Rand Paul Gets Standing Ovation at Berkeley, Slams NSA.

A harsh speech wins over the UC Berkeley crowd but the Republican senator glides past social issues.

From the article:

Sen. Rand Paul delivered a blistering critique of America's spy agencies on Wednesday, likening the surveillance state to the "dystopian nightmares" of literature and arguing that a growing number of his colleagues on Capitol Hill now fear an intelligence apparatus that is "drunk with power."

"If you have a cell phone, you are under surveillance," Paul warned an auditorium of more than 350 at the University of California (Berkeley), adding, "I believe what you do on your cell phone is none of their damned business."

He demanded stronger oversight, calling for a new, bipartisan select committee to monitor the nation's intelligence agencies. "It should watch the watchers," he said.

Paul said the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency have run amok. The intelligence world, he said, had wrongly interpreted that "equal protection means Americans should be spied upon equally."

"I oppose this abuse of power with every ounce of energy I have," Paul declared.

His sharp denunciations received a warm welcome from students and others gathered. Despite the university's famously liberal bent, Paul faced a friendly crowd that included many college Republicans. They greeted him with a standing ovation before he spoke and interrupted his speech repeatedly with applause.

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My man, Rand the Man. #IstandwithRand.

So are these true Americans or enemies of America

Don't know, what do you think Dave?

There is a range of America

I am hoping for Rand Paul to run for president so I could vote for him.

Absolute lie.....but most of the people in this country are too stupid to understand the difference between surveillance and collection....and these politicians are playing to that tune to get votes. The NSA is collecting billions of phone calls.....it does not take a rocket scientist to understand they cannot possible be exploiting and analyzing every one of these. This whole thing has been so exaggerated it is hilarious. A country of sheep.

How come you're allowed to bash and talk shit about the U.S and we're not?

I think vfib only thinks True Americans are allowed to have a view.

And sadly most of us aren't in his club

Well that's a good thing but still a loss

Simpleton stuff man. Ever heard of sibling rivalry? I can kick my brothers ass, but you don't touch him type of stuff? Pretty simple....psychology 101. I thought you were an intellectual?

And I love my country, I serve my country. You bet your ass I reserve the right to criticize my country before a foreigner does. Is this rocket science?

If half of you were able to comprehend simple points it would be awesome.

Let's try this again Dave......most Americans are too fucking busy watching the voice and worried about who the next gay to come out will be to actually get in the know with what is going on politically. You all listen to your talking heads and take whatever they say and run with it. Hell a ton of people in this very thread were derp'in all over this story not even being able to understand it lol.

Once again...let me spell it out so you are no longer confused. The NSA is not listening to billions of phones calls per year, use some fucking common sense. It would be impossible for them to listen to every phone call they collect and store. So when some fucking politician lies and says "If you have a cell phone, you are under surveillance," I am going to call bullshit. Why is he lying? Because he knows the majority of Americans are too busy going about their every day bullshit to research shit for themselves, so he can just say this and half of you will believe him without a second thought.

So now....it is not that I do not believe you should not be allowed your opinion...I just prefer opinions be based on some form of fucking fact.

Sibling rivalry? I feel like we're in a shonen anime. Besides, I'm not sure the inane quarrels and altercations that are dominated by derision and insolence (mostly on your part) which you seem to regularly have with some Americans in this forum even qualify as "sibling rivalry". They're nothing but distasteful and depraved yelling competitions.

All that aside, I really can't make sense of the fact that you can't see why a foreigner is to some extent or the other entitled to criticize the U.S when it appointed itself as the world's police and made everybody's business its business too. Do you really not see the irony and the the prejudice, to put it mildly, in this? What the U.S is to the world and foreign citizens is as clear as the sun so I'm not waiting for your approbation or disapprobation of that. Instead, I really hope, for your own sake, that you're somehow aware of it and just exhibits some chauvinistic tendencies for some reason I'm not aware of.

Just another politician using the current social headwinds to get some applause, and hopefully some votes. He's trying to take his father's place as the champion of the disenchanted youth, but he's far more Republican and far less Libertarian.

Ron and Rand Paul are lunatics. Anyone who molds their world view around Atlas Shrugged and the philosophy of Ayn Rand should be ignored.

True, says a lot about the democratic party though that there seems to not be one democratic politician of Rand Paul's stature that has been outspoken on this issue.

Dat sand!

I agree that Rand Paul is full of shit tho.

Isn't Rand Paul that nut job that wants to repeal medicare and medicaid? lollll

@dave123321

vfib is clearlytone of the most, if not the most, intelligent users on this site. That's why he uses so many insults not only do they help him get his point across, but they also get on his side and really liking him.

:p

He's kind of a nut job.

If these programs stop the next 911, then I support them.