Senator Rand Paul’s latest attention-getting stunt is drawing widespread condemnation for an over-the-top video long on hysterics, and short on facts.
The Kentucky Senator, who has refused to get vaccinated, posted the video Sunday on his Twitter account. In it, he called on people ignore CDC guidance on protecting yourself from COVID-19, including wearing a mask.
“It’s time for us to resist. They can’t arrest all of us.”
Paul framed his calls for people to not get vaccinated or wear masks as some sort of patriotic act of civil disobedience.
“They can’t keep all your kids home from school. They can’t keep every government building closed – although I’ve got a long list of ones they should.”
The senator blatantly ignores that students are already returning to in-person learning in classrooms, with the CDC’s support. It’s simply the latest example of the GOP creating an imaginary “enemy” to do battle with — in this case, the CDC.
Keep in mind that Paul is condemning masks being worn in schools at a time when Kentucky Governor Andy Bashear says COVID infections among the state’s children increased by more than 400% in July.
Here’s another example of the fact-free bluster the Kentucky legislator spewed in his video:
“We don’t have to accept the mandates, lockdowns, and harmful policies of the petty tyrants and feckless bureaucrats. We can simply say no, not again.”
Paul accused House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of being “drunk with power” and said there was no way she could make him wear a mask, use a vaccine passport or get randomly screened for COVID.
The video also includes Paul threatening to block any attempts by a government agency to enforce CDC protocols by introducing amendments. He specifically mentions withholding funding from schools over mask mandates. The use of amendments is how he singlehandedly stopped an anti-lynching bill from becoming law last year.
You can watch Paul’s entire diatribe below:
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