Ted Cruz running for president in 2016

[Crossroads Inc.]

By the By, on the topic of just how back Ted Cruz Really IS I offer the following quotes.

(On the ACA)
“I intend to speak in opposition to Obamacare; I intend to speak in support of defunding Obamacare until I am no longer able to stand,”

(On Ted Nugent)
“I don’t think we should be focused on the personalities and – and – and Hollywood celebrities and like,” he said, shifting attention to Obama, reports Politicus USA. “We should be focused on the substance. The substance is our constitutional rights and liberties are being undermined. And the substance is millions of Americans are hurting because we are trapped in an economic stagnation from failed policies from the Obama administration.”

(On Washington D.C.)
“Having spent the past month up in D.C., it is really great to be back in America,” according to Real Clear Politics.

(on U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms)
“It’s every bit as true now as it was then,” Cruz said. “We need 100 more like Jesse Helms in the U.S. Senate.”

(On Immigration)
“I think if instead the bill includes elements that are deeply divisive — and I would note that I don’t think there is any issue in this entire debate that is more divisive than a path to citizenship for those who are here illegally — in my view, any bill that insists upon that jeopardizes the likelihood of passing any immigration reform bill,”

(On talking to three year olds)
“The Obama economy is a disaster, Obamacare is a trainwreck, and the Obama-Clinton foreign policy of leading from behind – the whole world is on fire,”

(On his "Citizenship)
“I will renounce any Canadian citizenship. Nothing against Canada, but I’m an American by birth and as a U.S. senator I believe I should be only an American.”

(On Congressional Dysfunction)
“The crisis on the border, unfortunately President Obama and Harry Reid have demonstrated no interest in solving it,” Cruz said in the interview with the Huffington Post. “President Obama a couple of weeks ago was down in Texas. He went to Democratic party fundraisers, had plenty of time to pal around with fat cats in the Democratic party, and collect their checks for politics.”
“But he had no time to go to the border. He had no time to visit the air force bases where these children are being held, are suffering because of the failures of his immigration policy and his lawlessness,”

(On Climate Change)
“You know, back in the ’70s — I remember the ’70s, we were told there was global cooling,” he tells CNN. “And everyone was told global cooling was a really big problem. … The problem with climate change is there’s never been a day in the history of the world in which the climate is not changing.”

(On Marriage Equality)
“If the citizens of the state of Iowa or the citizens of the state of Texas want to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman … the states have the constitutional authority to do so and the federal government and unelected judges cannot set aside the democratically elected legislature’s reasonable decisions to enact and protect traditional marriage,” Cruz told radio host Jan Mickelson, writes Salon. “If the courts were following the Constitution, we shouldn’t need a new amendment, but they are, as you put it quite rightly, making it up right now and it’s a real danger to our liberty.”

Granted plenty of other conservatives have said equally nutty things, but, this IS ted Cruz here.

[Metahive]

Ted Cruz gave a speech at Liberty University. "Liberty" University which allows students and faculty to run around armed on campus and yet that didn't help them from getting forced to attend the speech. Since "Liberty" University has also many houselaws that ban anything that isn't in line with fundamentalist Christianity (like open hugging and kissing, short skirts and R-rated movies) I think we can say it represents a microcosm of what the Right Wing wants the US to be.

[AniThyng]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the ... -ted-cruz/

Well it's something.

When Ted Cruz took to the stage at Liberty University to announce his presidential candidacy, we were curious what students in the audience had to say.

We took a look at what the conversation on Yik Yak looked like before, during and after the speech. Users of the controversial app are anonymous, so there's no way to tell who's talking or trolling (or both!), but messages are grouped by location (or campus) and the user base is, largely, college students.

The conversation this morning was a mix of funny political discussion, chatter about nudes and some commentary about what Cruz was saying. Here's a sampling of Yaks:

[Irbis]

The problem on the Democrat side is that we've got Hillary, who... is Hillary, Joe Biden (maybe?) and Elizabeth Warren, who has indicated rather firmly that she's not interested in running. Apart from that... there's pretty much nobody else who's really prominent enough on the Democratic stage. There's Harry Reid and Pelosi and any number of Senators and Representatives who *could* run, but none of them have indicated any interest in a Presidential run at this point (AFAIK).

Dennis Kucinich?

Yeah, fat chance of that ever happening...

The other is that she does not have a strong record of major successes to her name; there isn't much good on her resume to point to. She's had plenty of access to the levers of power, and has played bit roles many times, or as an unremarkable cabinet secretary. But there aren't a lot of "big scores" to her name.

Remind me, just what successes certain Barack had?

Or let's say this Bill guy before him, for that matter?

[Metahive]

Remind me, just what successes certain Barack had?

Or let's say this Bill guy before him, for that matter?

They chose to be born with the mighty penis. That also (almost) makes up for Obama's bad choice to be born with non-caucasian features.

[Simon_Jester]

Obama had little to his name- but did a very good job of mobilizing Democratic voters, including youth voters, in an election cycle the Democrats were almost guaranteed to win. Moreover, his chief opponent for the nomination was... Hillary Clinton.

Bill Clinton had to his name the governorship of the state of Arkansas and could point to anything about the state that was reasonably well-managed during that time, as evidence of his competence. Governors nearly always have an advantage in the 'what's on your resume' department when it comes to presidential elections.

Hillary may now be able to do the same with her time in the Senate and the State Department, but I am uncertain.

[Elheru Aran]

The thing with Hillary, apart from her age and lack of notable political achievement, is that people are going to associate her inextricably with Bill and Obama. It's going to be very difficult for her to set herself apart from the two of them. That burden will make people conclude that either she will simply carry on more of the same, or they will attempt to control the office through her. And then there is baggage like Benghazi-- yes, it's bullshit but it's still there, blown up by the Republican media machine-- and the email controversy, which I suspect will be less damaging. And, of course, she's female (not that that *should* matter... but it will). Her age is almost the least of her baggage here.

[Mr Bean]

The thing with Hillary, apart from her age and lack of notable political achievement, is that people are going to associate her inextricably with Bill and Obama. It's going to be very difficult for her to set herself apart from the two of them. That burden will make people conclude that either she will simply carry on more of the same, or they will attempt to control the office through her. And then there is baggage like Benghazi-- yes, it's bullshit but it's still there, blown up by the Republican media machine-- and the email controversy, which I suspect will be less damaging. And, of course, she's female (not that that *should* matter... but it will). Her age is almost the least of her baggage here.

Here is the thing, being associated with Bill is a great thing. People like Bill Clinton and now he's on the way to become First Husband they are going to love Slick Willy. Bill Clinton is an easy person to like, a mistake in 08 was hiding them as they instant they brought him out again her numbers trended up again.

It's just Bill could not help Hillary against Obama but Bill sure as heck helps against every Republican. He can talk about his bipartisanship, he can tote her record and the infidelity thing is so old hat no one cares anymore.

Let's be blunt there is literally NOTHING left for the right to attack Hillary on that they have not already been using for two decades now. Every single flaw or criticism has a battle tested answer the American people understand. Her length of time in the public eye has granted her a odd sort of immunity and now thanks to the email thing they can't even use that eight months from now because they are using up any single scrap of possible negative coverage early.

[Elheru Aran]

Just being essentially a devils' advocate here. But yes, that's generally correct. It just seems rather strange that we are virtually being railroaded into this situation where it'll be Hillary versus like... 15 Republicans.

[Irbis]

Obama had little to his name- but did a very good job of mobilizing Democratic voters, including youth voters, in an election cycle the Democrats were almost guaranteed to win. Moreover, his chief opponent for the nomination was... Hillary Clinton.

I am pretty sure she learned that lesson and will now hijack similar mobilizing campaign for her own.

Bill Clinton had to his name the governorship of the state of Arkansas and could point to anything about the state that was reasonably well-managed during that time, as evidence of his competence. Governors nearly always have an advantage in the 'what's on your resume' department when it comes to presidential elections.

Bill Clinton was young governor with little to his name who went against Saint "I killed Communism" Reagan's wingman, Bush (the sane one). Who had like 80% approval shortly before election. And Bill won despite having semi-desertion from military on papers. Somehow, I doubt any Repthug candidate can boast anything like that as his credentials today, sooo...

[Thanas]

As long as Cruz is running, Hillary hasn't got a thing to worry about. Bush would be a different story.

[Mr Bean]

As long as Cruz is running, Hillary hasn't got a thing to worry about. Bush would be a different story.

His name remains Bush. Every day he compounds his sin by continue to being named Bush.
Not to mention unlike Hillary Jeb has not had two decades having his worst sins (Stuff like Terri Schiavo, signing and defending the stand your ground bill, the 2000 election, the Iraq war which will still be going on when elections are being held and the host of skeletons in his closet that will be his time after leaving the governorship.)

Jeb has a lot of baggage and if Hillary does not hire Mark Penn again she's going to be utterly silent on Jeb until he secures the nomination.

[Simon_Jester]

The thing with Hillary, apart from her age and lack of notable political achievement, is that people are going to associate her inextricably with Bill and Obama. It's going to be very difficult for her to set herself apart from the two of them. That burden will make people conclude that either she will simply carry on more of the same, or they will attempt to control the office through her.

Neither Obama nor Bill Clinton are particularly unpopular in the eyes of most of the people who have even the slightest chance of voting for Hillary. Obama may not be very effectual but most of the blame for that has been thrown at, and stuck to, Congress. And as for Clinton... well, in retrospect the '90s were a pretty good decade for almost all involved. Clinton successfully defended himself against every scandal except sex scandals, and managed to handle even that one in a way that didn't make him a liability to Hillary's future career.

And then there is baggage like Benghazi-- yes, it's bullshit but it's still there, blown up by the Republican media machine-- and the email controversy, which I suspect will be less damaging.

The problem is that it's been rattling around like a handful of dried peas in a tin can for so long that Hillary's PR team have had plenty of time to devise very effective means of countering any accusations about it... and that except for hardcore Republican voters nobody cares. They can try to swift-boat her about it but getting any real traction with that is hard.

And, of course, she's female (not that that *should* matter... but it will). Her age is almost the least of her baggage here.

...which is why I disagree with this part.

She's vulnerable to a dynamic young opposing candidate in my opinion, which is the main reason she lost to Obama, but the Republicans' dynamic young candidates are all loonies like Ted Cruz, so if she wins the nomination she'll probably win the election anyway.

Obama had little to his name- but did a very good job of mobilizing Democratic voters, including youth voters, in an election cycle the Democrats were almost guaranteed to win. Moreover, his chief opponent for the nomination was... Hillary Clinton.

I am pretty sure she learned that lesson and will now hijack similar mobilizing campaign for her own.

I am honestly not sure she can, but she'll probably try. Even Obama himself didn't do a very good job of replicating his 2008 successes in 2012- he just won anyway, by other means.

Bill Clinton had to his name the governorship of the state of Arkansas and could point to anything about the state that was reasonably well-managed during that time, as evidence of his competence. Governors nearly always have an advantage in the 'what's on your resume' department when it comes to presidential elections.

Bill Clinton was young governor with little to his name who went against Saint "I killed Communism" Reagan's wingman, Bush (the sane one). Who had like 80% approval shortly before election. And Bill won despite having semi-desertion from military on papers. Somehow, I doubt any Repthug candidate can boast anything like that as his credentials today, sooo...

I am not entirely sure what you're arguing here.

Thing is, a politician's positive and negative achievements tend to be tallied separately. They have effects that may cancel each other out, but they don't in and of themselves cancel out. Bush the elder was an incumbent with a lot of advantages and high popularity... but he also managed to create a situation in which he appeared dangerously out of touch and unable to grasp what Americans wanted from him: "It's the economy, stupid."

[Elheru Aran]

And the cherry on top: Ted Cruz signs up to health care via Obamacare.

Reuters via Raw Story

Republican Senator Ted Cruz, who has vowed to repeal “every word” of Obamacare if elected president next year, will soon be signing up for coverage under the plan.

Cruz, according to media reports, had been covered under the health plan of his wife, Heidi, who is taking a leave of absence from Goldman Sachs to help his campaign.

“We will presumably go on the exchange and sign up for health care, and we’re in the process of transitioning over to do that,” the Texas lawmaker told the Des Moines (Iowa) Register on Tuesday.

Under President Barack Obama’s signature Affordable Care Act, members of Congress seeking insurance must sign up through an exchange.

“Well, it is written in the law that members will be on the exchanges without subsidies just like millions of Americans,” Cruz told the Register, adding: “I think the same rules should apply to all of us. Members of Congress should not be exempt.”

In September 2013, efforts by Cruz and House of Representatives conservatives to gut Obamacare by holding up a government spending bill led to a 16-day government shutdown.

Cruz, a conservative firebrand who is a favorite of the Tea Party movement, on Monday became the first major figure in either party to enter the 2016 presidential race.

[Simon_Jester]

If he is required by the law to do so, then it is not a mark against him that he does so.

Nor is it hypocrisy for him to sign up in compliance with the law while opposing the law.

Nor is it hypocrisy for him to say Congressmen should be using the exchange like many other Americans, when he opposes the exchange in part because he expects it to become an inefficient and inferior service.

However, it is definitely hypocrisy that he says to his wife, "leave your job that provides our family with insurance, and help me with my campaign, and we will use Obamacare to provide us with insurance while I campaign fiercely against Obamacare."

[Elheru Aran]

I would say that it *is* hypocritical to sign up for Obamacare if one of your primary planks is that you're against it. He's not required to sign up for it; there are a number of alternative options, such as his wife filing for COBRA coverage, or he could simply purchase private health insurance on his own, or return the 72% assistance subsidy to the government. He's only required by law to *have* health care coverage; where he gets it is largely up to him.

[Simon_Jester]

If as a Congressman he's required to do it through the exchange then that's not wrong.

If he's not required to do so, then I agree that it's wrong.

I am not familiar with the state of the law.

[Elheru Aran]

This may help.
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/ ... lly-wrong/

[Napoleon the Clown]

Why can't he demonstrate how strongly against the law he is by just eating the fine for not having health insurance? Show he really does stand by his principles.

[SAMAS]

I was catching up on The Daily Show, and Jon Stewart brought up that in his speech, Cruz asked the students to text a number that sent their phone's personal info to an undisclosed account. Anyone got any more word on that?