A Letter From Rand Paul

from The Patriot Update:

Dear Patriot,




Sometimes the political process makes us all a bit cynical and jaded -- myself included.



We look at what the Washington establishment, the career politicians, the corporate lobbyists, and the entrenched bureaucracy has brought us, and we throw up our hands, thinking, they're all the same.



I don't like to yell too loud, or beat my chest. But I want to take a moment to explain to you why I am not your typical politician, and why this is not a typical campaign.





•I will never, ever vote for taxpayer bailout of a private industry. Whether it's banks, automakers, or any other industry -- you succeed or fail on your own;

•I will not vote for an unbalanced budget. I will not vote for a tax increase. Ever;

•I will insist Congress get serious about securing our borders and dealing with our illegal immigration problem. This is a national security threat as well as a threat to our economy;

•I will fight to end trillion dollar deficits -- no matter which party is in power. Republicans doubled the debt. Democrats are tripling it. Both parties have failed to get our fiscal house in order. I will never vote for an unbalanced budget;

•I will lead the fight to Audit the Fed and curtail the power of the Federal Reserve;

•I will fight for new rules like a Balanced Budget Amendment and Term Limits;

•I will not take ANY CUTS off the table in the fight to balance the budget. Anyone who says they will "freeze non-defense discretionary spending" is blowing smoke at you and hoping you won't notice. That would balance the budget -- MAYBE -- in about 80 years.

•I will propose a vote on an Enumerated Powers Act, forcing Congress to point to the section of the Constitution that justifies their bills;

•I will fight for the Bill of Rights. Democrats often love the 4th Amendment. Republicans love the 2nd. I will fight for them all, which means fighting for your free speech, gun rights, and civil liberties. Laws that infringe on ANY of these make the federal government more powerful, and we cannot continue to allow that;

•I will not allow our troops to be the world's policemen, and I will force a vote on a Declaration of War if any President seeks to commit our military to battle.



As you can see, my agenda unlike any politician's in the country. I am solidly conservative and fiercely loyal to the Constitution.



You cannot fight for liberty while voting for bills that embolden the state. You cannot fight for some of our founding rights without others. And you can't change Washington by sending the same old people there.



For anyone who thinks elections don't matter, or that all candidates are the same, I urge you to read this one more time.



To be blunt, few candidates running for office this year will so fully embrace this agenda of freedom, prosperity, and limited government while working to ensure that the rights of Americans are restored.



If you agree, I ask for your help.