Rand Paul Speaks, UC Berkeley Listens
[guest post by Dana]
This week, Rand Paul spoke at the of the University of California at Berkeley. He focused primarily on the National Security Agency’s collection of telephone metadata and the privacy debate our country is currently embroiled in. Surprisingly, he received multiple standing ovations from what we can safely assume was a mostly left-leaning audience.
Paul’s warnings to students were blunt,
“Your right to privacy is under assault.”
“I am here to tell you that if you own a cell phone, you’re under surveillance,”
And his concerns for their privacy couldn’t be stressed enough,
“When [the intelligence community] says, ‘Oh, it’s only boring old business records,’ think what information is on your Visa bill. From your bill, the government can tell whether you drink, whether you smoke, whether you gamble, what books you read, what magazines you read, whether you see a psychiatrist, what medications you take.
I oppose this abuse of power with every ounce of energy I have. I believe that you have a right to privacy, and it should be protected.”
In response to Paul’s decision to speak at a campus which has historically been left-leaning and less than supportive of those who lean right, Roger Simon sharply observes,
The country is changing. Whole new groups are ripe for the picking, most obviously the young who are being so completely raked over by the Obama administration via Obamacare and the rest of the entitlements so many of them know they will never see. They were ready to applaud at Berkeley.
And African Americans — when, since the end of Jim Crow, have they done worse than under the Obama administration with its record black unemployment numbers and horrifying statistics on out-of-wedlock births in their community? Consciously or unconsciously, Democrats have been waging a “War on Blacks” since the days of the Great Society. It’s been a disaster for African Americans, a nightmare, in truth.
But where are the Republicans, the party of Lincoln, on that? They should be in the black communities talking to them about it, suggesting ways to make things better. Instead, they just sit around getting annoyed when the Democrats call them racists. Play offense, not defense.
Note: Simon’s observations neatly dovetail with my local assemblyman’s: Republican candidates do not campaign in pockets of minority areas struggling with high unemployment, heavy crime, and poverty. He said the mere fact that he just shows up, speaks volumes to residents who rarely, if ever, take the time to listen to Republican candidates. Furthermore, because he has taken the time to explain basic conservative principles and their practical applications, as well as taking questions from residents, he has received endorsements from civic groups that typically vote Democrat. Something as simple as showing up, opens doors. Logically, it follows, if a candidate doesn’t show up, doors will not open, and the support will not be there.
P.S. In a preview of Rand Paul’s Berkeley comments, he expressed concern over CIA spying on Congress and the the need to stop it,
“I perceive FEAR of an intelligence community drunk with power, unrepentant, and uninclined to relinquish power.”
“I am honestly worried, concerned about who is truly in charge of our government. Most of you have read the dystopian nightmares and maybe, like me, you doubted that it could ever happen in America.”
David Axelrod was compelled to mock:
Tho most Americans probably don’t know what “dystopian” means, hard to deny that Rand Paul is an interesting story.
And we all know exactly which Americans Axelrod was referring to.
–Dana
They’re digitally-recording American phone calls and storing them or years, says Napolitano? No way!?
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/20/2014 @ 10:37 pm*for
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/20/2014 @ 10:38 pmthe nsa poofterboys are going to fight this man what threatens their pansy-assed hyper-expensive grossly ineffectual little fiefdoms, and they’re not going to fight fair
happyfeet (8ce051) — 3/21/2014 @ 12:08 amI’m watching the NSA’s recent TED appearance in response to Edward Snowden’s recent TED appearance—it’s really all quite surreal.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/21/2014 @ 12:57 amActually, any number of Republicans have tried reaching out to poor black neighborhoods. Some have received a good response, but the vote totals remain the same.
Blacks are more conservative than whites on many issues – tax cuts, strong foreign policy, respect for the military, the death penalty, abortion – and have been for decades. It has never changed their votes.
Richard Nixon won 37% of the black vote in 1960. Since then, no Republican has exceeded Ronald Reagan’s 1984 landslide share of 13%.
Jack Kemp and others have tried various “outreach” approaches since, none have come close to working.
I heard all this crap about how Ron Paul (Rand’s Dad, with whom he has repeatedly stated he has NO policy differences) was going to inspire waves of young voters and win the nomination and election. First it was for 2008, then 2012. And they won every single internet poll, but nothing else of note.
Don’t drink the Kool-Aid™.
Estragon (ada867) — 3/21/2014 @ 1:12 amblack people ≠ young people
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/21/2014 @ 1:24 amAnyway, where Rand gets Republican support that Ron doesn’t is by having a more interventionist foreign policy.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/21/2014 @ 1:26 amsometimes, the sheep look up.
John Brunner would be pleased… maybe.
😎
redc1c4 (abd49e) — 3/21/2014 @ 2:05 am#7 —> bit bucket
/frag out
redc1c4 (abd49e) — 3/21/2014 @ 2:08 amMeanwhile kids tweet themselves and friends naked in public making water, post videos of themselves knocking a bag lady to the ground on Faceschnook.
Rand is likely cooler than the next Republican, so there’s that.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/21/2014 @ 3:08 amGod forbid he uses the word dystopian in a speech at UC Berkeley, the flagship of the entire state system.
Have you no shame sir
I can’t wait to listen to Hillary going into the black churches and putting on that god awful condescending parody of an african american dialect.
steveg (794291) — 3/21/2014 @ 4:46 amThat Senator Paul could go into the liberal lion’s den is actually unsurprising, because a good part of libertarianism has its appeal to the left: decriminalization of drug use, prostitution, gambling, along with support for abortion, basically getting government out of anything to do with individuals’ rights. The opposition to interventionism in foreign affairs appeals to more liberals.
But libertarianism also means getting government out of supporting individuals, which means that people are expected to work and pay their own way, and that’s just anathema to the left.
The question is: which Rand Paul did they hear? Libertarianism is an actually fairly coherent ideology, if you put both halves together, but a lot of times audiences hear only the part that they want to hear. The libertarianism of freedom from government intervention is also the libertarianism which would not raise taxes on the more productive people to give stuff to the less productive. Why, that almost sounds like TEA Partyism!
The somewhat libertarian Dana (3e4784) — 3/21/2014 @ 5:15 amDavid Axelrod said:
Those of us who do know what ‘dystopian” means know that it is the perfect, one-word description of the United States under President Obama.
The Dana who didn't have to look it up (3e4784) — 3/21/2014 @ 5:18 amEstagon wrote:
And the Republican Party is about to do to Hispanics what we have done to blacks: by our adamant refusal to figure out how to include immigrants whom we will not massively round up and deport, we are creating a situation in which their political positions on anything won’t matter in the slightest: when they vote, they will be as loyal to the Democrats as are blacks.
More Hispanics are becoming legal voters every day, and even if we can keep the illegal immigrants from ever getting the vote, their children are being born here, are thus citizens, and they will grow up to become voters. They will remember that it was the GOP who wanted to keep them out.
It was the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts, passed under President Johnson, a Democrat, which made blacks so loyal to the Democratic Party, and that continues today, even though the majority of blacks were born well after those laws were passed. These cultural memories take root, and grow, and flourish and we have seen the results at the polls.
The Dana who understands that we will have to find a way to include the illegal immigrants (3e4784) — 3/21/2014 @ 5:27 am@ Estragon,
Don’t drink the Kool-Aid™.
To be clear, the post is not an endorsement of Rand Paul. It is instead a look at the willingness of a potential presidential candidate to at least show up in very hostile territory. Of course, it stands to reason that he would choose an issue to focus on that resonates with young people. And, of course, a “real” test would be talking with the same young people and presenting basic conservative principles and why they would provide young and old more freedom for themselves and our country.
Also, I cannot assess whether or not my assemblyman’s colleagues have been as bold, with regard to campaigning in particular Democratic strongholds, but I have looked up his claims regarding civic group endorsements, and in that, he was accurate. So, there is some evidence that taking the time to go behind enemy lines, can produce positive results.
At the least, just show up.
Dana (9a8f57) — 3/21/2014 @ 5:43 am“I am here to tell you that if you own a cell phone, you’re under surveillance,”
Now I think Rand Paul knows that that’s a lie.
There is a problem with too broad search warrants or subpeonas.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/20/us/judge-rebukes-officials-over-requests-for-broad-email-searches.html
I think they are techically search warrants, not subpeonas (subpeonas can be contested)
Sammy Finkelman (798a49) — 3/21/2014 @ 7:06 amRand Paul’s speech was a front page story in the New York Times yesterday.
Sammy Finkelman (798a49) — 3/21/2014 @ 7:12 amMy dog puked. And he look at me. In the way dogs do. I puked. And I said, cool. And I cleaned it up.
And he looked at me and said he loved the %chit ot o’ me.
channelling Mr. feets
Steve57 (ab7166) — 3/21/2014 @ 7:46 amRand has areas of concern for me. Overall, though, I am impressed with him and his apparent normal-ness and his Midwest American-ness and his non pol-ness and his general disposition. It doesn’t hurt his case in this culture that he is also nice looking.
Large geographic and demographic segments of this country are crying out for people to inspire us and voices to at least tell the damn truth even if the truth is painful. Rand runs as a Republican and he is. But I’m becoming convinced that many people, especially younger people (and not just Rs) do see him as something new and different–as a Republican that is harder to put the hatey on–and maybe just maybe be somebody they even could respect and trust.
The Democratic party is mostly represented and run by ancient crones and pols–Reid, Pelosi, Hilary, Biden, Feinstein, Boxer, Rangel etc. etc. Pajama boy notwithstanding I don’t think that party has much of a bench and therefore doesn’t really have a natural and eternal lock on younger voters. Yes, many under 35 unfortunately are dunces thanks to the polluted public education system. But not all. Some do in fact use their God given brain and have a vested interest in their own future. Let’s at least fight for their vote.
elissa (d86ea7) — 3/21/2014 @ 8:20 amJohn Brunner would be pleased… maybe.
Never read that; always meant to. Stand on Zanzibar was brilliant, tho.
Kevin M (dbcba4) — 3/21/2014 @ 8:39 amRand is capable of winning in California; no other Republican can. That is a big part of 270. The NSA spying is going a big issue in 2016, and difficult for Hillary to defend.
Maybe Feinstein can campaign with her.
Kevin M (dbcba4) — 3/21/2014 @ 8:47 amYou want to see humor, google “running of the bulls.”
Steve57 (ab7166) — 3/21/2014 @ 8:49 am1. Not this country.
A certain specific foreign country (whose name the New York Times agreed to keep secret.)
There are four more countries where a substantial number of calls are recorded. They pay no attention to what they get except for certain specified purposes, and if they used it for other purposes, it would become obvious pretty soon.
Now it would nice to spy on the Malaysian government, and see what’s going on, but they are probably not doing that, since I don’t know that that fits into one of President Obama’s justified categories for spying!
Sammy Finkelman (798a49) — 3/21/2014 @ 8:57 amMy knee hurts.
Steve57 (ab7166) — 3/21/2014 @ 9:17 amMr M wrote:
Sorry, no. Senator Paul could make some inroads into the liberal vote, perhaps a couple percent, which could make a huge difference in places like Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, but California is so eaten up with illegal immigrants, welfare bums and others who believe that people who actually work for a living owe them a living that it’s probably lost forever.
The Dana who can count (3e4784) — 3/21/2014 @ 9:44 amSammy,
Every single thing they have said about the limits to their domestic surveillance has been shown to be a lie. And when asked if metadata was being recorded as part of the pen-register program, the NSA boss said, “no, not under that program.” The obvious followup was not asked.
They have no credibility. Yes, I understand that the current limited hangout statement says they aren’t doing certain things, but that only awaits the next revelation, and then there will be a new set of things they aren’t doing.
Frankly, I expect they are recording everything they can for as long as they can, and any limitations are technological or financial.
Kevin M (dbcba4) — 3/21/2014 @ 9:45 amDana, I beg to differ. About 3 counties in California hold about 3 million Democrat votes. SF, Alameda and Santa Clara counties are so reliably Democrat that no Republican has been elected to any office there for 20 years, they are mostly that way on social issues, with a VERY strong social libertarian streak.
This NSA thing is a dagger in the heart of the Democrat coalition. Sure, they MAY decide that it isn’t enough to cross the aisle, but with former Sec State Hillary unable to properly denounce the spying, or even creditably promise to end it, he has a chance.
Add to this one other thing: Santa Clara County (aka Silicon Valley) is a technological monoculture. EVERYTHING is about tech. Go to the movies and the ad slides in front of the movie are about the new Verilog compiler or headhunting firms. People’s livelihoods depend on the tech and information sectors doing well, and this NSA thing is threatening the gravy train.
Add pocketbook issues to left-side libertarianism and you get a dynamic that can easily cost Hillary the state, but only if the Republcian is credible, as Rand is.
Then they vote Dem on the rest of the ballot, as usual.
Kevin M (dbcba4) — 3/21/2014 @ 10:03 amThe more important the office, and the more individual the voting decision, the more a person may cross party lines – that is, when they are not afraid there’s something they don’t like – that they don’t know about – with the candidate from the opposing party.
Democratic Party strategy the last thirty years has been based on increasing prejudice about the Republican Party.
In some respects the Republican Party strives to make the prejudices true, and this can only be overcome by being attacked by people purporting to come from their base..
Sammy Finkelman (d22d64) — 3/21/2014 @ 10:11 amComment by Kevin M (dbcba4) — 3/21/2014 @ 9:45 am
Every single thing they have said about the limits to their domestic surveillance has been shown to be a lie.
Not every single thing. If you pay clsoe enouygh attention you can tell.
And when asked if metadata was being recorded as part of the pen-register program, the NSA boss said, “no, not under that program.” The obvious followup was not asked.
It’s been pretty clear for some time now that pen register data is being saved. Content may be obtained saved from non-voice communications.
They have no credibility. Yes, I understand that the current limited hangout statement says they aren’t doing certain things, but that only awaits the next revelation, and then there will be a new set of things they aren’t doing.
There would be consequences that we would feel from them doing certain things, and we’re not feeling them. Some people would use that for private or political purposes. This is not happening.
This is not how Mitt Romney was spied on.
The big problem has been refusals to share data with the DEA etc. I think this whole idea is almost 180 degrees way from the truth.
Frankly, I expect they are recording everything they can for as long as they can, and any limitations are technological or financial.
Everything outside the United States, except that a lot is encrypted, so what they get is what is easy, and shouldn’t even be done, like Angela Merkel’s cell phone calls while she was an opposition party leader, not what is important, like what Putin says to his cronies..
Sammy Finkelman (d22d64) — 3/21/2014 @ 10:19 amDavid Axelrod was compelled to mock:
Tho most Americans probably don’t know what “dystopian” means, hard to deny that Rand Paul is an interesting story
Axelrod wrote for the Chicago Tribune*. Studies have been done on the vocabulary levels at which various newspapers are written. The one I saw had the Chicago Tribune at sixth-grade level. Or, “David, Rand was talking to students at Berkeley, not to Chicago aldermen”.
*He stills writes for the Tribune, just not under his byline. The Tribune’s political pages
nk (dbc370) — 3/21/2014 @ 11:41 ammay as well beare DNC press releases. 😎For reals about the study. No joke, unfortunately.
nk (dbc370) — 3/21/2014 @ 11:43 am30. Watched CNN’s homage to Diversity and the Ballerina last night, Chicagoland.
EEeewwww!
gary gulrud (384f70) — 3/21/2014 @ 6:05 pmSorry, Axe. Score one for Rand. Apparently young people are familiar with both the word and the concept of dystopia.
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/movies/2014/03/divergent_starring_shailene_woodley_and_the_hunger_games_why_teens_love.html
elissa (c3779f) — 3/21/2014 @ 6:06 pmJust win Babe.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/03/20/UVA-s-Crystal-Ball-Jeb-Bush-Top-GOP-2016-Presidential-Contender
gary gulrud (384f70) — 3/21/2014 @ 6:12 pmI doubt David Axelrod has gone to sleep a single night in the last 30 years without reading a few pages of Mein Kampf.
highpockets (ad576c) — 3/21/2014 @ 6:29 pmmyopic
mg (31009b) — 3/21/2014 @ 6:34 pmhttp://ebonstorm.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/welcome_to_dystopia_by_crystalryu.jpg
http://wallpoper.com/images/00/25/79/11/dystopia-nuclear_00257911.jpg
mg (31009b) — 3/21/2014 @ 6:39 pm@ 27 Kevin M:
I live in San Jose, and there is this…
Asian Americans furious at proposal allowing California colleges to choose students by race.
My friends, neighbors, and family are outraged (about 95% are liberal). Not a peep on the IRS, Benghazi, Fast and Furious, Obmacare,… but this, they are PO’ed. Not sure if this will translate into votes on the national level, but for the first time since I have lived here (’92), genuine anger against the Democrats.
Pons Asinorum (8ce71a) — 3/21/2014 @ 9:25 pm