Rand Paul, Welcome to the Resistance 

The federal government will shut down for the second time in a whopping two weeks tonight, at least briefly, thanks to Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who so belligerently pushed for an amendment to introduce budget caps that he held court on the Senate floor for over seven hours on Thursday in protest of the bipartisan budget deal.

He was so successful in wearing down our Congress that the Senate announced it will recess until 12:01 a.m. Friday, precisely one minute after the current budget expires.

Why’d he do it? Paul wants us to know that this country “is worth a debate until 3 in the morning, frankly” (which.. ok).

“The reason I’m here tonight is to put people on the spot,” Paul said, per CNN, “I want people to feel uncomfortable. I want them to have to answer people at home who said, ‘How come you were against President Obama’s deficits and then how come you’re for Republican deficits?’”

And then (emphasis mine): “There’s only so much I can do, and this is the silly thing about it. … I will make them listen to me, and they will have to have me listened to,” Paul said. “This is too important for the country not to have a debate about it.”

Look, America—Rand Paul will not be ignored. He would rather shut the government down than be ignored. All I can say is: Welcome to the resistance.