Kentucky Senator Rand Paul gave quite a stirring speech announcing his upcoming failed candidacy. Short on specifics and long on clichés, the Libertarian/Tea Party darling contradicted himself by talking about how government was a problem, unable to do anything right, yet wanting to lead it and to build a strong military. He failed to explain why we should not be frightened by a military built by a government that can’t do anything right, being led by someone dedicated to proving government is a failure.
He insisted federal spending should not exceed revenues, without revealing how he would manage to achieve that. He said we should take students out of public schools, and go to war with Radical Islam (maybe that’s where the students should go instead?). He invoked the name of Martin Luther King, apparently without sensing the least bit of irony, since Senator Paul opposes all the legislation Dr. King supported. He said Congress should pass a bill requiring the agreement being negotiated with Iran to be approved by Congress, saying this was only reasonable “because it’s the law” – failing to note that if it was, as he claimed, already “the law,” a new bill would be unnecessary (and would, in fact, be an example of the inefficiency and ineptitude of gubbermint that he so abhors).
In short, his speech was self-negating and devoid of substance, but delivered with flair. As one politician said to the other, “Sure I’m spouting useless blather, but hear me out!”