OPEN THREAD: GOP Top Ten Debate

Watch along with us and weigh in during the main GOP debate at 9PM eastern. The event will be live-streamed on Fox News where you'll need your cable system login to watch.

GOP Attack Ad: Voting For Rand Paul Is Voting To Nuke American Families

Via Mediaite:

A new ad from former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton‘s Foundation for American Security and Freedom warns that if you vote for Republican presidential candidate Rand Paul, a cute suburban American family will be annihilated by a nuclear explosion. The ad is totally not a ripoff of a 1964 Lyndon B. Johnson campaign ad claiming that if Americans voted for Barry Goldwater, a little girl would be annihilated in a nuclear explosion.

HRC Slams Rand Paul & Marco Rubio

Rand Paul Chainsaws The Tax Code

(Tipped by JMG reader Rebecca)

Ted Cruz Tops Breitbart "Primary"

Via Breitbart:

In June, 55,000 people voted in the Breitbart Primary, and they preferred Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to win the GOP’s 2016 presidential nomination. In June’s inaugural Breitbart Primary poll, Cruz finished first nationally (33%)–and in each of the first three nominating states–with Walker (23%), who has yet to declare his candidacy, right on his heels. Sen. Rand Paul finished in third with 10%, followed by Dr. Ben Carson (7%), former Texas Governor Rick Perry (5%), businessman Donald Trump (4%), former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina (4%), and Sen. Marco Rubio (4%).

Breitbart will repeat the poll every month until the GOP convention.

Senate Approves Revised Patriot Act

NPR reports:

The Senate has approved the USA Freedom Act, which will alter the way U.S. agencies conduct surveillance and gather data. A final vote on the bill came late Tuesday afternoon, after amendments to the bill failed. President Obama can now sign the bill into law as soon as it reaches him, after an expedited enrollment process. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted against the measure today, as he did last fall. Also voting against the bill Tuesday was independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. The lead sponsor of the bill in the House, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., promises it will "rein in the dragnet collection of data" by the NSA and others, and "increase transparency of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court." Calling today's passage "a milestone," ACLU Deputy Legal Director Jameel Jaffer says, "This is the most important surveillance reform bill since 1978, and its passage is an indication that Americans are no longer willing to give the intelligence agencies a blank check."

Rand Paul Claims Patriot Act Victory

Sen. Rand Paul is claiming victory over last night's expiration of several major portions of the Patriot Act, but he may be merely grandstanding as the Senate is expected to quickly reauthorize the expired laws.

The Senate entered a debate period late Sunday on the Patriot Act that pushed beyond the midnight deadline. With the debate ongoing, that effectively ends the National Security Agency's bulk data collection program. President Barack Obama and government officials spent last week warning of serious national security consequences, while the most ardent advocates of NSA reform were prepared to call a bluff they saw as little more than fear-mongering. The National Security Agency officially shut down the bulk metadata collection program officially at 7:44 p.m. Sunday night, a senior government official told CNN's Justice Correspondent Pamela Brown. Officials had previously indicated they would shut the program down around 8 p.m. to ensure all procedures were in place before the midnight deadline. The Senate is expected to restore the expiring authorities midweek.

This Is A Real Rand Paul Ad

Via CNN:

A photoshopped image of Ted Cruz in boxing clothes. Another image of a shirtless and brawny Rand Paul. And lots of fire-breathing bald eagles. America's Liberty PAC — a pro-Paul super PAC — is releasing a five-figure digital ad buy over the weekend, featuring a WWE-style video that promotes a rare gathering of the U.S. Senate this Sunday to debate the Patriot Act just as key provisions of the law are set to expire. "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday," the juiced-up narrator says, previewing what the PAC is calling a "brawl for liberty" on the Senate floor. The video goes after Cruz, calling him a "capitulating Canadian," a likely reference to Cruz's support for legislation that would tweak the NSA domestic phone surveillance program but still reauthorizes portions of the Patriot Act.

Rand Paul Begins Patriot Act Filibuster

The Patriot Act is up for re-authorization and Rand Paul has begun his promised filibuster on the Senate floor. Watch live on C-SPAN 2 (cable log-in required). Can Rand Paul outdo Ted Cruz' legendary Green Eggs & Ham filibuster?

Rand Paul Vows To Filibuster Patriot Act

Sen. Rand Paul said yesterday that he plans to filibuster against the impending reauthorization vote for the Patriot Act.

"I'm going to lead the charge in the next couple of weeks as the Patriot Act comes forward," he said in a one-on-one interview with the New Hampshire Union Leader. "We will be filibustering. We will be trying to stop it. We are not going to let them run over us. And we are going to demand amendments and we are going to make sure the American people know that some of us at least are opposed to unlawful searches." Paul, the Republican U.S. Senator from Kentucky, said that even architects of the Patriot Act say roving wiretapping by the National Security Agency was not part of the legislation's intent.

More from The Hill:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) has said that he favors a full reauthorization of the measures, but other lawmakers say they would be willing to pass reform legislation. A short-term extension would give lawmakers more time to sort out their differences beyond the current June 1 deadline for renewing the law. A filibuster of the Patriot Act provisions could give Paul more visibility as the presidential campaign ramps up. He lists his opposition to the National Security Agency's surveillance programs on the homepage of his website and sells a “NSA Spy Cam Blocker” in his campaign store.

Rand Paul Copies Hillary Clinton

Senate Narrowly Rejects Bill To Fund Assistance To Homeless LGBT Youth

From Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Fund:

Today, the United States Senate failed to pass the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act (S.A. 290), which would reauthorize the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA). The vote was 56 "YES" to 43 "NO" - short of the 60 "YES" votes required to pass. The Act includes a non-discrimination clause that would help ensure lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth experiencing homelessness not only have access to critical services, but that those services are safe, welcoming, and tailored to meet their unique needs. Research continues to show that while LGBT youth make up just seven percent of the general youth population, they comprise up to 40 percent of the 1.6 million youth that are homeless in America each year. 

"Thank you to the 56 senators who showed true leadership today by voting in favor of protecting all of our nation’s 1.6 million homeless youth,” said Cyndi Lauper, Co-Founder of the True Colors Fund. “Unfortunately, 43 senators put the objections of conservative religious groups ahead of the lives of our nation’s most vulnerable youth. Every day, homeless gay and transgender youth experience rejection and discrimination from their families, communities, and the providers who are supposed to help them. Today, 43 senators added their names to the group of people who think that it is acceptable to throw away the up to 40% of homeless youth who identify as LGBT."

Chris Geidner reports on the voting:

For the third time this year, a majority of the Republican-led Senate voted for a pro-LGBT measure — with 56 senators, including 10 Republicans, voting for an amendment that including LGBT protections for runaway youth. Wednesday’s vote to amend the Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act into the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 failed, however, as it would have required 60 votes to pass. The amendment included a nondiscrimination clause that would have prohibited runaway and homeless relief programs created by the act from discriminating against LGBT children based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Sens. Kelly Ayotte, Shelley Moore Capito, Susan Collins, Dean Heller, Mark Kirk, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Rob Portman, Dan Sullivan, and Pat Toomey joined all the Democrats in voting for the measure, which was brought to a vote by Sen. Pat Leahy. Among the declared presidential candidates, Paul was the only one to vote for the measure. Sen. Marco Rubio opposed the amendment, and Sen. Ted Cruz did not vote on the amendment or the underlying bill, which passed 99-0. This was not the first such vote, suggesting that, while there is still not yet a filibuster-proof majority supporting LGBT rights in the Senate, there is a simple majority who appears willing to back a broad range of LGBT rights measures. In many cases, however, the Republican leadership’s opposition to LGBT rights measures would keep them from coming to the floor.

Rand Paul: Gays Can Have A Contract But They Can't Have An Actual Marriage

On Sale Today By Sen. Rand Paul

"Quick Overview: CLEARANCE SALE! You've read about it on the news, now you can get one for yourself. Hillary's Hard Drive. 100% genuine erased clean email server. Buyer beware, this product has had heavy use and it currently is no longer working, but that doesn't mean it's not valuable to someone. Anyone? Limited edition. We have 80 of these and when they're gone, they're gone forever."

Rand Paul Targets Hillary In First Ad

Via the Washington Post:

Sen. Rand Paul released the first ad of his presidential campaign Sunday, slamming Hillary Clinton on the day she is expected to announce that she is running for president. The minute-long spot will air on cable starting Monday in the early voting states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina. The ad shows abandoned streets and homes, a poster from Clinton's 2008 campaign and news clips of protests in the Middle East. "Hillary Clinton represents the worst of the Washington machine. The arrogance of power, corruption and coverup, conflicts of interest and failed leadership with tragic consequences," it said. "The Washington machine is destroying the American dream," the narrator said.

YouTube Copyright System Yanks Rand Paul's Presidential Announcement Clip

Rand Paul entered and exited the stage today to the tune of an anti-Wall Street country song owned by Warner Brothers. So of course YouTube's magic genie recognized the track as copyrighted material and blocked the clip from further viewing. Snicker.

HomoQuotable - Dan Savage

"Rand Paul is a different kind of Republican! Rand Paul has all sorts of new ideas! New ideas like, um, opposing same-sex marriage, backing the 'Life Begins at Conception Act' (which would make abortion illegal), and keeping marijuana illegal. Rand Paul also has a big new idea about climate change: it's not happening and Paul opposes efforts to regulate carbon emissions! Rand Paul wants to increase defense spending by $190 billion! He opposes Obama's nukes deal with Iran, and he fully backs the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision that allows unregulated and unlimited contributions to flow into campaigns! Rand Paul also supports the Supreme Court decision that gutted the Voting Rights Act! Paul opposes all gun control measures, has pledged to repeal Obamacare, and wants to use drones to police our border with Mexico and increase the number of deportations. Rand Paul isn't like all of those other Republicans who want to do all of the exact same things Rand Paul wants to do." - Dan Savage, writing for the Stranger.

DC Hit With Widespread Power Outage

And right when Rand Paul was making his big announcement out in Kentucky.

LIVE VIDEO: Rand Paul Announces

Just starting.

Fox News Gives Rand Paul An Hour To Talk About His 2016 Presidential Bid