When Kentucky Republican Rand Paul took to the podium at a Tea Party rally in his home state Thursday night, the Senate hopeful compared the decline of the United States economy to the fall of the Roman Empire.
The Courier Journal reports:
"In the latter days of Rome, the economy was crumbling, the emperor ... would placate the mob with bread and circus -- food and entertainment to placate them since the economy was in shambles and dwindling around them," Paul told several hundred people gathered for the rally in a Bullitt County park.
"Now in our country, as our economy is in shambles, they give us Cash for Clunkers and a stimulus check and they tell us to go to the mall and spend your money and everything will be OK ... That's not how you become prosperous as an individual or a country," he told the crowd of supporters.
Following the remarks, Paul campaign manager Jesse Benton clarified that the Senate hopeful was analogizing the crumbling of ancient Rome to the modern-day economic downturn in the U.S. "He uses Rome as a metaphor to show that great nations can fall if they are not vigilant in protecting their traditions," Benton said.
At the Tea Party event, Paul also warned his audience that he expects the country will face "a day of reckoning" down the line. Ironically, the GOP hopeful used the same metaphor to describe the significance of his status as Kentucky's Republican Senate nominee back in May. On the eve of his primary victory, Paul said his win was a sign that "we are encountering a day of reckoning."
WATCH: Rand Paul Likens Economic Decline To Fall Of Roman Empire, Warns Of 'A Day Of Reckoning'
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