• March 28, 2024

VIDEO: To Quote Rand Paul On This Constitutional Violation, “Bullsh*t!”

Rand Paul speaks frankly on data collection, and he doesn’t mince words…in front of student, at George Washington University.

RARE.US: Speaking to a packed room of young supporters on Thursday, Rand Paul said it was “bullshit” to believe that the U.S. government must broaden its surveillance powers in the wake of the Paris attacks.

Paul has been a leading critic of the National Security Agency’s metadata collection program that collects phone and other records of Americans en masse.

Speaking to several hundred students, and turning away more due to maximum capacity, at George Washington University in Washington, DC, the senator and 2016 Republican presidential candidate said “So when they stand up on television and say the tragedy in Paris means you have to give up your liberty, we need more phone surveillance — bullshit!”

Many have speculated that Republicans hawks running for president now have an advantage over the libertarian-leaning Paul after the recent terrorist attacks.

On Tuesday, Senator Marco Rubio said “At least two of my colleagues in the Senate aspiring to the presidency… have voted to weaken the U.S. intelligence programs,” referring to Paul and Senator Ted Cruz’s anti-NSA mass collection positions.

“I think we need to restore the metadata program, which was part of the Patriot Act,” said Jeb Bush on Monday, during an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

Paul told the mostly student crowd on Thursday, “There is a danger in this war on terrorism — and make no mistake, we do have to defend ourselves — that we give up the very liberty that separates us from them.”

rand event

Students gather to hear Rand Paul Thursday at George Washington University.

“What separates a civilized people from barbarians?” Paul asked. “It’s believing in the individual, believing in privacy and believing in a government that leaves us alone.”

“Anybody here just want to be left alone?” Paul asked the crowd.

 

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