Paul Hits Family Themes at RNC: 'Never Trade Liberty for Fleeting Promise of Security'

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told the Republican National Convention crowd tonight that when the Supreme Court issued its ObamaCare ruling, his wife told him, “Can’t you please count to ten before you speak?”

“I’ve had time now to count to ten and, you know what — I still think it’s unconstitutional!” Paul said. “…I think if James Madison, himself — the father of the Constitution — were here today he would agree with me: the whole damn thing is still unconstitutional!”

The freshman senator said there’s only one way to “fix this travesty of justice” — a new president. The son of Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) only mentioned Mitt Romney’s name once, though, toward the end of his speech.

He did note in talking about his family’s immigration history that his grandfather “would even live to see one of his sons — a certain congressman from Texas — run for president of the United States of America.” That line drew loud cheers.

“Anyone who so fundamentally misunderstands American greatness is uniquely unqualified to lead this great nation,” Paul said of President Obama. “The great and abiding lesson of American history, particularly the Cold War, is that the engine of capitalism — the individual — is mightier than any collective.”

“Mr. President, you say the rich must pay their fair share. When you seek to punish the rich, the jobs that are lost are those of the poor and middle class,” he said. “When you seek to punish Mr. Exxon Mobil, you punish the secretary who owns Exxon Mobil stock. When you block the Keystone Pipeline, you punish the welder who works on the pipeline.”

Noting examples of Cambodian and Vietnamese immigrants who risked all to make it to this country, Paul said “the American Dream is that any among us could become the next Thomas Edison, the next Henry Ford, the next Ronald Reagan.”

“To lead, we must transform the coldness of austerity into the warm, vibrant embrace of prosperity,” he said.

And mirroring the Paul traditions that he’s brought to the upper chamber, the senator hit some familiar notes popular with the Paul fans in the crowd.

“Republicans and Democrats alike must slay their sacred cows. Republicans must acknowledge that not every dollar spent on the military is necessary or well-spent, and Democrats must admit that domestic welfare and entitlements must be reformed,” he said.

“Republicans and Democrats must replace fear with confidence, confidence that no terrorist, and no country, will ever conquer us if we remain steadfast to the principles of our Founding documents. … To thrive we must believe in ourselves again, and we must never — never — trade our liberty for any fleeting promise of security.”