Paul: 'It's Not That the Government's Inherently Stupid, Although It's a Debatable Point'

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) argued in his State of the Union response last night that “it’s not that government’s inherently stupid, although it’s a debatable point” but “it’s that government doesn’t get the same signals.”

“When it’s your money, it’s spent with a concern no government bureaucrat could ever duplicate,” Paul said.

“…I have an idea that will empower Americans and give them the opportunity to thrive. My plan is to create economic freedom zones in distressed areas all over the country, including my home state of Kentucky, which will leave more money in the hands of the people who earn it. In economic freedom zones, we’ll cut income and business taxes to a single flat rate of 5 percent. We’ll cut payroll taxes for employers and employees so folks will go home with more money in their paychecks. Burdensome, job-killing regulations will be removed, and business will expand. More money and more jobs will flow back to the areas that have suffered the most in this economic crisis. School choice will be expanded.”

Paul’s gave the official Tea Party response last year, which was delivered last night by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah). Paul recorded his own response in his office.

“Government spending sounds great. But what good is a welfare program that leaves people embittered, resentful, and trapped, unable to climb into the middle class? What is the virtue in making people feel hopeless, like they can’t build a good life in America anymore? Hope and change needs to be more than just a slogan,” he said.

“Ronald Reagan once said that to love our country is to love our countrymen. And because we love them, we must provide them with the opportunities to make them equal in fact and not just in theory. The war on poverty failed. It has trapped us in multi-generational dependency. The lessons should be that sending money to Washington and expecting central planners to send it back in a way that creates jobs is foolhardy.”

The senator stressed that “we must believe in ourselves, believe in our founding documents, believe in our future, and then we will thrive again.”

“I fully believe that most Americans hate the trap of government dependency, but can’t break free because big government gives them no exit,” Paul said. “I believe a better tomorrow is around the corner if we can see beyond those who entice us with the easy way out. Hard work and sweat invigorate the spirit and provide a solace no government program will ever achieve.”