Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is likely the most well-known senator in congress at the moment. Why? He goes against the flow of his own party. He strives to uphold true conservative values instead of settling for less than perfect legislation. He is forging the path of steadfastness in an environment that is much too eager to settle.

The Graham-Cassidy healthcare reform bill was one of several recent attempts to repeal Obamacare by Republicans and President Trump. Paul led the way for a select few to refuse to support the bill because it didn’t fully repeal Obamacare.

“I won’t be bribed or bullied,” claimed Paul in a tweet.

Arizona Sen. John McCain (R-AR) also denounced the bill, saying he believes Democrats and Republicans can come up with something better, and that the two parties “have not yet really tried.”

Trump tweeted his disappointment in McCain and Paul soon afterward. Although debated and tried, the bill officially collapsed due to its lack of support. Graham and Cassidy needed 51 Yes votes to repeal Obamacare, including the vote of the Vice President. With so many resounding “No” voices, the bill died.

Afterward, Paul worked closely with Trump to construct a reform that would better repeal Obamacare and benefit more Americans. He conveyed that one does not always have to agree with every move his party makes, nor must one agree with every move his president makes. By disagreeing and pushing back, Paul was able to help create a better solution.

“We should not be content to pass health care legislation on a party-line basis, as Democrats did when they rammed Obamacare through Congress in 2009. If we do so, our success could be as short-lived as theirs when the political winds shift, as they regularly do,” Paul said.

What does this mean for college students? We must follow Paul’s lead and forge our own paths. This campus, like most, is an extremely politically polarized environment. People feel strongly about their beliefs, and don’t mind publically supporting them through rallies and protests and hanging posters in classrooms. This is great, but at times students feel that if they are liberal, they have to have only liberal views, and if they are conservative, they have to have only conservative views. This is not true. Become well-rounded and independent instead of blindly following a party. Stand for your own truths, and, even if they aren’t the same as his, you’ll still be standing with Rand.

Email opinions@kykernel.com.