Rand Paul: 'We don't have money to spend' for Trump's border wall

[mystery-ak]

Rand Paul: 'We don't have money to spend' for Trump's border wall
By Brett Samuels - 01/10/18 02:50 PM EST

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Wednesday that while he supports additional barriers at the U.S.-Mexico border, he believes some of the estimated costs for President Trump’s border wall are too high to justify.

"I remain a fiscal conservative, even on the wall, so I’m not excited about spending $20, $30, $40 billion on a wall. I’m still a believer that we don’t have money to spend. We’re $700 billion in the hole,” Paul said on CNN.

“And while I will vote for money for barriers, I’m not voting for $40 billion for barriers,” Paul added.

more
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/368354-rand-paul-we-dont-have-money-to-spend-for-trumps-border-wall

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Hey Rand:  fill in the blank.

 'We don't have money to spend on _____.'

[GrouchoTex]

Hey Rand:  fill in the blank.

 'We don't have money to spend on _____.'

True, there is no money to spend on anything, which hasn't stopped them before.
I'd love to see cuts in spending, to pay for a wall, or any legislation, government function, etc., but I don't see it happening.
If we are going to elect people that continue to put us in debt, it might as well be for national security, like a wall.

[Emjay]

True, there is no money to spend on anything, which hasn't stopped them before.
I'd love to see cuts in spending, to pay for a wall, or any legislation, government function, etc., but I don't see it happening.
If we are going to elect people that continue to put us in debt, it might as well be for national security, like a wall.

I think Trump is trying to make government smaller but it can't be done overnight.  These are entrenched people in entrenched (often useless) agencies protected by civil service.

We have to prioritize.  National security (including border protection) should come first in my opinion.

[Oceander]

Here come the excuse-makers. 

[libertybele]

Oh, Rand, but we do have the money!  Eliminate the billions in foreign aid that we give, and what about Cruz's 'El Chapo' bill Rand?   What about all the pork barrel projects:

1)  $10,000,000 for high energy cost grants within the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). The RUS grew out of the remnants of the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Electrification Administration (REA) of the 1930s.

2)  $1,279,200,000 for 31 earmarks for health and disease research under the Defense Health Program, which is an 11.2 percent increase in cost over the 28 earmarks worth $1,150,800,000 in FY 2016.

3)  $671,540,000 for 14 earmarks for the Army Corps of Engineers, a 22 percent increase in cost from the $549.6 million in FY 2016. President Trump’s FY 2018 Major Savings and Reforms recommended reducing the Corps of Engineers’ budget by $976 million.

4)  $10,374,000 for the Heritage Partnership Program (HPP), which supports the 49 National Heritage Areas (NHAs) created by Congress.

5) A trolley renovation for $1.04 billion - The Department of Transportation awarded $1.04 billion to expand the city of San Diego's trolley by 10.9 miles, which is about $100 million per mile.

6)  Washington, D.C. has spent more than $200 million for a streetcar along 2.4 miles of the city, which can already be traveled using the bus system.

7)  National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) -  $150,000 for puppet shows and $60,000 to fund a play on zombies in Washington, D.C.!!!

http://redalertpolitics.com/2017/07/24/watchdog-group-finds-nearly-7-billion-dollars-wasteful-government-spending/

https://www.cagw.org/reporting/pig-book

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/04/26/ted_cruz_build_the_wall_and_make_el_chapo_pay_for_it.html

[libertybele]

I think Rand needs to realize that without the wall, the Senate and House majority will be lost and I sure as heck hope he doesn't send me one of his sweet little e-mails asking for money to support him when the time comes.  NOT going to happen!

[Cripplecreek]

Here come the excuse-makers.

If I ever had high expectations for Rand Paul I would be pretty disappointed. (Trump has always been a lying conman so there were never any expectations there)

Last week he was cheering that money not spent on Pakistan could be spent on infrastructure. It wasn't so long ago that the libertarian, conservative, and federalist position would be that money not spent on Pakistan be given back to the people where it rightfully belongs. Now we just meekly accept that the government is going to take it and do what they please.

[truth_seeker]

We have to prioritize.  National security (including border protection) should come first in my opinion.

Exactly. Security should come first.  But the fact is, few question funding multi-generational welfare costs.

Too many able-bodied people on Disability as a means of welfare. Too many federal government employees.

Too many worthless money pit programs. Such as Community Development Block Grants from HUD for social engineering, etc.

[GrouchoTex]

Exactly. Security should come first.  But the fact is, few question funding multi-generational welfare costs.

Too many able-bodied people on Disability as a means of welfare. Too many federal government employees.

Too many worthless money pit programs. Such as Community Development Block Grants from HUD for social engineering, etc.

All very true.

[skeeter]

Apparently we have all kinds of money to spend on all kinds of programs, most just vote buying schemes, but no money to spend on what is the federal government's primary responsibility to its citizens.

If this doesn't illustrate just how perverted our system has become.

[cato potatoe]

Why can't they redirect some of the $600-800 billion they spend on the military?  I know it's more sexy to build an empire than to provide for the common defense.  We have to keep the donors happy.

[driftdiver]

Why can't they redirect some of the $600-800 billion they spend on the military?  I know it's more sexy to build an empire than to provide for the common defense.  We have to keep the donors happy.

Why can't the divert the welfare, food stamps, medicade and other programs spend on illegals and use that money for the wall.

[edpc]

Make one out of your unraked yard clippings.

[skeeter]

Why can't the divert the welfare, food stamps, medicade and other programs spend on illegals and use that money for the wall.

According to FAIR illegals cost the US 100 billion annually.

All this hand wringing over how expensive the wall will be is just so much bullsh*t.

[Emjay]

Oh, Rand, but we do have the money!  Eliminate the billions in foreign aid that we give, and what about Cruz's 'El Chapo' bill Rand?   What about all the pork barrel projects:

1)  $10,000,000 for high energy cost grants within the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). The RUS grew out of the remnants of the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Electrification Administration (REA) of the 1930s.

2)  $1,279,200,000 for 31 earmarks for health and disease research under the Defense Health Program, which is an 11.2 percent increase in cost over the 28 earmarks worth $1,150,800,000 in FY 2016.

3)  $671,540,000 for 14 earmarks for the Army Corps of Engineers, a 22 percent increase in cost from the $549.6 million in FY 2016. President Trump’s FY 2018 Major Savings and Reforms recommended reducing the Corps of Engineers’ budget by $976 million.

4)  $10,374,000 for the Heritage Partnership Program (HPP), which supports the 49 National Heritage Areas (NHAs) created by Congress.

5) A trolley renovation for $1.04 billion - The Department of Transportation awarded $1.04 billion to expand the city of San Diego's trolley by 10.9 miles, which is about $100 million per mile.

6)  Washington, D.C. has spent more than $200 million for a streetcar along 2.4 miles of the city, which can already be traveled using the bus system.

7)  National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) -  $150,000 for puppet shows and $60,000 to fund a play on zombies in Washington, D.C.!!!

http://redalertpolitics.com/2017/07/24/watchdog-group-finds-nearly-7-billion-dollars-wasteful-government-spending/

https://www.cagw.org/reporting/pig-book

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/04/26/ted_cruz_build_the_wall_and_make_el_chapo_pay_for_it.html

Yes !!  And if you add up all the tiny, almost insignificant amounts, they amount to something also.

For example, I think $20,000 was spent on research to get people to stand up straight.  We have mothers for that.

[Emjay]

Why can't they redirect some of the $600-800 billion they spend on the military?  I know it's more sexy to build an empire than to provide for the common defense.  We have to keep the donors happy.

What?  Now, we're empire building.  And it's keeping who happy?  Who are the donors?

[cato potatoe]

What?  Now, we're empire building.  And it's keeping who happy?  Who are the donors?

Defense contractors, warmongers, and the people they dupe into being more scared of ISIS than the criminals living next door.

[edpc]

Why can't they redirect some of the $600-800 billion they spend on the military?

If you were a stable genius, you'd understand how important our reciprocal trade with 'Normay' is.  Who else is going to buy our F-52 aircraft?






https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y0g2Zf_engs

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Mandatory jail time for first offense, prison for second offense, for both illegals and their employers. Maybe their landlords as well.  Loss of legal status for legal residents harboring illegals.  Reduce welfare to natural born citizens (with work requirements) and end birthright citizenship for foreigners.  Lose minimum wage laws.  Cut funding to states which harbor sanctuary cities. 

Then we can talk about if and where we need a wall.

[GrouchoTex]

If you were a stable genius, you'd understand how important our reciprocal trade with 'Normay' is.  Who else is going to buy our F-52 aircraft?






https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y0g2Zf_engs

From what I've been told, I am part NorMwegian.
I wonder if I am entitled to a F-52 aircraft, or at least, part of one?
Probably the ejector seat...

[edpc]

From what I've been told, I am part NorMwegian.
I wonder if I am entitled to a F-52 aircraft, or at least, part of one?
Probably the ejector seat...

My surname is English, but I'm mostly Nordic, genetically.  I wouldn't mind future dibs on an F-52.  All I've gotten from being Nordic is blonde hair, blue eyes, and a lousy HLA-B27 arthritis gene.

[Emjay]

Defense contractors, warmongers, and the people they dupe into being more scared of ISIS than the criminals living next door.

The people next door my well be muslim sympathizers.  I don't have to be duped into knowing that.  But we still need to be able to defend against outside threats.

[libertybele]

My surname is English, but I'm mostly Nordic, genetically.  I wouldn't mind future dibs on an F-52.  All I've gotten from being Nordic is blonde hair, blue eyes, and a lousy HLA-B27 arthritis gene.

I'm 50% Croatian and 50% Czechoslovakian; blonde hair blue eyes and debilitating arthritis. Joy.

[edpc]

I'm 50% Croatian and 50% Slovenian

Is your family from Split?