Rand Paul: Challenge federal power
Sen. Rand Paul speaks Friday to the Northern Kentucky University chapter of the Federalist Society. The senator repeated themes of curbing federal authority and opposing the actions of President Barack Obama.(Photo: The Enquirer/Patrick Reddy)Buy Photo
U.S. senator and possible Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul took on issues ranging from government snooping into citizens' credit card bills to President Obama's executive order on immigration and even the possible legalization of marijuana in an appearance at Northern Kentucky University Friday.
Most of his speech and question and answer sessions with NKU law students was focused on the favorite issues of the former ophthalmologist from Bowling Green, Kentucky: civil liberties.
"We can't let our fear cause us to give up our rights," Paul said at the end of his 45-minute presentation to the Federalist Society at the Chase College of Law.
As for President Obama's move on immigration, Paul said that the incoming House and Senate (which will be both controlled by Republicans) need to put forth their own proposals while allowing a challenge to the rules play through the courts. He also told the crowd he was skeptical any lawsuits by other politicians such as the one filed Friday by U.S. Rep. and House Speaker John Boehner, R-West Chester, would gain any traction.
"What we need is a case were someone is harmed by this ... such as someone not getting hired in favor of someone who is undocumented," Paul said. "And you could even set something like that up. But that's the only way we're going to get anywhere in the courts."
He said, though, that President Obama set "a dangerous precedent" with the executive order and that it needs to be challenged.
"This isn't just about immigration; this is about the separation of powers," Paul said. "Power corrupts, and you never know who the next guy or woman is going to be and what they might do with that power. It's always been a battle,... and when we give up on that it's a big danger to the country."
After the session he told reporters he was planning to announce his 2016 Senate reelection campaign officially in the next two weeks. But Paul also said that he still had no resolution to a potential conflict were he to run for president. Kentucky state law prohibits a candidate to run for two statewide offices on the same ballot, and the Democratic-held state House has been unwilling to entertain changing the law.
"We haven't decided yet, so some of it will be based on that (on whether to run for president)," Paul said. "That will occur more in the spring, so no real conclusion yet."