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General Category => Politics/Government => Topic started by: Formerly Once-Ler on February 22, 2014, 12:10:18 pm

Title: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Formerly Once-Ler on February 22, 2014, 12:10:18 pm
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/371610/cruz-aims-his-own-side-again-mona-charen

He may be doing more damage to the GOP than are the Democrats.
By Mona Charen

Senator Ted Cruz (R., Texas) may be the brightest light to adorn the Republican party in many years. He knows how to make the case for conservative ideas, pointing, for example, to the contrasting fates of Detroit and Houston to illustrate the superiority of conservative policies. So it’s particularly galling to see that rather than train his fire at Obama and the liberal machine that cocoons him, Cruz has become a one-man wrecking ball against Republicans. His most recent foray into sabotaging his colleagues concerned the debt-limit increase.

Because Speaker Boehner sent over a “clean” debt-limit bill, Republican senators had decided to let it pass with only Democratic votes. Republicans would not be endorsing the Democrats’ spending priorities, but neither would they be opening themselves to the accusation of flirting with national default. With Obama’s political fortunes sinking and several “red state” Democratic senators in jeopardy, Republicans have a good chance to retake the Senate in November — unless they fall into civil war.

Retaking the Senate won’t mean the repeal of Obamacare, but it will thwart the president in significant ways. A united Republican Congress can pass legislation forcing vetoes. Bills like those alleviating the effects of drought in California, endorsing fracking on federally owned land, permitting Americans to keep their doctors, opposing lifting sanctions on Iran, cutting the bloated budget, and other matters would land on Obama’s desk instead of moldering in Harry Reid’s bottom drawer. Presidential vetoes would underscore the extremism of the president and his party. A Republican Senate would also inhibit the president from appointing ultra-leftists (like Debo Adegbile) to administration posts requiring confirmation. Finally, should any member of the Supreme Court die or resign in the final two years of an Obama presidency, a Republican Senate would force the president to choose a somewhat less objectionable nominee.

The job of the Republican party until 2016 is to limit the damage that Obama can inflict on the nation and the world.

Senator Cruz objected to permitting the debt-ceiling vote with only Democratic votes. He demanded that the bill meet a 60-vote threshold (his right according to the rules). And so the Senate leadership, including Mitch McConnell, who is facing a primary challenger and a well-placed Democratic opponent, was forced to vote for the bill. Cruz then swanned over to the cameras to proclaim that some in Washington were “not listening to the people.”

This is not the first time Cruz has showboated at the expense of his party. In March, the president had proposed gun-control legislation. This put red-state Democrats in an awkward position. Cruz attempted to ride to the Democrats’ rescue by threatening to filibuster any gun-control measure. Wiser Republican heads prevailed, and the measure did come to the floor for a vote, where Democrats handed Obama and Reid a defeat.

Cruz claimed later that he had been vilified for “fighting on this.” No, he was criticized for trying to turn a winning hand into a losing one. A filibuster would have permitted Obama to thunder indignation about Republican obstructionism, while allowing Democrats to escape an uncomfortable vote.

Some grass-roots Republicans are highly receptive to the argument that only Republican leadership cowardice can explain the Obama phenomenon. Cruz croons the melody baldly. He told one gathering that his colleagues reproached him, saying, “I go home and constituents are yelling at me that I gotta stand on principle.” I’ll donate $1,000 to the Cruz for President committee if one senator ever said any such thing. Cruz continued: “‘Before you did this, the politics on this were all great. The Dems were the bad guys. The Republicans were the good guys. Now we all look like a bunch of squishes.’ Well there is an alternative. You could all just not be a bunch of squishes.”

Cruz stoked the shutdown fever, while his aide called other Republicans the “surrender caucus.” Cruz’s allies threatened to primary senators who objected. In the end, the shutdown cratered the Republican party’s popularity and forced them to accept the same deal they could have had in September. That the deal wasn’t worse is a tribute to the much-scorned Boehner and McConnell. If senators are going to face primaries for their votes, Cruz should be among them, because after fulminating for three weeks, he too voted to fund the government.

Senator Cruz has many gifts. He’s a skilled rhetorical marksman (if no tactician), but by firing at his own side, he may be doing more damage to the Republican party than any Democrat has done.

— Mona Charen is a nationally syndicated columnist. © 2014 Creators Syndicate, Inc.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: aligncare on February 22, 2014, 12:35:44 pm
Quote
So it’s particularly galling to see that rather than train his fire at Obama and the liberal machine that cocoons him, Cruz has become a one-man wrecking ball against Republicans. His most recent foray into sabotaging his colleagues concerned the debt-limit increase.

Again, this is where so many in the right wing media are wrong. We know the "liberal machine" protects Obama. When have they ever not been cheerleaders for lefties in Congress or in the White House?

What has been absent this time is pushback. No other in Republican leadership was making the case against a higher debt ceiling. The reason Cruz has so many supporters is because he seems to be the only one pushing back.

Americans, like many here, are tired of politics as usual. The good old boys gave us 100 trillion in unfunded liability and 17 trillion in debt last year. This year it will be higher. So, what part of "serious" and "economic collapse" do politicians not understand?
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Formerly Once-Ler on February 22, 2014, 12:42:33 pm
Americans, like many here, are tired of politics as usual. The good old boys gave us 100 trillion in unfunded liability and 17 trillion in debt last year. This year it will be higher. So, what part of "serious" and "economic collapse" do politicians not understand?

You sound like you need more rat representation to convince you.  I hope you don't get it.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Right_in_Virginia on February 22, 2014, 12:57:10 pm
Quote
The job of the Republican party until 2016 is to limit the damage that Obama can inflict on the nation and the world.

If this is their job, then Republicans have failed miserably.  And that, Mona, is why it is necessary to call out the members of the Republican party who are entrenched in the status quo or too frightened to stand in opposition to this Obama regime.

We live in a brave new political world and not the one you remember from your youth.  It's past time to snap out of it.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: massadvj on February 22, 2014, 01:33:21 pm
I think I would prefer being represented by Democrats who stab me in the front, as opposed to the GOPe which stabs me in the back.  At least with Democrats I know who and what I am dealing with, and can much more easily prepare myself for what they have in store.  Republicans talk the talk but in actuality support business as usual.  We would not have a $17 trillion deficit except that it was enabled by the GOP.  It may be inconvenient to point that out to folks during this GOP primary season, but I am afraid the very reason we hold primaries is to cleanse the party of impurities.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Formerly Once-Ler on February 22, 2014, 02:27:59 pm
I think I would prefer being represented by Democrats who stab me in the front, as opposed to the GOPe which stabs me in the back. 

real conservatives prefer rat.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: sinkspur on February 22, 2014, 03:13:46 pm
I think I would prefer being represented by Democrats who stab me in the front, as opposed to the GOPe which stabs me in the back.  At least with Democrats I know who and what I am dealing with, and can much more easily prepare myself for what they have in store.  Republicans talk the talk but in actuality support business as usual.  We would not have a $17 trillion deficit except that it was enabled by the GOP.  It may be inconvenient to point that out to folks during this GOP primary season, but I am afraid the very reason we hold primaries is to cleanse the party of impurities.

Replacing sewage with nuclear waste is not cleansing.  Have you really looked at some of these primary challengers? 

Again, Ted Cruz reminds me of an old uncle of mine who thought everybody else in the world was nuts but him.

Cruz looks around and has almost NO SUPPORT for his stridency in the Senate and he says that it's the 44 OTHER SENATORS who are out to lunch.

I had completely forgotten about his near screw-up of the Senate gun legislation last year. 
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: sinkspur on February 22, 2014, 03:16:34 pm
If this is their job, then Republicans have failed miserably.  And that, Mona, is why it is necessary to call out the members of the Republican party who are entrenched in the status quo or too frightened to stand in opposition to this Obama regime.

We live in a brave new political world and not the one you remember from your youth.  It's past time to snap out of it.

We do not live in a brave new world when it comes to the way politics works, and Cruz seems clueless to the fact that one-man crusades in Congress never succeed.

Persuasion is much more effective than confrontation.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Right_in_Virginia on February 22, 2014, 03:38:24 pm
We do not live in a brave new world when it comes to the way politics works...

Seriously?  When was the last time we had a blatant Marxist in the White House fundamentally changing America, a complete enabler "leading" the Senate and a cooperative media?

We are not living through "the way politics works".  We are living through a silent, unchecked coup against the American rule of law and our freedoms.  Yesterday's political strategies have not and cannot work against this.  We need more like Cruz.

Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: katzenjammer on February 22, 2014, 03:39:36 pm
I think I would prefer being represented by Democrats who stab me in the front, as opposed to the GOPe which stabs me in the back.  At least with Democrats I know who and what I am dealing with, and can much more easily prepare myself for what they have in store.  Republicans talk the talk but in actuality support business as usual.  We would not have a $17 trillion deficit except that it was enabled by the GOP.  It may be inconvenient to point that out to folks during this GOP primary season, but I am afraid the very reason we hold primaries is to cleanse the party of impurities.

 :thumbsup2:
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: katzenjammer on February 22, 2014, 03:40:16 pm
Seriously?  When was the last time we had a blatant Marxist in the White House fundamentally changing America, a complete enabler "leading" the Senate and a cooperative media?

We are not living through "the way politics works".  We are living through a silent, unchecked coup against the American rule of law and our freedoms.  Yesterday's political strategies have not and cannot work against this.  We need more like Cruz.

Spot ON!!
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: mystery-ak on February 22, 2014, 03:41:47 pm
Quote
Persuasion is much more effective than confrontation.

Yeah that has worked so well with the Repubs up until now....now we have a Marxist in the WH......it's time for confrontation!
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Right_in_Virginia on February 22, 2014, 03:44:53 pm
Spot ON!!

 :beer:
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: aligncare on February 22, 2014, 03:47:05 pm
Seriously?  When was the last time we had a blatant Marxist in the White House fundamentally changing America, a complete enabler "leading" the Senate and a cooperative media?

We are not living through "the way politics works".  We are living through a silent, unchecked coup against the American rule of law and our freedoms.  Yesterday's political strategies have not and cannot work against this.  We need more like Cruz.

Thank you for making that well considered point.

Just think about it. Obama tells Congress "I'm going to bypass you." And the sops fidget a little bit and then applaud!

No, these are different times. Rap's comparison of Cruz to Paul Revere should be becoming clearer to more of us.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: sinkspur on February 22, 2014, 03:52:10 pm
Seriously?  When was the last time we had a blatant Marxist in the White House fundamentally changing America, a complete enabler "leading" the Senate and a cooperative media?

We are not living through "the way politics works".  We are living through a silent, unchecked coup against the American rule of law and our freedoms.  Yesterday's political strategies have not and cannot work against this.  We need more like Cruz.

How are they working?  Cruz can't even persuade his own fellow Senators. Mike Lee and Rand Paul have stepped away from him.

Cruz doesn't think his strategies through.  He loves the huge flames his fires start, but never thinks about how burning something down accomplishes anything.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: sinkspur on February 22, 2014, 03:53:34 pm
Yeah that has worked so well with the Repubs up until now....now we have a Marxist in the WH......it's time for confrontation!

How's that workin'? 

What do you call a self-proclaimed leader whose followers barely fill a phone booth?
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: mystery-ak on February 22, 2014, 03:57:21 pm
How's that workin'? 

What do you call a self-proclaimed leader whose followers barely fill a phone booth?

You know that's not true....your hate for this man in unfathomable..you go from thread to thread just to bash this man...people are tired of it and so am I!
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Right_in_Virginia on February 22, 2014, 04:08:56 pm
How are they working?  Cruz can't even persuade his own fellow Senators. Mike Lee and Rand Paul have stepped away from him.

Cruz doesn't think his strategies through.  He loves the huge flames his fires start, but never thinks about how burning something down accomplishes anything.

**Yawn**  You're boring, sweetie.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: sinkspur on February 22, 2014, 04:19:23 pm
You know that's not true....your hate for this man in unfathomable..you go from thread to thread just to bash this man...people are tired of it and so am I!

You telling me to leave?   I thought this was a discussion forum.  I'm getting tired of posters on this website trashing other solid conservative politicians.  It works both ways.

I posted an article on Obamacare  last  night and not a single poster here commented on it.  But they're more than ready to defend Ted Cruz, as you are doing.

If people are tired of defending Cruz, then let them put me on ignore.

You mistake disagreement with tactics for hatred.  If that's hatred, then I'll stand with Krauthammer, Will, Sowell, Charen, Byron York and many others.


Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: katzenjammer on February 22, 2014, 04:22:49 pm
You know that's not true....your hate for this man in unfathomable..you go from thread to thread just to bash this man...people are tired of it and so am I!

I am more than "tired" of it, I find it nauseating quite frankly.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: mystery-ak on February 22, 2014, 04:37:13 pm
You telling me to leave?   I thought this was a discussion forum.  I'm getting tired of posters on this website trashing other solid conservative politicians.  It works both ways.

I posted an article on Obamacare  last  night and not a single poster here commented on it.  But they're more than ready to defend Ted Cruz, as you are doing.

If people are tired of defending Cruz, then let them put me on ignore.

You mistake disagreement with tactics for hatred.  If that's hatred, then I'll stand with Krauthammer, Will, Sowell, Charen, Byron York and many others.

I'm not telling you to leave..the need to defend Cruz comes from the constant bombarding of threads by you and several others here with the intention to belittle anyone here who likes Cruz...

I post dozens of articles everyday..there is no telling which one is going to attract interest...but I keep plugging away..
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: DCPatriot on February 22, 2014, 04:41:23 pm
Seriously?  When was the last time we had a blatant Marxist in the White House fundamentally changing America, a complete enabler "leading" the Senate and a cooperative media?

We are not living through "the way politics works".  We are living through a silent, unchecked coup against the American rule of law and our freedoms.  Yesterday's political strategies have not and cannot work against this.  We need more like Cruz.

Love ya!   :beer:
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: 240B on February 22, 2014, 05:49:13 pm
Sinkspur's response, as a spokeperson for the GOPe, to just about everything is, "Well what would YOU do!?"
 
and the only answer he will accept is: NOTHING! Not a thing. And anyone who tries to do something is a "criminal"! NOTHING, just let the politicians do whatever they want.
 
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: sinkspur on February 22, 2014, 06:02:34 pm
Sinkspur's response, as a spokeperson for the GOPe, to just about everything is, "Well what would YOU do!?"
 
and the only answer he will accept is: NOTHING! Not a thing. And anyone who tries to do something is a "criminal"! NOTHING, just let the politicians do whatever they want.
 
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING.

Congratulations.  It's early, but I confidently predict that you will win the "Dumbest Post of the Day" award.

You will win because your post is completely detached from reality.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: 240B on February 22, 2014, 06:16:27 pm
Congratulations.  It's early, but I confidently predict that you will win the "Dumbest Post of the Day" award.

You will win because your post is completely detached from reality.

 
I would rather be DUMB. I would rather live in my world than the one you have concocted and live in. If dumb is what I am , then dumb I shall be!
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Mod1 on February 22, 2014, 06:21:12 pm
Congratulations.  It's early, but I confidently predict that you will win the "Dumbest Post of the Day" award.

You will win because your post is completely detached from reality.

Ah, more personal attacks

see ya in a few days
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: sinkspur on February 22, 2014, 06:25:56 pm
Before you bump me, what do you call what 240B was engaged in?

And I did not attack the poster.  I attacked what he posted.  Whereas, he attacked me.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Fishrrman on February 23, 2014, 02:22:29 am
Sez Mona re Cruz:
[[ He may be doing more damage to the GOP than are the Democrats...]]

The Pubbie party has transmogrified into one of those Vietnamese villages back in the war days.

In order to save it, you had to destroy it first, or so they said.

If that's the case, Ted's right on target!
Fire away!
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Right_in_Virginia on February 23, 2014, 03:05:59 pm
Love ya!   :beer:

Thanks.   :seeya:
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: alicewonders on February 23, 2014, 03:39:01 pm
The enemy, as I see it, is progressivism.  The Democrat party is not alone in having progressives within their ranks.  A progressive wants bigger and more controlling government and there are many Republicans in our party that adhere to that philosophy.  Sooner or later, progressivism turns into totalitarianism, it's the natural flow. 

First, it starts with "good intentions" - we need a law to protect....we need to give money to help...etc.  Before you know it, we're all in straitjackets AND we're paying for it!

Progressivism is the enemy, and what many in the GOP refuse to face, is that the enemy is inside the gates. 

Ted Cruz and others are our last hope.  The man who enters the ring to fight the dragon - he has little chance to win, but he tries anyway.  That's courage - and that's statesmanlike behaviour.  That's leadership. 

Many of us are awake now and aware that the enemy is inside the gates, but many others still slumber with a "Do Not Disturb" sign on their door.  It's OK, go back to sleep - we'll wage the fight for you. 
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Oceander on February 23, 2014, 04:06:30 pm
And Cruz is being shot back at by his own side - continually.


Circle jerks and circular firing squads are not the way one runs an effective political party.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: katzenjammer on February 23, 2014, 05:39:19 pm
The enemy, as I see it, is progressivism.  The Democrat party is not alone in having progressives within their ranks.  A progressive wants bigger and more controlling government and there are many Republicans in our party that adhere to that philosophy.  Sooner or later, progressivism turns into totalitarianism, it's the natural flow. 

First, it starts with "good intentions" - we need a law to protect....we need to give money to help...etc.  Before you know it, we're all in straitjackets AND we're paying for it!

Progressivism is the enemy, and what many in the GOP refuse to face, is that the enemy is inside the gates. 

Ted Cruz and others are our last hope.  The man who enters the ring to fight the dragon - he has little chance to win, but he tries anyway.  That's courage - and that's statesmanlike behaviour.  That's leadership. 

Many of us are awake now and aware that the enemy is inside the gates, but many others still slumber with a "Do Not Disturb" sign on their door.  It's OK, go back to sleep - we'll wage the fight for you.

Brava!!  You've summed it up so well, and so succinctly!!

(http://visitorqueue.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/hat_tip.gif)
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: MBB1984 on February 23, 2014, 07:56:03 pm
I think I would prefer being represented by Democrats who stab me in the front, as opposed to the GOPe which stabs me in the back.  At least with Democrats I know who and what I am dealing with, and can much more easily prepare myself for what they have in store.  Republicans talk the talk but in actuality support business as usual.  We would not have a $17 trillion deficit except that it was enabled by the GOP.  It may be inconvenient to point that out to folks during this GOP primary season, but I am afraid the very reason we hold primaries is to cleanse the party of impurities.

Exactly!
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Formerly Once-Ler on February 23, 2014, 08:23:22 pm
Sinkspur's response, as a spokeperson for the GOPe, to just about everything is, "Well what would YOU do!?"
 
and the only answer he will accept is: NOTHING! Not a thing. And anyone who tries to do something is a "criminal"! NOTHING, just let the politicians do whatever they want.
 
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING,
NOTHING.

That is not the kind of nonsense we need around here.  Sinkspur's comments are very uncomfortable.  We need action.  We need to fight back.  Like Ted Cruz.  Like the patriots who are attacking the real enemies of America McConnell, Cornyn, Alexander, Graham, Boehner, Collins, Cochran, Roberts, Boehner, Sessions, Capato and the lesser known traitors to the CONSTITUTION.  We must fight like Jim DeMint, Matt Kibbe, and Matt Hoskins.  Sinkspur must be purged like the RINOs infecting the GOP, and now is the time for action.  Just as real conservatives are poised for historic gains through a concerted effort to get rid of the cancerous GOPe, this forum must stay with the zeitgeist.  Never has there been a better time to attack the GOPe, and their socialist infiltrators at GOPbriefingroom, when their strength is at it's lowest ebb and the Tea Party is surging.  Strike for our CONSTITUTIONAL FREEDOM and LIBERTY and shut him up.  If we get this forum down to a small core of united patriots, we'll be better armed to take on the 75% of America who are laughing at Ted Cruz, richly blessed among men.  Remember BENGAHZI!!!

I'll turn my snark off for a minute to say that from my perspective 240B's post looks like a personal attack to me but I don't have my conservative glasses on.  Does anyone else recognize it? 
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: mountaineer on February 24, 2014, 01:17:29 am
Enough, already. Sheesh.
Title: Re: Cruz Aims at His Own Side — Again
Post by: Bigun on February 24, 2014, 01:24:47 am
The enemy, as I see it, is progressivism.  The Democrat party is not alone in having progressives within their ranks.  A progressive wants bigger and more controlling government and there are many Republicans in our party that adhere to that philosophy.  Sooner or later, progressivism turns into totalitarianism, it's the natural flow. 

First, it starts with "good intentions" - we need a law to protect....we need to give money to help...etc.  Before you know it, we're all in straitjackets AND we're paying for it!

Progressivism is the enemy, and what many in the GOP refuse to face, is that the enemy is inside the gates. 

Ted Cruz and others are our last hope.  The man who enters the ring to fight the dragon - he has little chance to win, but he tries anyway.  That's courage - and that's statesmanlike behaviour.  That's leadership. 



Many of us are awake now and aware that the enemy is inside the gates, but many others still slumber with a "Do Not Disturb" sign on their door.  It's OK, go back to sleep - we'll wage the fight for you.

"Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions. There are men in all ages who mean to govern well, but they mean to govern. They promise to be good masters, but they mean to be masters."


Daniel Webster

Right on Mr. Webster!  Right on!