Author Topic: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz  (Read 966 times)

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rangerrebew

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The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« on: January 22, 2016, 03:41:28 pm »
The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
By Philip Klein (@philipaklein) • 1/21/16 8:02 PM
 

As actual voters get ready to weigh in on the GOP presidential race, establishment Republicans are laying down a marker: Sen. Ted Cruz must be stopped at all costs, even if it means nominating Donald Trump.

It appears that these Republicans are so blinded by their personal hatred of Cruz that they've convinced themselves that the party would be better off choosing somebody who represents everything they claim to abhor. In making this calculation, they are exhibiting the same shortsightedness and lack of pragmatism that they claim to hate about Cruz.
 

Perhaps the most laughable part of the interview was Dole's statement of Cruz: "I question his allegiance to the party." And of Trump: "[H]e has toned down his rhetoric."

Dole is questioning the allegiance of Cruz, a lifelong Republican, yet gives a pass to Trump, who has attacked Ronald Reagan, donated to Democrats and flirted with running for president for the Reform Party in 2000. As for claiming that Trump has toned it down, when was the last time Dole watched a Trump speech or looked at his Twitter feed? (Disclosure: Trump accused the author of asking a "stupid, stupid question" for pressing him on his support for government seizures of private property to expand his casino empire.)

Following Dole's comments, a number of sitting U.S. Senators, led by Orrin Hatch, trashed Cruz to CNN. Hatch claimed that while Cruz would lose the nomination, "I've come around a little bit on Trump ... I'm not so sure we'd lose if he's our nominee because he's appealing to people who a lot of the Republican candidates have not appealed to in the past."

It seems that there are three basic questions raised by these establishment Republicans: 1.) Is Trump more electable than Cruz? 2.) With whom would you rather win? And 3.) With whom would you rather lose?

On the first question, there's no evidence to suggest that Trump would be more electable. In fact, a recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll found that Trump would lose to Hillary Clinton by 10 points in a hypothetical general election matchup, while Cruz would be within four points.
Also from the Washington Examiner
 

Furthermore, the poll found that 58 percent of the public has a negative view of Trump, compared with just 29 percent who have a positive view — making him the least popular of anybody polled. Even worse, Trump enjoys near universal name recognition, with just 1 percent of respondents saying they don't know him, meaning there is little room for him to substantially move public opinion. Though Cruz has a net negative rating of four points, 34 percent either don't know him yet or have a neutral view toward him.

The apparent hope of establishment Republicans is that Trump could bring in new working class voters to the GOP. But that's just a theory that isn't strongly supported by the evidence. And it's just as likely (if not more likely) that many conservatives would stay home rather than vote for Trump, who has a record of opposing private property rights and free trade, while supporting gun control, abortion, higher taxes and socialized medicine.

The second question is, with whom would it be better to win? In this case, there should be no question it would be Cruz. Though Cruz has spent his career in the Senate in the opposition, as president, he'd actually be in a position to enact laws. House Speaker Paul Ryan has argued in favor of a broad conservative policy agenda, and it's much closer to the general policy preferences of Cruz than to the bombastic boasts of Trump.

Though they may disagree on the art of the politically possible, ideologically, both Ryan and Cruz share a commitment to the "three-legged stool" vision of conservatism on economics, social issues and national security advanced by Ronald Reagan. Trump, on the other hand, has no ideological compass, and would be happy to embrace liberalism if it advanced him personally.

The final question is, who would it be better to lose with if neither of the candidates are able to beat Clinton? In this case, it also seems apparent that it should be Cruz. At least with Cruz, the party would still ideologically remain the party of Reagan. With Trump, it would devolve into a nativist party devoid of any sense of constitutional conservatism.
 
The establishment has spent a lot of time trying to argue that it's important for the GOP to woo Hispanics and women. Yet Trump is the candidate whose candidacy has been marked by talking about Mexican rapists and sexist attacks against women.

There is no good reason why those who want to win elections or advance conservative policy would prefer Trump. So, that leaves two possibilities.

One is that the establishment despises Cruz so deeply, that they'd rather blow an election with somebody who would detonate the Republican coalition and work against their stated policy goals. Or, alternatively, they've actually been lying about wanting to advance conservatism, and would prefer a Trump — somebody who is willing to cut deals with lobbyists, who wouldn't reform entitlements, who would protect subsidies and who would be willing to raise taxes. Neither possibility is particularly flattering.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/the-gop-establishment-is-blinded-by-their-hatred-of-ted-cruz/article/2581163
« Last Edit: January 22, 2016, 03:42:46 pm by rangerrebew »

Online Bigun

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2016, 03:48:15 pm »
I really don't think they hate Ted Cruz as much as they FEAR Ted Cruz!

He will rip their little playhouse asunder and they know it!
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

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Offline alicewonders

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2016, 04:27:43 pm »
Everyone is coming to the conclusion that Trump is going to win the nomination.

Don't tread on me.   8888madkitty

We told you Trump would win - bigly!

Online Right_in_Virginia

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2016, 04:33:59 pm »
I really don't think they hate Ted Cruz as much as they FEAR Ted Cruz!

He will rip their little playhouse asunder and they know it! 

LOL!  No, I doubt that.   ^-^

Offline Longiron

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2016, 04:35:18 pm »
Everyone is coming to the conclusion that Trump is going to win the nomination.

AGREE but still think that the best ticket is TRUMP / CRUZ and this battle will be forgotten. If not would like to see TRUMP/Carson or some other outsider. What will KILL TRUMP, IMO would be if he picks a RINO like Scott Brown. His supporters will RUN for the hills if he does that. He has to know that ?? :patriot:

Offline katzenjammer

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2016, 04:36:21 pm »
Everyone is coming to the conclusion that Trump is going to win the nomination.

Batten down the hatches!

Offline alicewonders

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2016, 05:17:35 pm »
AGREE but still think that the best ticket is TRUMP / CRUZ and this battle will be forgotten. If not would like to see TRUMP/Carson or some other outsider. What will KILL TRUMP, IMO would be if he picks a RINO like Scott Brown. His supporters will RUN for the hills if he does that. He has to know that ?? :patriot:

Agree Longiron.  A Trump/Cruz ticket would be great, don't know if that could happen now - but I remember Reagan/Bush.  Politics does make strange bedfellows!

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We told you Trump would win - bigly!

Offline Carling

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2016, 05:21:05 pm »
Everyone is coming to the conclusion that Trump is going to win the nomination.

I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I'm still holding out hope for Cruz, although Trump is my clear second choice.

If Trump becomes inevitable, I hope he makes the decision to offer Cruz the VP spot instead of Rubio, although I can see politically how Rubio would make more sense in terms of keeping things more "normal" in DC, which I think is a terrible idea but is probably more of a winning ticket.
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Offline libertybele

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2016, 05:23:29 pm »
AGREE but still think that the best ticket is TRUMP / CRUZ and this battle will be forgotten. If not would like to see TRUMP/Carson or some other outsider. What will KILL TRUMP, IMO would be if he picks a RINO like Scott Brown. His supporters will RUN for the hills if he does that. He has to know that ?? :patriot:

No what will kill Trump is if his followers wake up and realize that he is a liberal and part of the establishment crowd.
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Offline Carling

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2016, 05:25:53 pm »
No what will kill Trump is if his followers wake up and realize that he is a liberal and part of the establishment crowd.

That's going to have to happen in the primaries as others drop out, but where is Cruz going to get more voters?  Carson I suppose, and maybe whatever is left of Fiorina, but Rubio and Trump seem to have a path to the final two which is a bummer, because I can see how Rubio could win.

Trump has created a cult and looks more and more like Hitler every day.
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Offline libertybele

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2016, 05:26:09 pm »
I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I'm still holding out hope for Cruz, although Trump is my clear second choice.

If Trump becomes inevitable, I hope he makes the decision to offer Cruz the VP spot instead of Rubio, although I can see politically how Rubio would make more sense in terms of keeping things more "normal" in DC, which I think is a terrible idea but is probably more of a winning ticket.

Trump has no intention of offering the spot to Cruz (they GOPe won't allow it), nor does Trump intend to change things in Washington.  I think he will offer the slot to Jeb or one of his business cronies.
I Believe in the United States of America as a Government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign nation of many sovereign states; a perfect union one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.  I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it; to support its Constitution; to obey its laws to respect its flag; and to defend it against all enemies.

Offline Scottftlc

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #11 on: January 22, 2016, 05:37:58 pm »
Trump will either choose Rubio...or maybe more likely now, Kasich, as his VP. If Kasich has a boomlet and if the Florida poll numbers are accurate, then Rubio doesn't help as much as Kasich might.  I'm leaning right now toward Kasich being his choice...but three days ago I was leaning hard toward Rubio.

Where I think Trump may be making a bit of a mistake right now is tacking toward the general election two weeks too early.
« Last Edit: January 22, 2016, 05:38:41 pm by Scottftlc »
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Offline Longiron

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #12 on: January 22, 2016, 05:43:49 pm »
Trump will either choose Rubio...or maybe more likely now, Kasich, as his VP. If Kasich has a boomlet and if the Florida poll numbers are accurate, then Rubio doesn't help as much as Kasich might.  I'm leaning right now toward Kasich being his choice...but three days ago I was leaning hard toward Rubio.

Where I think Trump may be making a bit of a mistake right now is tacking toward the general election two weeks too early.

Any RINOGOPe as a VP will kill him **nononono*

Offline aligncare

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #13 on: January 22, 2016, 06:12:44 pm »
Trump has no intention of offering the spot to Cruz (they GOPe won't allow it), nor does Trump intend to change things in Washington.  I think he will offer the slot to Jeb or one of his business cronies.

Wow. You really are that jaded on Trump. After successfully branding Jeb Bush as 'low energy' and knocking him out of the race, you think a shrewd campaigner like Trump is going to choose a loser like Jeb? You got me shaking my head, liberty. A sharp political observer like you...

Offline Longiron

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #14 on: January 22, 2016, 09:48:42 pm »
Agree Longiron.  A Trump/Cruz ticket would be great, don't know if that could happen now - but I remember Reagan/Bush.  Politics does make strange bedfellows!

Little before my paying attention time but Reagan picked Bush to go  along with what is known today as the RINOGOPe.  Big Mistake. When Bush Sr  became POTUS on Reagan coatails that started the decline and that started the UNIPARTY we have today. Lost to Clinton for 8 years then W and Karl Rove and the boys with the compassionate Conservative BS which gave us Obama and the party of one. EXTREMELY important that TRUMP does not pick a RINO like Scott Brown as his VP  candidate. Another RINO VP and it starts all over again and A RINO VP will kill TRUMP IMO. Have to look beyond TRUMP because it will take 16 years to get rid of the RINOS. Hope TRUMP /CRUZ work out because it is just not CRUZ time yet, He is a young guy and needs some street smarts and work on becoming a little more likeable and learn to talk to people with them rather than at them or lecture them. CRUZ will make a good POTUS but needs a more experience and people skills. JMO :patriot:

Offline ABX

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #15 on: January 23, 2016, 12:55:31 am »

Offline libertybele

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #16 on: January 23, 2016, 01:13:28 am »


Exactly...and that is what's so troubling...so many just don't see him for who he really is.  This is reminiscent of months before the election of Obama ... I went into liberal minded forums (yes I did) ... and really tried (with links of his voting records) to show people who Obama really was and what he really stood for ... it all has come true.  Rather than look at his record they went by what he said; they were duped into his "Hope and Change" sales pitch.  I don't see Trump any differently ... he has a great sales pitch and will 'negotiate' with the left.  We already have a GOP majority that has sided with the left for years ... we don't need more of the same.
I Believe in the United States of America as a Government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign nation of many sovereign states; a perfect union one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.  I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it; to support its Constitution; to obey its laws to respect its flag; and to defend it against all enemies.

Offline libertybele

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #17 on: January 23, 2016, 01:23:53 am »
Wow. You really are that jaded on Trump. After successfully branding Jeb Bush as 'low energy' and knocking him out of the race, you think a shrewd campaigner like Trump is going to choose a loser like Jeb? You got me shaking my head, liberty. A sharp political observer like you...

Align ... I think you know that I honestly tried to accept Trump as a conservative candidate; there were times when I defended him when I thought he was being judged unfairly in here and I laid out positive attributes that I felt at the time he was bringing to the race.  I have always had some reservation about him and there is something about him that I just don't trust.  That's it in a nutshell.  I don't trust him.  I'm not going to go into my reasoning as I have done so a couple of times in other threads. I in no way mean this to be offensive against Trump supporters, but I have to go with my gut. 
I Believe in the United States of America as a Government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign nation of many sovereign states; a perfect union one and inseparable; established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.  I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it; to support its Constitution; to obey its laws to respect its flag; and to defend it against all enemies.

Offline Jazzhead

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #18 on: January 23, 2016, 02:13:15 am »
They are blinded by vengeance.  It belongs to them, so they think.  Cruz had the audacity to think the American public had a right to know they were being scammed, that sunshine on the lies of their leaders was a good thing, that voters were smart enough and responsible enough and ENTITLED enough to know the truth and judge from themselves.  The GOPe thought that power belong to them, in secrecy, and that anyone else from any other state throughout the country who was duly elected by the citizens of that state should not answer with truth to those citizens, but rather should OBEY THE GOPe power structure OR PAY AN EVERLASTING PENALTY of retribution.  Will they ever stop?  I doubt it.  We need to throw those bums out and elect Cruz.

If you want to elect Cruz,  then you have to take care of Trump.   Who you call the "Establishment" is really those of all stripes who see Trump and Cruz as picking between two guys who will lose in a landslide to Clinton.   Between those two,  I've made my choice.   Cruz is a flawed but quality conservative.   Trump is a unmoored, unprincipled, would-be Constitution-trashing strongman.  I'll take Cruz over Trump any day of the week.   
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Offline truth_seeker

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Re: The GOP establishment is blinded by their hatred of Ted Cruz
« Reply #19 on: January 23, 2016, 02:18:40 am »

People at large do NOT like Ted Cruz. Sorry to have to say this. But it is his own damn fault.

Just a few short weeks ago, the US Senate voted 98-2 for him to sit down and shut up.

You simply do not alienate your colleagues like he intentionally did and continues to do, and expect to be popular.

So he remains the epitome of "narrow but deep" and that is not a winning game plan.

Combine that with his unpopular positions on issues, and it doesn't take a genius to predict his demise, politically.



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