That would make you a purist
. Most people would look at it as Rand being VP and guaranteed the Republican nomination in the future. It doesn't make a difference which President is in power if Rand is the VP pick in 2012. Romney loses? Rand runs in 2016. Romney wins? Rand runs in 2020.
Purists will throw the baby out with the bath water, but if Rand is the VP, it's a huge success for the liberty movement considering the expectations coming into this whole deal.
I am a "purist" but I oppose a Rand VP slot under Romney for one (thoroughly practical) reason.
Try as I might, I simply do not understand what people think would be accomplished by a Rand vice-presidency under Romney. What? He gets to cast tie-breaking votes in the Senate? He gets to preside over state dinners & attend the funeral of the Prime Minister of Kclsuroghinistan? Whoopty-doo.
If Obama wins, Rand will have a solid 6-year pro-liberty record in the Senate under his belt. He'll go into 2016 as his own man and *entirely* on his own terms - 100% Rand Paul - he wont be defined in terms of anyone but himself & his record.
Same thing if Romney wins & Rand remains in the Senate - except it will be a 10-year Senate record in 2020 (unless, for some reason, he primaries Romney in 2016) - *still* 100% Rand Paul.
But if he becomes Romney's VP & then runs for President in 2016 or 2020, he *won't* be running solely (or even mostly) on his own merits - he'll be running on a brief (shorter than Obama's) legislative record, and even THAT will be 4 or 8 years old. And he'll also have all the baggage from a Romney presidency to deal with. (Does anyone imagine there won't be such baggage, and that it wouldn't be used against Rand - fairly or unfairly?)
Given that Romney is really just a Republican Obama, I utterly fail to understand how this scenario has *any* advantages *whatsoever* over Rand simply remaining in the Senate.
By doing so, he will remain his own man & will have a solid & very attractive record - something he won't be able to get as Romney's VP.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
In any case, Rand is not a fool. I think he has far better sense than to have any part in a Romney administration. There is literally no up-side to it.
