# Any love for Rand Paul now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [May 8, 2025, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073 "2025-05-08T00:42:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/61 "2025-05-13T10:57:00Z")
It’s schisms all the way down. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/62 "2025-05-13T14:06:20Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez a ‘Marxist’ or ‘radical leftist’ as if repetition would somehow make it true but she is aligned with (and previously a member of) the Democratic Socialists of America party, which is by the standards of pre-“Contract With America” American politics has a moderately politically ‘left’ agenda (and which is pretty much normal median politics for Northern and Western Europe) None of which matter as long as “Socialist” is painted as a dirty word by Republicans. And of course most Americans don’t know or care about political systems outside of the US. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/63 "2025-05-13T14:32:13Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > None of which matter as long as “Socialist” is painted as a dirty word by Republicans. Despite the recent Trump EOs that are clear socialism. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/64 "2025-05-13T14:48:58Z")
The wealthy and large corporations deserve government support for all the benefits they provide, i.e. campaign funding. If only people of normal means would be so generous! Stranger ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2025, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/65 "2025-05-13T15:29:00Z")
Thank you, thank you, thank you! Hey, wait a minute. Don’t you even own a suit? Actually, no. Is that important? Groveling without a suit? No gruel for you! ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2025, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/66 "2025-07-23T23:29:43Z")
[_The Hill_: “Paul urges DOJ to charge Fauci to test pardon”](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5415212-rand-paul-anthony-fauci-covid-19-pardon/) What a _swell_ guy Rand Paul is! Just _swell_! Stranger ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2025, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/67 "2025-07-26T23:40:42Z")
I would _love_ it if SCOTUS ruled that the pardon was not valid and the same thing applied to Trump’s pardons so all those J6 fuckers found themselves back in prison – except that guy who got shot up by the cops, of course. I realize it’s just a fantasy. The Roberts court till somehow write a convoluted decision basically saying a Republican President can do anything he wants but a Democratic President cannot, without actually using those words. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/68 "2025-07-27T01:00:09Z")
The President has the written authority to issue Executive pardon for federal crimes. How could that be ruled against? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/69 "2025-07-27T01:28:45Z")
Never-extra:characte☆°. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/70 "2025-07-27T01:49:17Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > I was speaking tongue firmly in cheek, in that the Democrats apparently will never, ever stop thinking that gun control is a good idea, even if strategically doing so would win them almost all of the rest of their agenda. Something like 80% of the country supports stronger gun control than what we have right now. Part of the problem is that a lot of folks think we already have stronger gun control than we have right now. The other part is that the 80% who want stronger gun control are a lot less passionate about it than the 20% who don’t. But that passionate 20% is already Republican no matter what, and no matter how passionate they are, they can’t vote twice, so yes, there would be actual upside in pushing public awareness of the current lack of gun control, and pushing for more of it. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/71 "2025-07-27T02:56:27Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Something like 80% of the country supports stronger gun control than what we have right now. You wouldn’t know it from the popularity of “Shall Issue” and “Constitutional Carry” movements that well before the _Bruen_ ruling were upholding rather than reducing public carry. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/72 "2025-07-27T03:09:14Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I would _love_ it if SCOTUS ruled that the pardon was not valid and the same thing applied to Trump’s pardons so all those J6 fuckers found themselves back in prison – except that guy who got shot up by the cops, of course. They are capable of ruling against Fauci then ruling for Trump. And the Democrats are more than capable of feeling bad about it…and not much more. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/73 "2025-07-27T03:11:42Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > You wouldn’t know it from the popularity of “Shall Issue” and “Constitutional Carry” movements that well before the _Bruen_ ruling were upholding rather than reducing public carry. Because this country is dominated by the Right, not by the majority of the population. And the Right is a strong believer in the use of terror and violence against their political, racial and religious oppoents, which guns help with. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/74 "2025-07-27T03:20:22Z")
The claim that the evul Repubs and their loyal brownshirts have seized the country from the majority of decent well-meaning people who support liberalism is wearing a bit thin. It’s a little like being told that the people of Iraq and Afghanistan are peace-loving, and it’s just a tiny minority of war mongers who need to be ousted by our Freedom troops. Yeah right. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/75 "2025-07-27T03:22:53Z")
When it comes to evil doing versus well meaning, one thing must _always_ be remembered: _Actions speak._ ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/76 "2025-07-27T04:51:09Z")
Acta non verba – Actions, not words. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/77 "2025-07-27T06:57:57Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > The claim that the evul Repubs and their loyal brownshirts have seized the country from the majority of decent well-meaning people who support liberalism is wearing a bit thin. They _are_ a minority; by definition, they’ve seized control from the majority. That said, I think that “decent well-meaning people” are in short supply in the US. Greed, bigotry and malice are what motivates most people here. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/78 "2025-07-27T11:20:45Z")
I’m currently hosting three of my Republican relatives. They previously identified as Libertarian Republicans. Extremely hawkish on taxation, government spending and regulation. Vehemently opposed to Obamacare. But pro-choice, pro-gay marriage (or at least anti-homophobia), generally anti-racist. Now they have flipped completely on social issues and are obsessed with immigration and white replacement (though they couch this in “cultural” terms because, you know, they aren’t white). Rand Paul was their hero, now he’s just another RINO if he goes up against Trump. A complete non-entity. Their only political heroes are the ones who are full throated MAGA. Bondi, Noem, Stephen Miller, etc. They are still suspicious of Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. Listening to them talk in a diner yesterday at brunch was really depressing. Not just because of what they were saying. But that they were happy to spout stuff in a diner in suburban Boston, that ten years ago would have brought on a big fight with other diners. But now, it’s just normal even here. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/79 "2025-07-27T19:56:25Z")
> [@abcdefghij](#): > > Like what? Please be specific. When she first entered Congress, she put her foot in her mouth several times, like saying most New Yorkers had to work three jobs. She quickly learned that the media would take anything silly she said and blow it out of proportion. IIRC she said something about "defunding the police’ that wasnt well thought out. Mind you, not deeply held beliefs, just off the cuff comments blown out of proportion. AOC is certainly a Progressive, further left than the average Dm congressperson. But by no mens a communist. > [@wolfpup](#): > > Rand Paul is and has always been a delusional libertarian lunatic who in this isolated case is right. His truthfulness and integrity is much like that of a stopped clock. But he’s right, Trump has illegally exceeded executive authority under the pretext of emergency measures that absolutely do not apply and Congress is too cowardly to do anything about it. True, but how many times has he actually VOTED AGAINST those things in the Senate? > [@Lumpy](#): > > I was speaking tongue firmly in cheek, in that the Democrats apparently will never, ever stop thinking that gun control is a good idea, even if strategically doing so would win them almost all of the rest of their agenda. The Dems actual 2024 national platform talked a lot about gun violence and how to solve it- but actual suggestions for “gun control” were pretty mild- > **[Gun violence among top issues in DNC Platform](https://abcnews.go.com/US/gun-violence-top-issues-dnc-platform/story?id=112955833)** > > Delegates at the Democratic National Convention approved their platform Monday night and made efforts to curb gun violence a top priority. _The DNC Platform states that the Democrats are determined to establish national universal background checks and red flag laws to keep guns out of the hands of people deemed a danger to themselves and others. According to the platform, the party also wants a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to require safe storage of guns and end the gun industry’s immunity from liability “so gunmakers can no longer escape accountability.”_ But trump banned more guns that either Obama or Biden did, with trumps “bump stock” ban. > [@bump](#): > > The thing that gets me about the Left’s view of gun ownership is that it’s very much the elementary school teacher’s view on things, whichi is that we need to take something from _everyone_ including the responsible and law-abiding, because a select few can’t handle it. The Party’s actual gun violent platform is pretty mild. Mind you , yes, some nuts like Booker actually still push for door to door confiscation. > [@Lumpy](#): > > You wouldn’t know it from the popularity of “Shall Issue” and “Constitutional Carry” movements that well before the _Bruen_ ruling were upholding rather than reducing public carry. Generally the polls show that most people just want better background checks and “red flag” laws. That’s fine by me, as long as the red flag laws follow ACLUs guidelines. . Maybe 'assault weapon" bans on future sales- iirc that’s about 50/50. Actually banning say- handguns- is _quite_ unpopular. So, most americans want _some more mild gun control-_ nothing that will take guns away from law abiding gun owners. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2025, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073/80 "2025-07-27T20:27:09Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The Party’s actual gun violent platform is pretty mild. Mind you , yes, some nuts like Booker actually still push for door to door confiscation. That’s another major issue with the Democratic party- the inconsistency. I also think gun violence is a stupid thing for them to concentrate on. Once you eliminate the 58% of gun deaths that are suicide, under the assumption that suicides are a mental health issue, not a violence issue, you’ve got about 18,000 per year. That doesn’t even come close to cracking the top 10 causes of death per year in the US. It strikes me as very much an ideological motivation (“guns are bad, mmkay?”) versus a practical consideration, and this is not going to sit well with most gun owners, especially those inclined to distrust the government or the Democratic party. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-love-for-rand-paul-now/1018073.md?page=5)