Cruz promises Republican victory in shutdown fight

cnn.com ^ | October 5th, 2013 | Peter Hamby

[SoConPubbie]

Richmond, Virginia (CNN) - Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, blamed by Democrats and some of his fellow Republicans as a chief architect of the ongoing government shutdown, struck back on Saturday, faulting President Obama and Senate Democrats for the political stalemate.

“Let me be very clear, I don’t think we should be in a shutdown,” Cruz said in a speech to conservatives in the Virginia state capital. “Throughout the course of it, I have said we should not shut down the government. But sadly this is Harry Reid’s and President Obama's shutdown.”

. . .

In the run-up to the shutdown, Cruz - whose profile has risen considerably among conservatives since taking office this year - had lobbied Republicans in the House and Senate not to relent, even as the president was promising not to sign any bill that would alter "Obamacare."

Cruz reminded the audience that House Republicans have passed multiple “narrowly targeted continuing resolutions” to fund parts of the government as negotiations continue, but he criticized Democrats for refusing to pass them.

He said Senate Democrats are “dug in.”

“We are in the midst of a battle,” Cruz said. “Their position is untenable right now.”

. . .

“How do we win?” he asked. “If you trust the media, if you trust the voices in Washington, if you even trust, god forbid, some of the elected Republicans in Washington, they say we can’t win this fight. The only way to win this fight is the way we won every other fight throughout the history of the republic, which is solutions don’t come from Washington, D.C., they come from the people.”

“Career politicians in both parties have gotten us into this mess,” he said. “But it’s going to be the American people who get us out.”

[jjsheridan5]

Then you haven't been paying attention now, have you?!

Every step of the way on this battle Senator Cruz has laid out his plan in simple terms that anyone can understand.

He has stated continually that the end game was for the House to do their constitutional duty (Budgeting) and defund Obamacare.

It was his plan to send up individual CRs each funding a separate function of government and let the Democrats own the problem. By doing this, and not including any funding for Obamacare, it shuts up the Democrats mouths that the GOP wants to shut the government down and it effectively kills Obamacare.

The added benefit of his approach is that it has smoked out the cockroaches in the GOP who pretend to be against Obamacare with their mouths, but now have nowhere to hide, because their backs are up against the wall.

It has also rallied the base, the Tea-Party in advance of the 2014 elections.

Ultimately, however, this plan requires some manhood, some political courage from the GOP Senate and House members to be successful.

Simply because it needs repeating, since so many don't seem to get it.

[jjsheridan5]

Conservatives will HAVE to show up in 2014 regardless of what happens.

Count me out. I will vote for Tea Party candidates only. I have held my nose and voted for our idiot over their's, one too many times already. It is clear that the establishment Republicans are every bit the enemy of this country as the Democrats (who, at least, are somewhat honest about their goals). A conservative Republican will get my full support. Others need not apply.

And I have a strong feeling that I am far from alone in this sentiment. Lose courage in this battle, and 2014 will be a trainwreck for the GOP.

[Defiant]

I’ve never missed a vote. I am just saying that if Republicans cave on this, I know that the base will be deflated and not show up, putting the House majority in jeopardy. Forget about the Senate. The only excitement will be where Tea Party candidates defeat a RINO (Lindsey Graham, for example), but that does not gain Republican seats. If they hold fast, they will be rewarded, but I think some of them don’t want to win, they prefer to lose gracefully.

[SoConPubbie]

so a GOP cave will have the additional “benefit” of making Cruz out to be crazy and/or a liar?

Only if you are a GOP-E member or a LIV (Low Information Voter) or simply a JackAss Democrat.

[Defiant]

Bump.

[SoConPubbie]

so a GOP cave will have the additional “benefit” of making Cruz out to be crazy and/or a liar?

Only if you are a GOP-E member or a LIV (Low Information Voter) or simply a JackAss Democrat.

[freedom462]

There will be conservative republicans, real conservative republicans, running in 2014 so that is a moot point to begin with. And they will need all the support they can get. Stopping the fight simply over whether or not the House GOP wins or loses this game of chicken is in and of itself showing cowardice and a lack of principle. And if we at the grassroots level show that kind of cowardice and lack of principle, then we really can’t expect any better from ANYONE we elect to represent us in Congress.

[onedoug]

We saw his character. What, 21 hours on that Senate floor and not one chink in his armor?

This is a guy one can count on.

[jjsheridan5]

Cowardice? The real cowardice lies in voting for establishment Republicans, just so we can pretend that we are actually accomplishing something. As I said, conservative Republicans will have my full support (as will any who fully stand against ObamaCare). But I am not “showing up in force” if my option is to vote for a Democrat, or a Democrat masquerading as a Republican. This does more harm than good, and I can no longer pretend otherwise.

[freedom462]

Fair enough. What do you think Ryan and Cruz and the Tea Party leaders should be saying about the default hysteria? At the moment, there is the whole notion about how debt default will cause complete economic collapse and make us worse off than we were in the 1930s and ruin global economies, and the Senate and WH and their MSM followers are making sure to try and convince the public that the deficit is all the GOP’s fault.

So first off, what is your view on the default hysteria to begin with? Do you think it is mostly just unfounded hysteria to begin with? And how should the House GOP mobilize to counter the debt default hysteria?

[skinkinthegrass]

I wish WE had a Senator like that;
we have Sen. *itch "Mumbles" McConnell.

[freedom462]

Understood. What I was getting at was the notion that when real conservatives do show up in 2014 - and they will, not just GOP elite types but real conservatives too - that one should not get out the vote for them either because one has personally giving up. That is the kind of lack of principle I was referring to, NOT the idea that we are somehow obligated to vote for more GOP elites - I did not mean that at all. I was referring to the idea that if the House GOP does not get Obamacare defunded now then it means the Tea Party must drop its fight entirely - that is what I was objecting to.

[Cheerio]

THE ONLY WAY THE USA DEFAULTS ON IT'S DEBT PAYMENT IS BY AN ILLEGAL ACT OF THE CLOWN IN THE WHITE HUT. He has a CONSTUTITONAL obligation to prioritize payments and HAS to make payments on the debt instruments BEFORE the people riding in the wagon get one red cent.

THIS DRIVES THE CLOWN CRAZY BECAUSE IT "REWARDS THE RICH BOND HOLDERS AND PENALIZES HIS WORSHIPPERS"

This is just one more step in CLOWN'S WEALTH REDISTRIBUTION.

America you get the Government that you elected and yes that includes the Weeper of the House has already telegraphed his intention to fully CAVE.
There is a very solid reason I left the GOP in 2006 and I am never coming back. I will only vote for SOLID CONSERVATIVES.

[LibLieSlayer]

The man speaks words directly from our Founders.

[rrrod]

We need to show support folks!!!!

FReepers know how to fight.

[LibLieSlayer]

Why are you not calling our leadership and telling them to fight this evil? THAT is something that you can do... many of us already are.

[castowell]

I (and others) contend we have already exceeded the debt limit and did so back in May (or even earlier):

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3049087/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3077242/posts

This is hugh and series!

[varon]

Yes, the American people.

.............of which, each passing month there are fewer Americans and more foreigners.........

[onyx]

I completely agree with you.

Senator Cruz is one in a billion.

God bless and keep him.

[jjsheridan5]

We’re on the same page. As far as I am concerned, the fight over ObamaCare is a fight for the soul of this country, and I believe that we should throw away the worthless consultants, and fight for every inch. I have no intention of giving up, although I am not averse to giving up on the Republican party, should that become necessary.