Rand Paul Draws Line In The Sand: 'I'm Not Going To Vote' To Expand Debt Limit By $5 Trillion

Speaking to reporters, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said he would not vote to increase the debt limit by $5 trillion.

Transcript

00:00What did you think of the president's

00:04social at any point is this going to change your mind?

00:08You know, I think it's one of the most important debates of our time.

00:11And this is a debate over whether or not a country can have $36 trillion in debt,

00:16whether we can have interest payments over a trillion dollars.

00:19I think it's an important debate to have.

00:21I don't make it personal at all.

00:23I like the president, supported the president.

00:25In fact, I'm for the tax cuts.

00:27I am for a lot of the bill.

00:29But I can't, in good conscience, give up every principle that I stand for

00:33and every principle that I was elected upon, and that's that you can't accumulate more debt.

00:38$2 trillion in debt this year is too much.

00:41If you're going to borrow $5 trillion, it means they're going to get to that limit

00:44within the next year or two.

00:45They're planning on spending $5 trillion they don't have.

00:48And I'm just not for that.

00:49But there is a way around all of this.

00:51They could get my vote, and I could vote for the package

00:55if they take out the debt ceiling and vote on that separately.

00:57Senator, he says that you don't understand the bill and that you love to vote no.

01:02Well, I would say that's not actually true.

01:06I would say that I've been pretty consistent in my time in the Senate at being opposed to deficit spending.

01:13Our country brings in about $5 trillion in revenue and spends $7 trillion.

01:17I'm not for that.

01:18I've never been that from the very beginning.

01:20I've been consistent about it.

01:21I've pointed it out when we have Republican presidents and we have Democrat presidents.

01:25So, really, there is no change in this and has nothing to do with wanting to vote no.

01:29In fact, I'm giving them an opportunity to vote yes.

01:32What do you say vote?

01:33I would vote for most bills, perfect or imperfect, that don't include the debt ceiling on.

01:39All I've said is strip off the debt ceiling.

01:41The debt ceiling is a day of shame when the people for big government come down to the

01:46wealth center of the house and they vote for the debt because they're the ones who vote for the spending.

01:51I don't vote for the spending.

01:52I want less spending.

01:53I want less debt.

01:54And I'm not going to vote to expand at $5 trillion.