Ted Cruz: Trump Will Lose in 2020 if He Cuts Deal on Gun Control

Bretibart ^ | 13 Sep 2019 | AWR HAWKINS

[conservative98]

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) warned that President Trump will lose in 2020 if he cuts a deal with Democrats regarding gun control.

Roll Call reports that Cruz offered this observation while speaking to reporters at a Thursday breakfast. He contended that conservative voters will stay home if Trump and the Republicans as a whole cave to Democrat demands.

He was asked about the possibility of Trump making a deal with gun control stalwarts Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Joe Manchin (D-WV).

Cruz said, “We’re going to see record-setting Democratic turnout. The only element missing is demoralizing conservatives so they stay home. I hope we don’t do that.”

He also noted, “If Republicans abandon the Second Amendment and demoralize millions of Americans who care deeply about Second Amendment rights, that could go a long way to electing a President Elizabeth Warren.”

Cruz also suggested it would be a big mistake for Trump to voice support for the Democrats’ background check bill, saying, “It would also be a serious mistake as a policy matter.”

[Synthesist]

” ...All of this boils down to whether we place principles over persons. Either we are for the second amendment or we are for Donald Trump regardless of his position on the Second Amendment... “

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+1 Great post. I could not have said it better myself.

[SkyPilot]

As of now, there is no conflict between Donald Trump and the Bill of Rights. As of now, Cruz is quite properly and publicly laying down a marker on behalf of his constituents to affect the debate, that's how politics is properly played...

An eloquent and sober analysis post, as always Nathan.

We like to see in Conservative circle that "Trump is not a politician!"

It is true he didn't come from the political sea as an elected hack, however, he played politics his whole life. Moreover, he is a politician now. Plain and simple. I am not denigrating this fact, simply stating it.

Trump is undoubtedly weighing the pros and cons of signing gun control. Polls show that the misguided sheep love the idea of "Red Flag Laws" and more violations of the Constitution.

The President is up for reelection next year. Can he still retain his granite sold base of Conservatives, Libertarians, patriots, working class whites, Evangelicals, small business owners, and those fed up with Washington DC, and still sign gun control? If he signs the legislation, he can fend off any attacks from his opponents on guns and "mass shootings." But will his base stay with him if he blatantly violates the Constitution.

My sincere belief is that enough of his base will stay home if signs gun control. More than enough for him to lose in 2020.

[21twelve]

Sometimes it only takes a single misstep to lose an election.

“Read my lips - no new taxes.”

Yes I was young and perhaps foolish. I’m not sure if it was Bush Sr. raising taxes, or that he lied to me.

Trump was not always a strong supporter of 2nd Amendment rights. Of course, Reagan wasn’t either.

Trump better stay strong on the 2nd.

[SkyPilot]

My hope is PDJT will advance a Red Flag bill that absolutely protects due process (no actions before a hearing) and throws the book at false accusers for committing felony perjury & puts them in prison.

That isn't what the President said before the cameras last month.

"Those firearms can be taken through rapid due process."
President Trump, August 5th, 2019

The devil is in the details of any legislation, however, I would not support Trump signing ANY national "Red Flag Law", no matter what claptrap language is in it. We know the courts bastardize anything they wish. Hell, the Supreme Court can't even bring itself to say that this is a human being:

I have little confidence that any "due process" protections written into this Orwellian nightmare will protect the American people from tyranny.

We should all ponder this: the same Big Tech firms that are banning you and your posts/videos from Twitter, Disqus, YouTube, Facebook, and other platforms are the same ones that want to "Red Flag" your gun ownership rights.

The Communist Chinese "Social Credit Score" is coming to the United States (it will start in California).

"Red Flag" laws will open up the gates of despotism and a reign of terror that the Founders would have thought unthinkable in this Republic. But it is already happening.

[SkyPilot]

Trump was not always a strong supporter of 2nd Amendment rights. Of course, Reagan wasn’t either.

Nancy Reagan strong armed President Reagan into supporting gun control.

His 1986 Firearm Owners Protection Act did repeal some of the provisions of the 1968 Gun Control Act, but only those that had already been deemed unconstitutional.

The law contained a provision that made illegal the ownership of any fully automatic firearms not registered by May 19, 1986. This "accomplished" something even the National Firearms Act of 1934 didn't do - making ownership of automatic weapons illegal.

Reagan also came out (after his Presidency) in support of the Brady Bill and the "Assault" Weapons Ban of 1994.

[zeestephen]

Re: “Cruz won over Beto by only 2.5% of the total vote IN TEXAS last year.”

2012 - Ted Cruz won Texas by 16%.

2012 - Mitt Romney won Texas by 16%.

2016 - Trump won Texas by 9%.

2018 - Cruz won Texas by 2.5%.

Anyone see a pattern here?

[Travis McGee]

"Red Flag Hotline? Grampa is talking very angry again, and he has a LOT of assault weapons!"

[Hugh the Scot]

Soap box, ballot box, ammo box... Where are we again?

[Drew68]

Just because you don’t like Cruz is no reason to denigrate a statement made by him. ESPECIALLY WHEN HE’S CORRECT!!!

This bears repeating.

[metmom]

Many of us realize that we can’t throw a temper tantrum and stay home or vote third party.

It’s Trump or we screwed.

[DoodleDawg]

I do not believe President Trump has indicated he will go for any new gun control measures. This is just Cruz talking out his yang again.

Trump has talked about gun control - comprehensive background checks and the like - in the past and has been talked out of it by pointing out just how unpopular such steps would be with is base. Cruz is reminding the President of that basic fact. If Cruz doesn't do it then others must.

[SkyPilot]

Great cartoon. Thanks.

Facebook bans posts and news articles that are pro-Second Amendment.

Studies show that Millennials and Gen Xers get 84% of their news from Facebook.

I don't believe that most Americans realize how close to tyranny we actually are.

[Hugh the Scot]

Yes. Dumb... But it will happen. For people who value liberty, there’s a damn good reason that the 1st and 2nd were 1st and 2nd.

Many people are adopting an accelerationist view. The stomping out of liberty seems inevitable given who we’re allowing to vote and the sorry state of humanity.

Dumb might not be the right word. Crazy maybe...

I’m not yet to the point of lighting the match myself, but I’m not fool enough to believe that any one man, Donald J. Trump included, is the key to the nation’s survival. Fact is, we’re not going to make it.

[moovova]

Cruz is absolutely right.

[Hugh the Scot]

No. More. Gun. Laws.

[Travis McGee]

[Travis McGee]

See 76, I modified it.

[KobraKai]

Trump has a complete out on this issue now, after Beto and Harris came out and admitted to confiscation as the goal. Trump can simply say the Rats are acting in bad faith and no more ‘deals’ will ever be made regarding the 2nd amendment.

[jazzlite]

I totally agree with Cruz. This is not a time to cave on people who merely know and understand the realities of life and of the distinct possibility, considering the collapse of our culture on the left, that we may have to defend ourselves against a tyrannical government. It is perilously close to that this very day. I have just read from Drudge and the WSJ an article describing “woke” medical schools who are now teaching social justice rather than how to heal sick people. This is straight up Nazi stuff and it is darn scary. Do you want your Dr. indoctrinating you concerning how you think and live your life and if you do not comply, you do not get treatment? We are on the brink, folks. They are coming out of the woodwork.

[Lazamataz]

President Trump, if you sign ANY bill on gun control then I, and many, many people who I know, will go to the range on Election Day. I don’t say this lightly, but this single issue is more important than any other. I am a STAUNCH supporter.

Me too.

But I would suggest this instead: Analyze the bill. If it is substantial gun control, THEN bail. Bump stocks was bad, especially the way it was implemented -- in complete opposition to the clear language, which can (and will) be abused by Democrats someday soon.

However, if he signs a bunch of meaningless fluff, I'll give him a pass. If, however, he signs an expansion of background checks that orders them for anyone but FFL's, he loses me.