Senator Rand Paul on President Obama’s Drone Policies

Excerpts of Senator Paul’s discussions of the Constitutionality of President Obama’s policies regarding Drone Strikes against U.S. citizens and the detention of suspected terrorists.

“Is objecting to your government or objecting to the policy of your government sympathizing with the enemy? Some openly were sympathetic.  No one will ever forget Jane Fonda swiveling around in North Vietnamese armored guns, and it was despicable.  Now, it’s one thing if you want to try her for treason, but are you going to just drop a drone hellfire missile on Jane Fonda?  Are you going to drop a drone hellfire missile on those at Kent State?

I think it would be fair to say that candidate Obama also felt that the President didn’t have authority to imprison you indefinitely without a trial.  I think it’s also fair to say that Barack Obama of 2007 would be right down here with me arguing against this drone strike program if he was in the senate.  It amazes and disappoints me how much he’s changed.

If he is a good man and we believe him to be a good man that would never kill non-combatants in a café in Houston…Let’s say they’re sitting in a café, if the President’s not going to kill them, why wouldn’t he just say he’s not going to kill them there?  That’s the troubling aspect to this.  If the President will not acknowledge that he’s not going to kill non-combatants in America, I’ve decided to occupy as much time as I can to the Floor to bring attention.

I will not sit quietly and let [President Obama] shred the Constitution.  No person will be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process.”