“...casting aspersions on the character of someone like Thomas Sowell...
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The linked article includes the words “...Thomas Sowell turns...”. In intelligence jargon, “turn” has a very specific meaning. If you consider it “casting aspersions” to simply point out THE TRUTH that Sowell has suddenly begun attacking (and his words do constitute an “attack” whether you want to believe it or not) Ted Cruz than so be it. And Sowell is using some of the arguments that are advanced in GOPe “talking points” (and, believe me, they exist). It is something of a mystery as to why Sowell has “TURNED” in regard to Cruz, but TURN he has-—whether you accept that or not. Cruz has been, and continues to be, VERY effective with his tactics; and the GOP establishment and their DemocRat counterparts fear him mightily.
And Ann Coulter is now singing from the same GOPe “talking points” song book. Hell, they’re even in “harmony” and well orchestrated—the RINO Protective League Glee Club.
I like Cruz's tactics, but I think any objective person would have to say it's entirely unproven as to whether they are effective or not. It's certainly not obvious. Since Cruz engineered the shutdown, we lost one governor's race that was entirely winnable---and some polls show that it was due in large part to the shutdown. We won a governor's race we didn't care about. So the net is, the worth of Cruz's tactics have yet to be proven.
It's entirely possible that the very thoughtful Sowell thinks that the evidence is on the side of harming rather than helping.
It's the same debate people have about the value of Palin's endorsement of a candidate. I think the record in the last primary season was mixed. Some of those she supported won, some didn't.
At any rate, it doesn't matter: for Cruz to BE successful at being a leader, he has to at least convince a majority of Republicans that he IS successful, and so far that hasn't happened. I wish it had, but I know enough (as does Sowell) not to confuse wishes with reality.