OK, that got your attention. But seriously, give him what he wants.
EXACTLY what he wants.
Why? WHY?!? Because in this instance, the old expression holds true: be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.
Rand Paul's acceptance speech in Kentucky sounded a bit familiar in parts. Things like this...
Government does not create jobs; individual entrepreneurs, business men and women create jobs, but not the government.
Ah yes. The old "businesses drive the economy, not government" spiel. If you're wondering where you've heard THAT one before, may I remind you of the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign issues. Because nothing truly disappears from the internet!
Governor Bush understands that hard-working entrepreneurs created the New Economy, not government.
So what else did Paul say? This gem.
We are in the midst of a debt crisis, and the American people want to know why we have to balance our budget and they don’t.
I'm sorry: Kentucky does WHAT? Kentucky hasn't needed to balance Lego blocks, never mind their true finances, in decades. Here's how the Tax Foundation, an organization funded by the Kochs, puts it.
According to the Tax Foundation, this is "the most recent data available on this topic". Kentucky has been getting MORE from Washington in Federal dollars for over a generation now. And as time has gone on, they've received more handouts at Blue State expense.
In fact, let's take all fifty states. Put the ones that pay their own way on one side of the graph, and leech states like Kentucky on the other. And color code it: blue for Obama winners, red for McCain winners.
Boom. Headshot. For all their grand talk about how bootstrappy they are, the vast majority of Conservative America suckles on the sweet teat of Progressive America.
So let's give Rand Paul exactly what he wants. Want entrepreneurs to pay Kentucky's way? Want to REALLY take the reins of your finances? I say: they bought their philosophy, they knew what they were getting into.
I say: let them do it. Stop all Red State Welfare. Stop all handouts that go from this "failed" Washington system they hate so much. Tell your Democratic politicians that you're sick of supplementing these petulant children that cry for more freedom when they don't actually put anything into the kitty. Give them EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT.
No safety net at the Federal level.
They'll come begging with cup in hand within a year.