Paul Ryan

Senate Republicans Vote Overwhelmingly For Controversial GOP Budget

Brian Beutler | May 16, 2012, 5:09PM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

Nearly all Senate Republicans joined their House colleagues in risky territory Wednesday by voting in support of the controversial GOP budget, authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) -- a blueprint for the country's future that has become a political lightning rod and a defining document for the 2012 elections.

Among its most contentious features, the plan would phase out the existing Medicare program and replace it with a subsidized private insurance system for seniors; dramatically slash Medicaid spending and hand the program over to the states; cut food and nutrition programs for poor people; and allow interest rates on student loans to double; all while dramatically reducing taxes, particularly on wealthy Americans.

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Medicare

New GOP Medicare Privatization Plan: Obamacare For Seniors Only?

Brian Beutler | March 15, 2012, 12:45PM

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

You're a Republican senator. How do you sell a plan to privatize Medicare?

One way is to fashion the massive overhaul as an extension of the private system members of Congress enjoy -- the Federal Employee Health Benefits Plan -- and then trumpet the merits of that system over existing Medicare.

"We have to convince [seniors] this is something better," said Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), flanked by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Rand Paul (R-KY), authors of a new Medicare privatization plan, at a Capitol press conference on Thursday. "If we thought Medicare was better, we would be on it as senators."

DeMint is 60 years old. Graham is 56. Paul is 49. Medicare eligibility age is 65.

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Rand Paul

TSA On Rand Paul's Theory That Scanners Are Rigged: 'No' (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 23, 2012, 4:41PM

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

On Monday, I caught up with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) in Washington's Reagan National Airport after he dominated Twitter with his tale of being detained by the TSA because he refused a pat-down in Nashville. Paul told reporters waiting for him in the DC terminal that he believed he was asked to accede to the pat-down because of a scanner that was rigged to flag false-positives in order to create the excuse for a random search.

He reiterated the theory on CNN Monday afternoon. Wolf Blitzer told him the TSA offered a terse response to his claim.

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Rand Paul

Rand Paul Claims Rigged Machine May Have Led To Airport Ordeal

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 23, 2012, 2:27PM

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT -- Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) says his ordeal with the TSA Monday will result in him submitting a formal request into whether or not the scanners used at airports lie to trigger random pat downs.

Paul walked into the main terminal at Reagan National hours behind schedule, thanks to an incident at the airport in Nashville he said included him being "detained" by TSA agents for refusing a pat down after a scanner went off as he went through it. Paul said he was held "in a cubicle" at the Nashville airport and told he was not allowed to make any phone calls. Eventually, he told a gaggle of reporters at the DC airport, he left the screening area and was allowed to be re-scanned. The machine didn't go off, and Paul caught a new flight to DC.

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John McCain

Senate Republicans Plan To Unveil A 'Real' American Jobs Bill

Brian Fung | October 13, 2011, 11:07AM

In an apparent answer to the White House's jobs proposal, Senate Republicans are planning to unveil what they call the "Real American Jobs Act."

The bill lays out a distinctly conservative vision for the U.S. economy that would lower tax rates for individuals and businesses, pursue free trade, and roll back environmental regulations while expanding domestic energy production. To top it off, Republicans would seek to pass a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution, Politico reports.

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Barack Obama

Things That Make You Go, Huh?? Obama's Unlikely New BFF On Bridges: Rand Paul

Susan Crabtree | September 22, 2011, 5:25PM

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

President Obama is getting a little strange bedfellow help on his plans to rebuild the nation's bridges from the unlikeliest of sources: none other than Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).

Paul accompanied the President on Air Force One Tuesday to Cincinnati and attended Obama's jobs speech in front of the crumbling Brent Spence Bridge, which spans Southern Ohio, conveniently close to Speaker John Boehner's (R-OH) district, and Northern Kentucky, home to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Both Boehner and McConnell have rejected the majority of the President's jobs plan.

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Default

Who's Really Responsible For U.S. Debt Downgrade

Brian Beutler | August 17, 2011, 10:00AM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

This article was updated at 10:00am Eastern on August 17, 2011 to include additional names pointed out by TPM readers.

Now that Standard & Poors has confirmed that the chorus of default doubters in the GOP was part of what spooked them into downgrading the U.S. credit rating, Republicans will do all they can to pretend that they never questioned the risk of missing payment obligations, or allowing borrowing authority to lapse. But they sure did! Here's a long, partial timeline of influential Republicans either vouchsafing default, or downplaying the consequences of passing the August 2 deadline without raising the debt limit.

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Debt ceiling

Nerd Alert: GOP Drops Star Wars, Tolkien References In Debt Fight

Benjy Sarlin | July 29, 2011, 5:50AM

Maybe it's the epic scale of Congress' debt limit fight or just politicians' natural geekiness coming out, but the last week is producing more fantasy and science fiction references than a Kevin Smith movie.

The Wall Street Journal got the ball rolling with a Lord Of The Rings themed editorial comparing Tea Partiers to Frodo and the gang:

"The idea seems to be that if the House GOP refuses to raise the debt ceiling, a default crisis or gradual government shutdown will ensue, and the public will turn en masse against . . . Barack Obama. The Republican House that failed to raise the debt ceiling would somehow escape all blame. Then Democrats would have no choice but to pass a balanced-budget amendment and reform entitlements, and the Tea Party Hobbits could return to Middle Earth having defeated Mordor."

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Debt ceiling

Tea Party Rally Against Boehner Plan Draws Big Crowd Next To Nobody

Benjy Sarlin | July 27, 2011, 3:40PM

Tea Party Rally In Washington DC

During the health care debate, Tea Party groups mobilized thousands of members to rally against the bill right on lawmakers' doorsteps in Washington, DC. Now the movement is again at a crossroads as Republicans struggle over how far they're willing to push Democrats on spending cuts before raising the debt ceiling.

You wouldn't know it, however, from their rally on Wednesday.

Despite featuring Tea Party icons Sens. Jim DeMint (R-SC), Mike Lee (R-UT), and Rand Paul (R-KY), among others, a gathering outside the Senate organized by the Tea Party Express to urge Republicans to stand firm against a compromise bill drew only a handful of attendees.

Reporters, many of whom came to interview presidential candidate Herman Cain, appeared to easily outnumber protesters. And despite being the most prominent attendee, Cain ended up not addressing the crowd and instead watching from the sidelines.

The dismal showing comes as Tea Party groups and other conservative organizations are waging an aggressive campaign against a plan by Republican leaders to raise the debt ceiling with a two-tiered set of cuts and no promise of a balanced budget amendment.

While the proposal by Speaker Boehner looked to be in serious jeopardy on Tuesday, especially after the CBO found it reduced the deficit less than its backers hoped, the bill appears to be gaining some momentum Wednesday as rank and file members push back against the hardline insurgents.

Debt Ceiling

Rep. Paul Broun: Let's LOWER The Debt Ceiling!

Benjy Sarlin | July 7, 2011, 3:34PM

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA)

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) found a novel way to out-conservative even Tea Party members demanding the debt limit never be raised: he suggested the ceiling be lowered instead.

In an op-ed in the National Review Online, Broun urged members to sign onto legislation that would reduce the debt ceiling by $1 trillion next year, forcing Congress to go beyond balancing the budget and instead find a huge surplus, which experts suggest would be tough given that a sudden $2 trillion plus total cut to federal spending would plunge the economy into a deep recession.

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Ron Johnson

Ron Johnson Paralyzes Senate Over Budget Fight

Benjy Sarlin | June 28, 2011, 4:49PM

Ad from candidate for U.S. Senate Ron Johnson (R-WI), "57"

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) ground the Senate to a halt on Tuesday, threatening to block "business as usual" until Democrats submit a budget.

Johnson began his broadside by objecting to a quorum call, blocking the Senate from proceeding with a vote. Quorum calls, like many basic Senate procedures, are approved by unanimous consent and Johnson threatened in a floor speech to wreak havoc on these uncontroversial motions.

"Business as usual is bankrupting America," he said in a floor speech. "It must stop."

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Libya

McCain: Tying Obama's Hands On Libya Will Come Back To Haunt GOP

Susan Crabtree | June 21, 2011, 12:17PM

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) pleaded with GOP colleagues Tuesday not to tie President Obama's hands when it comes to U.S. military action in Libya, reminding them it could come back to haunt future Republican presidents.

"We are all entitled to our opinions about Libya policy, but here are the facts: [Libyan leader Muammar] Qaddafi is going to fall. It is just a matter of time. So I would ask my colleagues: Is this the time for Congress to turn against this policy?" he said in a lengthy statement on the Senate floor. "Is this the time to ride to the rescue of a failing tyrant when the writing is on the wall that he will collapse?"

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Social Security

Growing Chorus Of Republicans Demand Social Security Cuts In Deficit Deal

Benjy Sarlin | June 21, 2011, 12:11PM

Add Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) to the list of Republican lawmakers unsatisfied with the party's reluctance to back Social Security cuts.

The longtime Senator, who will retire at the end of her term in 2012, called on both parties to include the program in debt ceiling talks on Tuesday in a speech at the Heritage Foundation. She's releasing her own legislation to spur talks, a bill that would raise the retirement age gradually to 69 and reduce benefits by trillions over the next several decades by pegging the annual cost-of-living- adjustment (COLA) to one percent below inflation every year.

"We could have waited and let things settle after the debt increase vote," she said. "I'm introducing my legislation because I don't think we can wait and I do think it should be part of the overall debate on raising the debt limit."

Hutchison told the audience that the move was necessary, because without changes to the system, recipients would receive a 23% cut to their core benefits in 2036. But an audience member noted to Hutchison that a 1% cut in benefit increases over a similar period of time could produce comparable decreases. Hutchison responded that a key part of her plan was gradually introducing seniors to lower benefits.

"You're right that as you accumulate the cuts it's like anything else over time, it does get to be more," she said. "But if you take it one year at a time, it's a very small lowering of the increase. I don't think at any point would you go into core benefits."

House Republicans avoided Social Security in their budget, which most of the caucus voted for in the Senate as well, and Hutchison isn't the only member of her party annoyed at its exclusion. Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Mike Lee (R-UT) have introduced a bill that would means-test benefits while also raising the retirement age. A group of House members led by Pete Sessions (R-TX) recently introduced legislation that would create an optional privatized Social Security program.

Patriot Act

Senate Extends Patriot Act Provisions After Epic Rand Paul Speech (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | May 26, 2011, 5:55PM

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

The Senate voted 72-23 to extend three provisions of the Patriot Act which were set to expire at midnight. The House subsequently voted to extend the provisions and the bill was sent to President Obama to be signed into law.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) had threatened to hold up the vote and allow three provisions of the act to expire unless he got a debate and a vote on his amendments. Ultimately both amendments failed, but Paul told reporters he was taking a stand.

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Medicare

Senate Republicans Vote Overwhelmingly To End Medicare

Brian Beutler | May 25, 2011, 5:52PM

Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

The GOP continued its bloody walk into the Medicare buzzsaw Wednesday, when 40 out of 47 Senate Republicans voted in support of the House GOP budget, and its plan to phase out and privatize the popular entitlement program.

The test vote failed by a vote of 57-40. But the roll call illustrates that Medicare privatization -- along with deep cuts to Medicaid and other social services -- remains the consensus position of the GOP despite the growing political backlash against them.

Voting with all of the Democrats against debating the plan were Sens. Scott Brown (R-MA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) -- both 2012 incumbents -- along with Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). Rand Paul (R-KY) voted against it because it wasn't radical enough.

Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Pat Roberts (R-KS), and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) did not vote.

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Patriot Act

Reid Accuses Rand Paul Of 'Political Grand Standing' Over PATRIOT Act Amendments (VIDEO)

Ryan J. Reilly | May 25, 2011, 5:45PM

If Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) keeps holding up the PATRIOT Act by insisting on voting on his amendments, it could have "dire consequences" for our nation's national security, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) charged on the floor of the Senate Wednesday.

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Budget

Olympia Snowe Will Vote 'No' On House GOP budget

Benjy Sarlin | May 24, 2011, 3:34PM

Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME)

Add Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) to the list of Republicans who plan to vote against the Paul Ryan budget when it comes up for a vote in the Senate this week.

"I am going to vote no on the budget because I have deep and abiding concerns about the approach on Medicare, which is essentially to privatize it," Snowe told The Portland Press Herald on Tuesday.

She added that the House GOP budget's proposal to block grant Medicaid and let states decide how to distribute the funds was also troubling.

"The states are the great laboratories," Snowe said. "But we also have an overall obligation to serve specific populations under Medicaid. We don't want to encourage a race to the bottom."

The Maine lawmakers joins Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Scott Brown (R-MA), and Rand Paul (R-KY) who have all declared their "no" vote early. Snowe, Collins, and Brown have cited its impact on seniors' Medicare benefits as their chief disagreement while Paul wants its overall cuts to go even further. Collins and Paul have made their position known for some time. Brown announced his position on Monday with an op-ed in Politico.

Labor

Harry Reid Tells GOP To Stop Pressuring Independent Labor Agency

Benjy Sarlin | May 11, 2011, 11:24AM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) defended the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday amid a concentrated attack from prominent Republicans around the country, accusing conservative critics of meddling with an independent federal agency.

"We need agencies like the NLRB to be able to operate freely and without political pressures," he said in a floor speech. "We need to keep our independent agencies independent. This case is for them to decide, not us."

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Boeing

After Appeal From Nikki Haley, Newt Gingrich Jumps Into SC Boeing/Labor Fight

Benjy Sarlin | May 11, 2011, 9:58AM

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA)

Newt Gingrich became the latest prominent Republican to take on the National Labor Relations Board over its suit against Boeing, writing an open letter in Human Events on the issue one day after South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) called on President Obama and the Republican presidential field to get involved.

"It is clear that President Obama is packing the NLRB board with left wing ideologues as a payoff to his union boss allies, so that the fix is in with regard to this case and others like it," Gingrich wrote. "The move is consistent with an ongoing pattern in the Obama administration, in which they use the apparatus of big government to reward their allies and punish their opponents."

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Rand Paul

Rand Paul Suggests Conspiracy In Labor Fight: 'Mr. President, Do You Have An Enemies List?'

Benjy Sarlin | May 10, 2011, 12:09PM

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

Speaking at the Chamber of Commerce's national headquarters in Washington, D.C., South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) joined Republican lawmakers Tuesday to decry the National Labor Relations Board for siding with unions in its fight with Boeing. But it was Rand Paul (R-KY) who stole the show with a wild rant against the White House.

Haley organized the event to demand that the White House address the NLRB's complaint against Boeing, which alleges that the company illegally retaliated against union workers at their Washington State production line by opening a second line in South Carolina, where union protections are weaker. But Paul went much further, suggesting it may be part of a broader conspiracy against states that voted against him in 2008.

"Mr. President, do you have an enemies list? Is this decision based on the fact that South Carolina appears to be a Republican state, has two Republican senators? Is this decision based on the fact that South Carolina is a 'right to work' state? Are they on your enemies list?" Paul said.

The Tea Party freshman continued, telling reporters that Democratic calls for disclosure of donations to political groups by companies were part of the possible conspiracy.

"The president has said now that he's going to ask contractors who do business with the government 'Who have you contributed to?'" he said. "Mr. President, do you have en enemies list? Will you now punish contractors who have given money to Republican candidates? I'm concerned, there are two Republican Senators from Kentucky. Are we on you enemies list? Is Alabama on your enemies list? Is Texas on your enemies list?"

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2012

Poll: Obama Leads GOPers For Reelection Despite Low Approval Rating

Jon Terbush | April 14, 2011, 3:43PM

President Barack Obama

President Obama comfortably led a slate of potential Republican challengers in a PPP poll released Thursday, even though a slim plurality of voters disapproved of his job performance.

That's likely because while voters weren't too thrilled with Obama, they were even less excited about his potential challengers. Every Republican tested in the poll posted a net negative favorability rating, the most extreme example being Sarah Palin, whom 61% of respondents viewed unfavorably.

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Rand Paul

Rand Paul Gives Senate Lesson In Ayn Rand And Light Bulbs (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | April 12, 2011, 3:35PM

Just call him Sen. The Unconquered.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) spoke on Tuesday at a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, against government plans to phase out the incandescent light bulb in favor of the newer compact fluorescents.

And in this speech -- promoted by his office in a press release entitled "Sen. Paul Rails Against the Collective" -- he borrowed from none other than the writings of Ayn Rand, whose early novel Anthem featured the light bulb as a plot device.

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Anthony Weiner

Anthony Weiner Kills With Bachmann, Aqua Buddha Jokes At Congressional Correspondents Dinner

Jillian Rayfield | March 31, 2011, 12:36PM

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) got some big laughs roasting his colleagues at the Congressional Correspondents' Dinner Wednesday night, and even managed to get in an Aqua Buddha joke at the expense of Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who was also there.

Sample joke: Weiner said he wasn't sure if Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) was at the dinner, "she's probably not -- she's campaigning Iowa and organizing in that important caucus state because she's running for president. That's really all I have for that joke."

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Rand Paul

Rand Paul Zings Newt Gingrich, FOX News, for Libya Flip Flops

Benjy Sarlin | March 31, 2011, 11:27AM

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

Newt Gingrich has taken plenty of heat for his shifting positions on military action in Libya, but Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) offered the harshest attack yet from a member of his own party.

To be fair, Paul's comments came at the Congressional Correspondents Dinner, an event where lawmakers typically offer comedic monologues. But even by that standard, there was serious sting to his words, especially given the well-known reputation Paul and his father, Ron Paul, have cultivated as skeptics of Middle East intervention.

"I was happy to see that Newt Gingrich has staked out a position on the war, a position, or two, or maybe three," Paul told the audience, as ThinkProgress reported. "I don't know. I think he has more war positions than he's had wives."

Paul also had some tough words for FOX News.

"There's a big debate over there," he said. "Fox News can't decide, what do they love more, bombing the Middle East or bashing the president? It's like I was over there and there was an anchor going, they were pleading, can't we do both? Can't we bomb the Middle East and bash the president at the same time? How are we going to make this work?"

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2012

Rand Paul Mulling Presidential Run

Benjy Sarlin | March 22, 2011, 12:26PM

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

Have 2012 observers been looking at the wrong Paul? According to the Charelston Post and Courier, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) may follow in his father Rep. Ron Paul's (R-TX) footsteps with a presidential bid of his own.

"The only decision I've made is I won't run against my dad," Paul said at an appearance in key primary state South Carolina on Monday.

Paul said that he would also visit Iowa and New Hampshire, because "I want the Tea Party to have an influence over who the nominee is in 2012."

The Tea Party vote will be a hot commodity in the primaries and several candidates with major followings, including Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann, could enter the race. Ron Paul's epic fundraising numbers and intense grassroots following from his 2008 run were a major boost to his son's Senate campaign in 2010 and likely would be a factor in a 2012 bid.

Of note: Rand and Ron Paul are from different states, making a Paul/Paul '12 ticket constitutionally sound should Rand change his mind.

Government Shutdown

Conservatives To Defect On Stopgap Funding Measure -- But It's Still Likely To Pass

Brian Beutler | March 15, 2011, 9:23AM

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

House Republicans will face noticeable defections from the right flank of their party when they vote Tuesday to fund the government for three more weeks -- a stopgap measure meant to buy time while leaders of both parties work out a longer-term solution.

But the mini-revolt won't throw the government into turmoil. The last "continuing resolution" passed the House two weeks ago with almost 340 votes, including over 100 Democrats, and barring major, unexpected defections from both parties, should pass again handily.

"I think in the end the Speaker will work out their differences," said Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) -- a freshman, and former House member, who Monday night told reporters he is inclined to support the spending measure. "He is very used to how the House ran under previous Republican speakers, of walking on the floor 20 votes short and picking them up on the floor."

If anything, today's situation is significantly less dire than that. "Everything is a lot less dramatic than it looks," Kirk said.

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Debt Ceiling

Republicans Escalate Debt Ceiling Fight

Brian Beutler | March 14, 2011, 9:29AM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

Senate Republican leaders in recent days have escalated a showdown that has been lurking in the background of the more immediate fight over funding the federal government through September. While the funding issue remains unresolved, Congress will soon have to turn its attention to the need to raise the national debt limit, or the country will default in just a few weeks.

"There are 53 Democrats and 47 Republicans. My prediction is not a single one of the 47 Republicans will vote to raise the debt ceiling unless it includes with it some credible effort to do something about our debt," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Fox News Sunday. "I think to get any of the 47 Republicans, you've got to do something credible -that the markets believe is credible, that the American people believe is credible, that foreign countries believe is credible -- in addition to raising the debt ceiling."

One of McConnell's top lieutenant's, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), was more direct about this. On Twitter, he wrote "[d]ebt ceiling vote is ultimate leverage to get fiscal reform."

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Energy

Rand Paul: I Have Less Choice In Toilets Than Women Have In Abortions (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | March 10, 2011, 2:26PM

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is upset that the federal government has squelched his right to own a super-toilet, leaving him with less freedom than women, who are still allowed to have abortions. It's an unusual comparison, but it's meant to underline his opposition to the executive branch's involvement in encouraging energy efficiency.

In a Senate hearing, Paul laid in to Kathleen Hogan, deputy assistant energy secretary for efficiency, for imposing restrictions and fines meant to encourage people to use environmentally friendly appliances.

"It's not that I'm against conservation -- I'm all for energy conservation," Paul admitted. "But I wish you would come here to extol me [sic], to cajole, to encourage, to try to convince me that it would be a good idea to conserve energy. But you come instead with fines, threats of jail. ... This is what your energy efficiency standards are."

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Olympia Snowe

Senate Republicans Fall Into Line On Controversial House Spending Cut Plan

Brian Beutler | March 9, 2011, 8:55AM

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) in the Capitol.

It looks like practically all Senate Republicans will vote for a controversial House spending cut plan on Wednesday, notwithstanding the political risk they'll face from endorsing deeply controversial policy riders that hack away at abortion rights, environmental protections, and other policies that typically have bipartisan support.

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), a moderate Senate freshman, told reporters Tuesday night that he's a yes on the plan, which is expected to fail on a test vote Wednesday afternoon in the Democratic-dominated chamber.

"I am," he told reporters after a Senate vote.

Kirk acknowledged that liberal Republicans will take a hit for voting to endorse all of the policy measures in the bill.

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Rand Paul

Rand Paul: Banking Collapse Was Caused By Too Much Regulation

Jon Terbush | March 8, 2011, 9:30AM

On the Daily Show Monday night, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) blamed the government for mucking up capitalism, saying that the banking collapse was caused not by too little government regulation of the financial sector, but by too much meddling by the Federal Reserve.

By arbitrarily setting interest rates rather than letting those rates be determined by the free market, the Fed created an unsustainable financial structure, Paul said.

"I don't say that's a failure of capitalism," Paul said. "That's a failure of a central bank getting involved and messing up capitalism."

"We need less of the government manipulating interest rates," he later added. "So it really depends on which way you're gonna go. Did capitalism fail, or did central banking fail?"

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112th Congress

Senate Passes Two-Week Funding Bill, Avoids Shutdown

Benjy Sarlin | March 2, 2011, 12:35PM

Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y.

With a looming March 4 deadline before the government runs out of funding, the Senate voted 91-9 to approve a House measure providing funding for two weeks while making $4 billion in cuts with bipartisan backing.

The move averts a shutdown, but the gulf between the two parties remains wide as Republicans are calling for $61 billion in cuts that Democratic leaders and the White House claim would costs hundreds of thousands of jobs. Democrats say they support scaling back spending, but only if the reductions don't damage the fledgling recovery or essential services.

"At some point we're going to have to come to some finality and not just kick the can down the road two weeks at a time," Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) told reporters after the vote.

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CPAC

Bachmann, McConnell, King Kick Off Day One Of CPAC

Jillian Rayfield | February 10, 2011, 9:06AM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Here are the main speakers scheduled for the Conservative Political Action Conference, day one.

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Rand Paul

Rand Paul: Let's Stop Giving Israel All That Aid Money (VIDEO)

Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 4, 2011, 9:54AM

Kentucky Senate Candidate Rand Paul (R)

Put this in your box of things you don't hear everyday: A Republican senator, a tea partier no less, is calling for the United States to loosen its connections with Israel. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) told ABC News this week that if it were up to him, the US would stop sending foreign aid to what most Republicans consider to be the nation's most important ally anywhere.

"I think they're an important ally, but I also think that their per capita income is greater than probably three-fourths of the rest of the world," Paul told ABC's Jonathan Karl. "Should we be giving free money or welfare to a wealthy nation? I don't think so."

Paul, best known as the man who promised to bring the tea party to Washington, didn't say he feels any differently toward Israel than his Republican (and most of his Democratic) colleagues. He just feels that as long as the nation is in the deep debt hole its in, it's time to turn of the cash spigot to the country that 2012 GOP contenders are flocking to in advance of primary season.

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TX-SEN

Does Ron Paul Want To Join Son Rand In The Senate? (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | January 28, 2011, 1:06PM

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX)

A very interesting name is emerging as a potential candidate for the Republican nomination in the Texas Senate race, where incumbent GOP Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is retiring: Rep. Ron Paul, who built up a strong online donor base from his anti-war, minimal government presidential campaign in 2008.

As the Dallas Morning News reported Wednesday night:

"I'm just waiting and seeing what comes about, who files and what they do," said Paul, R-Lake Jackson, a 75-year-old obstetrician who has run for president twice and made a Senate bid in 1984.

...

"It's crossed my mind, but ... I haven't taken any active steps," Paul said.

Paul son, freshman Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), was asked about the report last night during an interview with John King on CNN. And he had a pretty funny response.

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Birthright citizenship

Vitter, Rand Paul Propose Amendment To Pare Back Birthright Citizenship

Eric Kleefeld | January 27, 2011, 2:37PM

Sens. David Vitter (R-LA) & Rand Paul (R-KY)

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and freshman Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) have now teamed up -- and they're aiming very high. The two have proposed a constitutional amendment, to get rid of birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants.

From their joint press release, their proposal will declare "a person born in the United States to illegal aliens does not automatically gain citizenship unless at least one parent is a legal citizen, legal immigrant, active member of the Armed Forces or a naturalized legal citizen."

I sought clarification from Vitter's office as to whether this would be a full-fledged amendment to the Constitution, or a lesser legislative route. It is indeed a proposed amendment to the Constitution.

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Spending

CT House GOP Candidate Wants Spending At 1998 Levels (VIDEO)

Brian Beutler | January 27, 2011, 11:13AM

Justin Bernier

The GOP's game of "no I want to cut spending more!" continues to swirl down toward zero.

Meet Justin Bernier, of Connecticut's fifth congressional district. He's outdoing John Boehner ('08 levels), the Republican Study Committee ('06 levels) and Rand Paul (who hasn't set a long-term mark but wants to slash spending by half a trillion dollars almost overnight) in these sweepstakes.

He wants to bring federal spending down to its 1998 levels, a drop that would constitute about a 57 percent reduction.

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Spending

Read Rand Paul's Plan To Slash Spending By $500 Billion Immediately

Brian Beutler | January 25, 2011, 6:23PM

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) will soon introduce legislation that puts just about all other spending cut plans proposed by Republicans this Congress to shame.

The bill, passed my way by a source, calls for $500 billion in specific spending cuts during Fiscal Year 2011 -- which comes to a close at the end of September, just eight months from now.

Like the House's Republican Study Committee before him, Paul targets projects and agencies dear to liberals. It defunds completely the Affordable Housing Program, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

But it goes much farther than that.

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Gabrielle Giffords

Rand Paul: Giffords Shooting 'Unrelated' To AZ Gun Laws

Jillian Rayfield | January 9, 2011, 10:39AM

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said on Fox News Sunday today that the mass shootings in Arizona yesterday are "unrelated" to Arizona's gun laws: "The weapons don't kill people, it's the individual that kills people."

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Sharron Angle

One Crazy Year: 2010's Most Outrageous Breakout Pols (VIDEOS)

Jillian Rayfield | December 31, 2010, 8:34AM

Though every year brings head-scratching remarks from out-of-the-woodwork politicians, 2010 saw those politicians gaining a national platform to broadcast their head-scratchingest views, thanks to the midterm elections.

Here are five of the most outrageous pols who broke out in 2010...

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