Rand Paul and the End of Responsibility

Rand Paul

Whether it is in politics, business, sports, media or academia, it is becoming more and more difficult for individuals to admit they made a mistake and are responsible for wrongdoing or dishonesty. Corporate types, e.g.  CEOs of huge financial institutions, have this down to an art form. In fact, think about it: the reason we have corporations is to avoid individual responsibility.

In the case of politicians, one would think that based on their oath of office and their responsibility to their constituents, they would have to assume President Harry Truman's dictum: "The buck stops here."

Well, apparently politicians of today have another dictum: "Deny as long as possible, and when that is no longer viable, blame someone else."

Rand Paul, the junior senator from Kentucky, is the latest to adopt this strategy. After he could no longer deny that he was guilty, on several occasions, of plagiarism -- "the act of using another person's words or ideas without giving credit to that person," (Miriam-Webster Dictionary), Senator Paul blamed his wrong-doing on his staff and those "haters" out there trying to bring him down. Apparently Rand Paul can't "man up." He's not accepting responsibility for what he did; he's blaming it on others. Obviously, he will never qualify as "A Profile in Courage."

In addition, Mr. Paul said, "To tell the truth, people can think what they want. I can go back to being a doctor anytime, if they're tired of me. I'll go back to being a doctor, and I'll be perfectly content." (Translation: I don't need you people. I'm a doctor and I can make big bucks without your constant questions.)

And that presents another problem for Doctor Rand Paul. a Libertarian, who has a problem with certification. Although he was an officially certified ophthalmologist, when his 10-year certification expired, he chose not to re-certify  Instead he founded his own certification program, the National Board of Ophthalmologists, in his hometown of Bowling Green, Kentucky. He appointed himself president, and his wife (not a doctor) vice president.  He in effect re-certified himself. Although no one knows what criteria this organization uses to re-certify, Rand Paul claims to be a certified eye-doctor.

I am thinking that if I lived in Kentucky and needed an ophthalmologist, I would be checking his/her "certification" very closely.

The bottom line, however, is that Doctor Rand Paul created his own certification organization which in turn re-certified him. I'm not confident with a doctor who re-certifies himself; but, if you are a Tea Party type, that may work for you. If so, I'll be seeing you although you may not be seeing  me.

The most frightening aspect of Rand Paul is that he aspires to become the next president of the United States. If the people do not elect him, will he organize his own electoral college which then chooses him?