CONSERVATIVES BATTLE OVER TED CRUZ’S ELECTABILITY

[sinkspur]

I don't like the term *newbie*..I HATED it at TOS too!

I don't care if you have 2 posts or 220k...your opinions matter here and there is no hierarchy here.

You like that goofy term?  I thought you asked posters to refrain from such foolishness.

What if I started using "tea bagger"?  Not acceptable, I'm sure. But this bastardized slam against "Rhinos" is OK with you.

[Bigun]

“we already tried a first-term senator”

Like it or not, this will be the knock on Cruz in the GOP primaries. Cruz has no organization, no prominent backers, and his support among his colleagues will be minimal (he's pissed off every Senator but Paul and Lee).

Ted Cruz will be polling exactly where he's polling right now at this time next year and will have conceded the primaries.

Almost word for word what you said when he began his run for Senator here in Texas.

[mystery-ak]

“we already tried a first-term senator”

Like it or not, this will be the knock on Cruz in the GOP primaries. Cruz has no organization, no prominent backers, and his support among his colleagues will be minimal (he's pissed off every Senator but Paul and Lee).

Ted Cruz will be polling exactly where he's polling right now at this time next year and will have conceded the primaries.

Well, maybe Cruz's only objective is to bring conservative ideas to the fore front and make the other candidates discuss them...

btw I think he is running for VP not the presidency..

[sinkspur]

Almost word for word what you said when he began his run for Senator here in Texas.

I'll break my "ignore" of you to tell everyone else that this is a big fat lie. You make crap up and get away with it because nobody knows any better.

I know better and you're not getting away with it.

Back on ignore.

[Bigun]

I'll break my "ignore" of you to tell everyone else that this is a big fat lie. You make crap up and get away with it because nobody knows any better.

I know better and you're not getting away with it.

Back on ignore.

LOL! Whatever you say Sink! I'm not about to go back and dig up the posts but I'm very sure I'm not the only one who will recollect the gist of them!

[Cyber Liberty]

Well, maybe Cruz's only objective is to bring conservative ideas to the fore front and make the other candidates discuss them...

btw I think he is running for VP not the presidency..

I'm for that.  We've had candidates before who ran just to get their viewpoints discussed, like Newt, and having Cruz in the race will get people talking about conservative topics.

[Cyber Liberty]

You like that goofy term?  I thought you asked posters to refrain from such foolishness.

What if I started using "tea bagger"?  Not acceptable, I'm sure. But this bastardized slam against "Rhinos" is OK with you.

I read her post to mean she doesn't like any of the goofy terms.   I really hate the "tea bagger" one though, because it's an inside joke to the lavender mafia.

[Longiron]

He could become one but he will have to go from red meat rhetoric to serious and realistic solutions and defend his lack of experience against all the governors in the race.

What is the red meat rhetoric ? What are the realistic solutions? lack of experience of all the Governors in the race. ???? how many Govs argued before the SCOTUS and WON. Barry had experience as a community race hustler like the REVs Al & Jesse and that is working well?? Lot of ATTACKS and will be interested in the solutions ???

[Longiron]

I suspect that you and a great many others are going to find out just how serious a candidate Cruz is over the next year or so.

I saw him go from a 2% name idea candidate to a U.S. Senator from Texas in short order and I will NOT be taking him lightly.

That is going to be the fun part Bigun watching the RINOGOP groupies and LIBS head explode with TC. Please RINOS and LIBS take him lightly, please!!!!! By the way within 36 hours after announcing the raised 1 Million on his website. Not bad for a non serious, 2 nd tier and NOT a Governor candidate who cannot win. The biggest problem TC will have is the FIXED R Primary by the establishment RINOGOP. Remember MS and JEB is counting on that to win.

[Cyber Liberty]

What is the red meat rhetoric ? What are the realistic solutions? lack of experience of all the Governors in the race. ???? how many Govs argued before the SCOTUS and WON. Barry had experience as a community race hustler like the REVs Al & Jesse and that is working well?? Lot of ATTACKS and will be interested in the solutions ???

One of the "realistic solutions" I heard him floating in the last day or so is "means testing" Social Security.  I think he should go back to "red meat" because he's steering right into wealth redistribution on his first full day as a candidate.

Link from Breitbart.  http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/03/23/cruz-im-emphatic-balanced-budget-supporter-want-means-tested-social-security/

[MACVSOG68]

Totally agree, Mike!  It's the same reason I want to see Carly Fiorina on that stage so that she can go after Hillary without being called 'sexist'.  And Dr. Carson without being called 'racist'.

Glad you've returned, MAC!   

Thanks my friend.  I also would like to see Carly and Carson in the race.  Carly, with her leadership and business experience shouldn't be ignored.  Like Cruz, they're probably not yet seriously in the top tier, but can bring a lot to the debates.

 

[MACVSOG68]

Cruz is definitely not to be taken lightly.  He has quite a grassroots momentum going already and received over $500,000 in donations in less than a day after he announced he was running.  That was without him even asking for donations.  Since them I have been contacted by several organizations to donate and support him.  Keeping in mind that he was the domestic policy advisor to George W. Bush on the 2000 Bush-Cheney campaign, I would guess that he's been planning and organizing for quite sometime, especially since he didn't even bother to form an exploratory committee.

What's going to be interesting is Ron Paul has thrown his support to Cruz in the past.  With Rand running, Cruz needs to be careful not to step on those toes.  Perhaps Paul and Cruz will eventually join forces.

He'll also be running against another Texan who has far more leadership experience.

[Carling]

LOL! Whatever you say Sink! I'm not about to go back and dig up the posts but I'm very sure I'm not the only one who will recollect the gist of them!

You made a claim about something sinkspur said, as you remember it.  An honorable poster would provide evidence to support his/her attack of a fellow poster.  At this point, it appears that you lied in order to smear sinkspur, since you won't back it up with proof.

[Cyber Liberty]

He'll also be running against another Texan who has far more leadership experience.

We have a bunch of good candidates running this time, with nobody claiming it's "his turn."  We're in for some good discussion, let's see if they can do it without destroying each other in the process.  You have to know the MSM is going to be goading them into the destructive path the entire time.

I can see Perry, Cruz, Walker among those who will keep the flamethrower put away for the Primaries.  I can also see Christie and Bush blasting anybody who gets in their way, like Romney did.

[Carling]

That is going to be the fun part Bigun watching the RINOGOP groupies and LIBS head explode with TC. Please RINOS and LIBS take him lightly, please!!!!! By the way within 36 hours after announcing the raised 1 Million on his website. Not bad for a non serious, 2 nd tier and NOT a Governor candidate who cannot win. The biggest problem TC will have is the FIXED R Primary by the establishment RINOGOP. Remember MS and JEB is counting on that to win.

The type of trolling garbage belongs on DU or Fresno.com.

[Longiron]

One of the "realistic solutions" I heard him floating in the last day or so is "means testing" Social Security.  I think he should go back to "red meat" because he's steering right into wealth redistribution on his first full day as a candidate.

Link from Breitbart.  http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/03/23/cruz-im-emphatic-balanced-budget-supporter-want-means-tested-social-security/

"Cruz expressed support for means testing Social Security and raising the retirement age, but he clarified that he was talking about future generations and that “any Social Security reform that you do, for those people who are seniors, for those people who are near retirement, we need to honor the commitments we’ve made to them.”

"Cruz later stated that he believed he could accomplish a balanced budget without tax increases, and that while he supports the Fair Tax, achieving one would take time and that he supports a flat tax as a middle ground."

When was the last time anyone said anything about SS other than they are going broke and the only way to fix it was a tax increase??? It has been quite because BARRY WANTS amnesty and the RINOGOP also wants unconditional amnesty. SS has not been the news recently since the CRomnibus Bill was passed in late  Dec 2014 which gives SS to illegal Aliens and also gave money (4M) to DOJ to process applications and gave Millions in education and grants to illegal aliens for education and training to take American workers jobs. Everything quite on SS. Now raising the retirement age is not all that radical for future generations. Also he said that would not effect people currently on SS or near retirement. That is a solution that is NOT a tax increase and a SOLUTION, something we do not hear much of from politicians or talk show hosts that do not involve a tax increase. The particular's will follow when he is elected POTUS.

[Longiron]

The type of trolling garbage belongs on DU or Fresno.com.

Please tell all of us where it wrong about CRUZ???

[DCPatriot]

Please tell all of us where it wrong about CRUZ???

You've kind of stepped in 'it', because we've just gone through a somewhat necessary and tedious discussion (I'll look for the thread link for you) regarding just who the "Republican-in-name-only" may actually be.

HINT:  It ain't the establishment GOP...or so-called 'moderate' republicans.

Here you go...enjoy!  http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,165147.0.html

[truth_seeker]

Well, maybe Cruz's only objective is to bring conservative ideas to the fore front and make the other candidates discuss them...

btw I think he is running for VP not the presidency..

Conservative ideas like signing up for Obamacare, because his Goldman Sachs wife lost her posh insurance? Means testing Social Security?

I think Cruz was far more attractive making speeches about abstract "principles" than he will be having to take positions on real world issues.

[DCPatriot]

Conservative ideas like signing up for Obamacare, because his Goldman Sachs wife lost her posh insurance? Means testing Social Security?

I think Cruz was far more attractive making speeches about abstract "principles" than he will be having to take positions on real world issues.

A little more than surprised at you, my friend.

Seems obvious...at least to me...that Cruz was merely showing that he will abide by every written law in the USA.  Unlike our current occupier in the Oval Office. 

I thought it was a stroke of genius, showing he would 'suffer' like the American People under this nightmare called Obamacare WITHOUT COMPLAINT.

Can't freaking wait until Ted Cruz is on that stage with all the other wannabes.

That said, I too believe he is running for VP.

[MACVSOG68]

What is the red meat rhetoric ? What are the realistic solutions? lack of experience of all the Governors in the race. ???? how many Govs argued before the SCOTUS and WON. Barry had experience as a community race hustler like the REVs Al & Jesse and that is working well?? Lot of ATTACKS and will be interested in the solutions ???

Referring to Obama makes my point.  Barry taught constitutional law (allegedly); Cruz won and lost cases before SCOTUS.  Neither involved the leadership experience of a governor.

Red Meat?  He spoke at Liberty U, and gave them what they wanted as his religious theme, his IRS abolishment, filling out a tax return on a post card, getting rid of common core, repealing Obamacare, reclaiming the Constitution, and a few more.  It doesn't matter if we like his rhetoric or not.  It is red meat to groups such as that.  When he confronts different audiences, we will see if he modifies his approach to these issues.  He has positioned himself to receive a lot of attacks from his competition.  Time will tell if he can turn some of these issues into realistic policy.

But I welcome his entry into the fray.  He will make it spirited.

[MACVSOG68]

We have a bunch of good candidates running this time, with nobody claiming it's "his turn."  We're in for some good discussion, let's see if they can do it without destroying each other in the process.  You have to know the MSM is going to be goading them into the destructive path the entire time.

I can see Perry, Cruz, Walker among those who will keep the flamethrower put away for the Primaries.  I can also see Christie and Bush blasting anybody who gets in their way, like Romney did.

I agree with you, but with the stakes I don't know how long the flamethrowers will be put away.  Paul has already been at it, and as the interviews start asking what you bring that so and so doesn't, well...it will be interesting.

[Cyber Liberty]

I agree with you, but with the stakes I don't know how long the flamethrowers will be put away.  Paul has already been at it, and as the interviews start asking what you bring that so and so doesn't, well...it will be interesting.

Drawing comparisons with other candidates isn't necessarily "flaming," but it can sure get that way.  Usually the dead giveaway is when a pol starts using the language of the left in denouncing their opponent.  That I cannot abide, and Paul hasn't crossed that line just yet.  But I'll be watching....

[Cyber Liberty]

"Cruz expressed support for means testing Social Security and raising the retirement age, but he clarified that he was talking about future generations and that “any Social Security reform that you do, for those people who are seniors, for those people who are near retirement, we need to honor the commitments we’ve made to them.”

"Cruz later stated that he believed he could accomplish a balanced budget without tax increases, and that while he supports the Fair Tax, achieving one would take time and that he supports a flat tax as a middle ground."

When was the last time anyone said anything about SS other than they are going broke and the only way to fix it was a tax increase??? It has been quite because BARRY WANTS amnesty and the RINOGOP also wants unconditional amnesty. SS has not been the news recently since the CRomnibus Bill was passed in late  Dec 2014 which gives SS to illegal Aliens and also gave money (4M) to DOJ to process applications and gave Millions in education and grants to illegal aliens for education and training to take American workers jobs. Everything quite on SS. Now raising the retirement age is not all that radical for future generations. Also he said that would not effect people currently on SS or near retirement. That is a solution that is NOT a tax increase and a SOLUTION, something we do not hear much of from politicians or talk show hosts that do not involve a tax increase. The particular's will follow when he is elected POTUS.

Here are the weasel words in that quote:  "any Social Security reform that you do, for those people who are seniors, for those people who are near retirement, we need to honor the commitments we’ve made to them." 

Look closely at the words I underlined.  Where do you suppose that line might be, exactly?  I don't know, but anywhere after age 18 people are going to be screwed over, and the closer to MRA they are, the less likely they'll be able to "adjust their lifestyle," as a poster put it so eloquently upthread, in time to stay out of poverty in their golden years.  The older the citizen, the more stationary the target.

[MACVSOG68]

Drawing comparisons with other candidates isn't necessarily "flaming," but it can sure get that way.  Usually the dead giveaway is when a pol starts using the language of the left in denouncing their opponent.  That I cannot abide, and Paul hasn't crossed that line just yet.  But I'll be watching....

Indeed...it's called the circular firing squad, which was quite active in the 2012 GOP never-ending campaign debates.  Soon to be at a theater near you.