Anti-liberty socialist Ralph Nader attacks Rand

[specsaregood]

Rand himself said that it would increase defense funding.

Well, i'd like to see the actual legislation and what he means by "defense funding". He's clever with wording, an increase in defense spending but a decrease on offense spending would be fine with me. Another example might be an increase in funding veteran affairs, and hospital/medical for veterans -- would that be part of the defense budget?

 

[LibertyEagle]

The issue is Rand's less-than-libertarian leanings.

Your leaf didn't stay turned very long, did it? lolol

 

[cajuncocoa]

The leaf didn't stay turned very long, did it? lolol

Did you really read my sig line yet? If you did, you're still having problems with reading comprehension. At no point will I become an apologist for anyone, not even Ron Paul. But, yes, I'm still supporting Rand in spite of his less-than-libertarian leanings.

 

[Occam's Banana]

There is a worse part, looks like Wenzel edited it out. I'll add it back into the OP when I find it.

OK, there it is now. Yeah, he definitely goes overboard there ...

 

[AuH20]

Did you really read my sig line yet? If you did, you're still having problems with reading comprehension. At no point will I become an apologist for anyone, not even Ron Paul. But, yes, I'm still supporting Rand in spite of his less-than-libertarian leanings.

Good. Welcome aboard.

 

[Anti-Neocon]

Well, i'd like to see the actual legislation and what he means by "defense funding". He's clever with wording, an increase in defense spending but a decrease on offense spending would be fine with me. Another example might be an increase in funding veteran affairs, and hospital/medical for veterans -- would that be part of the defense budget?

Defense spending is the Pentagon budget, which Rand's budget increases. That is all I was referring to. Sure if he withdraws from a lot of foreign involvement, that will decrease spending so the sum total will decrease. But both areas really need to decrease, and I'm not satisfied with the Pentagon budget increasing.

 

[alucard13mm]

To be honest, I wish Rand would use the term "Defense Spending" instead of "Military Spending" or perhaps say he wants to curb wasteful spending of defense spending before increasing its budget.

 

[JCDenton0451]

Nader makes some legitimate criticisms. It is true that in a bid to become 'electable' in 2016 Rand Paul has moved more and more toward mainstream republicanism: on corporate welfare, military industrial complex, foreign policy and immigration. Just because Nader himself is a socialist doesn't mean we can dismiss his comments. Nader opposes MIC. He is better on this issue than the vast majory of American politicians. Definitely better than someone like Cruz.

 

[alucard13mm]

Nader stood up for Ron Paul, if I recalled... So, he is already better than most politicians.

 

[specsaregood]

Defense spending is the Pentagon budget, which Rand's budget increases. That is all I was referring to. Sure if he withdraws from a lot of foreign involvement, that will decrease spending so the sum total will decrease. But both areas really need to decrease, and I'm not satisfied with the Pentagon budget increasing.

See I'm fine with that as a way of moving the ball forward. He's been trying over an over to get ANY bit of total spending decreased. Any decrease would be a win at this point as neither side wants to agree to even one penny less being spent.

 

[JCDenton0451]

I generally like Nader, but he's overreacting. Rand hasn't even got legislation ratified by any congressional body. He's fighting tooth and nail with establishment in both parties and the media. Give him a break. Sheesh.

Nader appears to be mostly concerned about his ties to the GOP moneyed elite. It is true Rand has made major efforts to make himself palatable to these people and it comes at a price. The price is his endorsement of immigration reform and Israel security guarantee among other things.

 

[jtstellar]

ah, phone calls. rand doesn't return them much.

thanks to nader, at least we get a peak inside the window to know why wenzel is so pissed at rand now, along with a couple others including nader. i believe adam kokesh also professed at one point that one of his beef with rand is he never responded to interview requests. i admit having only a handful of aides as rand does will be a problem responding to requests from all over the country. on the 'explaining' part over something yet controversial on the surface, i'm pretty sure rand will answer people's doubts as he has before, i'm not even going to waste time sweating over that. what einstein said.

 

[JCDenton0451]

Nader stood up for Ron Paul, if I recalled... So, he is already better than most politicians.

Some people go into politics because of a conviction. But most people who go into politics are simply drawn to power and money.

Paul and Nader are both conviction politicians, which separates them from the likes of Hillary Clinton and Ted Cruz.

 

[erowe1]

Wow. If those quotes are accurate, Rand has some major explaining to do.

 

[erowe1]

To be honest, I wish Rand would use the term "Defense Spending" instead of "Military Spending" or perhaps say he wants to curb wasteful spending of defense spending before increasing its budget.

Why? The government doesn't spend anything on defense, but it does spend money on the military.

 

[mad cow]

Nader stood up for Ron Paul, if I recalled... So, he is already better than most politicians.

Cite please.

 

[cajuncocoa]

Cite please.

http://reason.com/blog/2011/09/28/ralph-nader-hearts-ron-paul-ha

 

[cajuncocoa]

Wow. If those quotes are accurate, Rand has some major explaining to do.

No reason to think they're not accurate, unless you believe the MSM is misquoting Rand (possibility). I saw those quotes before the Nader article came out.

Edit: there's a video of Rand making the "gimme, gimme, gimme" comment here:
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/rand-paul-chris-christie-national-security-94851.html

 

[erowe1]

The more I think about this thread, the more I don't like the title.

Nader may well be anti-liberty in some things. But in the content of the OP, he's being very pro-liberty, and he's legitimately criticizing Rand for being anti-liberty.

A better thread title would be, "Nader criticizing Rand for being even more of an anti-liberty socialist than himself."

 

[CaptLouAlbano]

Wow. If those quotes are accurate, Rand has some major explaining to do.

The second quote about restoring money to the military is in the context of sequester cuts which reduced personnel.

http://www.kentuckynewera.com/article_f668eafe-fee7-11e2-a0a0-001a4bcf887a.html

Keep in mind that Nader is the type that would not only bring our troops home, but would also greatly reduce our national defense. As a lifelong Jeffersonian myself, I have no issues with having a very strong, very large military force. I just don't support sending them all around the world on nation-building missions.