Cruz Doubles Down - Proselytizing As An Electoral Strategy

The Conservative Treehouse ^ | 12-31-2015 | sundance

[smoothsailing]

December 31, 2015

Cruz Doubles Down - Proselytizing As An Electoral Strategy

by sundance

TODAY – Sen. Ted Cruz Tells Volunteers: We Can Win 'If We Awaken And Energize The Body Of Christ' (link)

“PROSELYTIZE”: using faith to recruit someone to join one’s party, institution, or cause…

There is a strategy, albeit a rather divisive strategy, which can be deployed politically by those intentionally selecting a very specific gathering of supporters.

In a highly fractured presidential bid, this proselytizing strategy may even garner enough of a base to mount a bid amid a larger field of candidates. However, it is exceptionally narrow -hence works only amid large numbers of possible options- and can ultimately only gain the advocate a small percentage of the overall audience.

The strategy can NEVER win a general election.

Current evidence reflects this approach is the preferred direction of Team Ted Cruz and the presidential campaign therein.

When such a strategy is deployed amid the reality of an increasingly toxic and divisive anti-religious populist leftism – the approach is strengthened. Indeed, the narrow appeal, when contrast against examples of football coaches unable to bow their heads in prayer, actually broadens the base of sympathy from an objective audience.

There is a market for the approach; religion can be quite an effective business model as evidenced by the scope of many evangelical organizations.

However, in the larger political deployment the polarization becomes self-defeating and presents with risks that should be consequentially avoided.

The alignment of Ted Cruz with Glenn Beck and David Barton speaks to both a profitable business branding/marketing approach, and simultaneously affords candidate Cruz an almost captive audience.

The intersection of religion as a business (2015 Beck Media) and presidential politics (2015 Cruz campaign) is a road that narrows with each mile traveled. It would serve all non-Cruz candidates, and specifically Donald Trump, to avoid the pitfalls within it.

Ceding ground to an opponent willing to stake their campaign almost exclusively on religious based affiliations is not only prudent, it is wise.

Candidate Cruz has isolated himself from effectiveness within the very institution he holds membership, the Senate. In essence, for the sake of a nail -which may or may not be- based upon purity, he has diminished his influence. Senator Cruz, by his chosen approach, is now relegated to the echo-chamber of his own inconsequential staff.

Unfortunately, Cruz’s constituents are now the victims of this decision-making; and if history serves any predictive sense, he will be challenged and defeated based on an ineffectual record. How can candidate Ted Cruz attack Marco Rubio on his ability to be effective, when Cruz’s approach to legislation has made him the most ineffective Senator in DC.

Thus we fully understand both the praise and admonition from former Harvard Law Professor Alan Derschowitz who cast Cruz as a brilliant mind, but warned of an inability to accept, or move toward, counter positions. Put another, more familiar, way: “at what cost do you desire to be right“?

There is no doubt that 5 to 8% of the “conservative” electorate will support a Cruz campaign. It is also entirely possible for that figure to grow to around 15% when you add those willing to provide a faith-based opportunity.

However, beyond that element – you hit a dead end where the crowd evaporates, and expenditures to garner additional support are weighed amid the law of diminishing returns. We are not selecting a Preacher-in-Chief, we are nominating a candidate for the Executive Office.

Glenn Beck has carved out a business model, a media-market, where an audience is willing to accept a soccer ball and teddy bear, illegal alien compassion tour/campaign almost entirely on faith alone. The religious community is very generous and provides Glenn Beck, Ted Cruz and Benny Hinn with great wealth, affluence.

Candidate Cruz is following a business model, which can provide affluence, but cannot provide presidential influence – there is absolutely no winning presidential road map there; nor is there a reason to chase it.

Stick with what works 100% of the time….

…. broaden the base!

This Donald Trump rally -pictured above- was in Michigan a week ago with approximately 6,000+ supporters. The MSM would like to advance a narrative that women, or minorities, or ( ___ fill in the blank ___) don’t support Trump. However, if you want a good idea of how broad candidate Trump’s base of support is….

…..Look at the Picture Gallery HERE

[Reno89519]

Trump vs. preacher wanna be? Trump wins by landslide. Love the images!

[pallis]

Cruz is going head on with the Church of Leftism, the most unyielding, indoctrinated, dogmatic religion out there.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Faith in totalitarian government is a religious belief.

Trump/Cruz 2016/2020
Cruz/Palin 2024/2028...

[Ultima]

Facts:

1) Except in the very odd/exceptional election year of 1964, the Dems haven’t cracked 50% of the whites in a Presidential election since 1932.

2) Once the ‘64 election was over, the Dems understood that they would never win another Presidential election again unless the Republicans REALLY screwed up...or unless they changed the electorate in a dramatic way.

3) The Dems, courtesy of Bobby Kennedy who wrote the law, and Teddy Kennedy who pushed it in the Senate, passed the 1965 Immigration Act. That law dramatically reduced immigration from our then-traditional large sources of immigrants - England, Ireland, Holland, Germany, etc. - and replaced them with vast numbers of Turd Worlders...whom everyone knows vote around 80% for Dems, and will continue to do so for the rest of their lives, as new immigrants have traditionally done.

4) As a result of the ‘65 Act, and due to the Dem’s outright lying in ‘86 regarding an effective (or any) fence, there are now probably 30 - 40 million illegals in this nation. Note that the (probably low-ball) figure in 2005 was 11 million...we have 2-3 million come in every year, so simple math says that the number is actually somewhere between 31 and 41 million). If any substantial portion of these people ever become citizens, then the Dems will have accomplished a complete shift of the electorate, and will be virtually invincible on the national level. Every state will become like California, both politically and economically - which is to say, overwhelming Dem and broke. But at least if you don’t like California now, you can leave for a better place without much trouble - where are you going to go if EVERY state is like that?

5) Every Republican, and every Conservative voter MUST UNDERSTAND that if such a state of affairs comes to be, NO OTHER ISSUE WILL MATTER AT ALL, because we will ALWAYS AND FOREVER lose on those issues. Immigration is THE issue of this election, and this election is as critical as the 1860 election was - and for the same reason, because it will determine whether this nation continues on as it has existed in the past, or becomes a new and unrecognizable entity that simply occupies the same geographic territory.

Please wake up, and help others to do so by sending them this post (or recommending “Adios America” to them). It really is THAT important.

[Farmer Dean]

Doesn’t Ted know that it’s not a good idea to be interviewed by the mentally unstable.(Beck)

[ripnbang]

Ouch...that’s gonna leave a mark.

[dp0622]

don’t take shots at Cruz.

He’s a good man.

He is my first choice and Trump is definitely my second.

Until the point where his supporters insult Cruz so much I decide that, with followers like that, he’s not the kind of guy I want in the WH.

[skeeter]

Candidate Cruz has isolated himself from effectiveness within the very institution he holds membership, the Senate. In essence, for the sake of a nail -which may or may not be- based upon purity, he has diminished his influence. Senator Cruz, by his chosen approach, is now relegated to the echo-chamber of his own inconsequential staff.

Seems to me people who identify with conservative ideology pretty mush agree that the Senate as currently constituted does not give a crap about constitutional conservatism.

So its funny to me to hear those who claim to speak for conservatism bemoan how Cruz has "alienated" himself from others in the chamber.

Perhaps they'd rather have Kasich or Christie, who say they will "work with congress" to "get things done". We all know what that means - old on to your wallet, much less liberties.

[HarleyLady27]

Thank you smoothsailing for posting this...something I have wondered about for a long time....

[SubMareener]

I don’t think you have to worry about Ted Cruz (that is Spanish for Cross). He obviously has put on the Full Armor of God! Now we have Donald J. Trump as Samson taking the jawbone of a ass to the Philistines, and plowing the ground, so to speak. The Trump/Cruz ticket is already over 50% is some polls, so it is looking good for an American Revival. :-)

[dp0622]

good :)

Trump and Cruz supporters can’t afford to attack each other, as in many cases, they are the first and second choices of many.

I like Trump. Grew up with his name in NYC.

But liking Trump, even first, does NOT make Cruz a bad man. He’s a good, brilliant man.

They are just different :)

I’m losing my mind also. I had a dream that Trump was at my childhood home and me and my better half were there. I was very excited to see him but asked him not to attack Cruz personally lol. He said he wouldn’t.

I’m checking into Psych later today.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

When faith is a part of your life it is a part of all of your life. Get over it.

[Lumper20]

It is very sad that the left has had it’s way and has made it to where Muslim kids get a special room in our public schools to pray while a Christian kid gets expelled for saying or doing anything relating to the Lord.

[GeaugaRepublican]

There are many voters who voted for Reagan who don’t go to church on a regular basis. Turn away those voters at your peril.

[Lumper20]

I agree. Immigration and throwing all out who do not assimilate.

[hecticskeptic]

"If we awaken and energize the body of Christ - if Christians and people of faith come out and vote our values - we will win and we will turn the country around," Cruz told volunteers on a conference call Tuesday.

My problem with this statement is the same problem I have with football teams praying before a game that God will grant them a win.... and the other side is doing the same thing. What? God is being petitioned against God? How does that work? I think that there should always be prayer before a football game...it's a dangerous sport and may God give the grace to see through to the end of the game with no injuries on either side, especially longterm and devastating ones, may God see that each player plays in a sportsmanlike fashion, that referee calls are done in an honest impartial way etc etc etc. If a political candidate prays to God, that's great... but it should for the campaign team to conduct itself with integrity and honesty, for safety and security for the candidates and for God to use the candidates to be His good servants to ensure that His will is done for the nation.

[smoothsailing]

Cruz has been my second choice for some time, Trump my first since the day he announced.

A Trump/Cruz ticket has been appealing to me also.

I don’t get the Cruz & Beck bromance, it seems contrived. I hope Ted knows what he’s doing.

[SharpRightTurn]

“So its funny to me to hear those who claim to speak for conservatism bemoan how Cruz has “alienated” himself from others in the chamber. Perhaps they’d rather have Kasich or Christie, who say they will ‘work with congress” to “get things done’.”

Exactly. There are 5 to 8 senators who might be considered fairly solid conservatives. So, if you promised the voters not to betray them (as so many Republican candidates have done), what are you supposed to do? Of course Cruz hasn’t spearheaded a solid conservative agenda through the Senate. How could he when the Republican caucus elects a majority leader like McConnell?

[tallyhoe]

Doesn’t Ted know that it’s not a good idea to be interviewed by the mentally unstable.(Beck)

Do you think Beck is mentally unstable?

Why do you say that??