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The Daily Tar Heel

Letter: ?Republican responses to the SOTU fell flat

TO THE EDITOR:

After watching President Obama’s State of the Union Address, I was eager to hear how the Republican Party would respond. I thought the GOP would take this opportunity to start anew with the American public, setting a clear path toward a new and different party.

Instead, what we saw was the typical GOP nonsense everyone is tired of hearing.

The official rebuttal from freshman Iowa Senator Joni Ernst wasted our time talking about life in Iowa and political arguments we have heard plenty of times before from various Republican leaders.

Texas Senator Ted Cruz’s response wasn’t better, as he pandered to his Tea Party supporters. Responses from Florida congressmen Carlos Curbelo and Curt Clawson didn’t fare any better.

The one person I will give credit to is Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. Paul seems to understand the current problems of the United States, and in the past has worked relentlessly on addressing said problems. This includes working with Democratic New Jersey Senator Cory Booker on criminal justice reform during this past summer.

Despite Paul’s words and previous efforts, the GOP’s performance was embarrassing and the party as a whole has no set path for the future. If GOP leaders want to actually serve the American people, they need to stand up and act like Senator Paul has or get lost.

Alex Thomas

Junior

Political Science and Journalism

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