RC Corbin hosted a meeting at which Senator Rand Paul presented. Attendance was 135 for this meeting. The Times Tribune ran the following article about the event.
http://thetimestribune.com/local/x1981932194/Sen-Paul-visits-Corbin
August 9, 2013 Sen. Paul visits Corbin The Times-Tribune Fri Aug 09, 2013, 10:58 AM EDT
CORBIN — By Jeff Noble / Staff Writer U. S. Senator Rand Paul pounced on the economy, the health care situation, and on the state of government during his visit to Corbin Thursday. In a speech before the Corbin Rotary Club, Kentucky’s junior U.S. Senator told them the nation still faces enormous economic problems. “Some economists say we’re losing more jobs because we’re trying to pay more taxes and deal with regulations. I call it the ‘Dinosaur Syndrome.’ Big hearts, small brains. How do we fix that? Leave more money in the hands of Kentuckians by lowering rates and regulations, and less to Washington,” he said to a large crowd at David’s Steakhouse, where the club meets. In his remarks, Paul said he had a budget that would balance in five years, and proposed the nation go to a flat-rate income tax, at 17 percent for individuals, and 17 percent for corporations. He added, “Everybody pays the same. The economy would take off.” He also took a page from the country’s past as a measure on what Paul said would improve the country’s fiscal situation. “As we look forward in what we can do to recover economically, you have to look at our founding fathers, and what they stood for. Freedom. Liberty. … One of the greatest things about our country is economic mobility. You work hard, you go to school, and it’s amazing what you can do,” the senator stated. Before he spoke to the Rotary Club, Paul visited the SEKRI, Inc. (Southeastern Kentucky Rehabilitation Industries) plant in Corbin. There, he spoke with employees while they were at work, and later toured the facility, which manufactures and sells garments and protective gear to the U. S. Military. SEKRI’s Corbin facility employs 126 persons. Founded in 1971, the non-profit company creates jobs for people with significant disabilities. Paul commended SEKRI employees and staff on their skills and capabilities. After the tour, he said non-profits like SEKRI were competing with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons in making military gear and garments for the Armed Forces. The senator felt the federal agency should do less of it or none of it, giving more jobs to non-profit organizations. When asked about the region’s economy and his swing through southeastern Kentucky on Thursday, Paul said the region’s dealt with an anemic economy, especially with the loss of jobs related to the coal industry. “It’s harder for people to find good jobs in southeastern Kentucky, and in the mountains, that’s a war on coal. I call it a war on Kentucky. … The president says he cares about jobs, but this area’s lost thousands of jobs. … I think it’s antipathy on Kentucky,” he said. Paul, an ophthalmologist from Bowling Green, also took a swing at the current administration on health care issues, and the Affordable Care Act, which is nearing the final phase of its nationwide implementation. “They had to take money from Medicare to pay for Obamacare, but Medicare’s already short of money. People want the benefits, but they don’t pay the taxes. You can fix these problems. I’ve asked the President, ‘Can’t we just fix Social Security? Raise the age a couple of years?’ But publicly, they won’t do it,” the senator said to the Rotary Club. Later, Paul spoke about school choice, which he favors, and his recent amendment to a senate bill stopping military foreign assistance to Egypt, by enforcing a current law which he said prohibits the U.S. from providing foreign assistance to nations experiencing a military coup. The amendment was tabled late last month, by a 13-86 vote. “We have problems here. I think we need to work on our problems at home, before we send money overseas,” he said about the amendment. After finishing his address to the Rotary Club, Paul took questions from the audience. One in particular asked, “Is there were any means that the federal government could step in to fight the drug problem in the area, like treatment, rehabilitation and enforcement?” The man asking the question noted the problems in the area were with meth, prescription drugs, and meth labs. Paul replied that more funding needed to be directed on the local level, and that drugs were more of a health problem than an incarceration problem. The senator added he liked the idea of drug courts, and that the problem with prescription drug problems were being better policed now. He also pointed out one more reason that he thinks causes the drug problem. “Idleness leads to drug addiction, and drug addiction leads to idleness. I find rehabilitation comes from working. I saw that at the SEKRI plant today. … One big problem with drugs — I think too many people sit at home and not working, and receive a check,” Paul said, getting applause and a standing ovation from many in the audience. After his Rotary Club speech, Paul went to Barbourville to participate in a roundtable event with Knox County and Barbourville area pastors. That was followed by stops in Pineville, Middlesboro and Harlan. On Friday (today) the senator begins his day in Leslie County, speaking at a town hall meeting in Hyden. Paul then goes to neighboring Clay County, to address the Manchester-Clay County Chamber of Commerce. - See more at: http://thetimestribune.com/local/x1981932194/Sen-Paul-visits-Corbin
