Dr. Paul who lives and practices in Bowling Green acknowledges that “the apple didn’t fall far from the tree” when comparing himself with his dad Ron Paul who ran for President last year. “We are slightly different on some issues” he said. “My Dad is somewhat more outspoken.” Both men are conservatives.

 

The conservative message was well received by those in attendance. Rand Paul is appalled by the massive government spending by the Obama administration and the democratically controlled congress. “Federal spending will top $1.75 trillion dollars this year and our national debt will soar to 12 trillion dollars this year.” “We are spending $53,000 per second….We owe 800 billion to the Chinese, 700 billion to the Japanese and 100 billion to Saudi Arabia.”

 

Paul is against the bailout of big business. “If they are too big to fail, they are too big to bail out!” He said AIG is still bankrupt in spite of the billions of federal dollars spent to prop up the insurance giant. He fears the same is true for the auto industry.

 

Dr. Paul is against the capital gains tax and favors repeal of the estate tax. He is not in favor of the “cap and trade” bill saying that it is a tax on coal and will cost Kentuckians $500 per year more for electricity. (Most estimates are several times that amount.)

 

Paul says that if we send our troops to war, we should declare war, fight to completion and go home. He would have voted to go to war against Afghanistan after 9-11 but would not have voted to go to war against Iraq. Dr. Paul exhibited considerable knowledge about Afghanistan.

 

Paul believes the Republican Party has lost its way. He is for opening trade with Cuba and will not vote for a bill “that we don’t have the money to pay for.” He believes the problem with health care is cost (not coverage). Paul, a practicing ophthalmologist, said that competition is the key to lowering costs. He pointed out that procedures that are covered by insurance continues to go up; while items not covered like contact lenses, cost less each year. 

 

Dr. Paul is against Bush’s “no child left behind” program. “Decisions about a child’s education should be made by teachers, principals and parents in Madisonville Kentucky not in Washington D.C.” he said.

 

“I support wind, solar and nuclear power as well as coal. Coal has a very important role in America’s energy future.” He believes democrats and the Obama administration are trying to put coal business out of business. 

 

Ron Sanders 

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