Republican Candidate: Rand Paul

Randal Howard "Rand" Paul is an American politician and physician. Since 2011, Paul has served in the United States Senate as a member of the Republican Party representing Kentucky. He is the son of former U.S. Representative Ron Paul of Texas. Married with three children and currently running in the 2016 Presidential Primaries.

On The Issues:

It's complicated.
 
Abortion:

• Thousands of exceptions follow from maternal health. (May 2013)
• Coarsening of our culture led to 50 million unborn deaths. (Sep 2012)
• My opponents call me libertarian but I'm pro-life. (Feb 2011)
• Life begins at conception. (Jul 2010)
• Opposes federal abortion funding. (Aug 2010)
• Prohibit federal funding for abortion. (May 2011) 

 On the Economy:

• The sequester is the law of the land: can't compromise on it. (Oct 2013)
• We cannot continue to borrow $50,000 per second. (Mar 2013)
• Sequester doesn't cut spending; it just slows rate of growth. (Mar 2013)
• FactCheck: US borrowing $30,000 per second, not $50,000. (Feb 2013)
• Borrowing $50,000 per second is not sustainable. (Feb 2013)
• America needs Adam Smith, not Robin Hood. (Feb 2013)
• Penny Plan: Each $1 by one penny & balance budget by 2019. (Feb 2013)
• Keep the sequester, and increase it to $4T. (Feb 2013)
• Not every military dollar is necessary,nor every entitlement. (Aug 2012)
• Roll back federal spending to 2008 levels. (Jan 2012)
• We are borrowing $40,000 per second. (Jan 2012)
• Government not serious about controlling spending. (Feb 2011)
• Larger government is not a solution for economy. (Feb 2011)
• Bank bailout represented everything wrong with Washington. (Feb 2011)
• Debt crisis is approaching a point of no return. (Feb 2011)
• Bank bailout was bad policy & helped no banks in KY. (Oct 2010)
• No federal bailouts of private industry. (Jul 2010)
• Demand a Balanced Budget amendment. (Jul 2010)
• Limit federal spending growth to per-capita inflation rate. (Jul 2010)
• Sponsored bill increasing debt limit to $16.7 trillion. (Jul 2011)
• Supports the Cut-Cap-and-Balance Pledge. (Jan 2012)
• Disapprove of increasing the debt limit. (Jan 2012)
• Sponsored auditing the Fed & its actions on mortgage loans. (Feb 2013)
• Endorsed Liberty Candidate: End the Federal Reserve. (Sep 2010) 

On Social Security:

• Raise the retirement age to deal with Baby Boomers. (Feb 2011)
• Raise retirement age gradually; allow opting out. (Feb 2011)
• I've never challenged constitutionality of Social Security. (Oct 2010)
• Raise the retirement age for people under age 55. (Oct 2010)
• Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. (Aug 2010)
• Supports private retirement accounts. (Aug 2010)
• Rated 17% by ARA, indicating a mixed record on senior issues. (Jan 2013) 

On Civil rights:

• Women won the "war on women": they're no longer downtrodden. (Jan 2014)
• Redefining marriage leads to economic and moral problems. (Jun 2013)
• No national law on same-sex marriage; leave it to states. (May 2013)
• Let states decide same-sex marriage; don't federalize it. (Mar 2013)
• Illegal to impose racial segregation in the private sector. (May 2010)
• Opposes same-sex marriage. (Nov 2009)
• Voted NO on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. (Feb 2013)
• Opposes affirmative action. (Aug 2010)
• Supports Amendment to prevent same sex marriage. (Aug 2010)

 On Gun control:

• Don't let the liberals tread on the Second Amendment. (Feb 2013)
• Patriot Act violates your gun rights. (Feb 2011)
• 2nd amendment is only as good as the fourth amendment. (Sep 2010)
• Supports 2nd amendment; vote against restricting handguns. (Jul 2010)
• Voted NO on banning high-capacity magazines of over 10 bullets. (Apr 2013)
• Opposes restrictions on the right to bear arms. (Aug 2010)
• Rated AQ by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record. (Aug 2010)
• Oppose the United Nations' Arms Trade Treaty. (Sep 2013)
• Endorsed Liberty Candidate: no point in keeping guns you can't access. (Sep 2010) 

On Drugs:

• Jailing people for 10 years for marijuana is ridiculous. (Nov 2014)
• War on drugs has unintentionally had a racial outcome. (Jun 2014)
• Don't promote marijuana but don't jail non-violent criminals. (Mar 2013)
• Tackle drug problem; no one cares where funding comes from. (Oct 2010)
• Community treatment instead of federal anti-drug programs. (Aug 2010)
• Drug abuse isn't a pressing issue; 10-20 years is too harsh. (Aug 2010)
• Favors legalizing medical marijuana. (May 2010)
• Exclude industrial hemp from definition of marijuana. (Aug 2012)
• Exempt industrial hemp from marijuana laws. (Feb 2013) 

 On Education:

• Allow school choice for everyone, white, brown, or black. (Feb 2013)
• Support homeschooling and parental responsibility. (Jul 2010) 

On Energy and Oil:

• Test older gas pipelines for explosion safety. (Sep 2012)
• Unelected EPA should not regulate greenhouse emissions. (Oct 2010)
• Energy crisis stems from too much government intervention. (Jul 2010)
• Voted YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases. (Apr 2011)
• Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP. (Nov 2010)
• Supports renewable energy tax credits. (Aug 2010)
• Cap-and-trade has no impact on global temperatures. (Jul 2010)
• Explore proven energy reserves & keep energy prices low. (Jul 2010)
• Let states lease energy rights on federal lands. (Jun 2013)
• Endorsed Liberty Candidate: tax incentives for US-based alternatives. (Sep 2010) 

On The Environment:

• Our federal government regulates everything and anything. (Sep 2012)
• Citizens run afoul of vague definition of "wetlands". (Sep 2012)
• EPA regulations cost $15 trillion in 2012. (Sep 2012)
• EPA enforcement nullifies due process and judicial review. (Sep 2012)
• Land rules made by delusional government interventionists. (Sep 2012)
• Navigable waters should mean permanently flowing. (Sep 2012)
• Voted NO on protecting ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems. (May 2013)
• Rated 20% by HSLF, indicating an anti-animal welfare voting record. (Jan 2012) 

On Families and Children:

Volunteer eye surgery for blind kids in Guatemala. (Aug 2014)

 On Foreign Policy:

• Good idea to end Cuba embargo; it hasn't worked. (Dec 2014)
• Temporary stop on elective travel to fight Ebola. (Nov 2014)
• No quarantine on returning Ebola doctors unless symptomatic. (Nov 2014)
• Prioritize embassy security to avoid another Benghazi. (Oct 2013)
• No isolationism; but don't go abroad seeking enemies. (Oct 2013)
• Against terror but first comes preserving the Constitution. (Jul 2013)
• Stop sending foreign aid to people who don't like us. (Sep 2012)
• Freeze aid to Egypt until they release detained Americans. (Sep 2012)
• As only democracy in Mideast, Israel is important ally. (Feb 2011)
• Exit the UN; maintain US sovereignty. (Nov 2010)
• Rated 0 by AAI, indicating a mixed Arab/Palestine voting record. (May 2012)
• Endorsed Liberty Candidate: US abroad unconstitutional & unaffordable. (Sep 2010) 

On Free-Trade:

• Accompany free trade laws with other export inducers. (Oct 2013)
• Participated with Raw Milk Freedom Riders civil disobedience. (Sep 2012) 

On Government Reform:

• Supports early voting; but voter ID also ok. (Nov 2014)
• President should not bypass Congress with executive orders. (Jan 2014)
• Term limits if budget can't get balanced. (Feb 2013)
• Fund new programs by deleting existing ones. (Sep 2012)
• Conservatives should criticize GOP when they grow government. (Feb 2012)
• Our legislative victory: an end to earmarks. (Jan 2012)
• Federal contracts should include no-PAC clauses. (Feb 2011)
• Instead of bringing home the bacon, bring home politicians. (Feb 2011)
• FactCheck: No, Kagan never she'd regulate vegetable eating. (Feb 2011)
• Lobbyists' sole goal is to rip you off. (Jul 2010)
• No Pork Pledge: decrease earmarking; increase transparency. (Aug 2010)
• Identify constitutionality in every new congressional bill. (Jul 2010)
• Audit federal agencies, to reform or eliminate them. (Jul 2010)
• Moratorium on all earmarks until budget is balanced. (Jul 2010)
• Prohibit IRS audits targeting Tea Party political groups. (Feb 2014) 

On Healthcare:

• ObamaCare cuts hundreds of choices down to just four. (Nov 2013)
• It's Congress' job to fight to change ObamaCare. (Oct 2013)
• Protect vitamin manufacturers from unreasonable regulations. (Sep 2012)
• ObamaCare is still unconstitutional, despite Supreme Court. (Aug 2012)
• Restrain ObamaCare from using Commerce Clause. (Feb 2011)
• Obamacare will cost $3T & health insurance still goes up 15%. (Oct 2010)
• Replace over-regulation with free market principles. (Jul 2010)
• Voted NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts. (May 2011)
• Opposes government-run healthcare. (Aug 2010)
• Defund, repeal, & replace federal care with free market. (Jul 2010)
• Repeal any federal health care takeover. (Jul 2010) 

On Homeland Security:

• Multiple requests for security at Benghazi were ignored. (Jun 2014)
• Benghazi disqualifies Hillary from the presidency. (Jun 2014)
• Don't let people who make money off weapons define policy. (Apr 2014)
• National defense is important, but no blank check. (Apr 2014)
• NSA monitoring is an affront to 1776 sons of liberty. (Mar 2014)
• Allow challenges to NSA in open court, not FISA court. (Nov 2013)
• Give trials to Guantanamo detainees. (May 2013)
• Filibuster to establish no drones on citizens in America. (Mar 2013)
• 13-hour filibuster against drone strikes targeting Americans. (Mar 2013)
• Only Judiciary can detain and drone, not the President. (Mar 2013)
• Military sacrifice spreads flame of freedom around the world. (Sep 2012)
• Cut defense spending as part of cutting all federal spending. (Jan 2012)
• The Patriot Act is intrusive; it's what the Founders feared. (Feb 2011)
• Put defense spending on the table for reducing budget. (Feb 2011)
• Defense should be largest part of much smaller budget. (Feb 2011)
• How much of what is spent on defense is actual "defense"? (Feb 2011)
• Remove waste from last decade's doubling of military budget. (Feb 2011)
• Warrantless searches overstep Constitutional powers. (Sep 2010)
• Treat armed service members like heroes. (Jul 2010)
• Defense policy is influenced by the makers of weapons. (Feb 2010)
• Voted NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's roving wiretaps. (Feb 2011)
• Supports banning homosexuals in the military. (Aug 2010)
• Sponsored opposing the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty. (Mar 2013) 

On Immigration:

• Status quo is untenable; we must do some sort of reform. (Jun 2014)
• Move beyond amnesty, but eventually to path to citizenship. (Jun 2014)
• Illegals are not bad people, but we have to control border. (Apr 2014)
• Legal status, but not citizenship, for illegal immigrants. (Mar 2013)
• We will find a place for illegal immigrants in America. (Mar 2013)
• Replace de facto amnesty with bipartisan reform. (Mar 2013)
• See immigrants as assets, not liabilities. (Feb 2013)
• Obamacare treats illegal aliens because it's illegal to ask. (Oct 2010)
• No amnesty; respect the law. (Jul 2010) 

On Jobs: 

• Unemployment insurance ok if fully paid for & short-term. (Jan 2014)
• Extending unemployment benefits does disservice to workers. (Dec 

On War and Peace:

• GOP is too eager for war; and so is Hillary. (Aug 2014)
• How many Americans should die to defend Iraq? (Jul 2014)
• ISIS are nasty terrorists but no clear-cut American interest. (Jun 2014)
• Iraq War gave Iran regional hegemony & caused Mideast chaos. (Jun 2014)
• Keep all options on the table, but don't declare war on Iran. (Apr 2014)
• Executive Branch can initiating war is a usurpation of power. (Mar 2014)
• No involvement in Syria, even if gas attack proven. (Sep 2013)
• No US interests in either side of Syrian war. (Sep 2013)
• No US weapons to kill Christians in Syria. (Aug 2013)
• It is unacceptable not to hate war. (Sep 2012)
• Opposed to Iraq War; no direct threat & no declared war. (Feb 2011)
• Would have voted against a declaration of war against Iraq. (Feb 2010) 

So there you have it, folks...

Next up:  Republican Candidate- Marco Rubio

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

DS Greencastle Gathering 2015

                                               Part of Our DS Family!

Slowly recovering!  But what an incredible group of "friends-who became-family". Just the fact that you turned out in the midst of cornfields, hayfields and soy beans for my Gathering is amazing, to me.
Like Diane advised, "...build it and they will come"...and you DID!

Mark and Vicki...a million thanks for the endless transportation and the rocks and shell and Tucker's toy, which Aiden shares with equal joy!

Betsy and Jane...for Yankee Candle Salted Caramel and "Hot Buns" that make the house smell like some delicious dessert. Also for popping back by on Monday Morning and having a last cup of coffee before the pumpkin turned back into a carriage.

                 
                                          "Peach Cobbler for Mark"


And (of course)  all four of you for being here early to help me prep and so I could enjoy fixing an early dinner for all of us. You know how much I LOVE to cook.

We were 2 Countries...and 14 states this Gathering!  And there are businesses that will eye me warily when I walk in now...lol! Assuming there isn't an outright ban. 

                           "When asked what our waiter would do if he were actually      
                             married to Diane"

                            (...I think this is the International Sign for hanging oneself...)

                                               "The 2015 Bed Shot"

                                    "LuAnn's Judgement and Execution"

                                                  "Hector's Initiation"

                                                   
                                                        "HELP"

                                            "I've been a very bad boy"

                                           "Officer...I can EXPLAIN..."


Betty....huge thanks for the bottle of French Quarter Praline Liqueur and suggestions on its use (as a sauce for Bread Pudding...in Hot Cocoa...or just by the teaspoonful!) and the "Spice Scented Coaster Pads" that make every cup of coffee an aromatic treat!

Paula and Deanna...also huge thanks for the basket of Louisiana Goodies and the Louisiana Cooking Magazine (to which I am now subscribed!)

There are going to be some amazing Cajun smells coming from the kitchen real soon.

Cathy and Mark...I LOVE the homemade Raspberry Jam!!! Thank you so much :)

And special thanks to Diane and Sal for another bit of Leopard Print....because one can NEVER have enough leopard!

Linda...take care of Flat Stan and "Congratulations"

Catherine and Mark...so great to see you both and SYD, of course! Our Mascot Gathering Dachshund!

                                   "Where are the treats...you promised there would be
                                     treats..."



Diane (and everyone) Thanks for "passing the hat" to defray expenses...and for not losing your hat...lol!  It was too much.  Really.

And to all of us...

Remembering Loran and his motto:
 Make the REST of your life the BEST of your life...

                                                          LORAN

And Loran's  Tarantula Memorial and Balloon Release

                                                "Linda's Smiley"

 And all the hugs and love through the weekend!

                                                    "Diane and I"
                                       Sisters from Different Misters.

I love you all!  Without each other all those years back...where would we have been?

Thank you for making the 2015 DS Greencastle Gathering perfect!

                                               "OMG...are they gone?"

A sobering postscript this evening...

 We have been friends since childhood. In our teens we "ran away"...hitch-hiked together...took long and insane road trips...used to talk about growing old together and wearing floppy hats and drinking tea...and then realized just this year that somehow...40+ years later...we had done just that. Celebrated our mutual birthdays together at Lobsterfest every year....and much to the waiter's chagrin always "named" our individual lobsters. Her health has been progressively worsening this year. Tonight I got The Call from her Caregiver.   

Sometimes there just isn't enough tears or time.  

Life is just too short. 

 "....wish you were here..."

Post Labor Day...Dear God do they EVEN make enough Coffee...

So...I did get something achieved besides stuffing my face...okay?

Completed the book of Prose I was working on. This was a personal "Journey of the Heart" and is not for purchase...still I wanted the publish-by date to be September 10th...and this may be the first deadline for myself that I have actually met.
A minor miracle in itself.

Okay...and there was a lot of face-stuffing, too. 

We've already slipped into the Fall Foods it appears. Spiced Meads and Crusty Peasant Herbed Loaves. BBQ'd meats and bubbling pots of Ham and Beans with Cornbread and slathers of real butter.

              
                                                      "Fall is Coming"


Enjoyed seeing the boys...and even got to see one of my long lost honorary sons, Johnny, who grew up with the rest of them at The Lake.

                                                   Chris and Tina

                            
                             (....excuse me...but I moustache you a question...)

                                               Johnny and James


While musing about the number of Lost Boys that wandered through our
home while they were growing up...and now STILL refer to me as Mom...James made the most wonderful observation.

"Do you know why they all came to our house? Because you were the only Mom in the neighborhood who actually gave a shit about them."

A bit of a rough-around-the-edges compliment...but remembering the pans of brownies, bread puddings and home cooked meals...and all the shoulders and ears, hugs and a safe place (and advice) I lent all of them back then...a heart-warming compliment none-the-less.

And that is why...when I am out...I am constantly running into honorary sons, and a few daughters.  It is a good feeling and so amazing to see them all grown with spouses and/or children of their own.

They did okay. 

Sometimes all you need is a little love and encouragement.

(and maybe a pan of warm brownies with milk)

Chris is working on another huge vat of Orange Spiced Mead

Which is in the bubbling and fermenting stage right now.  He (and the guys) had a Medieval Feast at Adam's shop on Friday with Spiced Meats and Meads/Ales and Braggot (a mixture of beer and honey mead dating back to the 12th Century) Fresh Fruits and Cheeses.

This was my contribution to the feast.

A Rosemary and Herb Peasant Loaf. Actually made several over the weekend. The herbs are perfect right now. Just starting to cut and dry them. Chopped fresh to make a savory loaf they are outstanding.  I have also seen a way to freeze them in olive oil cubes and store in freezer baggies that looks promising and I'm going to try for the first time this year.

Never ever stop learning. 

Today, I am learning that after stuffing yourself for three days...and maybe a little too much Honey Mead...and way way way too much inactivity...no amount of coffee will revive you. And that could be a problem, because I've got stuff to do.

The Greencastle DS Gathering is only days away!  So excited to see everyone again!  Mostly I am humbled (and blown away) that everyone would bring the Gathering to my little town, now...since I am not able to travel. You guys are the greatest family ever.

Really.

So finishing the last details/cleaning/et al tomorrow and tomorrow evening...then doing Bloomington with Loretta and Sharon early on Thursday as we had pre-planned...and home in time to set a Southern Style meal for Jane and Betsy...and Vicki and Mark who are arriving a day early and helping with set up and transportation.

I CAN do this!


More anon...

Post-Script:  Answered a knock on my door and it was Chris with a plate of 
these.  T'was a Drive-By Beignet-ing... omg!

Greatest Kids EVER!

Vallée de Loire...

And so...as to not rush into the business of tasting French Wine and Cheese unprepared...I have been researching the subject.

Bringing me to the next stop on this Virtual Adventure to

The Loire Valley:  Vallée de Loire (prononced Vallee de lwar)

 

The Loire is to wine and cheese what Lynchburg, Tennessee is to Jack Daniels. Touting some of the finest wine and cheese pairings in France as well as offering Wine and Cheese Workshops/Tastings for 95 euros  (about 106 USD)

There are 48 cheeses in France that have the protected AOC status – and six of them are in the Loire Valley. AOC status (used both with wines and cheese in France) means appellation d'origine contrôlée. A documented Origin status. Although Gruyère is the name of a Swiss village, it has recently been given an IGP label (= PGI - Protected Geographical Indication) in France.

As you can see. They take their wine (and cheese) very seriously here.

The Wine and Cheese Workshop typically offers 9 individual cheeses and 6 different wines.

Although for the Virtual Tour I will be procuring 9 or more differnt French cheeses...the wine selection will be limited to two or three.  White, Red and Champagne.

I have found several French Cheese Gourmet Tasting Pack available fairly reasonably from Amazon.com. 

The Three Families of Cheeses are:

Pressed:  A selection of the best-known "pressed" (or "hard") cheeses in France. All of these cheeses come in large units, off which the cheese merchant will cut slices. There are two types, "cooked" cheeses, where the whey is heated during the production process, and "uncooked" cheeses, where it is not. Cooked cheeses can sometimes keep for a very long time.


Soft: There are literally hundreds of soft French cheeses; each region has its own specialities. Many of these - notably those with appellation contrôlée - are manufactured in small units, and (with notable exceptions such as Brie and St. Nectaire) if you want to buy one, you must buy a whole cheese.


Blue: An appellation contrôlée cheese whose quality and taste can vary considerably , going from the bland to the sharp. Even in a supermarket, you can ask to taste before you buy. Specific varieties of Bleu d'Auvergne include the ancient Bleu de Laqueille.

The most famous French blue cheese, though not necessarily the best. Roquefort is an Appellation contrôlée cheese, made from the milk of one single breed of sheep, the "Lacaune" breed. The cheese has been made since the Middle Ages, and has been famous for many centuries; more recently it has been the object of intense and successful marketing.

The Cheeses are also separated by which type of milk they are made from.

Typically three types:

Cow's Milk

Goat's Milk

Ewe or Sheep's Milk.

And then divided a third time into origin.

 Farmhouse (fromages fermiers) or Industrial Manufactured.

And you thought it was just cheese.

I am also learning the choices are seemingly endless. Cantal, Comté, Mimolette, Tomme, ReBlochon, Brie, Camembert, Epoisses, Gasperon, Mont d'Or, Munster, all the various blues and even Cancoillotte, which can be eaten hot or cold, and is strongly flavoured with garlic. An acquired taste, they say...but one I am curious to try.

An interesting observation and explanation for the numerous goat cheeses in France, particularly in Loire Valley, is that nearly 1300 years ago, when the Arabs were defeated at the famous Battle of Tours in 732 by Charles Martel, the grandfather of Charlemagne, they left their goats in this region!

The Wines...narrowed down to  Pouilly Fumé a semi-dry white, Chinon wine  a nice red and Champagne...as yet to named...but definitely imported from Champagne France.  


 Will be ordering this coming week and having the tasting possibly as early as the following week! 

Can't wait!

More anon...