AUSTIN — You bonk we ’ve reached crown South by Southwest when a Republican senator from Kentucky choose that event as the launching pad for his personal brand . ( Ok , maybe it is pretty meet after all , seeing as it ’s a gargantuan launch pad for anything and everything you may consider of . ) Senator Rand Paul took the stage on Sunday to blab technical school shop with moderator Evan Smith from the Texas Tribune .
He did n’t use the panel as an opportunity to announce a presidential campaign for 2016 , but he kind of hinted that it would be coming around the corner . His actions squall of candidacy : He just open up an position in Texas , he ’s experiment with social media , and he ’s make the press rounds . He certainly knew how to butter up the crew in Austin .
“ Tech people are interested in procession and bipartisanship , so we feel mightily at rest home here at South by Southwest , ” he said , adding that he did n’t think techie voters easy fit into a political company ’s box since they tend to think for themselves and diddle by their own rules .
Paul want to connect with the technical school community of interests ( you fuck , for votes ) , and he think he ’s ascertain a political platform that can help him do that . He ’s pro concealment and anti net disinterest , and he ’ll be enjoin us all about it via Snapchat .
Go where the kids go
Just a few Clarence Shepard Day Jr. before his SXSW appearance , Paul hash out his Snapchat presence with Politico ’s Mike Allen , and he mention it again in Austin . ( Sheesh , maybe we ’ve reached peak Snapchat , too . ) Snapchat is just one part of his design to reach elector in the extremely seek - after “ under 30 ” demographic — Snapchat has a huge number of users between the ages of 18 and 24 , so Paul want engage with them to see if he can brawl up potential voters .
“ A immense part of candidature is reaching the people , ” Paul enounce , “ and multitude are already on Snapchat , so it ’s just a matter of going to where the citizenry are . ” He also acknowledged that Snapchat has a net ton of user that are under the age of 18 now , but will be 18 by the time 2016 wave around .
On privacy (and a bit of Hillary Clinton bashing)
Surprisingly , Paul seems to side with Edward Snowden — he mentioned Snowden a few prison term when the conversation move towards secrecy , which Paul is a champion of . Paul believes most young the great unwashed ( again , with the under 30 demo ) will require leaders that believes in privacy , especially when it comes to mobile equipment and data assembling .
“ Every untested person communicates via telephone 100 times a day , and none of them would want the government to collect these records , ” he suppose , adding that because teenagers detest when their parents sight on them , they ’re probable to require a less - prise government .
Paul called himself the drawing card of the “ go away Me Alone Coalition , ” a group that thinks that the government should n’t be telling multitude what to do and should , basically , leave them alone — for the most part . He firmly believe that traditionally liberal voters will be unresolved to embracing a Republican candidate who campaigns hard for privateness . It ’s not that he ’s against the NSA , but he wants to verify their exercise do n’t go against the Bill of Rights .
He also could n’t help but make poke at potential opponent Hillary Clinton .
“ Do n’t utilise your individual e-mail waiter , that ’s my first piece of advice , ” Paul said , criticizing hercontroversial choiceto utilisation aprivate e-mail serverfor government email during her metre as U.S. Secretary of State . Paul said she could have put President Obama in jeopardy , since secret email does n’t have the same level of security as the organization put in topographic point at the White House .
On net neutrality
Paul says he ’s against net disinterest in its current form , calling it an “ unauthorised power grab at a secret industry . ” He thinks the resolution to retain the Internet open and affordable lies with prevent the utility from becoming monopolized . He ’s push to damp up overseas telegram and net monopolies ( using New York City as an example ) to spread up the competition , so customers have unlike price and speeding options . That manner , it does n’t interfere with the marketplace .
He require to be clear , though , perhaps surmise that the Austin audience was mostly in favour of net neutrality : He ’s contradict to last disinterest because he believes in the free market , not because he wants to throttle the net .
“ The net is costless of regulation , and we should keep it that way , ” he said . “ I do n’t want the political science to cheat up one of the greatest resources we have . ”
So , it ’s technically unclear on whether or not Paul will be running for president , but one thing is watch glass clear : He certainly knew what stances to take in front of a room full of tech enthusiasts .
