Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Rand Paul Launches a Filibuster Against Drone Strikes On US Soil

Posted by Soulskill on from the which-aren't-actually-a-thing dept.

Hugh Pickens writes "The Washington Post reports that at about 11:45 am today, Kentucky Republican Rand Paul took the floor of the Senate to launch one of the chamber's rarest spectacles: a genuine filibuster. Paul says he is 'alarmed' at the lack of definition over who can be targeted by drone strikes. He called Attorney General Eric Holder's refusal to rule out drone strikes to kill an American on U.S. soil 'more than frightening,' adding, 'When I asked the president, can you kill an American on American soil, it should have been an easy answer. It's an easy question. It should have been a resounding, an unequivocal, "No." The president's response? He hasn't killed anyone yet. We're supposed to be comforted by that.' Any senator can opt to hold the floor to speak on any matter, but the practice of speaking for hours on end is rare, especially in the modern-day Senate, where the chamber's rules are used more often to block legislation or to hold show votes on trivial matters. Paul has since been joined in his symbolic effort by Republicans Sens. Mike Lee (Utah), Ted Cruz (Tex.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Saxby Chambliss (Ga.). He has also gotten some bipartisan support from Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.). Paul suggested that many college campuses in the 1960s were full of people who might have been considered enemies of the state. 'Are you going to drop a Hellfire missile on Jane Fonda?'"

6 of 693 comments (clear)

  1. Almost... by chill · · Score: 5, Funny

    He had a lot of people thinking about it, until he offered up dropping a Hellfire on Jane Fonda. Now they're all thinking "Let's not be hasty here. This is the perfect test case."

    --
    Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
    1. Re:Almost... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Now they're all thinking "Let's not be hasty here. This is the perfect test case."

      I can say almost everything she said was horrid and so full of self appointed BS it was not even sorta funny. But she has the right to speak that way. But I must admit I would watch that on youtube...

    2. Re:Almost... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Heard on the Senate floor: "Don't drone me, bro."

    3. Re:Almost... by Golddess · · Score: 3, Funny
      So would that be:

      Any sufficiently advanced politics is indistinguishable from humour.

      Or would it be:

      Any politics is indistinguishable from sufficiently advanced humour.

      Because "sufficiently advanced politics" sounds like onea them oxymorons.

      --
      "I'm not sure I like the fugnutish tone you used in your post!" -RogL (608926)-
  2. Re:The enemy of my enemy by Sloppy · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's why America needs to playfully toggle the president's party more often: to make Congress look at schizoid as possible, for our amusement. "I'm a constitutionalist! It's a living document! Small government! Big government! Flip! Flop! The president must kill the terrorists without wasting courts' resources on an unnecessary trial! The president must not harm the innocent without due process! Rabbit season! Duck season! I demand you shoot me now!"

    --
    As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
  3. Re:The enemy of my enemy by Karl+Cocknozzle · · Score: 1, Funny

    is not my friend. But damn if I'm not happy someone is asking these questions and putting up some serious opposition.

    Yeah, you could have knocked me over with a feather earlier when I said, out loud, to no one in particular "Yeah, I agree with Rand Paul." That's as sensible as saying "Ronald McDonald is right!"

    I need a drink.

    --
    Who did what now?