As time passes, Rand Paul increasingly reflects the attitudes and policies of his father Ron.
One of the themes of U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul’s (R-KY) campaign has been that businesses are burdened with overregulation, with Paul even decrying the anti-discrimination provisions imposed on private businesses in the Civil Rights Act.
Now, Crooks and Liars has unearthed an interview Rand Paul gave in 2009 where the candidate aired these strident views with respect to mountaintop removal. When asked about the environmentally disastrous process, Paul told the interviewer that he thinks “whoever owns the property can do with the property as they wish, and if the coal company buys it from a private property owner and they want to do it, fine.” To justify his hands-off approach to environmental regulation, Paul then went on to explain that mountaintop removal isn’t that bad, anyway, saying, “I don’t think anybody’s going to be missing a hill or two here and there”:
INTERVIEWER: What about mountaintop removal?
PAUL: I think whoever owns the property can do with the property as they wish, and if the coal company buys it from a private property owner and they want to do it, fine. The other thing I think is that I think coal gets a bad name, because I think a lot of the land apparently is quite desirable once it’s been flattened out. As I came over here from Harlan, you’ve got quite a few hills. I don’t think anybody’s going to be missing a hill or two here and there.
… [emphasis original]
Inserted from <Think Progress>
Here’s the video:
I suppose Rand also thinks that nobody’s going to miss a gulf or two here and there, either.
The only question that remains is whether Ron will pass his infamous tin foil hat down to son, Rand. Perhaps the ceremony will include Republican Roosters enthusiastically crowing, “Wack-a-doodle-do!”
23 Responses to “Will Ron Paul Pass the Hat?”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
I don’t like to judge a book by its cover but neither one of these two looks like he has a grain of sense. And of course they don’t.
Lisa, I’ve read enough of both books to confirm your judgment.
It is kind of Scary. Almost like a clone or something. On another Note, maybe Rand could compare notes on Dentistry with Orly Taitz. That’s kinda scary to.
Tim, you could be dissing the 2012 ticket: Paul-Taitz.
Mountain top mining should have stopped with Clinton – i.e., as soon as it was discovered that coal companies were doing it. If aliens came here from another planet and saw the mess we made, they’d say “Look at all these beautiful countries that just ruined themselves.” And they’d turn around and go home.
Lisa, I agree. On the other hand, were I an alien from somewhere far more advanced, I might look at the quality of the planet, look at the vermin infesting it, and get out a can of human-spray.
These economic libertarians and free market, far-right Republicans just don’t get it. All minimal government involvement in the economy and deregulation net you are ridiculously high health care costs, millions of uninsured, $4 a gallon gasoline, bp oil spills, unsafe automobiles, air pollution, unsafe working conditions for miners and everyone else, Great Recessions, and Great Depressions. Who the hell wants any of THOSE things?
Apparently Ron and Rand do.
Don’t these freaky extreme Libertarians know their perfect society is already established in Somalia?
LOL, Beach! It is indeed! Actually they did have control of a country a while back. It was Chile under Pinochet.
Both Ron and Rand are idiots. I have never liked Ron and was always puzzled at why so many Progressives loved him. Then again I am puzzled at why so many so-called Progressives hate the president. As to Rand, well this nut certainly didn’t fall far from the tree. The concern I have is with our own party. If the “Progressives” keep beating up the president they may as well be Republicans. The result of their constant whining could enable these two clowns to get elected, one again, and the other idiot for the first time.
Mike, Ron was popular among progressives, because he opposed the war. Sadly some on our side are also single issue voters who don’t look to see the big picture.
Some Progressives hate Obama, because they deluded themselves into thinking he is a progressibe too. Now that he does not act like one, they feel beytrayed. I’ve always warned that he’s a moderate, slightly to the right of center. Of course, compared to GW ChickenHawk, that’s way left. There’s plenty about Oba,ma, I don’t like. But consider the alternative.
Yes, I’m with Beach….shall we chip in and buy him a ticket? Good chr**t! Great catch, TC.
Thanks Gwen. Make him swim, starting from New Orleans. 😉
you would think after the oil spill in Alaska, and now this horrific disaster in the Gulf, people like Rand Paul and the moron libertarians wouldn’t get a second look, not a single vote. But we have to admit to ourselves a portion of our country is made up of idiots just like R Paul!! These people who are against any kind of environmental protections are destroying our planet, but what do they care, Jesus is coming soon. Too bad they don’t believe Gods word about polluting the earth!
Mike, I call myself a progressive, I like what we stand for but I am not of the extreme who badmouth the president.(you know me better than that!) I think those progressives who criticize Obama are small in number, well I hope they are. 🙂
Sue, I’d respectfully suggest you differentiate between criticizing and condemning. No politician will please us 100% of the time. When we disagree with him, the most patriotic we can do is say so. I criticize him often, but I’m still in his corner.
TC please explain this response to my comment. Are you saying I was condemning Obama?? NO way was I doing that. Please read my comment again. I don’t want there to be a misunderstanding. 🙂
Sorry Sue. That’s not at all what I meant. You were talking about progressives who criticize Obama. I was saying that it’s berfectly OK to criticize him. I do quite often. I’m saying that for progressives, it’s condemning Obama, not criticizing him, that is self-defeating.
whew! Just so we are on the same page. I am behind Obama 99% of the time and do not agree with the extreme progressive views and those who condemn him. Thanks TC!
Sue, In an ideal world, they would be right. But this is not an ideal world. If I could choose between Obama and perfection, I’d choose perfection. But Obama is the best available option.
what does one expect from someone named after quite possibly the dipshittiest “philosopher” in human history?
any rand=rand paul
that’s “ayn” not “any.”
the woman is so stupid she made me misspell her name.
Welcome SD. I guess that means stupidity is contagious. Gee! I hope I don’t catch Teabuggery. 😉