Capitalism vs Socialism: Rand Paul Challenges Bernie Sanders to Hour-Long Debate

Ben SwannBen Swann
Published: 13 Nov, 2015
2 min read
Senator Paul challenges Bernie Sanders to a debate and talks socialism. Live on whoradio.com #StandwithRandPosted by Rand Paul on Thursday, November 12, 2015

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) posted a video clip on Facebook on Thursday from a live broadcast on the Iowa-based talk radio station WHO NewsRadio 1040 in which he can be seen challenging Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) to a debate.

“We’ve been saying what a fun, dramatic, and informative debate it would be if Bernie Sanders and I could have an hour-long debate. Can you imagine? Debating over what rights are versus what obligations are and debating socialism versus capitalism,” said Sen. Paul.

He continued, “See Bernie… he says, ‘Oh, I believe in a benign form of socialism, democratic socialism.’ But here’s the problem—if a majoritarian takes away your rights, it’s not any different or less bad than an authoritarian taking away your rights.”

“We had this debate over whether majorities were correct a long time ago when we had Jim Crow laws. In the south, legislatures, majorities passed laws saying segregation, separate-but-equal was O.K. So they discriminated against a whole group of people in America. But that was a majority. A majority is not always right, and I think that you have rights that come from your creator that precede government that can not, should not, and must not be taken away from you by a majority, and I really, really object to Bernie’s understanding of what rights are,” added Paul.

Earlier this year, Truth in Media reported in an exclusive interview with Kentucky-based libertarian activist Donald Meinshausen that Senator Paul had said that he would be willing to debate Bernie Sanders “anytime, anyplace.” Truth in Media subsequently launched a petition offering to host a town hall debate between the two candidates in New Hampshire, which has already reached over 5,000 signatures.

In October, Joshua Cook of Truth in Media spoke with Rand Paul, who agreed to participate in the town hall. Bernie Sanders’ campaign offered the reply, “No comment.”

It has been theorized that Democratic National Committee rules may prevent Sanders from debating Paul in an officially-sanctioned event, but on the other hand, the fact that Paul and Sanders are both U.S. senators who would ordinarily debate each other under the course of their typical duties may limit the DNC’s ability to block the two from participating in a joint town hall.

Editor's note: This article, written by Barry Donegan, originally published on Truth in Media, and may have been slightly modified for publication on IVN. 

You Might Also Like

Proposition 50 voter guide
California Prop 50: Partisan Power Play or Necessary Counterpunch?
November 4 marks a special election for what has become the most controversial ballot measure in California in recent memory: Proposition 50, which would circumvent congressional districts drawn by the state’s independent redistricting commission for a legislative-drawn map....
01 Oct, 2025
-
9 min read
court gavel.
Virtual Discussion: The Fight for Equal Independent Voting Rights Makes it to SCOTUS
Every major voting rights movement in U.S. history – whether successful or not – has intertwined with landmark litigation. This was the case for women’s suffrage. It was the case for civil rights. And it is the case in the ongoing effort to protect the right of all voters to have equal participation in taxpayer-funded elections – something millions of independent voters are denied across the U.S....
29 Sep, 2025
-
2 min read
Supreme Court building
SCOTUS Considers Challenge to Closed Primaries -- Here's Why It Is Such a Big Deal
In a dramatic step forward for litigation challenging closed primaries, the U.S. Supreme Court has indicated they are going to conference to discuss whether to grant a writ of certiorari to Polelle v. Florida Secretary of State; a case challenging Florida's closed primaries that Open Primaries has supported since its inception....
26 Sep, 2025
-
2 min read