David Brooks: The Brutalism of Ted Cruz

[Machiavelli]

David Brooks
The New York Times
January 12, 2016

... Traditionally, candidates who have attracted strong evangelical support have in part emphasized the need to lend a helping hand to the economically stressed and the least fortunate among us. Such candidates include George W. Bush, Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum.

But Cruz's speeches are marked by what you might call pagan brutalism. There is not a hint of compassion, gentleness and mercy. Instead, his speeches are marked by a long list of enemies, and vows to crush, shred, destroy, bomb them. When he is speaking in a church the contrast between the setting and the emotional tone he sets is jarring.

Cruz lays down an atmosphere of apocalyptic fear. America is heading off "the cliff to oblivion." ...

Full article

[truth_seeker]

In before somebody criticizes the author, instead of discussing the substance of the article.

[GAJohnnie]

Of course you are because of course we should always conced to argue on the base of a Leftist's faultiy premise rather then rationally discuss why their argument is a total fraud.

And then you GOPe types wonder why you lose ever single argument.  Just because some one writes something does not mean their argueemnt is based on rationally sound points.

Truth is often "Brutal" to those who helped create a mess. Christ words would be seen as  "brutal" to those, like Brooks, who chose evil over truth..

For example

"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.

[Machiavelli]

In before somebody criticizes the author, instead of discussing the substance of the article.

I know what you mean. Brooks may not be everyone's type of conservative, but I found the article to be interesting nonetheless.

[Machiavelli]

To be honest, I'm not a fan of Brooks, but I don't have to like or agree with people in order to post their material.

[Machiavelli]

GOPe

I know that many folks on our side want to destroy the Republican Party. I wonder what they plan to replace it with.

[jmyrlefuller]

Brutalism, a philosophy that eschews the aesthetic form for brute function. It's not a bad analogy—the end result is ugly, but effective.

As for the rest of the column... it strikes me as the typical establishment belief that "everything is awesome" that has Cruz's supporters so frustrated, and the fact that it's the New York Times means this is going to fall on largely deaf ears. Those who hate Cruz will echo it, and those who support him will attack it. This wholescale dismissal of people's frustration is exactly why Cruz has developed a following, and sadly, it's the same vein that Donald Trump has been able to blatantly exploit.