Senator-Elect Rand Paul Breaks Tea Party Pledge, Now Vows To ‘Fight’ For Earmarks

[Joanne98]

Congressional earmarks became one of the key targets of the Tea Party’s anti-spending fervor. Angry over the House GOP’s failure to include an earmark moratorium in its “Pledge To America,” Tea Party supporters looked to their Washington outsider candidates to champion their current raison d’être.

One Tea Party hero, Senator-elect Rand Paul (R-KY), jumped on the anti-earmark bandwagon early, making “a ban on wasteful earmark spending in Washington D.C. one of the key points of his campaign” in March. Lambasting lawmakers who opt for “photo-ops with oversized fake cardboard checks,” Paul vowed to “dismantle the culture of professional politicians” even if he “ruffled a lot of establishment feathers” while doing it.

But after joining the GOP flock on Election Day, Paul is singing a different tune. In a Wall Street Journal profile this weekend, Paul signaled an about-face on his earmark position, committing to “fight for Kentucky’s share of earmarks and federal pork.” After all, he’s “not that crazy” of a libertarian:

Father and son, age 47, have different styles. Asked what he wanted to do in Washington in a Wednesday morning television interview, the senator-elect said that his kids were hoping to meet the Obama girls. He has made other concessions to the mainstream. He now avoids his dad’s talk of shuttering the Federal Reserve and abolishing the income tax. In a bigger shift from his campaign pledge to end earmarks, he tells me that they are a bad “symbol” of easy spending but that he will fight for Kentucky’s share of earmarks and federal pork, as long as it’s doled out transparently at the committee level and not parachuted in in the dead of night. “I will advocate for Kentucky’s interests,” he says.

So you’re not a crazy libertarian? “Not that crazy,” he cracks.

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/11/08/paul-earmarks-pledg/

[kysrsoze]

1. Hey, another Republican liar! Imagine that. All pork is bad... except for OURS.

[Larkspur]

2. "It's not my earmarks that are the problem. It's your earmarks."

Glad that Rand Paul has shown his hypocrisy quickly.

[DBoon]

8. it's not hypocrisy

it is logically consistent selfishness

[Dawson Leery]

3. His supporters will do as right wing hate radio and Fox "News" tell them to do.

The tea party thugs will still blame liberals, minorities, and gays for the ills of the world.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. So it is two for two..Bonehead also backed down on the earmarks promise.

boyoboyoboyoboy..Think those tbaggers are feeling screwed yet, or what??!!!

[stubtoe]

16. Talk about a bait-and-switch.

So quickly, too.

[vi5]

5. Wow, so much for that Republican civil war, huh?

Just as I said, these guys will get in line like the rest of them. Those on here counting on a GOP civil war are going to be sorely disappointed.

[rurallib]

6. Oh Randy! how could you?

I shall insist on calling him Randy until he acts like an adult.

[atreides1]

7. Who's Next

Rubio? Maybe several of the new Republican members of the House? Tea Party is going to get f**ked good, and not even get kissed.:rofl:

[jberryhill]

9. Rand Paul Is Going To Be A Lot Of Fun

Assuming he doesn't manage to do something illegal, which is going to be enough of a challenge for him, he's going to be a real wild card.

Marching in lockstep with the rest of the R's in the Senate is unlikely to be his bag, so we may indeed pick him up on a few things here and there.

Granted, he marches to the beat of an insane drummer, but that's as much of a PITA to the R's as it is to us.

[Dr.Phool]

10. THANKS SUCKERS!!!!!!!!

[JohnWxy]

11. GOP Inc will have a hard time assimilating Tea_Baggers? Give me a break... link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x508697

[zehnkatzen]

12. Isn't this some sort of record for deserting your electoral supporters?

Man … I knew he'd desert the so-called principles he paid lip-service to just to get elected, but I figured he'd at least wait until Congress was back in session.

That's some world-record for getting co-opted, ain't it?

[JohnWxy]

15. A whole 6 days! He's pretty light on his feet... or light on ethics ...hey, he's a Republican

[zehnkatzen]

13. "Everyone Makes Promises in This Business. Next Time, Get It In Writing. n/t k/r

[Doctor_J]

14. When does the recall start?

he's a bald-faced liar who was elected on false pretenses.