Ted Cruz Is Winning

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 Ted Cruz Is Winning

Like it or not, it's his party now


by David Harsanyi


These days, it’s popular to claim that Senator Ted Cruz is only looking out for himself. And this is undoubtedly true. Much in the same way John McCain is only looking out for himself and Chuck Schumer is only looking out for himself, and every millionaire Senator looking to hold on to his or her seat in perpetuity is looking out for #1. Cruz just happens to be better at it.

Take the kerfuffle over the debt-ceiling vote. When Mitch McConnell met with Senate Republicans colleagues this week, he proposed that they allow a vote on the House debt limit bill without GOP objection, a tacit surrender that would allow passage with a simple 51-vote majority. The 55 Senate Democrats, who would rather see the government shut down than concede to compromise, would win and then save the GOP from the inevitable political blowback that accompanies capitulation. (Now, if only the Republicans deployed the same level of creativity in their battles as they do in their surrenders, victory would be theirs!)

Rather than allow this expedient maneuver to place, Cruz demanded the Senate reach a 60-vote threshold, forcing five Republicans to join Democrats in the hike. This, predictably, infuriated the GOP establishment. McCain accused Cruz of instigating “needless drama that helps to explain why Republicans remain a minority.”

more: thefederalist.com/2014/02/14/ted-cruz-is-winning/

Not sure that I "buy" that Cruz is winning - but he is far from finished IMO. The left and the MSM believe they have destroyed him, with the help of the GOP establishment and have moved on to seeking to destroy Christie. Their mistake IMO - he was down but not out. IMO he's smarter, and tougher, than Christie. My guess is that neither one of them will be the GOP candidate. But so long as the left and media keeps focusing on them it helps Rand Paul, Marco Rubio and whoever is waiting in the wings. JMO.

[zfran]

I still like Cruz. I like that he is so outspoken and was willing to take chances at his own peril. The dems will get back to him (and anyone else who shows their heads and spirit) simply because he is listened to and he is not one of them. I'd be careful, though. I think he's got the answers on how to sway and swerve and it's called the truth. I am really waiting for someone, anyone, to come along and really be truthful about what is going on in this country.

[Deleted]

Feb 17, 2014 8:58:11 GMT -8 zfran said:

I still like Cruz. I like that he is so outspoken and was willing to take chances at his own peril. The dems will get back to him (and anyone else who shows their heads and spirit) simply because he is listened to and he is not one of them. I'd be careful, though. I think he's got the answers on how to sway and swerve and it's called the truth. I am really waiting for someone, anyone, to come along and really be truthful about what is going on in this country.

The more the media, the left, and establishment GOP types vilifies Ted Cruz the more I think he must be the real deal. I have more respect for Ted Cruz, Mike Lee and Trey Gowdy than all the other politicians put together.

[zfran]

I'm with you there. It's about courage now and who is willing to show some.

[Deleted]

Here is an insightful article by Thomas Sowell. He always makes me think and he made me do some deep thinking about Ted Cruz. I hope I am not "wanting" him to be something so much that I am ignoring his faults - and he has plenty.

Cruz Control?

by Thomas Sowell

Freshman Senator Ted Cruz says many things that need to be said and says them well. Moreover, some of these things are what many, if not most, Americans believe wholeheartedly. Yet we need to remember that the same was true of another freshman Senator, just a relatively few years ago, who parlayed his ability to say things that resonated with the voters into two terms in the White House. Who would disagree that if you want your doctor, you should be able to keep your doctor? Who would disagree with the idea of a more transparent administration in Washington, or a President of the United States being a uniter instead of a divider?

There are many things like this that freshman Senator Barack Obama said that the overwhelming majority of Americans -- whether liberal or conservative -- would agree with. The only problem is that what he has actually done as President has repeatedly turned out to be the direct opposite of what he said as a candidate.

Senator Ted Cruz has not yet reached the point where he can make policy, rather than just make political trouble. But there are already disquieting signs that he is looking out for Ted Cruz -- even if that sets back the causes he claims to be serving.

Those causes are not being served when Senator Cruz undermines the election chances of the only political party that has any chance of undoing the disasters that Barack Obama has already inflicted on the nation -- and forestalling new disasters that are visible on the horizon.

ObamaCare is not just an issue about money or even an issue about something as important as medical care. ObamaCare represents a quantum leap in the power of the federal government over the private lives of individual Americans.

Chief Justice Roberts' decision declaring ObamaCare constitutional essentially repeals the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution, which declares that powers not given to the federal government belong to the states "or to the people."

more: townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2014/02/19/cruz-control-n1796356

I am a fan of Ted Cruz but confess that the concerns Dr. Sowell raises are valid. He needs to show that he can do more than make trouble. Just because the left, the media and the Republican establishment dislike, nay hate, him doesn't make him all that we want him to be. Just as all Obama bullshit didn't make him the man he claimed to be. We must needs wait and see. If Cruz does not show some signs of wanting to pull the party together instead we need to be wary. If he just wants to "shake" it up, that's a good thing and something I want to see.

[zfran]

Sen. OBAMA in 2008 seemed fresh and new and compared to (older) Hillary and certainly much older McCain, HE was the clear choice to be elected. Obviously, the press had a lot to do with that election or annoitment, but after 8 years of Bush, there wasn't any way place or forum for a republican president, nevertheless a John McCain. BARACK's entourage decided they were going to get Sarah Palin, and they did. OBAMA was, to many, charismatic and young and hip and the women saw HIM as one thing and the youngins' as something else. There was no way HE wasn't going to get elected.

In 2012, HIS entourage once again painted Mitt Romney as an old white rich guy who didn't care about them. Not only did HE manage to convince many of this, we saw with our own eyes the laws of voting being stepped on with polling places having great billboard sized posters of OBAMA and we heard of great cheating at the polls, such as Ohio where people were voting more than once.

Ted Cruz was elected by Texas on behalf of the agenda of the tea party and I believe he lives his role. He wasn't sent there to make friends, but to influence people. His stance on OBAMAcare and takeover of filibustering on this subject was not looked on well, however, everything he said about this law came true. How is that not a justification of what he was sent to the senate to accomplish. He is outspoken, not well liked apparently by both sides. Isn't that what we, here, always write about......how to change the climate in washington. How we are looking for more honesty where being popular doesn't matter? I guess going too far may become an option, but I believe he is doing the job he was sent there to do. If people don't like him, I believe it's because he is but one senator actually doing his job, regardless of his popularity. Rand Paul is similar, except he goes at it differently and tries to fit in.

[Deleted]

I agree with you about the fact, and it's a fact, that Ted Cruz was elected mostly by the Tea Party and is doing what many of them want him to do.

Here's Thomas Sowell's insightful second part to his article "Cruz Control".

Cruz Control? Part II

by Thomas Sowell

Senator Ted Cruz is a hero in some Republican circles -- and the opposite among many of his Senate Republican colleagues.

At this crucial juncture in the history of America, internal battles within the only party that can turn things around are the last thing Americans need. Moreover, each side in this political civil war has all too many valid criticisms of the other.

The Republican establishment's criticisms of Senator Cruz are criticisms of his rule-or-ruin strategy, which can destroy whatever chance Republicans have of taking back the Senate in 2014 and taking back the White House in 2016. And, without political power, there is no real hope of changing things in Washington.

Senator Cruz's filibuster last year got the Republicans blamed for shutting down the government -- and his threatened filibuster this year forced several Republican Senators to jeopardize their own reelection prospects by voting to impose cloture, to prevent Cruz from repeating his self-serving grandstand play of last year. The Republicans need every vote they can get in the Senate -- plus additional votes by defeating some Democrats who are running for the Senate this fall. It can be a very close call. Jeopardizing the reelection of current Republican Senators is an act of utter irresponsibility, a high risk with zero benefits to anyone except Ted Cruz -- and the Democrats.

However unjustified Senator Cruz's actions, the very fact that a freshman Senator can so quickly gain so many supporters, with so much enthusiasm, ought to be a loud warning to the Republican establishment that they have long been a huge disappointment to a wide range of Republican voters and supporters.

more: townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/2014/02/20/cruz-control-part-ii-n1797400/page/full

Although I agree with much of what Ted Cruz says I thought his idea of staging another filibuster was foolish and wrong. I think that Ted Cruz can become of benefit to the Republicans if he channels himself back and tad and tries to work with others.

Note that those who should be his natural allies, Rand Paul, Mike Lee and Marco Rubio have sought to distance themselves from him. I don't blame them. His all or nothing at all tactic benefits no one, not even him, except the Dems.

Ted Cruz can be and do better. I still like him - but agree with much the Dr. Sowell says about him. We'll see if Ted Cruz can grow and learn. He's smart enough - but is his ego to big to allow that to happen? Because one thing you can count on with ANY politician is an over-sized ego.

[zfran]

To me, Rand Paul, Mike Lee and Marco Rubio (and especially Rubio) have sought to distance themselves from Cruz, imo, is because Cruz is taking all the light from them. Rubio, whenever I listen to him, is himself, indistinguishable and not the brightest bulb. Rand Paul is strong and has to distinguish himself because he wants to run for president. But, on issues they all agree upon, they should have all gotten together, taken a specific message and stuck together to get that message out there. In the end, Cruz was absolutely correct about OBAMAcare, even if you disagree with the road he took. That, to me, is the message that is lost in all of this. There is also safety in numbers. If the dems don't let issues and bills come forward and/or pass in the senate specifically because they were republican ideas (because how can a dem not get credit for good ideas and never let a republican get any credit, which is the way it seems to be), then those republicans who are nearer in thinking to each other, i.e., Cruz, Paul, Lee and Rubio, then why is each seemingly working alone? Could a Rubio withstand all the scrutiny Cruz is getting? I don't believe so. Rand Paul takes his own approach to single himself out. If Cruz is the one being taken on all the time by the left, then who is really winning the battle here. I say it's Cruz.....the left is afraid of him. That doesn't mean he'll run for prez and win, it just means that the left doesn't want anyone to listen to Cruz because he is the anti-left and the left doesn't want anyone to really wake up in America. What a greater benefit it would have if these like senators actually got together to put forth a great message. Egos, probably, get in the way!!!

[Deleted]

Feb 20, 2014 6:46:34 GMT -8 zfran said:

To me, Rand Paul, Mike Lee and Marco Rubio (and especially Rubio) have sought to distance themselves from Cruz, imo, is because Cruz is taking all the light from them. Rubio, whenever I listen to him, is himself, indistinguishable and not the brightest bulb. Rand Paul is strong and has to distinguish himself because he wants to run for president. But, on issues they all agree upon, they should have all gotten together, taken a specific message and stuck together to get that message out there. In the end, Cruz was absolutely correct about OBAMAcare, even if you disagree with the road he took. That, to me, is the message that is lost in all of this. There is also safety in numbers. If the dems don't let issues and bills come forward and/or pass in the senate specifically because they were republican ideas (because how can a dem not get credit for good ideas and never let a republican get any credit, which is the way it seems to be), then those republicans who are nearer in thinking to each other, i.e., Cruz, Paul, Lee and Rubio, then why is each seemingly working alone? Could a Rubio withstand all the scrutiny Cruz is getting? I don't believe so. Rand Paul takes his own approach to single himself out. If Cruz is the one being taken on all the time by the left, then who is really winning the battle here. I say it's Cruz.....the left is afraid of him. That doesn't mean he'll run for prez and win, it just means that the left doesn't want anyone to listen to Cruz because he is the anti-left and the left doesn't want anyone to really wake up in America. What a greater benefit it would have if these like senators actually got together to put forth a great message. Egos, probably, get in the way!!!

Rubio lost much of his momentum with the right when he became part and parcel of the "immigration reform" gang of eight. IMO he will never recover from that. On the other hand Cruz lost a lot of his momentum, and many of his more thoughtful followers when he took most of the blame, unfairly, for the shut down of the government.

IMO, for whatever it's worth, both need to play politics "smarter". And both are definitely "smart" enough to do so. Right now Rand Paul and Mike Lee are playing politics smarter than Cruz and Rubio, again JMO.

And isn't it funny that Mike Lee is right in the middle of things and yet no one ever seems to talk about him as presidential material? Why is that?

[zfran]

Maybe Mike Lee is part of the 'walk softly but carry a big stick' group. He's sort of immersed himself into the middle. Who knows where he'll end up.