Posted on 11/07/2015 12:32:06 PM PST by VinL
To walk into Ted Cruz's holding room at the National Religious Liberties Conference in Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday afternoon was to walk into quite the group of happy campers.
With a friendly motion and a quick smile, the Republican Senator from Texas, looking relaxed in short sleeves, his foot up on the coffee table, waves you over to the chair beside him. It's just the tiniest bit unnerving, the notion flashes across your mind, "He knows I'm with NPR, right?"
Yes, everyone knows who you are, and in spite of Cruz's brilliantly recalled denunciations of the liberal media during CNBC's debate, they're just fine with it. This is a political campaign brimming with confidence and a strong sense of momentum. Nobody here's afraid of little ol' me.
During a wide-ranging interview, the freshman senator laid out his vision for America and his presidency if elected:
Abolish the IRS and institute a flat tax
Dispatch the FBI and Justice Dept. lawyers to prosecute Planned Parenthood for fraud
Investigate the Federal Reserve Board and tie the value of the dollar to the gold standard
Deport every undocumented immigrant, including children who grew up in the U.S.
Oppose any legislation on climate change that would raise taxes or fees
Institute term limits for U.S. Supreme Court Justices so turncoats like Justice Anthony Kennedy can be weeded out
Give Iran an ultimatum — dismantle your nuclear program or we will do it for you.
And it almost goes without saying, Obamacare would be consigned to the dustbin.
Cruz's strategy for winning the Republican nomination is sophisticated in its patience and cunning.
Like a football coach intimately familiar with his team's strengths and the other teams' weaknesses, Cruz has been spending his time and money building campaign infrastructure throughout the South and Midwest. That's playing to your strength. Publicly, he stays on message and doesn't attack other Republican candidates. And don't panic, don't always be reacting to what the other guys (and gal) are doing.
Did a New York billionaire unexpectedly jump into the lead? Let the political pundits sneer and joke about the supposedly hapless Cruz picking up Donald Trump's crumbs. The young senator has never felt any threat from the bombastic developer and being friendly to the new guy is smart politics.
Has the quiet doctor suddenly caught the conservative fancy? Not a problem, Cruz defends him from the liberal sharks that are closing in to tear the good doctor apart. You won't hear the Texas senator say a word about grain-filled Egyptian pyramids, scholarship offers from West Point or knife-points and friend's belt buckles, why should he? He's amused that this go-round, it's the Republican moderates at each other's throats, Jeb and Marco can have at it, let The Donald referee.
Meanwhile, Cruz has quietly amassed a campaign war chest that's second to none. Three separate Cruz superPACS with tens of millions more waiting in reserve to attack when the time comes, and it's not just Texas billionaires like technology mogul Darwin Deason, although he has them, too. Cruz takes in millions from a grass roots network of Tea Party and other insurgent Republicans in small amounts. Not unlike another freshman Senator who ran and won on a wave of Internet-driven contributions.
To switch sports metaphors from football to track, Ted Cruz reports he's just fine running in 4th or 5th place after the first lap around the track. He's trained well, feels strong and looks good, there's plenty left in the bank as it were. The two guys ahead of him appear to be straining just a bit, already. With three more laps to go, the son of a Cuban immigrant looks hungry and sharp, waiting.
On Friday night, after his speech to the National Religious Liberties Conference in Des Moines, I was surprised to see Cruz and his staff boarding the same small regional jet back to Dallas as me. Didn't he have a private plane, I thought the Koch brothers took care of this stuff? I'd planned to write about our interview and the day on the flight back, but as we took our seats, I was dumbfounded to see Cruz and I were seated across the aisle from one another in coach. I jokingly asked if he wanted to edit the piece as I wrote it next to him and the talented orator and Supreme Court lawyer said he'd be happy to.
I bagged it. I knew the senator wouldn't look over my shoulder, but it was just too inhibiting, and anyway, I was tired. It was late, we'd been delayed and as we taxied to takeoff, I leaned back and closed my eyes. Next to me, I could hear Cruz and the soldier he'd been seated next to, a private in battle fatigues, quietly talking Texas football.
Thanks for those facts. There’s a bit of a difference between saying “I do” when pressed on the question of deporting certain people that Obama’s illegal executive action tried to keep here, as Cruz did, and making deportation of all illegals the often-repeated, strongly felt key issue of your campaign, while also campaigning to end the anchor baby system, as Trump did. I think there’s no comparison. Cruz has often talked of a path to legal status, as well, when not pressed by someone on Obama’s “dreamers.”
http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/257727-cruz-to-try-to-pass-kates-law
http://adobochronicles.com/2015/08/16/donald-trump-wants-ted-cruz-deported/
Ted Cruz Joins Glenn Beck for ‘Soccer Balls and Teddy Bears’ Event; 18 Jul 2014
Can’t make it:( I really wish I could. I know most of the candidates will be here for the state thing they’re doing. Let me know how it goes, please!
My sense has always been, Cruz would be tougher on illegal immigration than any other candidate, including Trump.
In addition to illegal immigration, legal immigration is a huge problem—vast numbers of students, refugees, H-1B, H-2B Visa workers, etc. are competing with US citizens for college seats and jobs. Cruz has said nothing about this.
In fact Cruz wants to quintuple the number of H-1B Visas—that is a huge problem for me. I don’t see how his stance is conservative or good for America on this issue.
Some say immigration is just one issue, but IMHO, it may be the most important issue as immigration (both legal and illegal) is transforming our country into something I don’t recognize.
Well then, tell me ?
What is it that don’t get ?
with all due respect, beyond your sense, is there anything conclusive?
*************
I’m unsure- I posted the thread because the article indicates that Cruz said, as a matter of policy,
” Deport every undocumented immigrant, including children who grew up in the U.S.”
It’s conclusive as stated; but in that I’ve never heard Cruz make that statement, I’m uncertain as to the reporting.
As for immigration policy generally, my sense of Cruz is informed by listening to his interviews and by his record.
(Now, I’m not trying to sell you- I’m just explaining.)
At 14, Cruz memorizes the Constitution, and then goes out and gives lectures on conservatism. In 2002, as Texas Solicitor, he stands up to his own party’s President (Bush) and opposes Bush in the Supreme Court on the issue of national sovereignty, and wins.
So, what’s my sense of him? He’s an ideologue, he’s a true believer. Contrary to those who flame him, this guy is not an establishment sell-out. His father campaigns for him and says, “my son doesn’t compromise”— and when it comes to his principles, I believe that. It seems true to his history.
So, on immigration, I’ve heard him say that the Dems and Gop-e are trying to transform America into a socialist country by flooding it with illegal immigration.
So, he understands what you are saying about the transformation-— and to him it’s an ideological attack— and he will fight it-— it’s just who he is.
As to H-1 etc— my view, the candidates have to be “flexible.” So, for instance, Trump first says he will deport, but after the shrieks of outrage, he says “I’ll let the good ones back in” - or a ‘wall with a huge door’. He has to say that to get elected— and has to cover his intent to deport with a firm statement that he’s not anti immigrant.
Cruz is doing the same thing— I think he will be hard line on illegal immigration, and he softens the blow by saying that he is a big supporter of legal immigration.
Now, for some, the “flexibility” is a cop-out. The illegals are illegal- so just say I’ll deport them all- women, children, grandma’s— etc-— Well, fine— a candidate says it straight out like that, he will not get elected ( as Trump quickly realized).
So, sorry for the long explanation- but my “sense” of Cruz and Trump. I trust Cruz more than Trump on immigration because Trump has a life history of making deals/negotiating, while Cruz’s life history has been that he is uncompromising on conservative principles and the constitution.
(And, I have absolutely nothing against Trump-)
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