Rand Paul calls for bipartisanship, immigration votes, and no more 'ridiculous' shutdown blame games

In an appearance on CNN's State of the Union Sunday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) went after both parties for their conduct during the government shutdown and throughout the bitterly partisan negotiations that produced it. "I think the blame game is ridiculous on both sides," he said. "I think the American people see through it."

Paul voted against his own party's proposal for a short-term funding bill on Friday, and he argues the GOP could secure a spending deal immediately if Republican leadership would guarantee — and Democrats would accept — an "open process" of votes on immigration policy, centrally including the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

"The DACA issue has been held hostage to people on the left who want their perfect immigration bill or nothing, and people on the right who want nothing," Paul said on CNN. "And so, really, I'd say, let's vote on it. Let's just put it forward and vote on it. And I think the impasse could end today if Republicans would promise just to have a week of immigration votes, have a conclusion, let us all put forward amendments. I think the American people would like to see us hash out our differences through amendments and votes."

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Watch a clip of Paul's interview below. Bonnie Kristian