Rand Paul, MD Biography
- Title:
- United States Senator (R-KY)
- Position:
- Not Clearly Pro or Con to the question "Should Felons Who Have Completed Their Sentence (Incarceration, Probation, and Parole) Be Allowed to Vote?"
- Reasoning:
-
“Our criminal justice system is broken. I recently introduced the Civil Rights Voting Restoration Act, a bill that would restore Federal voting rights for non-violent criminals [after serving all probation and parole].”
“Senators Paul and Cardin Unite for Discussion of How Best to Restore Voting Rights for Millions of Americans,” paul.senate.gov, July 22, 2014
“I’m just not quite there yet [re-enfranchising violent felons]… There can be an argument made for — once you’ve served your time, you’ve served your time. But I think as far as trying to get the coalition necessary to pass this, we’re looking at nonviolent felons.”
“Paul Drafts Bill to Restore Voting Rights for Ex-Cons,” thehill.com, Feb. 11, 2014
[Editor’s Note: Individuals and organizations that do not support felon re-enfranchisement until felons have paid all fines and restitution (in addition to having completed their term of incarceration and probation/parole) are classified as Not Clearly Pro or Con. Also, those who support re-enfranchisement of some felons but not others (for example, felons who committed murder or rape) are also classified as Not Clearly Pro or Con.]
- Theoretical Expertise Ranking:
-
Experts
Individuals with PhD's, JD's, or equivalent advanced degrees in fields relevant to felon voting issues. Also top-level government officials (such as foreign leaders, US presidents, Founding Fathers, Supreme Court Justices, members of legislative bodies, cabinet members, military leaders, etc.) with positions relevant to felon voting issues. - Involvement and Affiliations:
-
- United States Senator (R-KY), 2011-present
- Member, US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
- Member, US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP)
- Member, US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs
- Member, US Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
- Member, Senate Tea Party Caucus, 2011-present
- Recipient, TIME “100 Most Influential People,” 2013
- Founder, Southern Kentucky Lions Eye Clinic
- Founder, Kentucky Tax Payers United, 1994-2000
- Former practicing ophthalmologist, Bowling Green (KY)
- Education:
-
- MD, Duke University School of Medicine, 1988
- Attended Baylor University, 1981-1984
- Other:
-
- Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Jan. 7, 1963
- Married with three children
- Son of Ron Paul, former US Representative (R-TX) and Republican presidential candidate in 2008 and 2012
- Introduced the Civil Rights Voting Restoration Act of 2014 on June 26, 2014. The act, according to congress.gov, “[d]eclares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because the individual has been convicted of a non-violent criminal offense, unless, at the time of the election, the individual is serving a sentence in a correctional facility or a term of probation.”
- Quoted in: