Rand Paul won the Republican Senate primary in Kentucky. His campaign is considered the first authentic Tea Party victory. He is the 'face' of the Republican version of the Tea Party.
Mr. Paul had a very interesting discussion with Rachel Maddow on her show tonight on MSNBC over the tenth item (as he called it) of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 where government can tell private owners what they can and cannot do with their place of business. He's also apparently against the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 with these words, "Requiring businesses to provide access to disabled people, Paul argued, isn't "fair to the business owner."
The media and talk show hosts are jumping all over the man for his thoughts. For once I agree with their attacks. The man has stated he thinks government should stay out of private ownership and just let the market (people) control bad behavior.
Most are zeroing in on the civil rights act and the disabilities act; while both are very important they are forgetting the whole premise of government intervention; Public safety. Whether that be providing safety for our citizens from foreign nation attacks, safety from other State's laws, safety from being poisoned by bad food or medicines or chemicals, safety from rebellions and violence among our neighborhoods, etc...
Remember what the spirit of the preamble says in our Constitution?
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
While I realize it's not the part of the Constitution that courts usually look to for answers, it is a very well made statement and if it were the only statement to our constitution I believe it would solve most of our problems. It's the amendments that cause the conflicts in my judgment.
If Rand Paul and perhaps other Republicans and Tea Party members like him had their way, we wouldn't have food, medicine, and chemical or toy safety regulations. We wouldn't have building, roads, bridges, and apartment or home codes. We wouldn't have restroom, bathing or swimming pool regulations. We wouldn't have private school regulations. We'd have no health regulations what so ever. We'd have no car or truck regulations. Drivers could do what they wish with their automobiles. Homeowners could do what they wanted on their own property, including raising chickens or pigs, having drugs or walking naked on their own lawns or having sex with children.
Dr. Paul tried to use the analogy of 'gun owners saying that private companies like bars are really public entities and therefore should be made to allow customers to carry guns'. Should bars be made to do this, he says? Do you really want government telling bars they must allow guns?
Well sir that is why we have a Congress and State legislatures. When instances of public/community safety are involved - the government should (in my view) and always has, intervened and made a law to protect the "general welfare" of its citizens. In this instance, I believe most would agree to outlawing this requirement for public, as a whole, safety reasons.
No my friends, the questions shouldn't be just about what Rand Paul thinks about the Civil Rights Act or the Disability Act and just about 'his' campaign. He is just one man in the sand.
No instead, the media and talk show hosts should be asking all Republicans or Tea Party members that support Rand Paul or people like him - what do 'you' think about the Civil Rights and Disabilities Acts? Do you think government should control anything a private owner does or doesn't do with his property?
Perhaps their most recent votes would tell us the answers? How did they vote on the health care bill? Did they side with business or the people?
On a more personal note, I would love to ask this question of Illinois State Senator Dale Righter and Illinois State Representative Chapin Rose and our Illinois State Senator, Timothy Johnson.