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The Void Ted Cruz Fills-Someone must communicate GOP ideas, party leadership can't be bothered
The National Review ^ | February 20, 2014 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 02/20/2014 10:50:20 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Senator Ted Cruz is a hero in some Republican circles — and the opposite among many of his Senate Republican colleagues.

At this crucial juncture in the history of America, internal battles within the only party that can turn things around are the last thing Americans need. Moreover, each side in this political civil war has all too many valid criticisms of the other.

The Republican establishment’s criticisms of Senator Cruz are criticisms of his rule-or-ruin strategy, which can destroy whatever chance Republicans have of taking back the Senate in 2014 and the White House in 2016. And, without political power, there is no real hope of changing things in Washington.

Senator Cruz’s filibuster last year got the Republicans blamed for shutting down the government — and his threatened filibuster this year forced several Republican Senators to jeopardize their own reelection prospects by voting to impose cloture to prevent Cruz from repeating his self-serving grandstand play of last year. The Republicans need every vote they can get in the Senate — plus additional votes by defeating some Democrats who are running for the Senate this fall. It can be a very close call. Jeopardizing the reelection of current Republican senators is an act of utter irresponsibility, a high risk with zero benefits to anyone except Ted Cruz — and the Democrats.

However unjustified Senator Cruz’s actions, the very fact that a freshman Senator can so quickly gain so many supporters with so much enthusiasm ought to be a loud warning to the Republican establishment that they have long been a huge disappointment to a wide range of Republican voters and supporters....

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS: boehner; cruz; sowell; tedcruz
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Comments?
1 posted on 02/20/2014 10:50:20 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Ted Cruz is one of only two politicians in my lifetime that I am truly happy I voted for.


2 posted on 02/20/2014 10:52:10 PM PST by jospehm20
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Sowell is afraid, just like Coulter.

It’s said that true character comes out in tough times.


3 posted on 02/20/2014 10:54:28 PM PST by AlmaKing
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The headline suggests that this is a pro-Cruz article, but it is a not so subtle hit piece. Thomas Sowell has written three Ted Cruz hit pieces in three days.


4 posted on 02/20/2014 10:59:25 PM PST by P-Marlowe (There can be no Victory without a fight and no battle without wounds)
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To: P-Marlowe

Did someone get to him?


5 posted on 02/20/2014 11:00:50 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2M for Sarah Palin's next run, what will you do?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The GOP doesn’t have any ideas, well outside of we must pass Amnesty because...well we just must!

Ted Cruz is, however, communicating conservative ideas, which currently do not appear to have a home in an actual political party.

It really is important too, because people are products of the ideas, lies or propaganda they are exposed to.

Once they buy into or agree with a certain view point, it becomes part of their belief system, and it is very difficult if not impossible to convince them otherwise.

The communist left has virtually endless sources of their particularly poisonous ideology, schools, teachers, music, movies, activists, organizers, unions on and on...

Conservatives have almost none. From what I can see, we have Rush, Sean, Glenn, Mark, a few others that are lesser on the radio, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, and that’s about it.

When those sources are eliminated, it is going to be game over.


6 posted on 02/20/2014 11:02:22 PM PST by chris37 (Heartless.)
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To: AlmaKing

I really think the criticism of Cruz is manufactured. Like the Tea Party, I don’t think he’s done a damn thing that can hurt the GOP. A 24 hour filibuster?? Puleeze. Like the GOP establishment, some people just feel obligated to criticize Ted Cruz.


7 posted on 02/20/2014 11:03:43 PM PST by Williams (No Obama)
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>> Senator Cruz’s filibuster last year got the Republicans blamed for shutting down the government

By whom, the Left and the RINOs?

Our liberty must not be governed by the opinions of our enemies.


8 posted on 02/20/2014 11:05:44 PM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Did someone get to him?

I don't know. I do know he has adopted the surrender at all costs strategy of Boehner and McConnell. His last three articles are so off base and filled with inappropriate historical analogies, that I would have to assume that either Thomas Sowell's computer was hacked, or he is completely ignorant of history.

9 posted on 02/20/2014 11:06:01 PM PST by P-Marlowe (There can be no Victory without a fight and no battle without wounds)
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To: chris37

10 posted on 02/20/2014 11:07:46 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (I will raise $2M for Sarah Palin's next run, what will you do?)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Cruz is the only one who is NOT self serving.
He is serving the patriots cause.
It is the GOP that is self serving.
They have self served themselves
so far into a corner that there is little
left to Conserve.
We are being cornered into making drastic
life changing choices because of these morons!


11 posted on 02/20/2014 11:14:06 PM PST by right way right (America has embraced the suck of Freedumb.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Texas Fossil; BuckeyeTexan; Diogenes; laplata; Jane Long; Jim Robinson; All

The Obsolete RINO Wing of the Republican Party has “Called in Rich,” and thus cannot be bothered with anymore trademark, Cave-In “Leadership.”

What we need is to force Boehner to resign as Speaker of the House in a very public manner.

Any ideas?


12 posted on 02/20/2014 11:14:27 PM PST by Graewoulf (Democrats' Obamacare Socialist Health Insur. Tax violates U.S. Constitution AND Anti-Trust Law.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
However unjustified Senator Cruz’s actions, the very fact that a freshman Senator can so quickly gain so many supporters with so much enthusiasm ought to be a loud warning to the Republican establishment that they have long been a huge disappointment to a wide range of Republican voters and supporters.

Unjustified?

I think that the simple fact that it was noticed by the leadership and the press justifies the action. Finally a Republican does something to point out the runaway train that is the Federal non-budget. I say non-budget because a budget would be some kind of reconciliation between income and out go of funds.

And as far as support for Cruz and disappointment with the Republican establishment let’s talk about a willingness to fight the Democrats. The Leadership seems to have little in the way of fight; they are always ready to capitulate it seems to me. Cruz at least is willing to put up some resistance.

13 posted on 02/20/2014 11:20:33 PM PST by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I suspect he is just clear eyed enough to see the winds of war blowing.

Oddly, courage often comes easier to those in their prime than to those nearing the finish line.

The left is insisting that freedom is over rated.
If the left doesn’t blink, this won’t end well. It doesn’t take a majority to throw a wrench into a coup.

Sewell has insinuated that he is channeling George Washington in his criticism of Cruz. Actually, he is channeling Neville Chamberlain.


14 posted on 02/20/2014 11:34:24 PM PST by MrEdd (Heck? Geewhiz Cripes, thats the place where people who don't believe in Gosh think they aint going.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Whether the GOP gains back the senate this year with “real conservatives” or not, I believe Ted Cruz can ride the wave of the “throw the bums out sentimate” that is going to rear its head up in a Major way in 2016.

Expecting to peel back the layers of government after these mid terms is only a pipe dream, it seems more likely it will just make the dems lame ducks for two years.

We need a Freedom Fighter in 2016 with major coat tails.

15 posted on 02/20/2014 11:35:18 PM PST by right way right (America has embraced the suck of Freedumb.)
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16 posted on 02/20/2014 11:52:32 PM PST by onyx (Please Support Free Republic - Donate Monthly! If you want on Sarah Palin's Ping List, Let Me know!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
without political power, there is no real hope of changing things in Washington

Can the good Doctor point to any recent evidence of the GOP changing anything when they DID have political power?
Accelerating towards decline at a slightly lower rate doesn't exactly qualify as any "change" I'm interested in. Washington needs to be swept with an iron broom.

17 posted on 02/21/2014 12:12:57 AM PST by stormhill
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

So Sowell is attacking one of the few people actually pushing back against the insane spending and regulation flowing out of Washington with several consecutive broadsides over the last few days.

To say I’m disappointed is an understatement.

The hits just keep on coming...


18 posted on 02/21/2014 12:17:45 AM PST by DB
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I’m beginning to wonder about Mr. Sowell’s mental health.
He is all over the map regarding Ted, he’s giving me whip lash!

He needs to go back to writing about the economy and other topics he excels at.


19 posted on 02/21/2014 12:37:35 AM PST by AllAmericanGirl44
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To: Gene Eric

I still can’t figure out why shutting down the government is a bad thing.


20 posted on 02/21/2014 12:41:40 AM PST by Aria ( 2008 & 2012 weren't elections - they were coup d'etats.)
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