Posted on 02/11/2016 7:57:59 AM PST by SeekAndFind
You can read his extended comments at his website. A Twitter pal tagged me this afternoon after Rush said this and claimed that he’d just endorsed Cruz; Redditors are interpreting it the same way. It does seem to follow logically that the biggest name in conservative talk radio, who’s been preaching Reagan conservatism to millions for 30 years, is dropping an endorsement when he calls a candidate the next best thing to Reagan himself. (Rush quasi-endorsed Mitt Romney in the 2008 primary in a similar way, complimenting him as the only Republican candidate who represented all three legs of the conservative stool.) But I assume Rush himself will deny that tomorrow, partly because he doesn’t formally endorse candidates in primaries and partly because of the noteworthy caveat he drops here:
They were going left as fast as Deion Sanders can backpedal. They were moving left faster than anybody I’ve ever seen go left. And I opened the program yesterday saying, “You will never, ever have to worry about that with Ted Cruz.” And then I expanded on it. And let me say one thing: If conservatism is your bag, if conservatism is the dominating factor in how you vote, there is no other choice for you in this campaign than Ted Cruz, because you are exactly right: This is the closest in our lifetimes we have ever been to Ronald Reagan.
In terms of doctrinaire, understandable, articulated, implementable conservatism, there’s nobody closer. But I think the electorate at this point in time… We don’t know, Brian. If you look at Trump’s coalition, there’s a lot of assumptions being made about it, because he’s running as a Republican and in the Republican primary, and it’s assumed the Republican base is who’s voting here. Therefore, it’s assumed the majority of Trump’s coalition’s conservatives. And there are a lot.
But he’s broad. He’s all over the spectrum.
That’s the last eight months of Trumpmania and talk radio synthesized in one bit of audio. We’ve got the truest conservative candidate since Reagan in the race this year, which, one would think, would merit some sort of enthusiastic endorsement — but Rush puts the brakes on. Cruz is the candidate you should support if “conservatism is your bag.” At best, it’s a qualified endorsement. Hearing that on his show of all places, that you may want to consider this or that if you’re into conservatism, is like hearing someone on the NFL Network say you may want to consider this or that if you’re into football. On the one hand, he’s simply recognizing reality: As he himself recently said, for some people (although not for him) “nationalism and populism have overtaken conservatism in terms of appeal.” True enough. For those people, Trump’s the guy. On the other hand, Cruz is facing a primary in 10 days that may very well decide the fate of the Republican nomination. Given the stakes there, with South Carolina forced to choose between a true-blue disciple of Reagan and a populist who seems capable of smashing the Republican coalition, the vote on February 20th is arguably the most momentous night the conservative movement will have experienced since 1980. If talk radio, which has been preaching conservative populism since the Reagan era, wants to give Cruz a boost over the nationalist Trump, now would seem to be the time. The fact that the quasi-endorsement comes with a qualifier anyway — vote Cruz, if conservatism’s your thing — feels like a bad sign. Just one more reason why I think Trump’s a heavy favorite for the nomination.
Actually, there’s another significant element to this clip. Would Rush praise Cruz quite so effusively, implicitly elevating him over Rubio (and everyone else) in terms of his conservative credentials, if he thought Rubio was still a plausible nominee? Remember, Rush has had warm words for Rubio lately, defending him as a bona fide conservative despite attacks on Rubio from the right that he’s some establishment water carrier. If Rubio had finished a strong second last night, creating a three-way race with Trump and Cruz, Rush might have felt obliged to hedge on Cruz being Reagan’s true heir or even included Rubio in the praise. Some of this, I think, is him bowing to the reality that, at least for the moment, Cruz is the only game in town if you want to stop Trump before he’s unstoppable.
Limbaugh could not say that truthfully; he needs some kind of agenda to rationalize that stupidity.
RE: To compare anyone, especially Ted Cruz to RR is sacrilege.
To compare someone to Jesus Christ would be sacrilege. Reagan is not divine.
If we had the same electorate that we did in 1980 Cruz would be a shoo-in.
Unfortunately we do not.
For those of us who feel we’re just as able to understand how to gather and analyze information as Rush is, this is a good opportunity to share the following from Paul Kegnor’s book “11 Principles of a Reagan Conservative”:
Here are the eleven Reagan principles.
- Freedom
- Faith
- Family
- Sanctity and Dignity of Human Life
- American Exceptionalism
- The Founders Wisdom and Vision
- Lower Taxes
- Limited Government
- Peace Through Strength
- Anti-Communism
- Belief in the Individual
These principles are largely derived from the underlying philosophy of conservative thought as expressed by Russell Kirk, Edmund Burke, Alexis de Tocqueville and others.
Donald Trump life and work outside of government is a great example of the 11 Principles of Reagan Conservatism in action. Is he perfect? No, and neither is Cruz - nor was Reagan himself. But in the upcoming elections people will be required to make a choice, and “A. Perfect Conservative” will not be on the ballot. It is important to look at the totality of what Reagan believed, not simply a Cliff Notes summary, and to consider a candidates lifetime deployment of those principles by their actions as well as by their words. For example, the fact that the national debt rose from $1 trillion when Reagan took office to $2.9 trillion or that the number of nonmilitary federal employees increased by 238,000 under Reagan don’t prove he was not true to his Conservative beliefs. Presidents have to govern, and it takes more than a talking-point analysis to understand the full story.
Yet it’s interesting that Reagan is remembered as a “small government” President:
TOTAL US POPULATION IN 1980: 226,545,805
TOTAL US POPULATION IN 2010: 330,000,000
TOTAL NONMILITARY EMPLOYEES IN 1980 approx. 2,875,000
TOTAL NONMILITARY EMPLOYEES IN 2010 approx. 2,840,000
A Constitutionalist such as Ted could never be an “authoritarian”. Rescinding un-Constitutional deals and EOs are not authoritarian acts.
My statement stands true as Trump won every demographic in NH including OMG evangelicals!
I do believe the GOPe hates Cruz more than Trump. Cruz is a hardline conservative. They hate conservatism. They hate his record in the Senate. They hate his fan base. GOPe only wants our continued servitude to them so they can retain power.
Nor as tall.
“They both supported amnesty and both supported un-fair trade.”
Whatever Reagan said about trade, he was very protectionist in achieving his policies.
Can’t quite recall which part of Canada Reagan was born in?
That’s the rub - Ted is authoritarian - he, and many of his supporters, are “my way or the hi-way”. You see it all too often even here on FR. Many say they will not vote if Ted is not the nominee - that is an authoritarian position.
RUSH: What revolution?
“Rush says the candidates need Trump to show them the WAY!”
Yes, and Rush is saying support the lieutenant rather than the general.
I stopped listening to Levin and Rush weeks ago, I just got sick of them telling me my choice is wrong....... It is my choice and I will live with it, this is the first time in years I have been excited about an election, I refuse to let ANYONE bring me down!!!!! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!!!
NOUN
violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred:
RE: Can’t quite recall which part of Canada Reagan was born in?
“closest” refers to Political Philosophy, not circumstance of birth ( which Cruz has no control over ).
Man, do you really believe that Reid, Schumer and Pelosi are people with whom you can build “consensus”? You are smarter than that. He is stabbing you guys in the back and he’s not even nominated yet.
I’m not buying it either.
I think Trump is more Reaganesque than Cruz ever will be.
Unfortunately the Gipper is not here to weigh in on all the people trying to use his name.
RE: violation or misuse of what is regarded as sacred:
I don’t regard ANY person other than Jesus Christ as sacred.
Your Canadian Preacher Cruz had ZERO experience. I can tell you, after election defeat, he had look for other profession.
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