Posted on 02/04/2016 9:54:05 AM PST by Kaslin
In Monday's Iowa caucus, Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, the man most hated by the Republican establishment, came from behind to nab front-runner Donald Trump. Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., the supposed establishment favorite, came in just a point behind Trump. According to conventional wisdom, this should set up a battle royal among anti-establishment Cruz, anti-establishment Trump and establishment Rubio. If Rubio emerges victorious, the pundits explain, the establishment will have lived to fight another day, and put those rowdy conservative grass-roots anti-establishment types in their place.
This is nonsense.
Cruz is the most conservative person in the Republican race. Trump, up until he became the establishment's baton against Cruz, was a thorn in the side of the establishment. And the new establishment darling, Rubio, is arguably the second-most conservative person in the Republican race (the only other contender is Senator Rand Paul). There's a reason the establishment backed then-Republican Florida Governor Charlie Crist over Rubio in 2010.
In fact, there's only one reason the establishment can tolerate Rubio, who is ardently anti-abortion, thoroughly hawkish, and consistently pro-free markets (outside of his bizarre support for sugar subsidies). They support Rubio because he backed the Gang of Eight amnesty bill in 2013. Rubio has been soft on immigration since his days in the Florida state legislature. He briefly adopted Mitt Romney's self-deportation platform in 2012 before flipping left in 2013; then, after serious blowback, he abandoned that position. That's obviously problematic, and a reason for conservatives to question his credentials on that issue. But leaving amnesty aside, calling Rubio "establishment" does a true disservice to the conservative grassroots who elected him in the first place.
So, what does that mean? It means that in the Iowa caucus, openly anti-establishment candidates -- from Trump to Cruz to Rubio to Ben Carson to Rand Paul -- received 88.9 percent of the vote. Jeb Bush, the original establishment favorite, received just 2.8 percent of the vote. John Kasich clocked in at 1.9 percent. Chris Christie received just 1.8 percent.
The story is no different in New Hampshire. There, establishment candidates amount to just 27.6 percent of the electorate, according to the latest RealClearPolitics polling averages. All the talk of the tea party's death was greatly exaggerated -- the tea party took over the Republican Party. The establishment's newfound enthusiasm for Rubio represents a desperation play, an attempt to latch onto the least worst option they can find. But that doesn't mean that Rubio is establishment.
So, conservatives should cheer the results of the Iowa caucus, regardless of which candidate they supported. That doesn't mean the establishment can't rise from the grave - they co-opted tea partyer Rubio once, and may be able to do so again. But it does mean that for the moment, default successful national Republicanism is conservative. And that's a big win for the grassroots.
Not with the antiestablishment killing each other making room for the ultimate establishment work across the aisle for money and popularity amnesty king of hope rubio
King of GOPe hope that is. Rubio. What disaster and he can’t even beat Hillary
Trump. Get back inthere
There was an article then that Corey Lewandowski was the person who flipped him.
If I ever say anything nice about Rubio on FR will I be killed first and then tortured ? or will it be the more customary routine ?
The only reason they hate Ted is because he is one of them and used the Senate as a launch pad for his ambition.
The establishment is as healthy as ever and they will take this 2016 nomination.
The article places Rubio in the antiestablishment camp. The suggestion is that he is the least odious of the antiestablishment candidates to the establishment because of his squishy position on immigration. It’s an interesting twist to the discussions taking place on FR.
He's also hated by many conservatives. How is this a badge of honor?
And now that he's fully displayed his dark side, outright stole an election, I think many of his fans aren't so enamored with him either.
Keep drinking the cool aid. The election is going almost exactly as the uniparty hoped it would. The so called outsider (Cruz) is taking out the real anti-establishment candidates (Carson, Trump) clearing a path for Rubio to win the nomination. Jeb was suppose to be the one but GOPe Rubio will do nicely.
It is by no means dead. Not when we have at least three candidates on the Republican slate conniving to pit the remaining two candidates’ constituents against one another with picayune arguments designed to distract us from the real evil. I won’t stand for it. I’ll defend both sides until we defeat these bastards.
Ben Shapiro turns my stomach and it started way before his support of Ted Cruz. Now he’s pushing Rubio? Sickening!
Rubio is a womanizer with lots of baggage (just like the Sink Emperor Bill Clinton).
If Rubio becomes the nominee, look for a huge scandal to break out just before the general election. The rats are holding the story back, for now.
I don’t think the establishment is dead. They will need to hear us breathing down their neck every day from here on out no matter who is elected. The problem is that they forget who is in charge the minute they get to Washington.
He has never run a business or any other organization. He has never stood up for a cause or an idea. He has never demonstrated honor, integrity or courage under fire. Even Santorum, when endorsing Rubio, could not name a single accomplishment.
His only political action of note was joining the failed Gang of Eight to support almost complete amnesty for illegal immigrants with no requirement for border security or enforcement.
I can still remember him being metaphorically led around on a leash by Senator Chuck Schumer and others.
What he has done is get the Republican establishment to donate money to his campaign and get the MSM to support him.
Everyone’s pushing Rubio. It’s idiotic. A guy who will use his undeserved seat in the senate to push an America destroying anti constitutional policy with the likes of schumer. To be proud to stand next to schumer a moved exponentially worse than sitting next to pelosi for an earth day photo op is suddenly the Santorum favorite?
Rubio is a disaster with a ribbon and a bow on it
Quote:
“The Establishment Is Dead”
Only a fool would say that.
Rubio is a classic establishment guy. Fast talking no life experience no scruples no character no statesman worthy education
He will do anything for the bullies while buying their compliments. Including taking a dive against Hillary, which he would
We shall see how NH works out next week.
Buy it is slowly dying.
Ben Shapiro’s hatred for TRUMP has him promoting “amnesty Rubio.” Does he not understand that amnesty is the most important issue in this election. Does he not understand that the sovereignty of the United States is at stake. Does he not understand that every other issue we can argue hinges on amnesty. Does he know what is going on at the border today. Rubio is the establishment...He is bought and paid for...Wake up Shipiro!
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