According to Greg Smith, via TPM, Rand Paul's campaign has now issued a statement that he supports the Civil Rights Act (I suppose in follow-up to Paul's own statement that he wouldn't seek its repeal while leaving open the question of whether he disagrees with it):
Civil Rights legislation that has been affirmed by our courts gives the Federal government the right to insure that private businesses don't discriminate based on race. Dr. Paul supports those powers.
- Jesse Benton, Rand Paul spokesman.
That was a quick turnaround! Ben Smith has a couple of interesting additions, which I'll get to over the fold.
First up, we have Smith's reaction to the statement:
It's a comment that suggests Paul views his election as Senator as more important than standing on this particular principle.
Spot on, I'd say. The Federal government should not be impinging on private property rights - unless it'll help my chances of election to say they should.
Smith also uncovers a Kentucky blogger's evidence that the viewpoint from which Paul is now furiously backtracking has been a settled opinion of his. Back in 2002, he objected to the Federal Fair Housing Act in the same way he objected to Title II of the Civil Rights Act on TRMS:
Decisions concerning private property and associations should in a free society be unhindered. As a consequence, some associations will discriminate.
-SNIP-
A free society will abide unofficial, private discrimination – even when that means allowing hate-filled groups to exclude people based on the color of their skin.
Busted!
The really shocking thing is, Paul isn't even one of those conservatives that are too old to really comprehend the power of the Internet. Surely he's aware that his record can easily be checked online? That as a result, self-contradiction like this will be uncovered? Maybe he just thought no-one would dare doubt the word of the Son of Paul.