Rand Paul: ‘Big Government Has Been at the Heart of the Problem’ in Ferguson

[downtownv]

SECURITYANALYSIS
Rand Paul: ‘Big Government Has Been at the Heart of the Problem’ in Ferguson

Katrina Trinko / @KatrinaTrinko / August 14, 2014 / 0 comments

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Ferguson, Mo., Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2014. (Photo: David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/MCT)

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., today blasted “big government” in response to the current situation in Ferguson, Mo.
In an op-ed published in Time, Paul wrote, “Not surprisingly, big government has been at the heart of the problem.” He continued:

“Washington has incentivized the militarization of local police precincts by using federal dollars to help municipal governments build what are essentially small armies—where police departments compete to acquire military gear that goes far beyond what most of Americans think of as law enforcement.”

Talking about the photos and footage coming out of Ferguson, a suburb of St. Louis, Paul wrote that they “resemble war more than traditional police action.”
The Kentucky senator, however, also sounded a cautious note about the protests in Ferguson, writing, “The outrage in Ferguson is understandable—though there is never an excuse for rioting or looting.”
“There is a legitimate role for the police to keep the peace,” Paul added, “but there should be a difference between a police response and a military response.”
There have been protests in Ferguson since the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was killed in an interaction with a police officer Saturday.

[knkali]

ok that's the police not BIG G.. I am not following something here.

[downtownv]

My little NJ Beach community has acquired Humvees and MRAPS. The Town Council was all very proud of our police dept for this "Free Gift"
I asked 2 questions is our police force now officially a para military army and why? and who's footing the bill for the Gas?
This is a display of overwhelming force against the citizens they are hired to protect and serve.
No LEO needs that type of equipment....

[downtownv]

ok that's the police not BIG G.. I am not following something here.

You missed this line....“Washington has incentivized the militarization of local police precincts by using federal dollars to help municipal governments build what are essentially small armies—where police departments compete to acquire military gear that goes far beyond what most of Americans think of as law enforcement.”

[knkali]

this might help(me)?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...gop-right-now/

[deadeye]

I wonder if Big Brother has any surplus aircraft carriers? I guess they would have trouble getting up the Mississippi. Maybe a couple of nice destroyers? The scenes from St. Louis look like ones from a 3rd world country. What does the word "police" mean in German. Gestapo?

[DavidS]

this might help(me)?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...gop-right-now/

Nice piece.

[TheTman]

From absolute-news.com: (I've never heard of this site before, but have heard mention of the bill several times. This just popped up when I did a google search)
"Congressman Chris Stewart (R-UT) has introduced a bill to de-militarize federal regulatory agencies such as the Department of Education and the IRS. Stewart’s bill, entitled the Regulatory Agency Demilitarization Act, seeks to strip these agencies of their law enforcement authority and take away their weapons." It also includes agencies such as the EPA, USDA, and most of the other bureaucracies that don't need SWAT teams and such.

I hope this goes somewhere, but I imagine even if it passes the house, it will die in the Senate. But at least he tried.

[muggsy]

Rand Paul is a libertarian not a conservative. He is a big part of what's wrong with America. I want the police to have everything that they need at their disposal when some lawless SOBs think that they can right a supposed wrong by rioting, burning, and looting. I believe that every police officer has the right to do whatever he or she deem necessary to keep the peace and return to their families at the end of their shift. Every citizen has the right to obey a police officers lawful order and keep their mouth shut.

[deadeye]

Heil!!!!!

[knkali]

Rand Paul is a libertarian not a conservative. He is a big part of what's wrong with America. I want the police to have everything that they need at their disposal when some lawless SOBs think that they can right a supposed wrong by rioting, burning, and looting. I believe that every police officer has the right to do whatever he or she deem necessary to keep the peace and return to their families at the end of their shift. Every citizen has the right to obey a police officers lawful order and keep their mouth shut.

Correct on that Rand Paul is a Libertarian. Is he on the Rep side to get further or ??? Or was that just a mistake?
Muggs, this isn't a black white issue or a police issue. The problems in poor communities (which the G has created) is that people are marginalized. When people have to live in the conditions that they do(violence, hopelessness, broken homes ect) they are not all going to behave like model citizens. Calling it a police or race matter is not really addressing the issues. The G has to reconfigure the welfare and housing subsidies, and food subsidies, revoke minimum wage laws) Then , they stop making taxpayers pay for it. In turn the taxpayer has more money to buy more sheet. With that, economies blossom and the demand for unskilled labor goes up. That is how you fix the communities where this sort of scenario is capable of happening. Don't buy into the smokescreen.

[b4uqzme]

Correct on that Rand Paul is a Libertarian. Is he on the Rep side to get further or ??? Or was that just a mistake?
Muggs, this isn't a black white issue or a police issue. The problems in poor communities (which the G has created) is that people are marginalized. When people have to live in the conditions that they do(violence, hopelessness, broken homes ect) they are not all going to behave like model citizens. Calling it a police or race matter is not really addressing the issues. The G has to reconfigure the welfare and housing subsidies, and food subsidies, revoke minimum wage laws) Then , they stop making taxpayers pay for it. In turn the taxpayer has more money to buy more sheet. With that, economies blossom and the demand for unskilled labor goes up. That is how you fix the communities where this sort of scenario is capable of happening. Don't buy into the smokescreen.

you've been watching your Milton Friedman videos... I likey!

[knkali]

lol...... Sowell, and W. Williams too.

[berettabone]

Correct on that Rand Paul is a Libertarian. Is he on the Rep side to get further or ??? Or was that just a mistake?
Muggs, this isn't a black white issue or a police issue. The problems in poor communities (which the G has created) is that people are marginalized. When people have to live in the conditions that they do(violence, hopelessness, broken homes ect) they are not all going to behave like model citizens. Calling it a police or race matter is not really addressing the issues. The G has to reconfigure the welfare and housing subsidies, and food subsidies, revoke minimum wage laws) Then , they stop making taxpayers pay for it. In turn the taxpayer has more money to buy more sheet. With that, economies blossom and the demand for unskilled labor goes up. That is how you fix the communities where this sort of scenario is capable of happening. Don't buy into the smokescreen.

" they are not all going to behave like model citizens " ......................why not? Is this what you would do, if a caucasion person was shot?" I highly doubt it, I doubt whether you would start burning and looting your town down. This type of mentality borders on animalistic. Give the police what ever they need, to quell these idiots. Living conditions are no excuse to riot in the streets. There really isn't any excuse to riot in the streets, unless your gov't is trying to control you. Quit giving excuses for these people, who think it's reasonable or justified, to burn your da#* town down.

[knkali]

Living conditions are no excuse to riot in the streets.

hmmm living conditions were enough to incite the American Revolution.........................How is this different?