Rand Paul: “just a short while ago we had a vote to cut $54 million out of the U.N. appropriation. The vote tally was 242 to 165…”

“just a short while ago we had a vote to cut $54 million out of the U.N. appropriation. The vote tally was 242 to 165, 165 in favor of cutting this $54 million of so-called past dues. I want to compliment the gentleman from Maryland [Mr. Bartlett] for bringing to this our attention, because I think it is a very important point, because we are never reimbursed for all of the peacekeeping missions throughout the world. Therefore, they actually owe us, we do not owe them. So it is rather sad to see that we, as a Congress, cannot rectify this; instead, we vote more funds for the United Nations. Of course, I do not hide the fact that I do not think a lot about the United Nations. I think ultimately it is very detrimental to America's policy and very detrimental to our sovereignty, so I have a specific agenda in that regard. Actually, the problems we face with the United Nations can be solved, because there has been a compromise offered. Instead of abolishing the United Nations like I would like to do, I think Ted Turner has offered us a real solution. Ted Turner is a very wealthy man, has made a lot of money in the capital system, and he is voluntarily willing to submit $1 billion to continue with the United Nations, and I think that is fine. I think the United Nations ought to be funded by donations such as from Ted Turner.”