Posted on 10/29/2015 9:03:43 PM PDT by VinL
Sen. Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican presidential candidate, conducted a 90-minute takedown late Thursday of his own Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, who he characterized by name as a weak leader unwilling to fight for conservative causes.
Cruz, a Tea Party conservative, frequently bucks Senate GOP leaders and has on at least one other occasion criticized McConnell in a Senate floor speech.
But late Thursday, he took on McConnell with renewed antipathy, using pie charts to demonstrate that the Kentucky Republican has bolstered the Democratic agenda rather than conservative goals during his ten-month tenure.
"Why is a Republican majority leader fighting to accomplish the priorities of the Democratic minority?" Cruz asked.
Cruz criticized a broad budget and debt limit deal the Senate is scheduled to vote on early Friday, arguing that the accord gave President Obama and Democrats all that they wanted, with nothing in return for Republicans seeking to rein in spending and shrink the debt.
Using pie charts, Cruz made the case that McConnell has helped to pass legislation opposed by the majority of Senate Republicans but supported by the majority of Democrats.
Climate change legislation and an amendment to revive the Export-Import were among the measures brought to the floor despite opposition from a majority of Republicans, Cruz noted. The provisions passed with mostly Democratic support.
Cruz said McConnell should employ an old GOP House rule to bring to the floor only legislation that has a majority of Republican Senators backing it. He said the established congressional leaders aren't looking out for ordinary Americans but rather big corporations, who cut them checks for them at D.C. cocktail parties and reward them later with million-dollar jobs.
Cruz also targeted now former Speaker John Boehner, who retires Friday. Boehner wrote much of the budget deal Cruz opposes.
"The lame duck speaker, on his way out, will no doubt land in a plush easy chair, in the Washington D.C. cartel, and will soon be making millions of dollars, living off the cartel," Cruz said.
Jim Manley, a former top aide to Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Cruz had taken an unprecedented step in attacking McConnell Thursday night.
"I have never, EVER, seen anything like it," Manley said on Twitter. "McConnell should not dignify with a response, but wow."
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As Cruz gains traction, (1) he's become more and more emboldened; and (2) some of these weak kneed Congress pawns, may decide it's not to their advantage to continue to side with Mitch.
Let’s pray and hope.
If we don’t have serious momentum going into 2016, Mrs. Bill “I sold missile-guidance technology to the ChiComs” Clinton will be the next POTUS.
"What's that Barack? How high?
Mitch McConnell
That's factually incorrect, because Senator Ted Cruz isn't Uniparty...
Cruz has clearly started a new more assertive phase of his campaign. It’s a good look for him. His master strategy might just pay off.
Ted, you are too good a man to fall for the sideways attack comparing yourself to another man, especially that one...
No this is not your course, talk of the future and your plans and begin at least in your mind assembling your team...
God tells us look neither to the Left or Right (interesting) but keep our eyes fixed firmly on the pure light of Truth...
Mitch will do just fine sputtering at the side of the road wondering why no one has to listen to him anymore, poetic justice, a windbag with no sails...
That ship is going a New Direction...
Ted is right again.
Do one of McConnell with his head shoved all the way up the ass of the cocaine-snorting, Marxist, musloid sodomite.
Great on Cruz to tell it like it is.
“Climate change legislation and an amendment to revive the Export-Import were among the measures brought to the floor despite opposition from a majority of Republicans, Cruz noted. The provisions passed with mostly Democratic support.”
What was the climate change legislation?
There. That's the definition of success in the federal government's workforce.
I think that Cruz is right on the money.
He knows what he’s doing.
The budget bill advances for a final vote, 63-35.
Kabuki theater at its finest.
It got 60 votes at the 93 vote total mark—such drama! /s
Rand stands to speak—will he filibuster?
Get used to it Mitch.
High explosives and white phosphorus incoming!
You chose to side with the enemy and now you must pay the price.
And to think, if not for Ted Cruz, the rabid turtle would have gotten away Scott free.
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