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Paul meets over 270 at town hall meeting
Sen. Rand Paul makes a point during his opening remarks.

(Murray, KY Jan. 11, 2012) - Former US Marine Jerry Wheeler drove down from Paducah to Murray State University on a rainy Wednesday afternoon. It was his first time in Murray and his first time to personally hear, see and videotape the man he said agreed with his values. Senator Rand Paul is “conservative, pro-life and pro Second Amendment.” He said he had voted for the Senator in the last election. 

Wheeler said that he didn’t agree with everything that Paul’s father, presidential candidate Ron Paul, is espousing. Wheeler doesn’t like Iran threatening to block the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint in the Persian Gulf.  Blockage of the Strait would lead to catastrophic rises in oil prices on world markets and could provoke a war with Iran.

The twenty something Wheeler was representative of the young people among the 271 participants in the Paul Town Hall meeting. They asked polite and articulate questions. Afterwards, many queued up to have their pictures taken with the junior Senator from Kentucky.

Sen. Paul acknowledged at the beginning of the town hall that Congress is not very popular with the American people, with a dismal 9% approval rating. Part of the reason: 70% of Americans tell pollsters they want a balanced budget amendment. But Congress cannot and will not pass one. When the freshman Senator introduced the amendment, only his party, the GOP, would vote for it. He couldn’t get anyone to cross party lines.

Paul, whose theme of government overspending and waste came up time after time in the hour and a half he spent answering questions, told the crowd that the US government sent $600 million dollars to dead people. Stopping that is something “we can all agree on.”

Paul also said that all parties can agree that borrowing money from China then sending some of it back as foreign aid should be stopped. Paul said that rising debt is the economic problem that will haunt America.

“If you think it’s horrible now. Wait until they (creditor nations) get tired of buying our debt.”  Paul went on to describe how debt is driving up the price of goods, like gasoline and groceries. It also is depressing the amount of money that those on government programs can receive. The reason that retirees are not getting increases is “they don’t have the money.”

The social security system must be fixed, but Paul declined to assign fault to the political parties. 

“It’s not the Republicans’ fault. It’s not the Democrats’ fault. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s your grandparents for having too many kids after World War Two. The baby boomers were all born around the same time and now they are retiring around the same time.”

Marshall County Judge Mike Miller in top coat and scarf was among 200 that turned out to see Sen. Rand Paul in Murray on WednesdaySubsequent birth rates have not kept up, so there are fewer workers to support the number of retirees looking to collect.

Paul suggested that the retirement age rise gradually. He cited 55 and under would work longer and get social security and Medicare at a later age.

In private, Paul said the President and Vice President agreed with him. Then they go out in public and say “They won’t work with us.”  Paul told the crowd that President Obama wants to run against a do-nothing Congress in his re-election bid. 

Paul is frustrated that, while he personally likes the President, nothing is getting done in Washington. He complained also that the Democrats won’t break issues down into small components that can pass, but want big bills. “That’s a thousand moving parts.”

Paul answered a wide variety of questions from elected officials, small farmers, students and reporters during his stop in Murray. More than once he offered to meet with constituents at his office in Washington. He told one questioner that he would read her materials “on my way back home in the car.’


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