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Stop calling Ted Cruz a conservative: This self-promoting narcissist is a fraud and a nihilist
Salon ^ | September 29, 2015 | Sean Illing

Posted on 09/29/2015 10:47:42 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Labeling Cruz a conservative underestimates how dangerous he is. It's time we called out this Messianic crusader.

The people of Texas owe America an apology. They elected Ted Cruz to the United States Senate, and now the country is forced to endure his presence throughout the interminable election season. Cruz has worked diligently (and successfully) to become the least liked human being in Congress. Judging by last night, he’s hated most by his Republican colleagues, who, once again, blocked his inane efforts to shut down the government unless it defunded Planned Parenthood.

Both Republicans and Democrats passed a temporary spending measure that will keep the government afloat (a move supported by a majority of Americans) through mid-December. After the bill was passed by a vote of 77-19, Cruz theatrically sought a roll-call vote but he was promptly denied by his fellow Republicans, many of whom shouted “No!” at the Senator’s request.

Cruz, however, knows a conspiracy when he sees one, and he took to the Senate floor to dispense his bull$#*+ with characteristic flare. “I mentioned to you [his colleagues],” Cruz said, “that the votes were always cooked here.” “How is it,” he rhetorically asked, “that Speaker Boehner and Leader McConnell can promise that there will never ever be a shutdown? Because, I believe, Speaker Boehner has decided to cut a deal with Leader Nancy Pelosi.” In case the prospect of two legislators reaching a sane and popular compromise isn’t scary enough, Cruz clarified what’s really going on here: It turns out that Boehner knew he would lose his speakership if he didn’t cave to the insurgent wing of his party, so he went and made a devilish “deal to surrender and join with the Democrats.” Sounds legit, right?

The worst thing about Cruz isn’t his obnoxiousness or his undemocratic conservatism or his dreary affectations; it’s his self-promoting nihilism. What he’s doing, and how he’s doing it, feels unprecedented. Threatening to shut down the government or undermine the country’s credit rating in defense of campaign talking point is an act of legislative terror. Cruz represents the very worst of factionalist fervor. He has no regard for the constitution or the general will or the nation’s economy. He sees an opportunity to promote his brand and it doesn’t matter what the costs are, to his party or his country.

Cruz fancies himself a political martyr, the one Republican willing to fight for truth and transparency and conservative principles. He condemns his GOP colleagues as RINO cowards and pseudo-conservatives. But there’s nothing genuinely conservative about Cruz’s brinksmanship. He has no respect for Senatorial tradition or process or majority opinion. Again, he’s a nihilist and, perhaps worse, a fraud.

I say he’s a fraud because, as Burgess Everett recently wrote, he’s “pushing proposals that he knows McConnell and other Republicans will never back, like defunding Planned Parenthood in a spending bill, then criticizing McConnell for not taking up the plan ever as he uses the fight to bolster his presidential campaign as Washington’s consummate outsider.” And that’s really what this is about. The conservative base wants an “outsider” (whatever that means) and everything Cruz says and does is designed to win this constituency, as this report in Politico more or less confirms.

So it’s not about reducing abortions or affirming conservative values. If Cruz were serious about that, he’d pursue real goals in realistic ways. Instead, he stages one stunt after another knowing it won’t accomplish anything concrete, save for his own promotion. That’s not what a serious politician does. But Cruz isn’t serious, as John Boehner happily noted: He’s a “jackass” and a “false prophet.”


TOPICS: Texas; Campaign News; Issues; Parties
KEYWORDS: 2016election; boehner; carlydonation; cruz; cruz2016; cruzhitpiece; election2016; keeppromise1; mcconnell; pacdonationtocarly; salon; seanilling; tedcruz; texas
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Stop calling Ted Cruz a conservative: This self-promoting narcissist is a fraud and a nihilist


61 posted on 09/29/2015 11:09:50 AM PDT by BerniesFriend (I am BerniesFriend, however it's really Bernadette, NOT Bernie Sanders friend!!!!!!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

What's that beeping sound I hear?

62 posted on 09/29/2015 11:09:58 AM PDT by Fresh Wind (Falcon 105)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

[ Stop calling Ted Cruz a conservative: This self-promoting narcissist is a fraud and a nihilist ]

Stop calling Salon a News Site: This self-promoting narcissist is a fraud and a nihilist and a tool of the radical leftist control freaks.

Wow, it is like Salon is projecting itself on Ted Cruz....


63 posted on 09/29/2015 11:10:02 AM PDT by GraceG (Protect the Border from Illegal Aliens, Don't Protect Illegal Alien Boarders...)
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To: JoSixChip

Pinging you so you can join your friends at Salon, trash-talking Ted Cruz. TPP and all that.


64 posted on 09/29/2015 11:10:04 AM PDT by Theo (May Christ be exalted above all.)
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To: Cletus.D.Yokel

ok - shrug... the real author had electrolysis?


65 posted on 09/29/2015 11:10:14 AM PDT by BigEdLB (Congress will have blood on their hands if anything happens because of the Iran appeasement)
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To: Dr. Sivana

Salon is not known for its well-formed prose and witty rhetoric.


66 posted on 09/29/2015 11:12:26 AM PDT by Army Air Corps (Four Fried Chickens and a Coke)
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To: Fester Chugabrew

[ Both Republicans and Democrats passed a temporary spending measure that will keep the government afloat (a move supported by a majority of Americans) through mid-December. ]

Oh noes!!! we can’t shut down the declared 12-18% of the government deemed non-essential!!!! If this happens we will be living in a mad max world like what happened every weekend or extended government holiday weekend!!!!


67 posted on 09/29/2015 11:12:32 AM PDT by GraceG (Protect the Border from Illegal Aliens, Don't Protect Illegal Alien Boarders...)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Coming from the commie propaganda wing Salon; one can only say the commies are getting nervous over Cruz.


68 posted on 09/29/2015 11:12:56 AM PDT by kenmcg
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To: kenmcg

Bump.


69 posted on 09/29/2015 11:14:20 AM PDT by gov_bean_ counter (Beware the Wisconsin Weasel - GOPe Plan B)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

By definition, this article elevates the current President to the same level of nihilism it accuses. After all, how would Sen Cruz’ actions do all these nasty things via gov’t shutdown if the Pres. weren’t equally ideologically committed.


70 posted on 09/29/2015 11:15:24 AM PDT by ziravan (Buck the Establishment.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Why would Salon be worried about a candidate sitting at between 6 and 10 percent, unless...?
71 posted on 09/29/2015 11:15:46 AM PDT by gov_bean_ counter (Beware the Wisconsin Weasel - GOPe Plan B)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
What is Salon afraid of?

Answer: Trust me, it's not some young girl - it's Ted Cruz. I'm not surprised. If I were Salon and dreaming of yet another Clinton Presidency I would be afraid too.


72 posted on 09/29/2015 11:16:01 AM PDT by InterceptPoint
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Hey Salon, HATE much?


73 posted on 09/29/2015 11:16:50 AM PDT by Garvin (When it comes to my freedom, there will be no debate. There will be a fight)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Now here’s the guy who really scares the left.

None of this Trump nonsense.


74 posted on 09/29/2015 11:16:51 AM PDT by Colonel_Flagg ("Donald Trump: Quality Conservatism Since 2015.")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Saw Salon and just laughed. Nobody has read this I hope.


75 posted on 09/29/2015 11:16:58 AM PDT by SaxxonWoods (Life is good.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I get all my conservative marching orders from Salon. Pretty soon they’ll be telling me Bush is the real conservative.


76 posted on 09/29/2015 11:17:17 AM PDT by DaxtonBrown (http://www.futurnamics.com/reid.php)
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To: Dr. Sivana

I would think that every vote in the Senate or Congress that affects “WE THE PEOPLE” would require a roll call vote.
How else are “WE THE PEOPLE” to know how effective and productive our EMPLOYEES are being at their jobs.
Every employee I have ever had; including my self, has had to audited and evaluated on their job performance at least once a year.


77 posted on 09/29/2015 11:17:46 AM PDT by 5th MEB (Progressives in the open; --- FIRE FOR EFFECT!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Sean Illing

Adjunct Professor
Louisiana State University
August 2014 – Present (1 year 2 months)|Baton Rouge, Louisiana Area

Blogger, Editor-in-Chief
CosmoPolitics.com
June 2014 – Present (1 year 4 months)|Baton Rouge, Louisiana Area

Adjunct Professor
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
July 2014 – December 2014 (6 months)|Lafayette, Louisiana Area

Adjunct Professor
Loyola University
2013 – December 2013 (less than a year)

Languages
Arabic


78 posted on 09/29/2015 11:18:28 AM PDT by kcvl
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Consider the source. Straight from the sewage plant.


79 posted on 09/29/2015 11:20:11 AM PDT by TADSLOS (A Ted Cruz Happy Warrior! GO TED!)
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To: BigEdLB

Twinkies?!!!!?!!!!!! ###############
Nope. I think it was Ding Dongs, not Twinkies!


80 posted on 09/29/2015 11:20:57 AM PDT by Twinkie (John 3:16)
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