Rand Paul's Lies

Let me say at the outset that there is a lot I like about Rand Paul, because I have a strong libertarian streak in me. But what I admire most in a public figure is not his or her views, but his or her's honesty, personal character, and personal integrity. This is why the public figure I admire most from my lifetime is Barry Goldwater.

Two troubling lies have emerged from Rand Paul's public statements recently. Several weeks ago, he told Casey Hunt of NBC News that he never opposed the provision in the Civil rights law banning private businesses from discriminating. His exact quote was "I never said before" that he opposed this.Well, Rachel Maddow of MSNBC showed numerous clips of Rand Paul saying exactly that, that he did oppose this provision, because it infringed on private property rights.

Then just this week, Paul says that he never opposed aid to Israel. Well, CNN came up with a clip where he said quite clearly that he did.

Why in the world does a politician lie when his statements can be so easily disproved? This will remain a mystery to me, I suppose. Where is the personal integrity these days?