Rand Paul to get potty training!

Rand Paul is about to get potty trained! In response to his complaint that he could not find a toilet that works, Department of Energy Deputy Assistant Kathleen Hogan, said “I can find you a toilet that works.”

Rand’s rant was part of his longer harangue against government regulations, this time over the 2007 law requiring the phase-in of energy efficient light bulbs and also toilet regs (presumably the 1994 standard of 1.6 gpf, gallons per flush). Paul argues that these regulations restrict consumer choice.

Well, YEAH, that is what all public interest regulations do, restrict certain choices that are on balance harmful to our long term welfare. Yet Paul cannot see through the dark lens of his hard held libertarian ideology. That is why he said private business owners should be able to discriminate. It is why he opposes most all government—EXCEPT when it benefits him, like Medicare/Medicaid, which contributes more than half of his income.

And that is the problem when people in a policy making position see issues only through their ideology. Their egos and biases prevent them from looking rationally at the problems, the root causes and the solutions, most of which come as the result of much research and collaboration among those most qualified to address and resolve the issues—in this case, conserving energy through technology-enabled efficient light bulbs and water conservation through toilet flush limits.

Paul incredibly compared women’s reproductive rights with light bulb choices, asking Ms. Hogan if she was pro-choice. He then said, “"The point is that most members of your administration probably would be frank and would be up front to characterize themselves as being pro-choice for abortion. But you're really anti-choice on every other consumer item that you've listed here."
http://www.kentucky.com/2011/03/11/1666049/rand-paul-rips-energy-department.html.

That is the problem with America: too many people in the top positions of leadership who have no business being there. First, like Paul, they spend time on issues that have already been resolved in a manner that benefits us, yet because of their prejudices (see discussion about ideology, above) they seek to wreck them. Second, they make such illogical arguments designed only to divide and weaken us. Sure, he will score more points with anti-abortionists,, but there is not a hair’s width of relevance to raise the issue in this context.

Maybe he’s just pulling a Charlie Sheen by orchestrating hilarity to get publicity, possibly with an eye (unbelievably!) to the 2012 Presidential race. What’s really sad is that what works for screen entertainers—who operate in a true make believe world—may end up working in politics, where people like Paul use “make believe” to not only get elected, but make policy.

Hmm, Paul may be right after all about toilets, it’ll take two flushes to get that stink away.