Rand Paul one of only two to vote against Ukraine aid/Russia sanctions bill

[tsai3904]

Roll call:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=113&session=2&vote=00088

Dean Heller was the only other No vote.

The House voted on their own version of the bill today. Here's the House roll call: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2014/roll148.xml

[fisharmor]

I don't understand how saying you're going to do something and then doing the opposite is politically savvy.

[juleswin]

I don't understand how saying you're going to do something and then doing the opposite is politically savvy.

Because he has his own version of sanction which is even more toothless than the one being voted for. My guess is that he rather vote for it which doesn't cost the US anything, punishes Ukraine by denying it funds and then opens US sale of LNG to Ukraine which is unlikely to hurt Russia even in the decade or so it would take to completely set up the infrastructure to enable it

[surf]

yay. good for him. i'm a happier and more content supporter today.

[tsai3904]

I don't understand how saying you're going to do something and then doing the opposite is politically savvy.

He never said he supported sending aid or providing loan guarantees to Ukraine.

[specsaregood]

He never said he supported sending aid or providing loan guarantees to Ukraine.

Exactly, in fact he explicitly and repeatedly said we should stop doing so as it was economically stupid and the money would just go into Russia's pockets.

[ObiRandKenobi]

good job

[georgiaboy]

the master at work.

[Brett85]

Because he has his own version of sanction which is even more toothless than the one being voted for. My guess is that he rather vote for it which doesn't cost the US anything, punishes Ukraine by denying it funds and then opens US sale of LNG to Ukraine which is unlikely to hurt Russia even in the decade or so it would take to completely set up the infrastructure to enable it

No, he didn't oppose the bill because of the sanctions. He opposed the bill because of the foreign aid. I'm glad that he's at least a strong fiscal conservative. I'll definitely give him credit for voting against this, although this particular vote was just an amendment I believe and not the final vote. I think he just allowed the final vote to go through on a voice vote because he didn't figure there was any need to force a vote on a bill that only he and Heller would vote against.

[tsai3904]

I'll definitely give him credit for voting against this, although this particular vote was just an amendment I believe and not the final vote. I think he just allowed the final vote to go through on a voice vote because he didn't figure there was any need to force a vote on a bill that only he and Heller would vote against.

This amendment completely substituted the entire House bill with the Menendez-Corker bill. The vote on this amendment and final passage would have been votes on exactly the same thing.

[William Tell]

Sadly, Mark Sanford voted for it in the House. That's a real shame. 17 Republicans, and 2 Democrats
voted NO.

Republicans who voted NO:

Justin Amash
Kerry Bentivolio
Paul Broun
Michael Burgess
Scott DesJarlais
Jimmy Duncan
Chris Gibson
Walter Jones
Raul Labrador
Thomas Massie
Mick Mulvaney
Bill Posey
Dana Rohrabacher
Todd Rokita
Steve Stockman
Ted Yoho
Don Young (Alaska)

Democrats who voted NO:
Beto O'Rourke
Alan Grayson

[Brett85]

This amendment completely substituted the entire House bill with the Menendez-Corker bill. The vote on this amendment and final passage would have been votes on exactly the same thing.

Ok, thanks.

[Philhelm]

I don't understand how saying you're going to do something and then doing the opposite is politically savvy.

Rand Paul was winking at you.

[Hyperion]

This vote makes me feel really good about Paul Broun.

[William Tell]

This vote makes me feel really good about Paul Broun.

Yep, and it looks like good ole' Bentivolio is making us proud once again.

[GunnyFreedom]

Three whole minutes before someone came whining how it still wasn't good enough. Y'all are slipping. I expect to see the rejection down to 90 seconds the next time Rand agrees with us. Slackers. :rolleyes:

[William Tell]

Three whole minutes before someone came whining how it still wasn't good enough. Y'all are slipping. I expect to see the rejection down to 90 seconds the next time Rand agrees with us. Slackers. :rolleyes:

Hear hear!

[jtstellar]

I'll definitely give him credit for voting against this, although this particular vote was just an amendment I believe and not the final vote. I think he just allowed the final vote to go through on a voice vote because he didn't figure there was any need to force a vote on a bill that only he and Heller would vote against.

wow so we're keeping count now? great news. because if you just read the resident whiners, you would think rand is like 2-8 or something

[Hyperion]

Yep, and it looks like good ole' Bentivolio is making us proud once again.

Bentivolio has had some great votes recently and he's cosponsered a bill to end the income tax. I hate that he got off to a poor start but he's certainly better than your typical establishment shill that his district would likely replace him with.

[William Tell]

Bentivolio has had some great votes recently and he's cosponsered a bill to end the income tax. I hate that he got off to a poor start but he's certainly better than your typical establishment shill that his district would likely replace him with.

Glad to see the prodigal son come home! :)

[gusbaker]

Dana Rohrabacher


Little OT here, but I noticed him in the "No" votes, I also happened to catch his floor speech today on C-Span, I will do my research on him but was wondering do any of you know much about him, how does he stack up? I liked his speech but this is just one issue obviously.

[angelatc]

Bentivolio has had some great votes recently and he's cosponsered a bill to end the income tax. I hate that he got off to a poor start but he's certainly better than your typical establishment shill that his district would likely replace him with.

He's facing a tough primary fight. If you can donate, I would strongly encourage it.

[William Tell]

Dana Rohrabacher


Little OT here, but I noticed him in the "No" votes, I also happened to catch his floor speech today on C-Span, I will do my research on him but was wondering do any of you know much about him, how does he stack up? I liked his speech but this is just one issue obviously.
He is one of the better ones, but not in the top five. These links might help:

http://www.thenewamerican.com/freedomindex/profile.php?id=R000409

http://www.thenewamerican.com/freedomindex/

[kcchiefs6465]

Bentivolio has had some great votes recently and he's cosponsered a bill to end the income tax. I hate that he got off to a poor start but he's certainly better than your typical establishment shill that his district would likely replace him with.
Really!? Do you have a link?

And a good job to Rand Paul on this vote.

[boneyard bill]

Dana Rohrabacher


Little OT here, but I noticed him in the "No" votes, I also happened to catch his floor speech today on C-Span, I will do my research on him but was wondering do any of you know much about him, how does he stack up? I liked his speech but this is just one issue obviously.

He recently claimed that US foreign policy on Ukraine was completely hypocritical. I think he's been around for quite a long time, but I don't know much about him. I don't think he was ever a guy to make a lot of waves before, but I guess I'll have to check him out one of these days.

[boneyard bill]

He is one of the better ones, but not in the top five. These links might help:

http://www.thenewamerican.com/freedomindex/profile.php?id=R000409

http://www.thenewamerican.com/freedomindex/

Looks like his freedom index score took a plunge during the Bush presidency. He must have been a Bush loyalist who otherwise has sensible views.

[boneyard bill]

No, he didn't oppose the bill because of the sanctions. He opposed the bill because of the foreign aid. I'm glad that he's at least a strong fiscal conservative. I'll definitely give him credit for voting against this, although this particular vote was just an amendment I believe and not the final vote. I think he just allowed the final vote to go through on a voice vote because he didn't figure there was any need to force a vote on a bill that only he and Heller would vote against.

Yes. Rand opposed aid to Ukraine from the very beginning and for very good reasons quite apart from his usual opposition to foreign aid. The money would just go to Russia to pay Ukraine's gas bill. Ukraine should default on it's debt and live within its means. Russia would take a hit for what Ukraine owes them which is probably more damage than any of our sanctions will do. But Russia would still supply gas to Ukraine (cash and carry of course) because they want the business. It would be very tough for Ukrainians, but not nearly as bad as if the IMF gets their fingers in the pie and forces them to de-value their currency.

But where is Ted Cruz on this? He was for aid to Ukraine, then he switched and sided with Rand, now apparently, he has switched again.

[tsai3904]

But where is Ted Cruz on this? He was for aid to Ukraine, then he switched and sided with Rand, now apparently, he has switched again.

Cruz supported the loan guarantees from the beginning. He only opposed increasing IMF funding.

[Vanguard101]

I love how Libertarians criticize Constitutional Conservatives, Libertarians, Conservative Libertarians, and Practical politicians, and we enjoy doing it, but whenever they actually vote for liberty, they don't get a significant amount of praise. Props to Rand.

[philipped]

Lookin' more like Ron Paul now in the Senate. I wonder if Brannon and Bright would've voted yes too...

[fr33]

I don't understand how saying you're going to do something and then doing the opposite is politically savvy.

Pander with words to the dummies that represent a larger portion of the vote. Then use your actions to impress the real base while the dummies who've been pacified pay no attention to the actions.

[gusbaker]

He is one of the better ones, but not in the top five. These links might help:

http://www.thenewamerican.com/freedomindex/profile.php?id=R000409

http://www.thenewamerican.com/freedomindex/

Thank you, and to the others who replied as well, this will help! That's a good site, never heard of it before, lot of good info.

[Galileo Galilei]

I don't understand how saying you're going to do something and then doing the opposite is politically savvy.

not all sanctions are the same. Rand does not support the sanctions in this bill.

[Anti-Neocon]

Thank you, and to the others who replied as well, this will help! That's a good site, never heard of it before, lot of good info.
I'd be careful with quantitative voting indexes because they don't take into account actions (legislatively or non-legislatively) where they take the initiative to advance liberty. Still with that being said, the TNA list is the best one I've seen.

[Anti-Neocon]

not all sanctions are the same. Rand does not support the sanctions in this bill.
Did he say that, or is he voting against it because of the aid?

[Galileo Galilei]

Did he say that, or is he voting against it because of the aid?

Here are Rand's so-called "sanctions" from his TIME magazine editorial:
http://www.dailypaul.com/314846/here-are-rands-so-called-sanctions-from-his-time-magazine-editorial

[Brett85]

not all sanctions are the same. Rand does not support the sanctions in this bill.

No, he said in a statement that he supported the sanctions. He voted against this because of the aid.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/03/27/who-voted-against-u-s-aid-to-ukraine/

Paul said in a statement that he supported the provisions providing technical and security assistance to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. "However, I cannot support the bill because it will have the perverse impact of using American tax dollars to reward Russia," he said.

[Galileo Galilei]

No, he said in a statement that he supported the sanctions. He voted against this because of the aid.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/03/27/who-voted-against-u-s-aid-to-ukraine/

Paul said in a statement that he supported the provisions providing technical and security assistance to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. "However, I cannot support the bill because it will have the perverse impact of using American tax dollars to reward Russia," he said.

That's what I said. Foreign aid to Ukraine is considered a sanction against Russia and Rand opposes that.

[georgiaboy]

Sadly, Mark Sanford voted for it in the House. That's a real shame. 17 Republicans, and 2 Democrats
voted NO.

Republicans who voted NO:

Justin Amash
Kerry Bentivolio
Paul Broun
Michael Burgess
Scott DesJarlais
Jimmy Duncan
Chris Gibson
Walter Jones
Raul Labrador
Thomas Massie
Mick Mulvaney
Bill Posey
Dana Rohrabacher
Todd Rokita
Steve Stockman
Ted Yoho
Don Young (Alaska)

Democrats who voted NO:
Beto O'Rourke
Alan Grayson

Paul Broun just distinguished himself, again, from several of his primary contenders in his bid for US Senate. In a good way.

Want to pick a candidate? Watch the votes.