Ted Cruz: Savior of bane of the Republican Party?

WaPo ^ | August 21 | Sean Sullivan

[Delacon]

Ted Cruz: Savior or bane of the Republican Party?

By Sean Sullivan, Published: August 21

In AMES, Iowa — For 30 long seconds on a Saturday early this month, Ted Cruz stood silent and beaming as hundreds of conservative activists showered him with heartfelt applause in a dimly lighted auditorium. Then he started up again.

“And that reaction right there,” he declared, pointing at the crowd with his thumb and forefinger together, “shows how we win this fight. If I were sitting in the Senate cloakroom, the reaction to that statement would be fundamentally different. I don’t know that I’m quick enough to dodge all the things that would be thrown at me.”

Just like that, Cruz summed up his first seven months as a U.S. senator and exposed the conundrum he represents for the Republican Party: a hero to the conservative base and a worry for the establishment.

Cruz, 42, is a full-bore conservative from Texas whose certitude and combativeness in defense of his positions have made him a rock star to the GOP’s far-right-leaning activists. The comment that brought the crowd to it feet was about shredding Obamacare at all costs.

But that certitude and combativeness also have made him one of the most controversial figures in the Senate, a lightning rod for public and private criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike. The question many are left to ponder as Cruz travels the country targeting President Obama’s health-care law is: What can he realistically hope to achieve in a Senate steeped in tradition and hierarchy as an eloquent yet sharply polarizing figure?

[Delacon]

Throwing it out there. I personally think shutting down the government is a bad idea. Never has the liberal media been more lined up to destroy the GOP. We will lose every time we throw this card on the table. Other than that, I think he is a good guy. I am a bit leery that he is from Texas. Every TX pol learns to kiss Hispanic ass when it comes to immigration(any amnesty will be the death of the conservative movement and the GOP).

[Casie]

Do you remember a guy named Newt?

[JRandomFreeper]

Never has the liberal media been more lined up to destroy the GOP

What? You think the media is going to love the GOP and say nice things if they don't shut down the government?

I'd say the GOP-E is doing a pretty good job of destroying itself. And I, for one, will be glad to see it go.

/johnny

[RWGinger]

Please notice that NOWHERE does Cruz or any supporters say ANYTHING about shutting the government down.
In fact they says emphatically to FUND every aspect of the gov’t but obamacare.
Yet every Dem . some Repubs and all MSM keep repeating that Sentor Cruz and the others want to shut government down.

I want to choke everyone who does such shoddy reporting

[Servant of the Cross]

'Don't mess with Texas' ping. Just throwing it out there for discussion from FR Texans.

Ted Cruz is residing rent free in the heads of WaPo writers that much is for sure.

[buridan]

Those who wish to preserve our present institutions are “far-right-leaning activists.” Presumably, those who want to “fundamentally transform America” are “moderates” and “pragmatists.”

[Vigilanteman]

Yeah, like the same old, same old RINO dung has been sooooo successful lately.

Who did more to change the country in a positive direction? Barry Goldwater or Nelson Rockefeller? Jesse Helms or Bob Dole? Ronald Reagan or Gerald Ford?

Everybody remembers the former examples. Almost nobody remembers the later examples. Why do you suppose that is?

[Lakeshark]

Cruz is against amnesty, is not afraid of the MSM, and is the best politician/statesman/thinker in the GOP at this time.

You've got it wrong, it's because of the kind of timidity the GOP offers that it's in trouble, not because of those who want to fight for conservative principle.

[MamaTexan]

Ted Cruz: Savior or bane of the Republican Party?

LOL! I guess it all comes down to how someone feels about the 'Republican Party', now doesn't it?

[nathanbedford]

In politics as in war you are either on offense or defense and very few wars are won playing defense.

The defunding of Obamacare is an issue supported by the people, a poll released today shows support for Obamacare is down to 41%. The election will be fought on one issue or another and I cannot think of a more favorable issue than the defunding of Obamacare.

In Cruz the cause has an articulate, charismatic, and attractive advocate with certified debating skills. Would we rather go into the 2016 campaign fighting a defensive skirmish over some triviality led by the likes of Mitch McConnell or fighting an affirmative fight on the issue of defunding Obamacare led by Cruz and supported by Paul and Lee?

If McConnell and Boehner fail to support the campaign to defund Obamacare as it now appears inevitable, a split in the party appears to be equally inevitable. I doubt the established Leaders of the Republican Party in Washington are fully aware of the simmering discontent in flyover country. They are playing rope a dope while they're losing their entire base.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Cruz isn’t NBC. He needs to own-up to it.

[Spaulding]

Hillary, who signed and co-sponsored Senate Resolution 511 in April 2008 which consisted of testimony from Judge Michael Chertoff and Obmama's constitutional law professor, Larry Tribe, would love to see Cruz selected:

“My assumption and my understanding is that if you are born of American parents, you are naturally a natural-born American citizen,” Chertoff replied. “That is mine, too,” said Leahy.”

By the way, Senator Obama signed SR 511 as well, but SR 511 was to cloud the issues with McCain's being born on territory, the Canal Zone, upon which jurisdiction Congress had not yet voted, and didn't until 1937, the year after McCain was born. McCain needed an amendment, which Senator Obama and Senator McCaskill, Obama's presidential campaign co-chair tried to fix with Senate Bill 2678. the ‘‘Children of Military Families Natural Born Citizen Act’’, in February 2008. SB 2678 failed so the Obama campaign went for a resolution, 511, which disqualifies Cruz if we believe the entire Senate agreed with what they signed.

[JRandomFreeper]

What definition of NBC are you using?

/johnny

[txrangerette]

There you go again. He says he is. He explains why. You want him to LIE against his own beliefs.

Nutty.

Natural born = citizen by birth. Naturalized = citizen by naturalization process. According to the established position of Ted Cruz. That’s it, that’s all, and nattering nabobs of negativism demanding that he LIE against his own beliefs will forever FAIL.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

Jefferson and Madison; continental common law.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

TXR:

You are assigning the LIE to the founders, not Cruz.

[Standing Wolf]

I doubt the established Leaders of the Republican Party in Washington are fully aware of the simmering discontent in flyover country. They are playing rope a dope while they're losing their entire base.

I don't mean to start an argument with you, nathanbedford, but I've got a hunch the self-styled "leaders" of the Republican part of Washington, D.C. are fully aware we voters are deeply unhappy with their performance. I think they've convinced one another they can finesse us: reshape the situation, talk us into seeing things their way, persuade us to accept the oft-proclaimed "reasonable compromise," et cetera.

They think they're our rulers. They need to be fired en masse.

[JRandomFreeper]

I meant what statutory definition?

/johnny

[Casie]

Newt gave us the "Republican Revolution" of 1994.

Among the first pieces of legislation passed by the new Congress under Gingrich was the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995, which subjected members of Congress to the same laws that apply to businesses and their employees.

In August 1996 he got time limits placed on welfare assistance, stricter conditions for food stamp eligibility, reductions in immigrant welfare assistance, and work requirements for recipients.

In 1997 he got the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, which included the largest capital gains tax cut in U.S. history.

In 1999 he forced Clinton to submit a balanced budget, making it the first time the federal budget had been balanced since 1969.

He made Republicans promises and fought to keep them. Newt fought like a man. Sure it took a 28 day government shutdown, and a lot of bad press but there was a time Republicans weren't scared sh!tless by morons like Candy Crowly or Rachel Maddow.

[nathanbedford]

Agreed