Posted on 05/17/2015 7:31:27 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is running for president. His candidacy should not be overlooked.
Many are not familiar with him, which is not surprising because for most of Iowa it is still very early in the caucus process. But the senator has attributes that may distinguish him from an unusually crowded field of GOP contenders.
First, he went to Harvard. No, I am not writing about Ted Kennedy, I am saying this fellow actually went to not just Harvard, but the Harvard Law School after doing his undergraduate work at Princeton University. He is well educated and very intelligent. For example, he served for a period of time as the solicitor general for the state of Texas, and you do not argue and win cases in front of the United States Supreme Court without being an extraordinarily competent attorney.
He is conservative, very conservative, but I don’t dislike that aspect of him. He is a true reflection of his well-formed political ideology. Those who run for office as liberal or conservative can be divided into two classes: individuals who have thought and carefully arrived at their political opinions and those I would call “lip sync” wonders, whose views are obtained by election opportunity, saying what they think needs to be said and then voting to retain their public position. Ted Cruz is not the latter; he certainly is the former.
Further, he is an excellent debater, having honed his skills from grade school on up through college and then into the practice of law.
For a conservative, his views are fairly standard. He would, among other things, repeal Obamacare, abolish the IRS, obviously cut government spending, strongly support Israel and is decidedly in favor of a strong military for the U.S. In addition, his father is Cuban, which may open a door for the Republican Party to crack into the Hispanic voting bloc.
Can he win the Republican nomination? I don’t know. It is a crowded field, particularly on the right. Cruz is focusing his early attention on tea party members, social conservatives and evangelicals. It’s noted that he has said the problem has been not enough evangelicals have been voting. It would be unrealistic to expect that he moves to court moderates, people he has described as “the mushy middle.”
According to the latest statistics, approximately 40 percent of Iowa Republicans are self-described conservatives, social, religious or libertarian. He will have a fight with Scott Walker, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum and a host of others to emerge as their favorite and then will have to confront Jeb Bush in a less friendly atmosphere in New Hampshire, where independents can vote. But he is a new face, he is bright and Iowans have a history of taking the unexpected candidate and propelling that individual into the national spotlight.
But the one real reason I think a Cruz presidential campaign would be good for the country is this: A clear choice.
Most times, after the presidential nominating process is completed, a strange thing happens. The candidate that was the darling of the left or the favorite son of the right suddenly discovers he or she can’t remember what they said in January, it now being September and really they are in their heart simply a moderate, attempting to move the needle on the dial to 51 percent of the vote.
As a nation right now, we are badly divided. Neither party has a clear mandate for their policies. As a result, we don’t move too much one way or the other, but this in fact means we are not moving at all.
We are stuck, with congressional approval ratings at historic lows. Frustration exists with the Iowa Legislature’s inability to find a common ground on educational funding, among other issues. Strange as it may sound, legislative bodies do reflect public opinion and right now, the country is badly divided on the role and size of government, more so federal than state but really both.
Sometimes presidential elections can determine the country’s future. I think 1940 was one such election. Franklin D. Roosevelt had pushed through the reinstatement of the draft by one vote in the House of Representatives, and America commenced preparation for the coming war. Ronald Reagan turning the country to the right in 1980 is another example. But for this to happen, whether we go left or right, depends on the voting public being presented with a clear choice, and Ted Cruz on the Republican side clearly reflects this opportunity.
Now if the Democrats will do the same thing, we will have a real election and real choices, which is, after all, what a representative democracy is supposed to be about.
Double WOW!!!!!!
I love seeing these good stories about my senator from Texas!
I’m convinced he’s the real deal!
"Ceterum censeo 0bama esse delendam."
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
I’m from Arizona.
I’m convinced he’s the real deal to!!
If you only send one article to your Facebook, Twitter, e-mail and other social media contacts this week...
Wow is right.
I’m having a hard time believing my eyes. A fairly cogent and fair piece by a former Congressman of the Democrat persuasion.
Stunning.
Note that former Iowa Congressman Dave Nagle is a Democrat and union activist.
I stand with Ted
We are not a representative democracy.
That said, who best is positioned to assume his office as Texas Senator? It's vital that an individual every bit as Conservative as is Cruz be in that position. I'd personally like to see Louie Gohmert in that slot but the opinions of other FReeper Patriots may lead me to look at alternatives.
Dave Nagle was a smart and personable Dem. Unfortunately for him, his alcohol problem ended his political career.
He is so confident as a debater and so good that he offered debating advice to his opponents when he was running for the Texas Senate.
Who does that?
Funny thing is— we aren’t even close to seeing the best Ted Cruz has to offer. Right now, he’s just preparing his case to present to the court of public opinion. When he’s ready to make his argument, these other candidates won’t even know what hit them.
Cruz is 24/7— a brain that never sleeps.
What are we, then?
I told a friend recently I’d rather have the election between Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders. At least you would hear the truth no matter how bad it is on one side and the people would have a clear choice and we’d know where the country stood and could respond appropriately.
There is no doubt that Cruz is a sharp guy. But, I have several questions in no particular order and this is rhetorical.
1) being a skilled debater and attorney doesn’t necessarily mean that he has the requisite skills to lead the nation. So this is a major issue that Cruz is going to have to resolve. Leading the voters is not the same as governing.
2) Will Cruz have enough support in the congress to actually pass an agenda (i.e. repeal 0bamacare, abolish the IRS, etc.) At this point it doesn’t appear that Ted has too any friends in Congress and him winning the WH (even by double digits) will dislodge the limp-wristed Boehner or McConnell.
That’s the two real questions that Cruz needs to resolve. If he were the nominee would he have trouble with Juan McAmnesty, and/or Lindsey Grahmnesty after inauguration day. Now, if Cruz were to support a candidate in a primary challenge to McAmnesty, and that candidate were to win in the primary and general.... We would have a real sea change in congress. If McAmnesty were to survive a primary challenge and win the general Cruz would have a real problem.
To me, that is the lynch pin on any Cruz candidacy. A take-down of McAmnesty, would definitely be a shot at the limp-wristed leadership. Anything less than total victory, is going to be a disaster
I wish that my vote in the primaries mattered...the primary here is too late and the nominee has all but got it locked up by Mid April. when the primary is held in my state.
Does anyone have the list of Accomplishments and experiences of Ted Cruz? I saw it on FP some time back, and did not bookmark it, now I need to show others. It is very impressive. Thanks.
Ping.
But, somebody should remind him that this is not a “Democracy” .. it is a REPUBLIC.
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