IMHO, Cruz has already trumped TRUMP and will continue to do so. He is Trump's biggest threat. We will soon find out on Feb. 1 if Cruz is a falling star as you say; he is doing very well in IA (he was ahead of Trump) and Cruz is polling in 3rd in New Hampshire. I believe Cruz will win the SC primary in addition to IA. Rubio is polling in 3rd place in Iowa and I just don't see him pulling ahead he's too far behind right now. He is also polling in 4th place in New Hampshire. By the poll numbers New Hampshire is Trump's. I don't see Rubio taking any of the upcoming primaries in February. The primary in Florida isn't held until March 15; one Rubio will have to take and he'll need some wins and make it all the way through Super Tuesday with winning enough delegates to keep him in the game. I just don't see it ... but polls have been wrong before.
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As stated earlier, the collective political memory of the average American is less than two months, more like two weeks, and then after that 'everything is better - love one another right now, uh huh.'
I personally have nothing against Cruz, Rubio, or Trump. Hell, I personally have nothing against Bill or Hillary Clinton, having not lost a son by their reckless political greed or having a daughter or wife raped by Bill.
Its P-O-L-I-T-C-S. American politics is at least as corrupt as any major world power, perhaps more so since it lying to us that it wants us to keep our civil liberties but we know for a fact that is doing everything in its power to take them away from us. We have to hold our noses now more than ever, ever, ever IF we go to the voting booth, and IF we have decided on our own who to vote for based on historical track records and NOT FOX NEWS HEADS paid to say what they say by Rupert Murdoch if they want to keep their jobs.
Yes, Rubio has gone to bed with the Democrats on amnesty. Yes, he tried his damnedest to outshine John McCain and become 'The Prince of Amnesty.' I know this, you know this, but the average Republican could give a rat's ass about any of it. Ditto common core, abortion, gay marriage and the whole progressive agenda the GOPe has now embraced. And if you don't believe the GOPe hasn't embraced those things (the same agendas as the Democrats have always embraced), then I can't help you on that.
It comes down to which of the least of the corrupted politicians do you want controlling your job, education, border, economy, society, what you see or hear or be able to respond to in public or on the internet, where you can go, how you can get there and whether or not you have the right to do or say anything about ... anything.
We are going into a police state right now as you read this. I know you probably won't believe this, but it makes no difference whether a republican or a democrat is elected, we ARE going into a police state. Our civil liberties are worth less than a dime compared to the personal liberties we had just ten years ago. This situation came about NOT just what the Democrats have done to our Constitution - THEY HAD TO HAVE THE HELP OF THE REPUBLICANS to get us where we are now.
IMO, and because the concept of a 'moral Conservative' is completely dead, having been murdered by progressive socialism WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, each and every moral platform (e.g., homosexuality, gay marriage, common core, abortion) are DEAD ISSUES - COMPLETELY DEAD ISSUES to the (now) majority of immoral American voters. This is NOT a moral nation. If you don't know this, again, you have not been paying attention or take two Quaaludes before breakfast and two before dinner.
Since MORALITY no longer is a factor in the MAJORITY of American voter's motivations on how they vote, running on morality is no longer a plus-plus, and is now a minus-minus for anyone running in American politics today. To run on those issues is the kiss of death now in this country and people just DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT.
Sure, there are gullible Christians (God bless their hearts) who still have faith in this current system and believe with their whole hearts that either Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio are saying is going to be enough to win them the majority - and the White House.
Do you watch TV? Do you go to the movies? Are you able to see that MORALITY is completely a NON-ISSUE in this country anymore and that running on moral issues is not going to win it any longer?
Gotta go for now.