Posted on 01/09/2016 3:03:08 PM PST by TBBT
OTTUMWA, Iowa â Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump escalated his criticism of GOP rival Sen. Ted Cruz (Tex.) here in Iowa Saturday, painting him as a political follower beholden to pro-oil special interests and the donor class.
Trumpâs strategy: to raise further questions about Cruzâs stance on ethanolâ an important industry for voters in the Hawkeye State â in the final weeks before the Feb. 1 caucuses. Cruz has faced renewed scrutiny over his opposition to the 2005 Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires gasoline to be blended with amounts of corn ethanol and is set to expire in 2022.
âAs you know, my primary opponent in Iowa â only in Iowa, because Ted actually isnât do very well in New Hampshire, but in Iowa heâs doing well â was totally opposed to ethanol and the ethanol industry because heâs with the oil industry. Heâs from Texas, I guess that makes sense,â Trump said.
The real estate mogulâs criticism comes amid an escalating battle between the two candidates for the top spot in polls of Iowa voters. A Fox News survey of Iowa voters had Cruz leading Trump among likely GOP caucusgoers, 27 percent to 23 percent.
[âWhen Ethanol Attacks,â starring Ted Cruz.]
While touting his own support for the industry, Trump said he believes Cruzâs position on ethanol has undergone âa very big change.â Cruz has faced scrutiny in recent days for his one-time opposition to the RFS; he has softened his position in recent years, instead calling for legislation that would gradually phase out the requirement.
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
I tend to believe Trump leans towards being a big government fan...
Prime example... Yes the Kelo decision was fabulous! Just ask Trump. When it’s for something that Trump favors or wants - he’s all for using the power of big government. Trumps no stranger or trying to use the power of big government. Recall his attempt at using big government (eminent domain) to take property from private citizens and give it to other moneyed private interest (in this case himself) to use for their desires (in Trumps case building parking lots for his casinos).
In principle - this makes Trump little different than Obama. They both will use the power of big government (shredding the constitution if needed) to get what they want. The only difference is for what.
Ted Cruz wants to get government out of the business of micro-managing every detail of the economy and Trump is saying he’s perfectly OK with government doing that micromanagement.
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Comprehension is clearly not your thing.
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Well, one thing I DO comprehend CORRECTLY is that Trump is in favor of the government micromanaging the use of ethanol in gasoline and micromanaging how much ethanol is placed in gasoline. How do I comprehend that? Simply by listening to Trump saying he’s for it whilst campaigning in IOWA. Of course, it’s also possible that he is simply PANDERING and doesn’t believe in that (in which case he would be lying when saying he is for it).
Even, more amazing with Rush is when I remembered him saying the day after the Obama 2012 reelection that if we wanted to win next time that we “Should run a conservative.” Now, we have the most conservative candidate since Reagan in Cruz and Trump gives him faint praise and elevates the liberal, flip flopping Donald Trump.
My two sons regard trump properly as an object of ridicule.
You raised smart, perceptive boys.
Me, too. But I don’t usually expect serious presidential candidates, or folks who even have an inkling that they might like to run for president one day, to appear on the Howard Stern show.
Sometimes I'll tune into a Trump speech and my teen/20s girls will start laughing AT him. Normally politicians don't register with them at all, like football games ;-)
So then Cruz can man up and tell his story. Whining? There’s no whining in politics!
But doing it to all the other candidates is ok? Just not to Ted Cruz, right? Come on, people, this is politics. If this BS bothers Ted, he’s got no business running.
I don’t have a problem with engaging, I have a probablem with MSM talking points that aren’t remotely true.
I agree. Yet all he had to do was pretend to be conservative for the past seven months, and his fans don’t even care.
Though I’m pretty sure those same fans were rightfully disgusted with Clinton’s antics.
“Just his exchange with Howard Stern is enough to convince me he is not a man I want to represent my country.”
You’ll notice how little play these comments have gotten around here (I read this forum a lot, and this thread is literally the first time I’ve seen them.) Meanwhile, Megyn Kelly’s single, comparably benign appearance on the same show gets thrown around ad nauseam.
How is it, then, that Megyn is a “slut” and “whore” and any number of awful names, but Donald isn’t a “cad” and “pervert”? It’s nonsense like this that proves that slut-shaming really is a thing, and that maybe there really is a societal double standard in place.
Garbage, Cruz is flop-flopping just like he did on Muzies, the wall, amnesty, TPA, Iran deal and much more. Cruz has been unbelievably weak in the Senate and in this campaign. Trump has been attacked nop-stop and from every angle. You and your ilk had no problem and cheered it on, cited sources like salon and other left wing blogs. Now that Cruz gets some heat you all are beside yourselves. Man-up, this is politics. Cruz has been riding Trump’s coattails this whole time. And now that he has to stand on his own, it’s suddenly unfair? I think not.
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You’re absolutely correct, but Cruz people are real Cultists. They worship even their own lies.
Read comments on another blog people saying that TRUMP is drawling in new people registering, the problem is ?
A lot of these new registrants are Democrats voting for Trump, or may not be voting for Trump in the primaries,,but will vote for either Hillary or Berney in the general election.
Trump’s support is not as deep or soild as the Trump supporters have us to believe.
“I have yet to see a Trump supporter post the actual quote.”
I posted it along with others.
“Who am I comfortable having their finger on the button? Now that’s a question of strength, but it’s also a question of judgment.”
Well, that is an attack, which you Cruz-bots claim Cruz is too pure to make.
No, it did not affect Trump. I did not think it would. My point is that Cruz-bots get the vapors every time Trump does attack and want to whine and run to Rush Limbaugh to defend their giant.
And, of course, he is for Renewable Fuel Standard (ethanol mandate), so governement can pick winners and losers.
Trump's Record on Free-market Issue: (from the Conservative Review)
Trump has a terrible record on free market issues. The only bright spot is the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing, but this glimmer is countermanded by his repeated support for bailing out Wall Street and the auto industry, and increased stimulus spending. Of particular concern is Trump's belief that the government can use eminent domain powers to seize private property in the name of private economic development. This comes as no surprise, given his support for using eminent domain to profit his own company.
Trump supported the Supreme Court’s 2005 decision in Kelo v. City of London, allowing public authorities to seize private land for economic development by private investors; Trump said, “I happen to agree with [the decision] 100 percent.” (National Review) This is no surprise given Trump’s attempt to use eminent domain in his own line of work. (Institute for Justice)
Trump supported President Obama’s 2009 stimulus, saying: “The word stimulus is probably not used in its fullest…you know, certain of the things that were given weren't really stimulus. They were pork, as we call it, or they were gifts to certain people. But overall, I think he's [President Obama] doing very well. You do need stimulus and you do have to keep the banks alive.” (CNN)
Trump supported TARP, saying, "You had to do something to shore up the banks, because ... you would have had a run on every bank." (CNN)
Trump supported the 2008 auto bailout, saying, “I think the government should stand behind them 100 percent. You cannot lose the auto companies. They’re great. They make wonderful products.” He also said that the federal government could “easily save the companies.” (Daily Caller)
Trump criticized the Federal Reserve’s intervention in the debt market, saying quantitative easing creates “phony numbers” that mislead the marketplace and “will not ultimately benefit the economy. The dollar will go down in value and inflation will start rearing its ugly head.” (CNBC)
Donald Trump has a history of using eminent domain to complete business deals. Multiple times Trump has supported the use of government agencies to take possession of homes and businesses for use in his private business plans. Eminent domain seizures are reserved only for public use of property rather than abuse by the government taking property from one individual and giving to another. (Washington Post)
Donald Trump has sought and received crony capitalist tax breaks for his commercial properties in New York. These tax breaks, and even an abatement, force the property taxes of other property owners to rise at the expense of the connected. Special treatment for one business or industry over another with the tax code conflicts with free market principles. (National Review)
In 2009, Trump supported Barack Obama's call for limits on the pay of executives. (CNN)
You mean candidates #1 and #2 in a political race criticize each other??? I’m shocked, I say....shocked!
I found the perfect campaign song for the Donald to pump him up before events:
Henry Rollins - Liar (with lyrics)
This nails the Donald down pretty good
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E-qlXKVdaY
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