Rand!

[ChampionOwensboro]

That's my Senator!

[Lyceum1979]

Brilliant!

[sharinganclan213]

Bravo!

*round of applause*

[markleerose]

Great speech, Rand!

You have fans in Canada.

[RedOnyxProductions]

A very good speech. It is great to have two Pauls in Washington!

[g1981c]

Not bad. Fuck Compromise !

[jameslrd]

Very well done Senator Paul.

[1family4me]

A shining star on the rise...

[Perseiden2]

@1family4me

he got his history wrong

[Oboysfan]

@Perseiden2 What history are you referring to? That of Henry Clay or his cousin Cassius Marcellus Clay born 1810 and died 1903. The only minor thing I could see was that Cassius Clay was a emancipationist (gradual legal end of slavery) instead of a abolitionist (end of slavery by any means), but it is easy to confuse all who wanted to end slavery as a abolitionist. I do not expect my senator to know the difference. Other than that please explain the historical errors.

[Perseiden2]

@Oboysfan

I think our "tea party" politicians from Bachmann to Paul need to go back to history class. Paul's speech was full of philosophical and historical errors. Elder clay never tried to repatriated the slaves back to Africa. It was lincoln who wanted to do that and the early Black nationalists like Marcus Garvey. Garrison was also not opposed to genuine benevolent repatriation, but rather the fact that he saw the earliest repatriation movement had been corrupted.

[Oboysfan]

@Perseiden2 Unless you have a degree in history do not complain about what people might or might not know. We do not know the source(s) that Senator Paul used in his speech today. If there were errors it might been the sources used, which can have errors and is the reason why I always double check whatever facts I'm using. The good news is that this can be a learning experience for better future speeches, so I always try to find something positive out of errors.

[Perseiden2]

@Oboysfan

I would like to see his sources. maybe he would be so kind to reveal them.

[Oboysfan]

@Perseiden2 Yawn...I really could care less. As I mentioned prior it was a good try and yes history is complicated.  Senator Paul speeches will get better, so I am not going to be critical here even though I have a history degree.

[1family4me]

@Perseiden2 If Clay wasn't for repatriation then how do you explain him as a founder of the American Colonization Society ( The Society for the Colonization of Free People of Color of America)? It was the primary vehicle to support the "return" of free African Americans to what was considered greater freedom in Africa. It also aided in the founding of the colony of Liberia where "freedmen" could live.

[Perseiden2]

@1family4me

Clay was a clever guy. He wanted repatriation of certain freed slaves, ie the intellegent ones capable of initiating real change. He wanted to send those slaves to Africa, but not all slaves......You see what I am saying ? Check out the colonization of slaves movement & Liberia on wikipedia. I also have some original 1830's pamphlets available as primary source material for study. Also check out the link I have on my page about Lincoln and his work with Clay.

[1family4me]

@Perseiden2 OK, I'll check it out. I give you props anyway for the wallpaper with Patton... that is awesome!

[1family4me]

@Perseiden2 Feel free to elaborate and educate us all. The floor is yours.

[Perseiden2]

@1family4me

I think our "tea party" politicians from Bachmann to Paul need to go back to history class. Paul's speech was full of philosophical and historical errors. Elder clay never tried to repatriated the slaves back to Africa. It was lincoln who wanted to do that and the early Black nationalists like Marcus Garvey. Garrison was also not opposed to genuine benevolent repatriation, but rather the fact that he saw the earliest repatriation movement had been corrupted.