A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Paul focuses on familiar issues in Florence Rotary address, remains committed to presidential campaign


By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor

For the second time in less than two months the Florence Rotary Club hosted a U.S. Senator from the Commonwealth.

On Aug. 24, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, was the featured speaker at the Rotary’s weekly meeting. Monday Sen. Rand Paul,R-Ky, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, took the podium at the Airport Hilton in Florence.

Paul joked that he considered joining the Rotary when he moved to Kentucky, but was stymied by the club’s singing requirement.

“After they heard me sing, they said Lion’s Club meets on the next week,” Paul said. “So I became a Lion because I failed the singing requirement, but I do enjoy coming to Rotary.”

A crowd of about 70 Rotarians and guests heard U.S. Sen. Rand Paul's presentation at the Airport Hilton in Florence Monday (photos by Mark Hansel).

A crowd of about 70 Rotarians and guests heard U.S. Sen. Rand Paul’s presentation at the Airport Hilton in Florence Monday (photos by Mark Hansel).

While there is speculation that Kentucky’s junior senator may soon abandon his presidential aspirations, Paul focused on policy discussion during his presentation to the Rotarians.

He addressed the passage of funding bills last week that avoided a shutdown of the Federal government, but said the country’s ever-increasing debt is cause for great concern.

“The good news is, your government’s open,” Paul said. “The bad news is, your government’s open and nothing is being reformed. We’re borrowing a million dollars a minute and nothing will change.”

He dismissed the notion that there are no more cuts to be made at the Federal level and cited examples of what he described as wasteful spending.

Included was a program to study how American television reruns impacted the stress level of Vietnamese villagers, which Paul also referenced last week on the Senate floor while expressing opposition to the continuing budget resolution.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul is introduced by State Sen. John Schickel at Monday's meeting of the Florence Rotary Club.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul is introduced by State Sen. John Schickel at Monday’s meeting of the Florence Rotary Club.

Paul also expressed concern that failure to raise the eligibility age for Social Security benefits would bankrupt the program. He said Social Security eligibility needs to keep pace with the increased lifespan of Americans.

“It’s not very popular, but it’s imperative,” he said. “You have to raise the age of eligibility. We’re living longer and there’s less workers.”

He emphasized that those currently on Social Security would not be impacted, but that “my generation” would have to wait. He said the ratio of workers to retirees, which was once 16-to-1, is now 3-to-1.

When asked about funding for the $2.6 billion Brent Spence Bridge replacement, Paul pointed to a proposal that would lower corporate tax rates on overseas investments to 6.5 percent for five years.

Paul said there is $2 trillion in American overseas investments and economists estimate as much as $1 trillion could be returned for infrastructure improvements under the plan.

He said a bill he co-sponsored with Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., has bipartisan support, but he can’t get it amended to the highway bill.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, left, speaks with Florence City Councilman Duane Froelicher prior to addressing the Florence Rotary Club Monday.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, left, speaks with Florence City Councilman Duane Froelicher prior to addressing the Florence Rotary Club Monday.

“This is real earnings, not borrowed money,” Paul said. “The economist also predicts it will bring home about $70 billion in tax revenue. I don’t understand how anybody can be opposed to it – for Republicans, it’s a tax cut, for Democrats, it’s more money to spend.”

At the conclusion of his address Paul took questions from reporters and that’s when the discussion turned to the presidential campaign.

While Paul’s popularity in the polls has sagged in recent weeks, he said he remains committed to the campaign.

Paul said he believes the “celebrity skew” of the race, a reference primarily to the continued popularity of Donald Trump, is about to change.

He sees his strong organizational effort in Iowa and polls that indicate he would beat Hillary Clinton one-on-one in five states won by President Barack Obama in 2012 as assets.

“Once the celebrity nature of the race sort of fades a little bit, I think you’re going to see it’s going to be a jumble again,” Paul said.

One reason Paul came to Kentucky was to back Republican Matt Bevin’s gubernatorial campaign but Bevin indicated he supports Ben Carson for the GOP presidential nomination.

Paul said he was not concerned about the comment and his support for Bevin remains unchanged.

“Not every Republican in Kentucky will support me,” Paul said. “There is no real Republican gaining more than about 20, 25 percent even in their home state. If you don’t understand that some people who do like you as a senator will not support you for president, you’re just not really thinking through how races like this develop.”

Adam Howard, president of the Florence Rotary Club, said the group was delighted to have Paul address the Rotary on the heels of the appearance by McConnell.

“Senator Paul has a unique perspective on Washington and it’s always interesting to hear what he has to say,” Howard said.


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One Comment

  1. oaebcr says:

    Rand Paul for President!

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