As a resident of Kentucky, I can honestly say that I think Rand Paul is no different than any other elected official. Just like everyone else, he's looking after HIS own interests first, then maybe, just maybe the average Joe Citizen's best interests. Ultimately, there is no difference between officials from either party, they're all after the same things: money and power, they just take different routes to get there. And every one of them, every last one, is thinking not of what they can do to help their constituency, but how they can get themselves re-elected. Period. And you're naive as hell if you think they aren't. They don't care about the common folk, they only care about lining their OWN pockets. If they really cared, how come you don't see them volunteering to miss a paycheck? They'll be the LAST government workers that miss a payday due to this furlough, you can believe that. Crooks, every last one of them.