This is an issue that was made for Rand. A small-business-owner is arrested for a tax violation, and when he starts to speak up for himself the arresting authority kills him. When I started writing this comment, I intended to snarkly add that Eric Garner’s race was a negative for Rand. However, as I think about it, it is clear to me that outrage from Rand over Eric Garner’s death and the incompetence that led up to it is very consistent with his other positions.
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Randy is developing a keen talent for appearing reasonable.
Appearing being the operative word.
Although I disagree with Rand Paul on many issues, I respect the fact that he’s upfront about his positions, even if they’re not popular with his party’s base or a majority of voters. His beliefs are his own, instead of coming from polls and focus groups. I find it interesting that Rand Paul was willing to go on “Real Time” and take questions from Bill Maher, while Hillary Clinton continues to decline Maher’s invitations.
Oh, you are so profoundly wrong, I think. Rand Paul has done the calculation that he can inoculate himself from the charge of racism that arise from his anti-Civil Rights Act stances by appearing to be reasonable on this issue.
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Thank you, Senator, for stating the obvious.
This passes for leadership today.
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The difference between NYC and my Houston?
That nearly everyone is on foot there.
On Westheimer Rd. the main east-west thoroughfare here–
you can routinely see the wheelchair-bound eke out an existence reselling M&Ms or bottled water.
You roll up to an intersection in the left-turn lane?
There might be one or more individuals pleading their case for help-- or reselling their version of ‘loosies.’
Nobody cares.
Even the cops.
And nobody gets hurt.
jw1
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Oh, those Presidential aspirations. They will make you say something, and then they will make you ‘walk it back’.
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Wow, so I guess that’s the GOP penalty for police murder these days…job reassignment.
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Exactly, and now that his father’s paywalled websites are up and running, Rand will have a friendly publisher to ‘buy’ advertisement space from.
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Thanks, tao.
Yeah, it doesn’t make any sense, and I really struggle to see why the tax would be collected “each time they are sold.” A normal “sales tax” is collected at retail. Just once. Usually, if, for example, you are buying in quantity to resell yourself…like a bar buying product from Costco to sell “retail” at the bar, you have an exemption from paying the tax, but you’re expected to charge the tax to your customers in the bar.
Of course in this case, he may or may not have been selling loose cigarettes, because they never got that far before killing him. The fact that he might have done that in the past doesn’t create probable cause to kill him. It would be interesting, although admittedly irrelevant, to know if he did have any cigarettes on him at the time.
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Did you hear about the 100+ police car chase in Cleveland where they fired 137 bullets at the “bad guy”?
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Is this snark???
His opinions are his own?
The right wing talking point shortly after the grand jury non-indictment was NOT to blame the cop who choked him, but on cigarettes.
Then a day or so later, here goes Paul with his ratty mug on TV, dutifully parroting that line. If you don’t think Paul’s response was not focus group tested or that he did not hunch with his fellow members in the Republican Party to try and push that bullshit, I have submarine windshield wipers I’d like to sell you.
Then I guess people weren’t really latching on to that nonsense so he’s now tentatively moved to the cop should lose his job. YA THINK?
This guy is not some champion of principals; he’s an opportunist who is willing to take two sides on one issue to appease whatever audience he thinks is listening. That’s not a profile in courage; it’s an act of cowardice.
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" Oops , I’ll have to change it otherwise I’ll lose votes " .
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Why is this guy always behind the curve by a week or 2 everytime?
oh, I got it, plagiarism check so he don’t trip over the crap running out of his mouth.
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A ratty mug and a mousy rug. Heh.
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a policeman who accidentally kills someone while stopping them from distributing cigarettes, that’s probably a lack of discretion and you probably shouldn’t have the power to be a policeman any more, at the very least
Forceful.
Pantaleo next expects the Senator to send him to bed without supper.
That’ll learn him.
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Similar to what Dr. Ben is doing, milking the cash cow that is presidential nominations
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