In Kentucky's Republican Senate Race, The Louisville Courier Journal Sees "A Dismal Choice". Read More Below.
In Republican Senate race, a dismal choice
By The Courier-Journal Editorial Board
The Republican race for Kentucky's U.S. Senate seat has drawn the nation's attention. That is not because the establishment candidate, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, has fulfilled in this campaign the promise that party leaders held for him over his two terms in Frankfort. Rather, it's the whirlwind movement that has propelled Rand Paul, a Bowling Green ophthalmologist, to the lead in the polls and in the hearts of many who are fueling the anti-government sentiments across the land.
Dr. Paul's father, Ron Paul, is a well-known congressman from Texas who has run for president twice — in 1988 as a Libertarian and in 2008 as a Republican. But with Rand Paul, it's not merely a matter of “like father, like son.” Dr. Paul, 48, is an independent thinker, whose articulate, good-humored approach to politics has caught many in the Grand Old Party by surprise.
Dr. Paul's maverick streak is a challenge of sorts to the pooh-bah of Kentucky Republicans, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who at least behind the scenes is backing Mr. Grayson. The secretary of state is positioning himself to be a loyal foot soldier in Mr. McConnell's destructive, dishonest effort to undermine virtually every initiative from the Obama administration.
The trouble with Dr. Paul is that despite his independent thinking, much of what he stands for is repulsive to people in the mainstream. For instance, he holds an unacceptable view of civil rights, saying that while the federal government can enforce integration of government jobs and facilities, private business people should be able to decide whether they want to serve black people, or gays, or any other minority group.
He quickly emphasizes that he personally would not agree with any form of discrimination, but he just doesn't think it should be legislated.
His perspectives — like Mr. Grayson's — are repellent to those who believe in a woman's right to choose whether to have an abortion. Indeed, Dr. Paul wouldn't even permit exceptions in the case of rape or incest. He says the mother and the unborn zygote have equal rights.
[Even so, Mr. Grayson has been endorsed by Kentucky Right to Life.]
On foreign policy, perhaps Dr. Paul's strongest suit, he opposes any wars of choice (which would include the current Iraq war), and he believes that Congress should approve a declaration of war before troops are ever sent to fight.
In contrast, Mr. Grayson generally supports the administration's policies in both Iraq and Afghanistan, noting that he lacks the confidential information that the President and his advisers have.
Dr. Paul describes himself not as a Libertarian, but rather a “constitutional conservative.” As such, he favors stripping away a lot of the actions of the federal government in the last eight decades. And he includes both Democrats and Republicans in his criticism of excessive spending and expansion of government. He would favor dismantling several federal departments including Commerce, Education and perhaps Agriculture.
Let us hasten to add that this most definitely is not this newspaper's perspective on how our nation's government, and our society, should be structured. The 20th Century changes that expanded government's reach to ensure safer, fairer and healthier lives for all Americans were fruits of a kind of democracy we embrace. And those changes were brought about by both parties, the Republicans under Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and the Democrats under Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton.
Something changed in America after the Watergate debacle. Dissatisfaction with the changes that brought about the Civil Rights acts of the 1960s, the women's movement, the environmental movement and finally the push for gay rights — coupled with expensive government programs — has fueled since the time of Ronald Reagan an anger and fear.
Yet Dr. Paul, for all his support of smaller government and his interest in the tax-reduction ideas of the tea partiers, is neither an angry nor resentful person. He's thoughtful and witty in an elfin sort of way. Yet his candidacy has been embraced by such extremists as former Gov. Sarah Palin, Dr. Frank Simon and the tea party movement.
Mr. Grayson seems to have been blindsided by all of this. He seems physically and mentally dazed, and uncomfortable in his own skin as he responds by rolling out extreme right-wing positions. His rapid movement to the far right leaves many wondering what he really stands for.
How different these two men are from the Republican statesmen who once represented Kentucky in Congress — John Sherman Cooper, Thruston B. Morton and Marlow W. Cook. While often adhering to traditional Republican perspective on economic conservatism, they reflected an open-minded, independent moderation — heirs of Henry Clay in fact.
The party of Mitch McConnell has betrayed that legacy and the good people who shaped it. Not surprisingly, Sen. Cook — now in retirement in Florida — frequently supports Democrats.
This newspaper cannot recommend either of this year's principal candidates to Republican voters. But we hope that members of the GOP with some degree of perspective will ponder the direction in which their party is moving — and vow to do something to put it back on a constructive course.
By The Courier-Journal Editorial Board
The Republican race for Kentucky's U.S. Senate seat has drawn the nation's attention. That is not because the establishment candidate, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, has fulfilled in this campaign the promise that party leaders held for him over his two terms in Frankfort. Rather, it's the whirlwind movement that has propelled Rand Paul, a Bowling Green ophthalmologist, to the lead in the polls and in the hearts of many who are fueling the anti-government sentiments across the land.
Dr. Paul's father, Ron Paul, is a well-known congressman from Texas who has run for president twice — in 1988 as a Libertarian and in 2008 as a Republican. But with Rand Paul, it's not merely a matter of “like father, like son.” Dr. Paul, 48, is an independent thinker, whose articulate, good-humored approach to politics has caught many in the Grand Old Party by surprise.
Dr. Paul's maverick streak is a challenge of sorts to the pooh-bah of Kentucky Republicans, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who at least behind the scenes is backing Mr. Grayson. The secretary of state is positioning himself to be a loyal foot soldier in Mr. McConnell's destructive, dishonest effort to undermine virtually every initiative from the Obama administration.
The trouble with Dr. Paul is that despite his independent thinking, much of what he stands for is repulsive to people in the mainstream. For instance, he holds an unacceptable view of civil rights, saying that while the federal government can enforce integration of government jobs and facilities, private business people should be able to decide whether they want to serve black people, or gays, or any other minority group.
He quickly emphasizes that he personally would not agree with any form of discrimination, but he just doesn't think it should be legislated.
His perspectives — like Mr. Grayson's — are repellent to those who believe in a woman's right to choose whether to have an abortion. Indeed, Dr. Paul wouldn't even permit exceptions in the case of rape or incest. He says the mother and the unborn zygote have equal rights.
[Even so, Mr. Grayson has been endorsed by Kentucky Right to Life.]
On foreign policy, perhaps Dr. Paul's strongest suit, he opposes any wars of choice (which would include the current Iraq war), and he believes that Congress should approve a declaration of war before troops are ever sent to fight.
In contrast, Mr. Grayson generally supports the administration's policies in both Iraq and Afghanistan, noting that he lacks the confidential information that the President and his advisers have.
Dr. Paul describes himself not as a Libertarian, but rather a “constitutional conservative.” As such, he favors stripping away a lot of the actions of the federal government in the last eight decades. And he includes both Democrats and Republicans in his criticism of excessive spending and expansion of government. He would favor dismantling several federal departments including Commerce, Education and perhaps Agriculture.
Let us hasten to add that this most definitely is not this newspaper's perspective on how our nation's government, and our society, should be structured. The 20th Century changes that expanded government's reach to ensure safer, fairer and healthier lives for all Americans were fruits of a kind of democracy we embrace. And those changes were brought about by both parties, the Republicans under Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, and the Democrats under Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton.
Something changed in America after the Watergate debacle. Dissatisfaction with the changes that brought about the Civil Rights acts of the 1960s, the women's movement, the environmental movement and finally the push for gay rights — coupled with expensive government programs — has fueled since the time of Ronald Reagan an anger and fear.
Yet Dr. Paul, for all his support of smaller government and his interest in the tax-reduction ideas of the tea partiers, is neither an angry nor resentful person. He's thoughtful and witty in an elfin sort of way. Yet his candidacy has been embraced by such extremists as former Gov. Sarah Palin, Dr. Frank Simon and the tea party movement.
Mr. Grayson seems to have been blindsided by all of this. He seems physically and mentally dazed, and uncomfortable in his own skin as he responds by rolling out extreme right-wing positions. His rapid movement to the far right leaves many wondering what he really stands for.
How different these two men are from the Republican statesmen who once represented Kentucky in Congress — John Sherman Cooper, Thruston B. Morton and Marlow W. Cook. While often adhering to traditional Republican perspective on economic conservatism, they reflected an open-minded, independent moderation — heirs of Henry Clay in fact.
The party of Mitch McConnell has betrayed that legacy and the good people who shaped it. Not surprisingly, Sen. Cook — now in retirement in Florida — frequently supports Democrats.
This newspaper cannot recommend either of this year's principal candidates to Republican voters. But we hope that members of the GOP with some degree of perspective will ponder the direction in which their party is moving — and vow to do something to put it back on a constructive course.
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posted by KYJurisDoctor at 10:10 AM
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