09/04/2014
To quote Mr. Burns from The Simpsons, Rand Paul has had one of his characteristic changes of heart. He is now a hawk on both border security and foreign policy.Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Thursday warned that terrorists from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria could infiltrate the United States through the southern border.It wasn’t so long ago when Paul is frantically telling the GOP base that it needed to capitulate to the open borders designs of its billionaire donors. And Rand Paul’s young following is practically defined by its opposition to American intervention in the Middle East."We must also secure our own borders and immigration policy from ISIS infiltration," Paul said in an op-ed in Time magazine that outlined his strategy for dealing with the group.
"Our border is porous, and the administration, rather than acting to protect it, instead ponders unconstitutional executive action, legalizing millions of illegal immigrants," he added.
Paul, a potential presidential candidate, said the immigration system needs a full-scale review, pointing to a recent ABC report that found more than 6,000 foreign nationals in the country had disappeared on expired student visas.
"This is inexcusable over a decade after we were attacked on 9/11 by hijackers including one Saudi student who overstayed his student visa," he said.
Paul called for revoking the visas of any U.S. citizens fighting with ISIS overseas …
In the op-ed, Paul reiterated that he does not consider himself an interventionist or isolationist. He said he supports expanding airstrikes against ISIS in Syria with approval from Congress.
"The long-term challenge is debilitating and ultimately eradicating a strong and growing ISIS, whose growth poses a significant terrorist threat to U.S. allies and enemies in the region, Europe, and our homeland," he said.
Paul also called for arming Kurdish fighters in Iraq, which the administration is doing, and building a coalition of nations to help with the threat.
[Paul: Secure border to prevent ISIS 'infiltration,'by Mario Trujillo, The Hill, September 4, 2014]
Of course, this is an improvement. But, as his erstwhile staffer Jack Hunter said, Rand Paul is just "playing the game." I can confirm from my own colleagues that Rand Paul will be running for President and indeed his staff is already being assembled. But if he’s essentially another Rick Perry — all hat and no cattle on immigration and changing his policies day by day — what is the point of his campaign?
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