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Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) doesnt seem to think America is that nice of a place when it comes to those who are poor and needy. During Dr. Tom Prices (R-GA) congressional hearing, Sanders threw a very pointed question at Price revolving aroundhow the U.S. government is the only first-world country that does not make healthcare a right.

The United States of America is the only country on Earth that does not guarantee healthcare to all people as a right, said Sanders. Canada does it. Every major country in Europe does it. Do you believe that healthcare is a right of all Americans whether theyre rich or theyre poor? Should people, because they are Americans, be able to go to the doctor when they need to? Be able to go into a hospital because they are Americans?

We are a compassionate society, began Price in response, but was quickly cut off by Sanders.

No, we are not a compassionate society! Sanders quickly cut in, before going on about our childhood poverty rate and seniors not having a government safety net. Sanders asked his question again, only to receive an answer from Price that basically told Sanders that the good doctor was not going to engage in socialism when it came to healthcare.

Later on it was Senator Rand Paul of Kentuckys turn. As many know, Paul is not only a staunch advocate of capitalism, and a great enemy to socialism, but hes also a physician with a lot of experience with our healthcare system.

So of course, Paul was not going to take Sanders comments lying down.

Its also been insinuated that America is this horrible, rotten place. You know, that we dont have compassion, and I guess by extension the physicians dont, began Paul. As you worked as an emergency room physician, or as you worked as a physician, did you always agree as part of your engagement with the hospital to treat all comers regardless of whether they had an ability to pay?

Price affirmed Pauls question, and said that it was something he and his practice took pride in whether it was public or private.

But Paul wasnt at all done.

The senator from Kentucky went on to bash those in particular Sanders who call America a horrible place for its people, yet extol the virtues of socialism, which has left countries with high resources like Venezuela in poverty stricken shambles.

To put thefinal nail in the coffin for Sanders argument, Paul discussed just how charitable and giving the American people are.

One of the things thats extraordinary about our country is that just two years ago, in 2014, we gave away $400 billion privately. Not the government. Individually, said Paul.

Were an incredibly compassionate society, he finished.

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Rand Paul absolutely destroys Bernie Sanders' talk about how uncompassionate America is - TheBlaze.com

"We've had six years to complain and we have complained -- I've been one of those complaining about Obamacare," he told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union." "The replacement bill that we put together, our goal is to insure the most amount of people, give access to the most amount of people, at least the amount of cost."

Republicans have been at loggerheads over the timing and execution of their promise to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a cheaper alternative that will not disrupt the insurance market and leave millions of Americans without coverage.

"I completely disagree with those who say we either don't have a plan or have to wait," Paul told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Monday. "There are about 50 replacement bills that have been out there for years."

On Sunday, Paul gave a preview of his and argued that in requiring insurers to offer more robust plans, Obamacare drove up prices and pushed people out of the market.

"One of the key reforms that we will do is, we're going to legalize the sale of inexpensive insurance," he said. "That means getting rid of the Obamacare mandates on what you can buy. We are going to help people save through health savings accounts, as well as a tax credit."

Those less expensive options, which were prevalent on the market before the 2010 reform was signed into law, would offer less robust care but also, as supporters argue, be more neatly tailored to what consumers view to be their specific needs.

Under Paul's program, the bargaining power created by the state and federal exchanges would be replaced with a provision that allows individuals and associations like small businesses to create their own markets.

"There's no reason why (a business owner) with four employees shouldn't be able to join with hundreds and hundreds of other businesses that are small to become a large entity to get leverage to bring your prices down," Paul told Tapper.

He added that those negotiations with insurance companies could also be used to guarantee the availability of policies that "can't cancel you and guarantees the issue of the insurance even if you get sick."

Paul's plan did not directly address the future of states that signed on for expanded Medicaid offered as part of Obamacare. Kentucky, which had a Democratic governor when the law went into effect, was among those to accept the funds. The majority of the more than 400,000 Kentuckians insured under the law were brought into the fold by Medicaid expansion.

"That's the big question," Paul said of their fate. "And I don't think that's going to be in the replacement aspect."

The future of Medicaid expansion would then be decided during the repeal process, which will run through a budget reconciliation vote -- one that requires only a simple majority for passage.

"What we have to decide is what can be kept and what can't be kept," Paul said, suggesting that the states should raise taxes if they want to maintain their current expenditure levels.

He also described the current system as having come about as the result of "deceitfulness" by the Obama administration, which Paul accused of having misled the public about the federal government's ability to foot the bill.

"So I'd say that if you want to have more Medicaid you should say we're going to have to have higher taxes to pay for it," he said.

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Rand Paul previews Obamacare replacement plan - CNN

Stateside's conversation with Jules Pastorino, a 19-year-old student at the University of Michigan

On Jan. 20, Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as our 45th president of the United States. The election was one of the most contentious in recent memory and has exposed or inflamed serious divisions in American society. All this week on Stateside, well speak with Michiganders who were drawn to the President-elects message about their hopes for the new administration.

Jules Pastorino is a 19-year-old woman and a University of Michigan student. If she were to sit down with President-elect Donald Trump, she would urge him to reign in the surveillance powers of the National Security Agency (NSA), tell him that climate change is not a conspiracy and ask him to consider the importance of abortion rights.

Those are concerns that Pastorino shares with many Hillary Clinton voters. But in 2016, her first election, Pastorino voted for Donald Trump.

Pastorino does not consider herself to be a Republican and Donald Trump was not her first choice for President; she was very interested in Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, whose views aligned with hers on privacy and gun rights.

She would have considered voting for Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who she thought was genuine. Still, as soon as Clinton became the Democratic nominee and Trump became the Republican, Pastorino said her vote was locked in.

Gun rights is a hot-button issue for Pastorino, and a big reason she voted for the President-elect. For her family and neighbors in rural Michigan, having a gun is not about violence. Instead, gun ownership means affordable, protein-rich meals when grocery stores are far away or personal protection when police response time is too long.

Hear more of our interview with Jules Pastorino, including why she hopes Trump will change his "ridiculous and embarrassing" tweets, above.

CORRECTION: Cynthia Canty misspokewhen she said "automatic weapons," which are already outlawed. We meant to say "assault rifles." We regret the error.

(Subscribe to the Stateside podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or with this RSS link)

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UM student considered Rand Paul and Bernie Sanders, but ultimately chose Donald Trump - Michigan Radio

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., right, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, center, listens as Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, April 13, 2011, to discuss Social Security reform. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Neither Republican SenatorsRand Paul of Kentucky, or Mike Lee of Utah have been fans of President Barack Obamas handling of foreign policy during his eight years in office. Obama has often had a habit of sidestepping congress and issuing executive orders to to take military actions overseas.

So both senators decided to get proactive, and advise President-elect Donald Trump ahead of time via a letter to follow the prescribed methods of taking military action as outlined by the Constitution of the United States.

While members of Congress have disagreements on many domestic and foreign policies, we all agree that the most fundamental duty of the federal government is to protect the safety, security, and freedoms of the American people.The constitutional powers to carry out this duty are shared between the President and Congress so that our military and diplomatic policies are informed by a long-term vision of American interests forged through the kind of open debate and patient deliberation that is the province of Congress while remaining flexible enough to respond to threats as they appear.

Paul and Lee go on to outline that any further action that occurs in the Middle East and North Africa should only occur with the approval of Congress, as the Constitution outlines. This includes the creation of no fly, no drive, and humanitarian zones that would utilize elements of the U.S. military in any way in order to execute the action.

The senatorsalso made it clear that they are not saying that the U.S. should ignore or condone the events happening in places like the Middle-East, but that actions pertaining to them should only occur after much debate and deliberation from congress. Unlike his predecessor, Trump should not appoint himself a one man decision maker about how our military should act, and instead rely on the consensus and permission of Congress.

The complexity of the security questions we face as a nation calls for robust debate, prudence and cooperation. The challenges are too great and the risks too high to simply defer to yesterdays status quo. Now is the time for bold leadership and sober judgment. You have the opportunity at the beginning of your presidency to help recommit the Executive Branch to preserving this constitutional balance that has always defined our government at its best, and we stand ready to work with your administration toward that end.

Read the entire letter here.

Paul himself has been very vocal about his thoughts about how the incoming administration should handle foreign policy. At some points, he even lead media campaignsagainst some of Trumps picks for secretary of state, especially John Bolton, calling him a menace. However, he seems to be relatively pleased with the president-elects final pick for the position, Exxon Mobile CEO Rex Tillerson, after Tillerson acknowledged that the Iraq war was a mistake.

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Rand Paul and Mike Lee advise Trump not to follow Obama's example on foreign policy - TheBlaze.com

House Republicans have already begun the process of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking the Oath of Office,but what are the goals of any Republican-led changes to healthcare reform?Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) discussed the dual mandates he viewed as the goals of any Obamacare reforms or new healthcare legislation.

Millions of people under Obamacare dont have insurance, Paul told the FOX Business Networks Stuart Varney.

According to Paul, Obamacare led to an increase in the cost of insurance, but if the costs are lowered, more people can receive coverage.

Our goal, what President Trump has said and my goal is the same, is to insure the most amount of people at the least amount of cost.So, I want to expand upon Obamacare and have more people insured than are currently insured under Obamacare.And the way we do it is you have to lower the cost of insurance.

Paul then explained the steps he envisioned in an effort to reduce the costs of healthcare and help consumers save for their healthcare needs.

Through marketplace reforms, I think we can lower the price of insurance.Through health savings accounts we can help more people to save for it.And then finally, Id like to let every individual in America join into a group so they can get group insurance and lower their costs.

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Rand Paul: I Want to Expand Upon Obamacare | Fox Business - Fox Business