Posted on 12/28/2015 2:33:48 PM PST by Isara
Read these two quotes carefully: The first: “Cruz cannot win because the Washington elites despise him.” The second goes: “[T]here are a lot of good candidates – I like nearly all of them… …except Cruz.” Which one of the similar quotes is from a pro-Cruz Super PAC and which is from a former Republican nominee for president?
The first quote is from an ad from Keep the Promise I, a Cruz Super PAC. The second is from Bob Dole, the 1996 Republican nominee and war hero, who got trounced by Bill Clinton. Both purport to highlight a negative of Senator Cruz, but do they really?
The answer is hidden in an examination of the conservative insurgency in Massachusetts, of all places. Five years ago this very week, things were starting to turn around for then-State Senator Scott Brown (R–MA).
Knowing how much of a train wreck RomneyCare had become, the voters of Massachusetts were drawn to Brown’s singular campaign message: “I will be the 41st vote to stop Obamacare.” Attorney General Martha Coakley’s team misread the electorate and put out ads that in effect said, “If you elect Scott Brown you will stop the president from giving healthcare to millions of Americans.” Two different candidates, same message, and we all know who won that race.
That same dynamic is playing out in the presidential race this year; be it with Donald Trump or Ted Cruz. The establishment keeps telling the voters how awful these two candidates are, but that just makes the voters gravitate to them even more.
Nowhere is this playing out more clearly than in Iowa where a series of establishment allies are swinging hard at Cruz in advertisements and mailers. All of this comes as Cruz further cements his lead in the state. On Christmas, CNN reported that a collection of five independent groups, aligned with the establishment and Mike Huckabee have begun attacks on Cruz in Iowa.
The attacks are being spearheaded by two people with ties to the establishment: Nick Ryan, who is an establishment activist in Iowa, and Sean Noble, another establishment hack who is backing Rubio. Mark Levin wrote of Noble’s Alinsky-like tactics back in November. Regarding Noble’s attacks on Cruz’s vote for the America Freedom Act, Conservative Review’s own Daniel Horowitz said: “Mr. Noble worked for Sen. Jeff Flake who also voted for the Freedom Act. I guess his boss and all of Rubio’s backers are also weak on national security.” Noble boasts, on his own website, of his ties to the “elite” of the party. He says “…or nearly 20 years, a pretty elite cast of characters has been doing just that [paying attention to Noble].”
Ryan is a longstanding force in Iowa politics, allied with the moderate Governor Branstad. On his website, Ryan describes himself as having investments in renewable energy—i.e. ethanol—in Iowa. Ted Cruz is very much against ethanol mandates.
When you scratch under the hood of the attacks on Cruz, and ask why they are more pointed than the attacks on Trump, a common theme begins to emerge. That is self-interest. It can be as plain as someone who has financial stakes in ethanol running ads against an anti-ethanol candidate, or it can be more complex, like with Noble—someone trying to hold onto the power they’ve carved out in the political industrial complex. Therein lies the real truth of why the attacks are stronger against Cruz than Trump, even though they really aren’t working against either candidate.
Trump is a dealmaker running a campaign as a disrupter to the status quo. Cruz is a proven disrupter to the status quo. That is a very big difference indeed.
The political industrial complex believes deep down that they can negotiate with the author of The Art of the Deal; they know they will lose the levers of power with Ted Cruz. You can see it in the voracity and frequency of their attacks.
The establishment consultants and chattering class know they have the most to lose with a Cruz presidency. What do they lose with a Cruz presidency? The very levers of power by which they enrich themselves: the Republican Party apparatus.
It goes much deeper than Cruz holding the reins of the executive branch. With a President Cruz, the positions of the self-described elite within the GOP power structure are in jeopardy. As much as the establishment screams electability from the rooftops, deep down they know that Cruz can and will win in 2016 if nominated. That is an existential threat to business as usual and the ruling class itself.
Rule #1 of the political industrial complex is: maintain power at all cost, even if it means torpedoing an electable conservative like Cruz. Here is how it would play out badly for them were Cruz the nominee:
Cruz is the larger threat to establishment because, if he wins, they lose all the levers of power. McConnell and his allies would be tossed out of organizations such as the Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, etc... If history is any guide, the sitting president of a political party has a large leeway in choosing those in key power positions. That puts the earning potential and power of the current political industrial complex in complete jeopardy.
That is why, come January, the establishment will continue to turn all their guns on Cruz because they would rather Trump win the nomination and lose to Hillary than for Ted Cruz to have a chance of being president. If that happened they would attempt to blame a Trump loss on the Tea Party, and keep their cushy jobs. As Cruz inevitably gains on Trump, the establishment will go after Cruz 110%, even if they are currently waging a rhetorical war on Trump.
As the calendar turns to 2016, and the political industrial complex realizes they can’t field a winning candidate on their own, they will increasingly turn their fire on Cruz over Trump. When they do so, be very aware that it isn’t for the “good of the country” or even because of “electability.” It pretty much boils down to what they have to do to keep food on their tables and their pockets lined.
A very powerful motivator indeed.
The thing that stopped any immigration bill from passing was Dave Brat unseating Cantor.
I understand about the supporters running you off, only from an entirely different side. I think we have no more conservative coalition big enough to win anything. It is all just a power and money grab. Sad.
I appreciate your kind reply.
Cruz did not support the Corker bill or TPA. Stop trying to distort the truth.
Besides, that is a joke coming from a Trump supporter especially since Trump supports gay marriage, abortion, TARP, the Clintons, and the rest of the extreme liberal agenda.
I would say that just by running the world is listening to TRUMP. He IS public service, nationally and becoming more so even internationally.
I mean who else has drawn even our socialist allies into dread of TRUMP? He is an ornery, independent cuss who intends to rebuild what makes America free and secure. Our military.
We are seeing Obama turn back Mexican families, whole sale, at the border, right? That is not about anybody bringing heat but TRUMP. He is loud and proud. We all were that way once.
Who running has uttered a personal peep to Hillary Clinton that EVER forms the word, “WARNING”?
TRUMP has a footprint that China is hearing. Putin has remarked, not about Hillary or anyone running, but TRUMP.
Russia hears TRUMP. He heard TRUMP say what Americans everywhere were saying. Let Putin fight ISIS. (Until TRUMP can unleash Hell as president.)
The Czeckeslovakian repeats what TRUMP said out loud, these immigrant Syrian “refugees” are young and strong, and why aren’t they fighting ISIS in their own countries??
Heck, that’s just for starters. TRUMP says he hasn’t even started on Hillary.
The Gang of 8 bill was in 2013. Dave Brat unseated Cantor in 2014, due in large part to the continued opposition of that legislation, opposition that was spearheaded by Cruz and Sessions, even in their many meeting with House Republicans.
From where I sit, the analysis in this article is dead on. The Washington GOP establishment hates Cruz more than Hillary or Obama.
Who is he following? There is no one else in Washington snugging up to Cruz, except Jeff Sessions and a few Tea Party folks.
Oh... I said it.... Tea Party. THAT is the operative word. The Washington Establishment, Democrat AND Republicans, hates the Tea Party with a visceral hatred. The IRS Scandal was hot as a fire cracker.... until it actually got close to accomplishing something. Then, it fizzled out. And the GOPe let it die without a fight. Why? Because they hate the Tea Party, too.
CR re-runs?
What else have you got on the state of the actual race?
I’ll take the American. The one who has declared by action that the American MAN is back!
No pearl clutching with TRUMP and the bonus is he can speak in declarative sentences, with no if’s, maybe, shoulda, woulda, coulda.
“Nobody has disrupted the politics as usual and GOPe status quo like Trump has since he announced. Nobody.”
Cruz isn’t independently wealthy, and reality TV star..
And,..... what is marvelous, TRUMP pleads “Guilty As Charged”!!! LOL!
The only man on the field that doesn’t play for the dodgers.
That’s our guy, alright! Scared of no one, helps.
Man did you get that right.
I don't get some folks - this isn't a football game and we've got two very promising prospects to support.
Whoo HOO!!!!
Smokin’!!
You are completely, totally, absolutely wrong.
Our constitution covers citizens only and the president has every right to limit immigration for any reason he chooses.
Jimmy Carter banned immigrants from Iran and either deported those here or put them on watch.
LOL
Remember this fight in 2013?
Ted Cruz Crushes Amnesty Proponents: Compares 'Gang of 8' Bill to 'Obamacare' (Video)
Ted Cruz Exposes the Amnesty Bill... $5000 Penalty for Hiring Citizens Over Legalized Aliens (Video)
By the way, Ted Cruz credits "We, the People" for stopping the bill.
Nope, that's all on you. You won't admit that Cruz can lie.
And if Cruz can lie, what does that do to his "principled conservative" talking point?
Trump led his deals right into bankruptcy a few times.
And according to a CNN report from a week or two ago (or sooner), an independent group hired by CNN estimated Trump's annual revenue from last year as being 9.5 billion dollars, and stated he employees around 22 thousand people.
The "Trump has had bankruptcies!" looks real pathetic when you consider that.
Trust me, Cruz supporters are getting tired of Trumpets attacking Cruz on every Trump and Cruz thread. It cuts both ways. At least Isara’s chart is honest.
Most of the attacks against Cruz are either blatant lies or just poorly thought out. Cruz has been fighting for conservatives for years now. Trump hasn’t done a thing, but run his mouth so far. Cruz has earned his respect while Trump still needs to prove himself.
Cruz it or lose it."
Good point, and I agree.
They always let you know who they fear, and it's always been Cruz.
Hell that is EXACTLY what we need. Previous public service experience is a huge disqualifier in my mind given that everyone elected previously has had it and has been an abject failure. >>>> **********
Remember when citizen representation was not just preferred, but a “given”. Now, that is out of fashion, exchanged for PAC purchase, political ladder climbers and show offs for the base and no one beyond it.
GOD bless TRUMP for his run and the clarion call for the nation to SPEAK AGAIN.
TRUMP, 2016
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