We're desperately short of statesmen.
TED CRUZ IS A STATESMAN!
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Posted on 08/08/2013 11:53:13 AM PDT by celmak
If an immigration amnesty bill passes in this Congress-and there’s a definite chance it will–I know whom I’ll blame: Senator Ted Cruz. This might seem odd, since Cruz opposes amnesty. It’s not. Cruz was the national politician best positioned to stop the bipartisan, MSM-backed push for “legalization first.’ He not only failed to rise to the occasion, he’s recently increased its chance of becoming law.
The two-count indictment:
1. He didn’t step up in the Senate: As a charismatic Latino apostate, Sen. Marco Rubio quickly became the leader of the pro-amnesty faction in the Senate. The anti-amnesty faction (composed entirely of Republicans) … well, they needed a leader too, especially a Latino leader, especially leader who was also a potential presidential candidate (and who could therefore scare all the other waffling presidential candidates with the possibility that he’d run against them on the immigration issue). Such a spokesman would be in the press and on the Senate floor, day after day, making the case against the “Gang of 8″ con job even if it risked costing him some MSM and donor support. Cruz would have been perfect–he can be brilliant in argumentative give and take. But he didn’t do it. Instead, he contributed the minimum necessary to maintain his credibility as a foe of the Gang of 8: promoted an online petition, gave a nice floor presentation and a couple of cogent outdoor addresses to African American marchers and Tea-Partiers rallying on the mall. But the job of actually leading the opposition, day in and out, fell to Sen. Jeff Sessions–who was organized, forceful and logical but couldn’t bring the PR heft to the fight that Cruz could. You got the impression that Cruz felt the Senate was a lost cause, and he behaved accordingly–which made the Senate close to a lost cause.
2. He may have blunted the grass roots August anti-amnesty push: Once the Gang of 8 bill cleared the Senate, the best hope of blocking it was to delay House consideration until after the August recess, when the Republican grass roots could attend town halls and drive home that they’d oppose any backsliding from their elected Representatives. At the same time, it became clear that the amnesty-friendly GOP House leadership realized that the way to sneak amnesty through was to not talk about it, lest those grass roots get riled up. Hence, the Boehner “piecemeal” strategy–nothing to see here, just a few little bills!
Into this void stepped Cruz, who made a bold attempt to rouse a “grassroots army” for the cause of … defunding Obamacare. So instead of haranguing their members about unchecked immigration, hard core red-staters would harangue them about the Democrats’ health care plans. Cruz’s strategy had no hope of actually defunding Obamacare,. By attempting to shut down the government over the issue it had a much greater chance of reviving Democratic fortunes. (I thought Republicans had learned from the past two or three times this tactic failed).
And it might wind up giving us amnesty. Democrats are secretly delighted, of course: with the Tea Partiers distracted, fence-sitting Reps might have enough breathing room in the fall to sneak some kind of mass legalization through–maybe not a full “path to citizenship” for everyone, but Dems could go back and fix that later, once the millions of illegals had been given legal status. As an added pro-amnesty bonus, Cruz was helping to rehabilitate fellow defunder Rubio, giving the latter something to posture about once he became too terrified to even mention his deceptive immigration plan.
Almost certainly both these moves have helped Cruz’ presidential ambitions. Big GOP Donors, who almost unanimously favor amnesty, are sophisticated enough to know the difference between fighting 100% against it and going through the motions. They will remember and reward Cruz’s restraint. And he’s rising in the polls–the grassroots have been galvanized by Cruz’s Obamacare fight as surely as they could have been galvanized by a high-profile Cruz immigration fight.
They still might be galvanized enough to stop the bill. But it won’t be thanks to Sen. Cruz.
And it is fault of the police for not stopping the murderer.
What did I say earlier today?
When today Prissy Mathews said Cruz was the front runner for 2016, the DNC had their marching orders to bring out the knives.
Easy to tell who is most effective by who they’re most scared of...
The Senate was a lost cause, with a Dem majority and enough RINOs and idjuts on the subject such as Rand Paul. Save your fire for fights you have a chance in.
Into this void stepped Cruz, who made a bold attempt to rouse a “grassroots army” for the cause of … defunding Obamacare. So instead of haranguing their members about unchecked immigration, hard core red-staters would harangue them about the Democrats’ health care plans.
Conservatives can walk and chew gum at the same time. I don't see a problem with hammering Congresscritters on both, as both are pressing issues.
Just a sniviling editorial from someone searching for a reason to bash Cruz.
All in all — Cruz is probably at least in the top 3 if not the best of all the politicians we have on our side. But as I read the article, it does kind of make sense. I’ve been hearing about all the pro-immigration forces attending town hall events during the August recess, and we’re all exercised about defunding Obamacare.
Defunding Obamacare is a worthy cause, but we all know that realistically it ain’t gonna happen. Plus, stopping amnesty should be at the top of everyone’s list right now. This is something we CAN stop, and yet it seems we’re asleep at the switch while the other side is energized.
I would certainly not “blame” Cruz if amnesty happens, but you have to wonder about putting so much energy into this defunding idea. It just seems to me that if the GOP had been serious about such an effort, they would have done it in 2011.
The RINOS don’t blame Cruz. The RINOS WANT amnesty. That’s the very definition of RINO.
This hit piece is the very definition of Saul Alinsky’s “divide and conquer” tactics.
If anyone falls for it, or pushes it, watch out for them. They are not to be trusted. Not a single word they spew...
Kills two birds with one stone, if people are stupid enough to believe it.
I’m blaming Rubio!
/johnny
Its a perfectly interesting analysis of events, but to say he deserves any blame based on his actions is preposterous.
We can blame the politicians who are changing America behind closed doors without even airing any of this in a hearing.
I told this to a liberal at work and he said yeah well if they hold hearings then everyone will just come in with their own point of view.
I thought, right. Duh. That’s the point.
“I would certainly not “blame” Cruz if amnesty happens, but you have to wonder about putting so much energy into this defunding idea. It just seems to me that if the GOP had been serious about such an effort, they would have done it in 2011.”
Fair enough...but because the reality of 0care was off in the distant future, one can say “they shoulda...” but it is the outpouring of rate hikes that is generating the anti-0care sentiment we are seeing now, I believe. Back then 0care was still paintable as the solution to every ill. Congressites are not immune to the American Idol syndrome....they never react proactively, they have to wait until it’s a panic...especially with this utopian bunch we have now.
Yep, the pathetic GOP-e want a piece of Rep. Cruz bad, I doubt they’ll get it.
That B.S. will NEVER fly.
So blame someone who opposes it, that’s rich.
I am sure this fool is so upset by amnesty he will support Rubio in 2016 just to spite Cruz on this issue.
What a moron
When did start listening to anything Mickey Kaus has to say?
Mixing apples and oranges.
Ted Cruz is Ted Cruz.
The GOP is the GOP.
Not one and the same.
Yet somehow lquist1’s musings conflated the two.
BTW, it was Senator Mike Lee of Utah who stood out front first, to broach this plan of TRYING to get Republicans in Congress to stand united and vote to only fund the rest of government in a CR, NOT obamacare. Cruz was of course on board and active for the plan. So am I.
This “editorial” is ridiculous.
Sorry to see ANYONE here credits it even a tiny scintilla.
And I don’t trust ANYONE who does...
I think if amnesty wins, I’ll blame the Democrats.
Oh, and Marco Rubio. And John McCain. You know, other Democrats.
GOP “leaders” like McConnell were in Arizona this weekend for a secret meeting with pro-amnesty money donors. They do NOT care that they will be destroying the GOP and the country. They do not care if 90% of their voters disapprove.
McConnell and Bonehead and their RINO-Dem Coalition are not going to be stopped by one Senator. They MIGHT be stopped if conservatives explain to them that the pro-amnesty crowd will still not vote for them if they pass this.
Blame Cruz?
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