U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., made little mention of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address in his response to that speech this week, instead laying out a slate of his own policy plans and calling for new leadership in what could be viewed as more posturing in preparation for a presidential run.

Paul touched on foreign and domestic policy in his speech, drawing specific attention to economic policy.

He spoke about his desire for a constitutional requirement for a balanced budget and concerns about the impact that debt might have on the country.

“I fear that this enormous burden of debt threatens our currency,” Paul said. “I fear that another 2008-style panic is possible, and I fear that this degree of debt is an imminent threat to our national security.”

He said Americans want a “bigger (economic) pie” that current policies aren’t producing rather than seeing what exists redistributed.

“Liberal elites fly over my small town, but they don’t understand us,” he said. “They simply seek to impose their will upon us – from what insurance we can buy, to what light bulbs we can use, to how we generate electricity.”

Paul continued his efforts to reach out to the black community during his speech, talking about trips he has made to areas such a Ferguson, Mo., Detroit, Atlanta and Chicago.

“I think peace will come when those of us who have enjoyed the American dream become aware of those who are missing out on the American dream,” he said. “The future of our country will be secure when we break down the wall that separates us from ‘the other America.’ ”

Paul said American foreign policy has been over-militarized.

“We are foolish to believe we will solve this puzzle,” he said of the situation in the Middle East. “We must defend ourselves and defend vital American interests, but we must not be deluded into believing that we can remake the Middle East in an image of Western democracy.”

In the speech, Paul also took aim at potential presidential rival Hillary Clinton, once again raising the issue of conflict in Libya that included an attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi and the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three of his colleagues.

“Hillary’s war in Libya is a prime example of acting without thinking,” he said. “Libya is now a jihadist wonderland. Jihadists swim in our embassy pool. Our ambassador is dead, and we are now more at risk from terrorist attacks than ever before.”

Paul also poked fun at potential presidential rivals in his own party on Twitter this week as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney took part in a meeting Thursday.

“Word is there will be a gift exchange between Jeb Bush and Mitt Romney at their meeting today in Utah,” Paul tweeted. 

He followed up with images of those imagined gifts including a charm bracelet with a note reading “Dear Mitt, 3rd time’s a charm,” from Bush to Romney and a Common Core friendship bracelet from Romney to Bush in a nod to Bush’s support for Common Core educational standards. 

— Follow government beat writer Katie Brandenburg on Twitter at twitter.com/BGDNgovtbeat or visit bgdailynews.com.