David Frum:
... Paul invoked a nightmare out of a dystopian future: an evil future president shooting a missile at an American having coffee in a neighborhood cafe, merely on suspicion, without any due process of law.Charles Johnson:
I think we can all agree that such a case would be pretty deplorable. It is also far-fetched.
... Paul emerges from a milieu in which far-fetched scenarios don't seem far-fetched at all. Paul specifically mentioned the possibility of a democratically elected Adolph Hitler like figure coming to power in the United States. Looming federal tyranny - against which the only protection is an armed citizenry - is a staple item in the Rand Paul inventory of urgent concerns.
... Rand Paul stipulated that he did not intend his remarks about a Hitler-like president to apply to the present president. But he must have a pretty fair idea of what his core constituency hears when he talks about looming tyranny....
Note that Sen. Paul is a frequent guest on the conspiracy-peddling Alex Jones show, where he co-signs every deranged fantasy. This is the new hero of the right.The Alex Jones media empire earlier this afternoon:
Billions of bullets and ammo bought. The #NDAA. Urban Warfare Drills. Gun Grabs. All of these actions point to a #CivilWar. Your thoughts?
— Infowars Magazine (@InfowarsMag) March 7, 2013
The filibuster may have also been, for Paul, about civil liberties as you and I understand the term. But this is what it was really about.
The whole right wing is full of delusional paranoids!
ReplyDeleteWhy should Rand Paul, one of the more delusional ones out of all of them, NOT talk about some horrible dystopian future?
If Limpseed Cornpone Grahamcrackers (R - Closet) can talk about how, after some disaster or other, gangs of armed thugs (it probably goes without saying, that he was dog-whistling about "blah" ones) will be walking down every side-road off of Main Street, and how there's nothing better than an AR-15 or two to defend youself and your family, then why can't Rand Paul speculate about some theoretical American dictator raining down drones, instead of bon-bons, or Obamaphones, on the masses?
Every Republican politician seems like when a camera is pointed at them, they're telling some horribly dysopian "The Aristocrats" joke - only without the curse words, or, of course, the humor.
First I bought a gun when the Kenyan was elected. Then I got one when Gabby Gifford was shot. Another after Aurora, and one after Newtown. Now I gotta go out and get yet another, and bullets for all. When will the threat to my freedom ever end?
ReplyDeletesnark/
I'd call it a mass Phishing expedition to flush future marks out of the woodwork. You can bet when Rand Paul sends out fundraising emails he will go to the top of the list for donations from a small but vociferous and paranoid crew. I have no doubt that Vigeurie and other middle men must be royally pissed. Paul is cutting out the middle man and ensuring that he can fundraise on his own, as both Dean and Obama did. And best of all? He never has to do anything for this money. Its enough for these guys that they know his name and believe that he is the last best hope. He doesn't have to achieve anything other than noteriety.
ReplyDeleteI must say I am enjoying how pissed off McCain seems to be now that he realizes that this pissant is going to steal his thunder.
Aimai for prez
ReplyDeleteExaminator,
ReplyDeleteI second that motion!!!