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Trump vs. Cruz, pick your poison! This why the GOP's screwed
Salon ^ | March 9, 2016 | by Paul Campos

Posted on 03/09/2016 5:33:19 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer

It's now obvious that the only alternative to Trump is Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.

To appreciate how extraordinary and disturbing this situation really is, we must take a historical trip back to a simpler, more innocent time, aka last year. Back then, Nate Silver's justly respected website FiveThirtyEight.com was practically certain of two things: The two candidates in the very crowded Republican presidential field who had no shot at the nomination were Donald Trump and Ted Cruz.

They had no real chance, the site argued, because Trump and Cruz were each in their own way far too radical candidates for the GOP to actually nominate. Trump's radicalism is too obvious to belabor. The idea that a virulently racist demagogue, proto-fascist authoritarian strongman, and self-parodying cultural caricature left over from the 1980s could win the Republican nomination for president was crazy on its face, as all reasonable people observed last summer.

As for Ted Cruz, his radicalism was of a different sort than Trump's, but in many ways he was an even more extreme character. FiveThirtyEight.com pointed out that Cruz was not merely very conservative, but radically right-wing, to an extent never before seen in modern American presidential elections.

This November Americans will likely face the choice of voting for either, on the one hand, the contemporary equivalent of Eisenhower, and on the other, either a quasi-fascist at the head of a bargain basement cult of personality, or someone who thinks Barry Goldwater was too liberal.

What the very smart people at FiveThirtyEight.com missed, in other words, is that the GOP has been taken over by the most radical forces in an already-radicalized party. No wonder that, in the space of a few months, the almost inconceivable has become the all-but inevitable.

(Excerpt) Read more at salon.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cruz; journalism; media; trump
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Paul Campos is a professor of law at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
1 posted on 03/09/2016 5:33:19 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

SCROOOOD is Hillary last night in Michigan.


2 posted on 03/09/2016 5:35:08 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
...the almost inconceivable has become the all-but inevitable.


3 posted on 03/09/2016 5:35:44 AM PST by Flick Lives (One should not attend even the end of the world without a good breakfast. -- Heinlein)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
It warms the cockles of my aging heart to know that Salon is so concerned about the GOP.

/sarc

4 posted on 03/09/2016 5:36:59 AM PST by Arm_Bears (Rope. Tree. Politician/Journalist. Some assembly required.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

I saw cruz last night state to Megyn Kelly tat he has no problem with now gong to a contested convention which made me sick.
There is no clear path for him and he knows it and yet he will help the establishment now to stop Trump and let them have their contested convention.
Two weeks ago he stated a contested convention was a bad thing.

I think there is only one choice now to stop the establishment and hopefully Cruz stops this nonsense and steps down to stop the establishment and not help tem like he is .


5 posted on 03/09/2016 5:37:10 AM PST by manc (Marriage =1 man + 1 woman,when they say marriage equality then they should support polygamy)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

I really hate to tell the Democrats this, but let me try.

The Constitution is not radical. Anything to the left of it is radical. In other words, the Democrat party is too radical for America and it shows in their actions.

If a constitutionalist is too radical for America, then there are bigger problems, which by the way we are seeing. Trump or Cruz is scary because they will bring us back to what we are.


6 posted on 03/09/2016 5:38:08 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (GOPe - Enriching the consultant class while selling out their constituents.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

My feeling is this plays right into the hands of the establishment. Their goal, deny Trump the nomination. Give it to Cruz then begin a daily bombardment of his being not eligible. Guaranteeing whomever takes over for Hitlery and with whom they can continue to work their magic and screw the public.


7 posted on 03/09/2016 5:39:11 AM PST by Mouton (The insurrection laws maintain the status quo now.)
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To: Flick Lives

This is why the GOPe is screwed, the real Reoublucan Party is re-emerging.


8 posted on 03/09/2016 5:40:01 AM PST by ThePatriotsFlag ( Anything FREELY-GIVEN by the government was TAKEN from someone else.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Salon giving advice to the Republicans. Almost exactly like looking for solutions from North Korea.


9 posted on 03/09/2016 5:40:46 AM PST by glorgau
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Why do we post Salon on FR? They don’t add anything to the conversation and it’s only fit for lining bird cages.


10 posted on 03/09/2016 5:43:16 AM PST by Salvavida (The restoration of the U.S.A. starts with filling the pews at every Bible-believing church.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

No this is why SALON RNC DNC WP NYT MSNBC HP ETLAL are screwed and America is on the verge of being saved by my candidate Trump and if not by YOUR candidate Cruz!

Go Trump, Go Cruz!


11 posted on 03/09/2016 5:43:45 AM PST by Harpotoo
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To: EQAndyBuzz
Trump or Cruz is scary because they will bring us back to what we are.

You're half right. Trump is not a strict constitutionalist; only Cruz is.

12 posted on 03/09/2016 5:48:53 AM PST by cowboyway (TEOTWAWKI and I feel fine...........)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Either one would crush a Communist or a felon shut up and go away.


13 posted on 03/09/2016 5:49:55 AM PST by jmaroneps37 (Conservatism is truth. Liberalism is lies.)
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To: manc

I’m beginning to think he has been absorbed.


14 posted on 03/09/2016 5:51:17 AM PST by Lurkinanloomin (Know Islam, No peace - No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: Lurkinanloomin

I think Cruz is so desperate that he will do and say anything right now and by last nights comments it is evidence.


15 posted on 03/09/2016 6:06:06 AM PST by manc (Marriage =1 man + 1 woman,when they say marriage equality then they should support polygamy)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Hey Paul!

What’s your plan when Hillary is INDICTED?


16 posted on 03/09/2016 6:12:47 AM PST by G Larry (ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS impose SLAVE WAGES on LEGAL Immigrants.)
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To: manc
I think what some people don't realize is that if I put my garbage can up against the Democrats this election the garbage would win in a landslide.

Cruz is not more radical than Eisenhower, not even close. If Eisenhower were running today we would call him a radical. Can you imagine his stance on illegal immigration, welfare, queer marriage, welfare moms and a million other social positions?

Cruz would be wonderful and the nation is starting to see that. I have no misunderstanding about Trump, he is not Cruz but he will be dramatically better than ANY DUMBOCRAT!

17 posted on 03/09/2016 6:14:17 AM PST by JAKraig (my religion is at least as good as yours)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

These idiots don’t even know what “right wing” is. If I ever hear the term, “right wing fascist” again, I think I’m going to scream.


18 posted on 03/09/2016 6:16:12 AM PST by Carry_Okie (The tree of liberty needs a rope.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

This will sound crazy to the Trumpsters but Cruz has said he places his fate in the hands of God and I think God may well be helping him. First remember that if you ask God for help, He normally doesn’t make it easy for you. He tests your faith and often delivers in a style that wasn’t expected.

So here’s Ted Cruz, a mild non-charismatic guy who is loathed by his own party apparatus. Who could God send him that would, on the one hand, be wildly popular so as to garner delegates and power and, on the other hand, be even less palatable to the governing elites that they could seriously consider Ted Cruz as the better option? Enter Donald J. Trump.

If Trump leads in delegates but doesn’t have enough to win the nomination, the party is going to have to try anything in their power to stop him and that includes begging Cruz to combine his delegates with the others in a last-ditch barrier against Trump winning the nomination. But, as the second place guy, who are the party apparatus going to have to make their nominee to pull that off? Ted Cruz!

Then you look at the Democrat side where their nominee is on the verge of an indictment and the “smart” set are embracing a crazy socialist as their standard bearer - it means the GOP nominee just has to appear more sensible than either Hillary or Bernie to win the presidency and Cruz has it within himself to do that.

If Trump had never entered the race, Cruz would have been trashed as the most extreme of the right-wingers and a foe of the party, blah blah, but our Lord has arranged the chess board just so that Cruz could actually pull this off.

The hand of God - an awesome thing to behold.


19 posted on 03/09/2016 6:26:35 AM PST by OrangeHoof (Obama - the AIDS virus for the American body politic.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Salon. Need I say more?


20 posted on 03/09/2016 6:30:19 AM PST by IronJack
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