Posted on 03/05/2016 6:44:16 AM PST by CapitalistCrusader
I was thinking about the republican primary and asking myself, "if conservatism is the answer and Ted Cruz is an exemplar of conservatism, why is he not doing much better at the ballot box so far?" Or, why is Donald Trump doing so much better? In my opinion, Trump is doing better because he is proposing solutions to our country's problems that are derived from common sense thinking.
For example, there are thousands of illegal aliens crossing the border with Mexico on a monthly basis. Trump's solution? Build a wall. This is not a new idea so Trump adds that he'll get Mexico to pay for it. Whether he can actually get Mexico to pay for it is not really relevant to his campaign. Politicians routinely make bold predictions of what they will do once elected and then never deliver. The point is that he mixes the common sense solutions with a degree of bravado that adds an air of the traditional rugged American. This theme of common sense solutions mixed with a little New York moxy has been pattern in his campaign thus far. This is what he has branded "Common Sense Conservatism."
Putting all the name calling aside, Trump and Cruz want to accomplish many of the same goals as POTUS. Secure the border, replace ObamaCare. reduce the size of the federal government, etc. So why is Trump resonating with more voters than Cruz? Because Ted Cruz is an elitist conservative. What is an elitist? An elitist is a person who believes that a society or system should be lead by an elite. Only a "true" conservative is able to select a proper justice for the supreme court. Only a "true" conservative can come up with the right plan to rein in the federal bureaucracy. Only a "true" conservative can fix the health care system. The list goes on and on. His demeanor suggests that only he, a "true" conservative, can properly lead, or is fit to lead our country out of the problems we currently face.
This is why a Ted Cruz campaign rally is reminiscent of a revival meeting. Ted Cruz is an elitist conservative. He is as much an elitist as Mitt Romney, as Jeb Bush, as Mitch McConnell, as Harry Reid, as Nancy Pelosi. He is simply a member of different elitist cabal.
But here's a new flash for Ted Cruz and Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin. Conservatism comes in many flavors, not just the true, doctrinaire, orthodox variety. There are many conservatives out here who are secualr, or gay, or lesbian, or even atheist. And we don't like to be preached to and proselytized.
I am a Trump supporter but I will vote for whomever wins the nomination legitimately. But all you elitists out there, of both the Republican and Conservative variety, should be aware that if you destroy Trump by invective you will be alienating a large swath of voters. If that happens I would expect turnout in the general to reach historic lows and Clinton to be the next POTUS. Is destroying Trump worth it?
Nice try, though.
Hillary will continue the liberal attack on the constitution through the courts. I never said she would be better. Trump, however, is a flexible question mark who is not an expert on the constitution, so he would not even know he was giving things away. Neither does he really care about much other than “winning” and personal aggrandizement. He is not bent to sharing power, so respecting the division of power in the other offices is not something I can see him doing. He believes in revenge. I shudder to think of him wielding the power of the IRS, FBI, DOJ, nukes, military, executive orders, etc.
The average American voter, if you believe those “man-on-the-street interviews, has all the depth of knowledge and maturity of a “15 year-old girl.”
In the age of instant communication complete with video, “creepy-looking” doesn’t stand a chance of winning the Presidency.
Which is why I am astonished at so many so-called Media conservatives who have wished decades for:
“A telegenic Republican candidate who can appeal to the public through the deft use of mass communications, who is comfortable with and understands the culture and is thus able to expand the Republican voter base, and is willing and able to take the fight to the Left” finally get one in Donald Trump - and promptly do everything in their power to destroy him.
This is the story that will be selling lots of books after this election is over - How the GOP “elephant,” so afraid of the Liberal-Leftist mouse, turned and violently attempted to crush the Trump colossus and his army of supporters.
I'm not sure what "severe" conservative means. I'm just a conservative who derives his points of view on issues based on evidence and reason.
Good grief people, this is not a beauty contest, if it was Rubio would win, he is as cute as a puppy!
Where is Sarah Palin we can all agree she is stunningly beautiful, let's write her in!
I grieved that Obama got away with it. I grieve more that the Republicans are just as feckless with the Constitution. This section of the Constitution is now dead.
Opposition to Trump seems to be based completely on emotional reactions to hysterical perceptions.
A more relevant question is why someone with a huge lead in the primaries capturing almost half the Republican vote is the only candidate on that side trailing a horrible candidate like Hillary Clinton in the polls? I know that at a similar stage of the 2000 election Reagan trailed Carter by far bigger margins. But the thought of a Clinton presidency is so appalling that the discrepancy ought to be discussed.
In a nutshell: Cruz never had his own TV SHOW. That’s all it is folks. That’s all it is.
“Photogenic” is one thing. “Telegenic” is quite another.
Romney used this expression when asked if he was conservative.
Why don't you go tell that to Jim Rob?
I support Cruz or Trump albeit for completely different reasons.
Both have negatives and both have positives but guess what, neither you or I have toe power to choose.
I worked hard in the Tea Party to elect "true conservative" and only got knifed in the back. My goal in this election is the utter destruction of the DC cabal.
Both Trump and Cruz would do that in my estimation though I think Trump more so.
Have you ever stopped to consider why virtually everyone except his supporters are lining up against him?
Could it be it's because they know that he will put an end to or seriously disrupt their agenda and gravy train?
Screw DC, there isn't a problem that we face that is not their deliberate doing and desire.
Cruz is ineligible but I'd still vote for him.
The constitution and NBC went out the window with the "living document" crowd and obamao
How delusional of you
You need to have your meds checked
Had Cruz picked the border wall and Muslim immigration as his top issue then he would be leading not trump
Trump has found the issues people care about
I used to have a lot of respect for Cruz. His.despiration tactics have erased that.
So conservatives can only be true-Christians? And true-Christians are only ones that can recite Bible verse?
Nailed it on every point.
“Ted’s tent preacher theatrics are a turnoff to me too, and I’m Christian.”
...and just imagine how great that will go over with the general electorate. Cruz almost seemed to think that winning the Primary would mean waltzing into the White House.
Sorry Cruz, not quite that easy.
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