Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Tuesday became the second nationally recognized Republican to announce he\u2019s running for the White House in 2016.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a message, a message that is loud and clear and does not mince words. We have come to take our country back,\u201d he said to cheers from supporters and family members in his announcement speech in Kentucky. \u201dThe Washington machine that gobbles up our freedoms and invades every nook and cranny of our lives must be stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo rescue a great country now adrift, join me, as together we seek a new vision for America,\u201d he said. \u201dToday, I announce with God\u2019s help, with the help of liberty lovers everywhere, that I am putting myself forward as a candidate for president of the United States of America.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul is a favorite among libertarians and constitutionalists who want to see power devolved from Washington, D.C., and given back to the states. His announcement speech noted his well-known devotion to the Constitution, a guide for limited government that he believes has been ignored for the last several years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to boldly proclaim our vision for America,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need to go boldly forth under the banner of liberty that clutches the Constitution in one hand, and the Bill of Rights in the other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul cited the massive national debt and bloated annual budget deficits as signs of government run amok, and said both parties can be blamed for this outcome. He said a constitutional amendment would be needed to fix that problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cBig government and debt doubled under a Republican administration, and it\u2019s now tripling under Barack Obama\u2019s watch,\u201d he said. \u201cPresident Obama is on course to add more debt than all of the previous presidents combined.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCouldn\u2019t the country just survive on $3 trillion? I propose we do something extraordinary \u2014 let\u2019s just spend what comes in,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n