No warm eulogy for Cruz, he is responsible for us getting Trump

[Brian4Liberty]

I believe if not for Cruz, Rand Paul would have probably been in the 2nd place spot at the moment, and I doubt Rand would have dropped out before the convention.

Cruz basically just waited for Rand Paul to take the lead on issues in debates and then he'd swoop in behind him, parrot him, and then get all the credit. He had very few ideas of his own.

There was only room in the running for one pro-Constitution, limited-government candidate in the race, and Cruz undeservedly assumed that position from Rand.

On the Cruz over Rand choice, let's not ignore the elephant in the room. It only takes one word: Israel. The teocons wanted someone who talked about the Constitution and limiting government, yet was without question Israel-first. Ted Cruz was their man. This is not limited to people like Mark Levin. This is a good portion of the wider "liberty" movement. It includes a percentage of beltway libertarians, of objectivists, of people at publications and websites like Reason, and certain religious groups. The move to Cruz over Rand was pretty much a given. The neocon establishment tried to put Rubio in that role, but Cruz was far more convincing to the "liberty" movement. Rubio was supposed to be the cross-over between neocon and teocon, but the teocons preferred Cruz.

No doubt there are many Rubio supporters that have been mad at Cruz for "stealing" Rubio's support.

[Ender]

Ted did his job. He helped shut down Rand. I am sure an enormous Goldman Sachs bonus will be waiting for him in his next Senate race.

Actually, my first thought was that Trump paid him off.

[gaazn]

Better trump than bush or clinton. No two families should have so much power in the executive branch for the last 28 out of 36 years and potentially 36 out of 44 years. In a country of 300 million people, we can do better!

[Warlord]

people wanted an outsider and Trump was the ultimate outsider. He hasn't held elected office remember

[GunnyFreedom]

people wanted an outsider and Trump was the ultimate outsider. He hasn't held elected office remember

Right, he's a lifelong buyer of political influence now turned seller, still within the same market. Whoopteedoo he hasn't been elected before, he's been buying politicians all his life. The piss poor policy decisions Congress has made leading to this very desperate hour, have often been bought with his money. Sure, he's never been elected. He's just an oligarch swimming outside of his lane.

[heavenlyboy34]

Why blame Cruz? The media gave Trump a gazillion dollars' worth of free publicity and the dumbest ten percent of the registered Republicans voted, as they always do, for the name they heard the most, their knees jerking in a reflexive manner the whole time. What did Cruz have to do with that?

If the normal majority of Republicans wanted to avoid this entirely predictable outcome, they'd have done their research months ago, found that Rand Paul did best in hypothetical matchup polls against any Democrat, and they would have voted for him even if the mainstream media never once mentioned his name--and the dumbest ten percent of registered Republicans would have been handily outvoted. Or they would have voted on principle--in which case they would have nominated Rand Paul and the most unprincipled ten percent of the party could not have stopped them. It does the normal majority of Republicans no good to scapegoat Cruz now that they have failed to do this sensible thing. All they can do by trying to scapegoat him is reveal what damned fools they are to have gotten themselves in a spot where they were depending on Ted freaking Cruz to save them from anything at all.

No warm eulogy for Cruz, indeed. The real news this morning is that there will be no warm eulogy for the Republican Party. Its tombstone will say, 'They Reaped What They Sowed'.

Indeed. And good riddance!

[euphemia]

The challenge in raising a viable 3+ party system is in building coalitions that are necessary to win. That would mean in a LP-CP coalition, there would have to be a unity ticket. They do stuff like that in Europe.

I think this is very close to what needs to happen. I think the Consitution candidates are more in line with mainstream Americans. I have heard Darrell Castle speak before. He presents points in a very streamlined and intelligent way. I was really surprised at how well he connected with a mostly socialist student audience.

[sam1952]

This post should garner a lot of flack

Donald Trump cured the apathy of millions of republican conservatives, as mis-guided as they were. Much in the same way Ron Paul cured my apathy back in 2007. He harnessed that power the same way Ron Paul did but but on a much larger scale with the media's support and coverage, unlike Ron.

The public was begging for a non establishment candidate to rally behind and Trump gave that to them and more. No matter what foolish thing he said they put it in their mouths and swallowed too.

This could of, should have been Rand's roll but he chose to play the GOP game as opposed to his. I believe this was the downfall of the Paul/liberty movement.

Ron is now doing his infomercials and I'm going to take his lead and take care of myself and mine. I will not abandon the liberty movement but alas fear we are lost.

(no, i will not vote for the Donald)

[nikcers]

Who would of attacked him for Romney or Mcconnel endorsements if Cruz wasn't in the race though? Trump? Trump has endorsed everyone from Clinton to BiBi Netenyahu.. Rand would of won Iowa for sure if Cruz wasn't in there running basically an anti Rand campaign and especially if he had stand with Rand. Tweeting $#@! like this was probably the worst, that and his rhetoric talking around Rand.



$#@! you Ted you disappointing bastard!

[CPUd]

This post should garner a lot of flack

Donald Trump cured the apathy of millions of republican conservatives, as mis-guided as they were. Much in the same way Ron Paul cured my apathy back in 2007. He harnessed that power the same way Ron Paul did but but on a much larger scale with the media's support and coverage, unlike Ron.

The public was begging for a non establishment candidate to rally behind and Trump gave that to them and more. No matter what foolish thing he said they put it in their mouths and swallowed too.

This could of, should have been Rand's roll but he chose to play the GOP game as opposed to his. I believe this was the downfall of the Paul/liberty movement.

Ron is now doing his infomercials and I'm going to take his lead and take care of myself and mine. I will not abandon the liberty movement but alas fear we are lost.

(no, i will not vote for the Donald)

Rand was trying to build a coalition within the party between the grassroots liberty/young folk and party leadership (in DC and in the local GOPs), where such a coalition would be attractive to independents in open primaries and the general election. By doing this, he gets to run on a liberty message without getting the lights turned out at the state GOPs. Eventually he would build up his conservative following- polls through most of 2015 confirmed this, especially when Scott Walker dropped out. He did it in spite of Cruz being in the race, but Cruz was also in Iowa microtargeting voters 1 at a time. Rubio pulled a lot of the young folk away from Rand in Iowa.

What Trump did was come in and say he's bringing in his own people, but he also picked up the angry whites from other candidates as soon as they saw Jeb being pushed out there, and they weren't looking at other candidates because they didn't see anyone else who they could stick with to beat Jeb if the race became drawn out. I think a lot of these people were jumping from Bachman, Perry, Santorum, Gingrich in 2012 hoping they could stop Mitt.

[nikcers]

Rand was trying to build a coalition within the party between the grassroots liberty/young folk and party leadership (in DC and in the local GOPs), where such a coalition would be attractive to independents in open primaries and the general election. By doing this, he gets to run on a liberty message without getting the lights turned out at the state GOPs. Eventually he would build up his conservative following- polls through most of 2015 confirmed this, especially when Scott Walker dropped out. He did it in spite of Cruz being in the race, but Cruz was also in Iowa microtargeting voters 1 at a time. Rubio pulled a lot of the young folk away from Rand in Iowa.

What Trump did was come in and say he's bringing in his own people, but he also picked up the angry whites from other candidates as soon as they saw Jeb being pushed out there, and they weren't looking at other candidates because they didn't see anyone else who they could stick with to beat Jeb if the race became drawn out. I think a lot of these people were jumping from Bachman, Perry, Santorum, Gingrich in 2012 hoping they could stop Mitt.

If you are a conspiracy theorist like me then they are all pawns except Rand. Each are politically designed to drum up support from their electorate. Traditionally endorsing a candidate is worth that persons voters. Since that general notion has changed this season their new tactic was to unite the party against a common enemy, Donald Trump. Trump was designed to become a strawman for the unelectable republican policies so they can create a republican "pc" culture of acceptable policy and unaccetpable policy.

That backfired on them entirely because of the MSM giving Trump 2B free TV- so then they could not find a nominee who was strong enough to unite the party against Trumps tv character strawman. So instead the RNC decided to play their strongest hand, to use their biggest weakness as their strength. So the RNC decided to unite the party against the RNC. Now they will Endorse Trump and tell you how much they don't like it but they don't have a choice. I know I have a choice, and I know anybody who endorses Trump loses my Trust including Ron/Rand. I'm not buying into this campaign theater bull$#@!, this election was a fraud and I want a rematch.

[sam1952]

Rand was trying to build a coalition within the party between the grassroots liberty/young folk and party leadership (in DC and in the local GOPs), where such a coalition would be attractive to independents in open primaries and the general election. By doing this, he gets to run on a liberty message without getting the lights turned out at the state GOPs. Eventually he would build up his conservative following- polls through most of 2015 confirmed this, especially when Scott Walker dropped out. He did it in spite of Cruz being in the race, but Cruz was also in Iowa microtargeting voters 1 at a time. Rubio pulled a lot of the young folk away from Rand in Iowa.

What Trump did was come in and say he's bringing in his own people, but he also picked up the angry whites from other candidates as soon as they saw Jeb being pushed out there, and they weren't looking at other candidates because they didn't see anyone else who they could stick with to beat Jeb if the race became drawn out. I think a lot of these people were jumping from Bachman, Perry, Santorum, Gingrich in 2012 hoping they could stop Mitt.

I agree with your post as far as Rand building a coalition and trying to unite the party, independents and even democrats. I see the problem more as the republican base wanting a non establishment candidate and that turned out to be Trump. Heck from the first debate when Rand attacked Trump and came out on the bottom of that exchange it was clear.

What I mean by that is Trump first refused to support the the final nominee even saying he would not rule out running third party. Insulting women and Megan Kelly. Making Jeb look like a fool and the exchange with Rand. The guy could do no wrong and the base loved it. Finally a maverick candidate to support.

Sad I know.

Maybe I'm just letting out my frustrations as to what could have been...

[undergroundrr]

Rand is a civilized guy. Any kind of "take the gloves off" protocol is just going to come off forced. He's best sticking to being a voice of reason and a dignified statesman. He will continue to thrive and promote liberty in the senate doing so. He can continue to build bridges to segments of the populace unfriendly to conservatism. And who knows? The nation may be in the mood for a rational liberty-loving president at some point in the future. Rand will have the respect and the track record to be highly compelling at that time.

I'm convinced Rand did the right thing leaving the race when he did. He wasn't the right personality at the right time and he avoided getting himself into situations that could have tarnished his reputation later. In the meantime, he raised his profile nationally and will be a leading voice and a force to be reckoned with in the senate.

[CPUd]

I agree with your post as far as Rand building a coalition and trying to unite the party, independents and even democrats. I see the problem more as the republican base wanting a non establishment candidate and that turned out to be Trump. Heck from the first debate when Rand attacked Trump and came out on the bottom of that exchange it was clear.

What I mean by that is Trump first refused to support the the final nominee even saying he would not rule out running third party. Insulting women and Megan Kelly. Making Jeb look like a fool and the exchange with Rand. The guy could do no wrong and the base loved it. Finally a maverick candidate to support.

Sad I know.

Maybe I'm just letting out my frustrations as to what could have been...

Everyone thought Trump would be exposed as a phony and run out of the race. Rand wanted to jump out front and be the one who got it started, because everyone else was afraid of him. I think it was Doug Stafford who told Rand not to do it, but he did anyway. I don't fault him for taking that risk, no one wins in a field of 17 without taking some kind of risk.

[CPUd]

That first debate is when I saw what kind of man Trump really was, and after this exchange I knew I could never support him.

[Lovecraftian4Paul]

Jeb was a hideous candidate and one of the big reasons we're at this place now. His campaign locked up 100 million and plenty of endorsements, and ran on zombie mode for months after it was obvious he had no appeal to voters. How things would've played out with no Jeb in the race is anybody's guess.

[younglibertarian]

That first debate is when I saw what kind of man Trump really was, and after this exchange I knew I could never support him.

The problem is most American voters like stupid one liners. Thats why Rand didn't stand a chance.

[CPUd]

Jeb was polling OK, but his numbers would go down every time he opened his mouth. Same with Scott Walker, he owned Iowa for months before the first debates.

[samforpaul]

That first debate is when I saw what kind of man Trump really was, and after this exchange I knew I could never support him.

When Rand endorsed Mitch McConnell I saw what kind of man he was and after that it'll be hard to ever support him.
Susan Collins too.

[CPUd]

When Rand endorsed Mitch McConnell I saw what kind of man he was and after that it'll be hard to ever support him.
Susan Collins too.

It's pretty standard fare to endorse an incumbent in the same party when there is no primary opponent. What Trump did was below the belt.

[WTLaw]

It's pretty standard fare to endorse an incumbent in the same party when there is no primary opponent. What Trump did was below the belt.

Not to mention, same state and the guy you are endorsing is the senate majority leader. One would be a idiot not to do so. It would also eliminate any chance of succeeding legislatively. And Rand is about trying to get concrete results. Not the fake carnival act that cruz puts on for the true conservatives.

[samforpaul]

It's pretty standard fare to endorse an incumbent in the same party when there is no primary opponent. What Trump did was below the belt.

Would you endorse Mitch?

You also may be forgetting what Rand did right off the bat. About 6 mins. into the first debate I believe he interrupted Bret Baird to say, "He buys and sells politicians of all stripes". Perhaps Trump was alluding to this as he had said that he had donated for Rand's humanitarian trip to Haiti.

[samforpaul]

Not to mention, same state and the guy you are endorsing is the senate majority leader. One would be a idiot not to do so.

Even if Mitch was for Trey Greyson, Rand's primary opponent? Not to mention that many of the workers for Rand's campaign were anti-McConnell.

[undergroundrr]

When Rand endorsed Mitch McConnell I saw what kind of man he was and after that it'll be hard to ever support him.
Susan Collins too.

When trump gave actual money to Mitch McConnell (at least $65,000) did it illustrate what kind of man trump was? How do you feel about supporting trump?

[CPUd]

Would you endorse Mitch?

You also may be forgetting what Rand did right off the bat. About 6 mins. into the first debate I believe he interrupted Bret Baird to say, "He buys and sells politicians of all stripes". Perhaps Trump was alluding to this as he had said that he had donated for Rand's humanitarian trip to Haiti.

He didn't donate that to Rand, he donated to the university program

[hells_unicorn]

Trump was an unstoppable force, but Cruz being in the race made it IMPOSSIBLE for Rand to get any traction and also cut the legs out of Rand's hopes to appeal to the socially moderate but fiscally conservative crowd. Rand burned his own bridges with the Evangelical crowd with that stupid interview he gave with Chris Matthews where he basically stopped 2 steps short of becoming Thomas Paine on the subject of evolution, but had Cruz butted out it would not have completely killed Rand the way it did.

Cruz can burn in hell for all I care and I will make a point of actively supporting any primary opponent he has in 2018.

[acptulsa]

I'm convinced Rand did the right thing leaving the race when he did. He wasn't the right personality at the right time and he avoided getting himself into situations that could have tarnished his reputation later. In the meantime, he raised his profile nationally and will be a leading voice and a force to be reckoned with in the senate.

And whoever trolls him in the future won't troll him about the way he wasted his contributors' money on a useless campaign, they way they did his father.

Say what you want about an educational campaign, Rand Paul promised not to run one. And he was out the moment the handwriting hit the wall.

[RandallFan]

Rand's reboot, 2.0, contributed to Trump. Rand was the 2010 prominent tea party leader in early 2013 (rubio was still the token hispanic 2010, Mike Lee a very reserved dude), so he went around to La Raza and told everyone The Tea Party loves amnesty. Cruz was not that well known until mid to late 2013.


Mar 20, 2013



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-im...ssion-for-gop/
March 15, 2013

As Republican lawmakers attempt to determine a plan for immigration reform that jibes with both conservatives and members of the Latino community, Donald Trump, the real estate magnate and reality television host, has another message for the GOP: Immigration reform, he argues, basically amounts to a "suicide mission" for the party.

Trump (cpac & his inherit hate for manlets), Jeff Sessions & David Vitter were the only people $#@!ting on amnesty in early 2013 and $#@!ting on rubio.

These guys have been free wheelers for a long time. Sessions went off the reservation ranting about KKK marijuana, Commies in the ACLU & NAACP.
Vitter buried prostitutes, or their stories. Trashed northerner Republicans like Obranivich and DeWine.

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/0...gration-086934

Vitter: Rubio 'amazingly naïve'


By Mackenzie Weinger
01/30/13 12:32 PM EST





Trump called for teenagers to be executed for the rapes in Central Park.

All these white Republicans in the northern states (Ayotte, Kirk, Hoeven,...) who voted to give us 40 million more democrats). What planet were these people on thinking this was urgent?


Look at this $#@!ing arrogance, from every person in this picture when they just sold out our sovereignty. At least sleepy eyes Chuck Todd will invite them on the show.

[RonPaulMall]

Rand's reboot, 2.0, contributed to Trump.

Agree, though it wasn't just Rand. Seventeen candidates and only Trump was smart enough to realize what was going on in the country and how to properly frame his message to take advantage.

[CPUd]

Agree, though it wasn't just Rand. Seventeen candidates and only Trump was smart enough to realize what was going on in the country and how to properly frame his message to take advantage.

Rand and probably several other candidates knew, but they chose not to go down the incredibly stupid path of losing the general election to win the primary.