Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Three Distinct Parallels Between Ronald Reagan and Ted Cruz
Soshable ^ | December 25, 2015 | JD Rucker

Posted on 12/25/2015 1:24:55 PM PST by Isara

Ronald Reagan Ted Cruz

Ever since 1988, Republican candidates for all offices, particularly those running for President, have tried to channel Ronald Reagan. The conservative icon is the shining example of how a proper right-wing perspective has the power to make the country prosper domestically and make it respected around the world. In three decades, no candidate has come as close to truly picking up the Reagan mantle and bringing his ideals back to the White House than Ted Cruz.

As The Atlantic points out, the sentiment from voters is very similar to what was happening in 1979 and 1980. The Judeo-Christian right had been dealt several losses through the previous decade and a half, prompting them to coalesce in a way that had never been seen before. It was the start of the religious right movement that had unofficially vowed to not endorse a candidate but rather to endorse an agenda to promote for all politicians in office. Reagan blindsided them with a declaration he made in Dallas in front of 15,000 evangelicals.

“I know you can’t endorse me. But I want you to know that I endorse you.”

This was enough to make him their choice even after they decided not to choose. It also marked the last time that Christian and Jewish conservative leaders got behind a single candidate in full. Today, Ted Cruz is quickly becoming the second such candidate.

Though it’s similar, it’s not a true parallel. The circumstances behind the endorsements are completely different, but the reasons are the same. Most conservative and many moderate Republicans and Independence are sick of the unabashed left-wing ideologies spreading throughout the country. It isn’t just the obvious challenges with gay marriage, immigration, and national security. The general trend towards political correctness are issues that concern people of all political ideologies as it propels us down a dangerous path that could tear the country apart from the inside.

Reagan and Cruz aren’t identical by any means. Reagan passed immigration reform that was necessary at the time but that Cruz would never pass today. However, when comparing the values that guide both the former President and the future statesman, it’s very clear that they share the same guiding principles and passions. It’s even more clear that the only way to bring back what Reagan did for the country three decades ago is through the wholehearted support of Ted Cruz today.

Here are the three distinct similarities between their campaigns and ideologies.

Fear and Hate from Neocons and the Republican Establishment

It utterly offends me when I hear moderates attempting to compare their ideologies to Reagan’s, people like Ed Gillespie, John McCain, Karl Rove, Paul Ryan, Reince Priebus, Mitch McConnell, Mitt Romney… the list of weak pseudo-Republican power brokers goes on and on. It isn’t just that they are blatantly against the ideals that Reagan (and Cruz) use in their policy decisions. It’s the hypocrisy of latching onto a man they wanted to destroy.

Ronald Reagan and Ted Cruz represent everything that the Republican Establishment hates: small government, religious freedoms, focus on small businesses as the heart and soul of the US economy, and military strength without force. It’s this last component that draws the ire from the Neocon branch of the Republican Establishment and we’ll focus on that shortly.

First, let’s take a look at what the Republican Establishment did to Reagan in 1979 and 1980. They painted him as divisive. They threw candidates at him, some of whom were not in any position to win delegates despite massive campaign war chests. John Connally, a former Democratic Governor of Texas and cabinet member for John F Kennedy, was part of the Neocon movement and served as Secretary of teh Treasury under President Nixon. He spent nearly $10 million dollars with the sole purpose of derailing Reagan. He ended up with 1 delegate for his efforts.

We’re seeing the exact same thing coming out today against Cruz and to some extent Donald Trump. The Republican Establishment has such a fear of having another Reaganesque White House that they’re going to consolidate around one moderate candidate and make sure the others under their thumb go after Ted Cruz with all that they have. First Jeb Bush, then Chris Christie, then Marco Rubio appeared to be their candidate of choice, but none of the three have resonated as expected. Now, it appears that Christie may be usurping Rubio, but Rubio still has the inside track acquire the Republican Establishment’s support if he’s able to start making some strong moves.

Whoever the chosen one is, the others will be given a hands-off decree. They will be instructed to attack Cruz and Cruz alone (unless Trump is still a threat by mid-March, in which case they’ll split their attacks). If Rubio is tapped by the Republican Establishment, Christie will be promised Attorney General, John Kasich will be promised an Ambassadorship, and Bush will be pressured by his family to back off on Rubio and to go after Cruz.

They have a plan. It will work unless conservatives deny them for the first time in three decades. It took Reagan getting help from journalists and evangelical leaders for him to survive the onslaught. It will take the same for Cruz.

Military Strength without Adventurism

The belief that democracy must reign at all costs has been demonstrated as futile since the Arab Spring. It has been a complete failure and despite the most recent actions by President Obama being at the top of the lists to blame for the chaos in the Middle East, it was the Neocons under both Presidents Bush as well as under President Clinton that formed the foundation of this geopolitical disaster.

Reagan was different. He didn’t need to invade East Germany to bring down the Berlin Wall. He didn’t have to send troops into battles around the world to bring stability. He ended the Cold War by being a statesman and a principled leader. He represented military strength without adventurism. He was closer in ideology to Rand Paul than to Marco Rubio, but like Cruz he would have rested somewhere in-between isolationism and adventurism. Strong military and fiscal responsibility are not happy bedfellows for the Republican Establishment and so they wanted to destroy Reagan just as they want to destroy Cruz.

People often forget that Reagan had fewer military incursions than any President that followed him. Like Cruz, Reagan believed that you only fought when you had to fight. Otherwise, the threat of action can be more powerful than action itself. Cruz is the only candidate who represents this demeanor towards the military and its place in the world.

Conservative Constitutional Principles Guiding Them

If there’s one thing the RINO (Republican In Name Only) power brokers in DC hate, it’s the idea that the Constitution must be defended above their own power base. The Constitution has stood in the way of Democrats and Neocons for decades. Reagan and Calvin Coolidge were the only Presidents of the 20th century who understood the need for it to supersede all other concepts other than the Bible.

Like President Obama and President Reagan, Ted Cruz understands the Constitution. Unlike President Obama, Cruz sees it as the foundation of the greatest country the world has ever known instead of the roadblock that gets in Obama’s way. Now more than ever, the United States needs a President like Ted Cruz to make the Constitution the indispensable core of our government. Only Cruz can undo the damage the President Obama (and for that matter, Presidents Bush and President Clinton) has done in defiance of the Constitution.

Ted Cruz faces opposition from all sides just as Ronald Reagan did in 1980. The Democrats fear him. The Republican Establishment loathes him. No candidate in three decades has held the values and principles that Reagan brought to the White House like Cruz.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 2016elections; adventurism; american; americanpatriot; canadian; constitution; cruz; establishment; heisnaturalborn; ineligible; militarystrength; neocons; notcanadian; owned; principledleader; principles; reagan; republican; ronaldreagan; statesman; tcruz; tedcruz; values; winner
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last
"Now more than ever, the United States needs a President like Ted Cruz to make the Constitution the indispensable core of our government. Only Cruz can undo the damage the President Obama (and for that matter, Presidents Bush and President Clinton) has done in defiance of the Constitution."
1 posted on 12/25/2015 1:24:55 PM PST by Isara
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Isara

Cruz is hardly free of the establishment. Until the debate, Cruz was still doing the establishment’s bidding by telling news outlets that he wasn’t taking legalization of illegals off the table. Cruz’s wife worked with the CFR, and was an adviser and chief assistant to one of Romney’s Ultra-Globalist-Pro-China-Free-Trade-Maniac henchmen. Cruz still favors TPP in principle, although he’s been forced to suddenly oppose parts of it.


2 posted on 12/25/2015 1:28:35 PM PST by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Isara

Presidential Candidates Comparison (Bush vs. Carson vs. Cruz vs. Rubio vs. Trump)

Please click on the pictures at the top of the columns for more details on the ratings of the candidates.

green = Good, RED = Bad, yellow = Mixed Jeb Bush Ben Carson Ted Cruz Marco Rubio Donald Trump
Budget, Spending & Debt yellow yellow green green yellow
Civil Liberties RED green green yellow RED
Education yellow yellow green green green
Energy & Environment RED yellow green green green
Foreign Policy & Defense yellow RED green yellow green
Free Market RED yellow yellow yellow RED
Health Care & Entitlements yellow green green green RED
Immigration RED RED green RED green
Moral Issues yellow yellow green green yellow
Second Amendment yellow yellow green green yellow
Taxes, Economy & Trade yellow yellow green green yellow

More at Conservative Review: https://www.conservativereview.com/2016-presidential-candidates

Note: If you don't like the ratings for any reason, please contact Conservative Review's Editor-in-Chief, "The Great One," Mark Levin. But I have to warn you that you may get this response from him: "GET OFF THE PHONE, YOU BIG DOPE!"

3 posted on 12/25/2015 1:29:40 PM PST by Isara
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Isara
He also has had a chimp for a co-star:


4 posted on 12/25/2015 1:32:31 PM PST by mrsmith (Dumb sluts: Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat/RINO Party!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Isara

If the Gipper were still with us, I have no doubt he would support Ted Cruz.


5 posted on 12/25/2015 1:43:30 PM PST by conservativejoy (Pray Hard, Work Hard, Trust God ...We Can Elect Ted Cruz)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Greetings_Puny_Humans

So, given the yellow warning on the conservative report card for Ted Cruz, just who would you think scores better?

My guess is Trump, because his supporters don’t seem to care about reason, just emotion.


6 posted on 12/25/2015 2:00:02 PM PST by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: American in Israel

Must admit however you tend to be a bit more reasoned.


7 posted on 12/25/2015 2:01:27 PM PST by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: American in Israel
So, given the yellow warning

It's via "conservative" review, with Mark Levin in charge. Aka Mr. "I see no evil and hear no evil," when it comes to vetting the candidates he supporters.

8 posted on 12/25/2015 2:02:42 PM PST by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Isara
Ronald Reagan Presidential Nomination Acceptance Speech - 7/17/1980

45 minutes worth watching.
9 posted on 12/25/2015 2:06:15 PM PST by cripplecreek (Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Isara

I hope people wake and realize Trump is a closet liberal who will do nothing to make this country great. Cruz has always been a Conservative.....Trump was a Democrat as early ad 2009.


10 posted on 12/25/2015 2:06:41 PM PST by Angels27
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Greetings_Puny_Humans

;) Trump?

Merry Christmas FRiend!


11 posted on 12/25/2015 2:11:58 PM PST by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Greetings_Puny_Humans

Heidi Cruz isn’t running for anything.

That’s a canard. Nancy Reagan was ????? Who the heck cares?

You’ve apparently missed that Cruz is his own man and is not making decisions based on McConnell, McCain, Boehner, Ryan and the whole sleazy lot. His own position on illegal aliens is his own, and his tweaking of it is his own.

The point was made by the writer that the GOP E despised Ronald Reagan and that they despise Ted Cruz.

Prove to us that isn’t true.

You can’t, because it’s not only true, but truer words were never spoken.

Tell us another good one. I know - Ted Cruz is a citizen of Canada.

Bwaaaaahahahahaha.....


12 posted on 12/25/2015 2:33:26 PM PST by txrangerette (("...hold to the TRUTH; speak without fear". - Glenn Beck))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: txrangerette
Heidi Cruz isn’t running for anything.

No, but it explains Ted Cruz's early support and apologia for TPA and TPP. Cruz has also described his wife as a "conservative dissident" on the CFR, when, in fact, she endorsed the NAU. That proves Cruz can lie.

You’ve apparently missed that Cruz is his own man and is not making decisions based on McConnell, McCain, Boehner, Ryan a

Who did Cruz campaign with to push TPA? It was Paul Ryan.

The point was made by the writer that the GOP E despised Ronald Reagan and that they despise Ted Cruz.

But then they can't hate him too badly, because, in the end, he still backs them up where it counts.

13 posted on 12/25/2015 2:42:49 PM PST by Greetings_Puny_Humans (I mostly come out at night... mostly.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Greetings_Puny_Humans
It's Christmas day and still Trump supporters post their contempt and disdain for a true conservative; it is almost as if they driven by rage and hate.

Merry Christmas to all - even the Trump jihadists!

14 posted on 12/25/2015 3:53:13 PM PST by DaveyB (Live free or die!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Isara
What are TPA and TPP?
TPA stands for Trade Promotion Authority, also known as "fast track". TPA is a process by which trade agreements are approved by Congress. Through TPA, Congress sets out up-front objectives for the Executive branch to achieve in free trade negotiations; in exchange for following those objectives, Congress agrees to hold an up-or-down vote on trade agreements without amendments. For the past 80 years, it has proven virtually impossible to negotiate free-trade agreements without the fast-track process.

TPP stands for Trans-Pacific Partnership. TPP is a specific trade agreement currently being negotiated by the United States and 11 other countries, including Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. China is not a negotiating partner. Neither the Senate nor the House has voted yet on the TPP.

15 posted on 12/25/2015 3:55:47 PM PST by Isara
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Isara

Trying to compare a weak knead lying weenie like Cruz to Reagan is not only disgusting it’s sacrilege.


16 posted on 12/25/2015 5:17:55 PM PST by lewislynn ( You know you're a Muslim if everything offends you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Isara

3 Differences?

Reagan was taller
His suits fit better
He parted his hair on the right side

I don’t see a problem with any of those things


17 posted on 12/25/2015 6:16:46 PM PST by navet97
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Isara
One colorful little graph deserves another:

Image and video hosting by TinyPic
18 posted on 12/25/2015 6:41:57 PM PST by mkjessup (Trump is kicking the ass of the GOPe, RINOs & the media. Don't like him? He must be kicking YOUR ass)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: DaveyB
It's Christmas day and still Trump supporters post their contempt and disdain for a true conservative; it is almost as if they driven by rage and hate. Merry Christmas to all - even the Trump jihadists!

You forgot to ping the head of the 'Trump jihadists' for his opinion, see my tagline for a clue, magoo.
19 posted on 12/25/2015 6:44:28 PM PST by mkjessup (JimRob: "It's Trump or Cruz, all the others are amnesty pimps" And the man is RIGHT!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: mrsmith

They don’t seem close AT ALL.


20 posted on 12/25/2015 9:15:10 PM PST by Impy (They pull a knife, you pull a gun. That's the CHICAGO WAY, and that's how you beat the rats!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-27 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson