Rand: Some Of Rubio and Trump’s Policies Against ‘What America Stands For,’ Like North Korea and China

Republican presidential candidate and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul criticized fellow candidates Donald Trump and Florida Senator Marco Rubio for some of their counterterrorism policies as losing “what America stands for” and comparing Trump’s Internet proposals to North Korea and China during Tuesday’s primetime GOP presidential debate on CNN.

Rand said, “The question is, how do we keep America safe from terrorism? Trump says, we ought to close that Internet thing. The question really is, what does he mean by that? Like they do in North Korea? Like they do in China? Rubio says we should collect all Americans’ records all of the time. The Constitution says otherwise. I think they’re both wrong. I think we defeat terrorism by showing them that we do not fear them. I think if we ban certain religions, if we censor the Internet, I think that, at that point, the terrorists will have won. Regime change hasn’t won. Toppling secular dictators in the Middle East has only led to chaos and the rise of radical Islam. I think if we want to defeat terrorism, I think if we truly are sincere about defeating terrorism, we need to quit arming the allies of ISIS. If we want to defeat terrorism, the boots on the ground need to be Arab boots on the ground. As commander-in-chief I will do whatever it takes to defend America. But in defending America, we cannot lose what America stands for. Today is the Bill of Rights’ anniversary. I hope we will remember that and cherish that in the fight on terrorism.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett