Senator Rand Paul Airs Annual Grievances



One of the main elements of Festivus, the winter holiday popularized by Seinfeld, is the Airing of Grievances where people say how they were wronged over the past year. Every year, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) airs his grievances on Twitter and this year he took aim at government spending and his fellow presidential candidates, among other topics.

Senator Paul’s grievances range from light-hearted to more serious. They often serve as a form of satire to poke fun at his targets.

This year, the presidential candidate took aim at his fellow candidates. Paul mocked Canadian bacon and Senator Cruz’s birth in America’s northern neighbor. “My friend @tedcruz has still not pledged to issue exec order declaring Canadian “bacon” is not real bacon. Makes me suspicious. #Festivus,” he tweeted.

Paul also released an Airing of Grievances Wastebook that looked at what he deemed wasteful government spending. He used that to poke at Senator Marco Rubio’s absentee record, “to my absentee friend @marcorubio, I didn’t put your $170k+ salary in my waste report today. But I could have #Festivus.” Rubio has missed many votes and committee meetings while running for President and reports have said that the Senator is disenfranchised with the institution.
Referencing, the Doctor’s quiet nature, Paul tweeted about presidential candidate  Dr. Ben Carson, “I have no grievances against my fellow doc @RealBenCarson because I have not heard a word he has said in any debate. #Festivus.”

He also made fun of former Governor Jeb Bush’s debate performances and the debate negotiations that took place following the CNBC debate, “.@JebBush is always trying to change the debate rules to allow extra time for awkward pauses in answers. Not gonna happen. #Festivus.”

Paul also took aim at the main Democratic candidates as well with a joke about Senator Bernie Sanders and socialism. He also made light of how Secretary Clinton was late to returning to the debate stage during Saturday’s debate because of a bathroom break. “.@CarlyFiorina has ZERO trouble making it back from commercial breaks @HillaryClinton. Just saying. #Festivus #waronwomensrooms,” he tweeted. Fiorina responded to that tweet by wishing Paul a “Happy Festivus.

However, Paul was not done with Clinton yet. He later tweeted, “.@GQMagazine today names @HillaryClinton the 5th worst person in the world. She should try harder next year. Aim for the top! #Festivus.”

Paul also tweeted examples from his Wastebook that he released on Festivus. Instances of waste include a study on why Americans do not wish to use the metric system and a NASA study on golf equipment.

Paul took aim at one of his favorite targets, the National Security Agency, with “Speaking of the NSA, I have too many grievances to list here. But that’s ok, they’ve heard them all already anyway #SpyingOnUsAll #Festivus.”


About Tyler

Tyler is the chief media reporter for TKNN, with the news organization since its founding in November of 2010. He has previously served as chief political reporter and chief political anchor for TKNN.

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