Why Rand Paul’s presidential bid should matter to black America

(theGrio)  It is official.

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is running for the Republican nomination for president in 2016. But why should black America care?

Pay close attention to his views on mass incarceration and the war on drugs, which could move the Republican Party forward on criminal justice reform and possibly attract blacks, younger voters and other Democratic base voters. But don’t lose sight of the senator’s past statements against civil rights, which sound a lot like the same ol’ GOP story. And that story, brought to you by the tea party, has not been very friendly to black people these days.

“I am running for president to return our country to the principles of liberty and limited government,” Paul said on his campaign website.

This week in theGrio: Secret Spying Court and Racist Ron and Rand Paul

Check out these latest pieces from me in MSNBC's theGrio this week:

The first deals with the African American judge who presides over the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, a secret Supreme Court that rubber stamps the government's efforts to get into our business.  Click HERE for more.

The second story is a look at the racist history of libertarian-conservative politicians Ron and Rand Paul, and how Rand's affiliations with a neo-Confederate admirer of John Wilkes Booth could damage his presidential chances in 2016.  Click HERE for more.