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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRand Paul Shoots The Tax Code With An AR-15 Assault Rifle. Yes, Really.
Its unclear whether it was another Republican stunt or if it was part of Rand Pauls debate prep, but the floundering libertarian candidate stopped by a shooting range on Wednesday to fire rounds of ammo from an AR-15 assault rifle at the U.S. tax code.
This, of course, isnt the first time Rand Paul physically destroyed the tax code on video. Earlier this year, Paul used a chain saw to mutilate the hefty document. Its worth noting that the AR-15 was Adam Lanzas weapon of choice at Sandy Hook. I can only imagine if a Democratic candidate in, say, 2002 appeared on video using a 9/11-style box cutter to stab unpopular government documents.
Rather than discussing the finer details of each candidates policy proposals (Trump doesnt really have any, as far as I can tell), were now engaged in a Jackass-style competition to literally bash things on video. This is whats replaced rational discourse on the Republican side. Donald Trump blurts insults like a Twitter troll. Rand Paul used an AR-15 to shoot the tax code, after having already chopped it with a chain saw. Lindsey Graham destroyed his cellphone with a baseball bat, a food processor, a meat cleaver, a golf club and, naturally, fire. Ted Cruz didnt necessarily destroy anything but he used a hot machine gun muzzle to cook bacon.
But as with yard signs and rally attendance, viral videos arent really any indication of success, nor are they effective for resuscitating a failing campaign. If that was the case, and stunt videos actually helped, Graham, Paul and Cruz would be well-positioned toward the front of the pack rather than barely registering a heartbeat in the polls.
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/09/16/rand-paul-shoots-the-tax-code-with-an-ar-15-assault-rifle-yes-really-video/
randys1
(16,286 posts)means the rich will get MASSIVE tax cuts and everyone else will either pay more or receive a completely broken infrastucture.
It is fair, right?
So what if the homeless and hungry will grow by the hundreds of thousands a MONTH, it is fair, right!
No, it is not fair, dumbshit.
demwing
(16,916 posts)and ripped out a fiery retort.
Then I read to the end -- and deleted everything I just wrote...
ya got me
randys1
(16,286 posts)angryvet
(181 posts)what did that accomplish? Except to make him look stupider than he already does. He is a little tiny guy. He was dwarfed by everyone at the firing range.
PatrickforO
(14,578 posts)Maybe he hopes this childish stunt will get him 'back in the game.'
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)I wonder if anyone can possibly guess why the U.S. Tax Code is so complex? Is it the low wage earners filing their 1040EZ forms each year who demand sophisticated tax schedules for carried interest, depreciation, mortgage interest deductions, rental losses, and equipment purchases?
If Rand Paul had a picoliter of integrity (spoiler alert: he doesn't), he'd turn on his fatcat bankrollers and blame them for the complexity of the tax laws. But that might mean he'd have to forego some of their sweet, sweet campaign donations, so nuts to that.
MisterP
(23,730 posts)people vote for bigmouths like Paul, going all "yeah whoo shoot the taxes burn the bureaucracy" and then take all the exemptions they can
it's why 40% of people on Federal assistance don't think they are (presumably they think "US Treasury" is some sort of lottery for being white?)
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)Matariki
(18,775 posts)beat me to it
NV Whino
(20,886 posts)ileus
(15,396 posts)Matariki
(18,775 posts)did he wrap the gun in bacon first?
Skittles
(153,169 posts)pretty much his base