Paul Watson, Campus Carrier News Editor

In the 2012 Presidential election, one party platformed the rights of the people instead of the rights of the government. Now, that same party and its new leader, Rand Paul, are in position to change the face of the Republican Party (GOP).

The Libertarian Party has been fighting big government since the 1970s (a topic on which I have already written), and it seems they are finally gaining traction with conservatives. Paul proved himself to be dedicated to the principle of a small, transparent government when he held an old-fashioned filibuster, during which he talked nearly non-stop for 13 hours (taking breaks only to grab small sips of water or bites of candy bars). The filibuster was to protest the nomination of John Brennan as the head of CIA as a means of protesting the president’s drone policy, specifically President Barack Obama’s refusal to rule out use of drones domestically.

If you haven’t guessed by now, Rand Paul is the son of Ron Paul, one of the most vocal Libertarians to date. Yet, unlike his father, Rand has been able to influence the GOP in ways that his father didn’t. By doing so, the GOP sees him as a threat.

Even so, he has proven to be the point of reason that the people are looking for. Just look at what he stands for: huge government spending cuts. Reduced military presence. Lower taxes. Legalizing marijuana. Really, what’s not to love?

Rand Paul is going to run for presidency in 2016; he is already setting himself up to do so. The question is, will the American populace follow him down this road of smaller government and expanded rights for citizens? The choice is ours.