Ted Cruz: 'Our democratic process is broken and corrupt right now'

Washington Examiner ^ | APRIL 30, 2014 AT 3:23 PM | Joel Gehrke

[SoConPubbie]

"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton "We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[SoConPubbie]

Ted Cruz Ping!

If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.

Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!

[M-cubed]

dewhurst...lol..Maybe there is a God...

[FlingWingFlyer]

You think it broken and corrupt right now, wait until the Clintons are back in there. Hide your wallet.

[SoConPubbie]

You think it broken and corrupt right now, wait until the Clintons are back in there. Hide your wallet.

It's no longer just my wallet I am afraid of being raided.

It's my disappearing basic rights and liberties.

We no longer have the luxury of playing the "Lessor of two evil" game.

Either we get some real conservative leadership in Washington now, or, as the Democrats and/or pretend Republicans take away more of our rights/liberties then we are headed towards a physical altercation that will end in bloodshed.

[Secret Agent Man]

wallet’s empty. unless they will take an empty wallet.

[Organic Panic]

Repeat after me. “We are not a democracy.”

[VideoDoctor]

Ted Cruz: 'Our democratic process is broken and corrupt right now'

So WHEN will someone take the LEAD and begin wielding the terrible swift sword of justice?

[Arthur McGowan]

What’s this about the “process.” It’s the PEOPLE in Washington who are corrupt.

You can’t have a whole political party devoted to killing babies, and who believe that 57 million dead babies is not enough, and have anything resembling legitimate government.

[867V309]

[itssme]

Is there any way we can vaporize these two?...turn them into puffs of smoke?

[NY.SS-Bar9]

"The first instinct of power is the retention of power, and, under a Constitution that requires periodic elections, that is best achieved by the suppression of election time speech."

[Antonin Scalia]

[SoConPubbie]

"The first instinct of power is the retention of power, and, under a Constitution that requires periodic elections, that is best achieved by the suppression of election time speech."

[Antonin Scalia]

Is that really a quote from Scalia?

If so, he's not the hero I thought he was.

[Heart of Georgia]

That should settle any doubts.

[Heart of Georgia]

“Is that really a quote from Scalia?

If so, he’s not the hero I thought he was.”

I read it as Scalia criticizing those who want to hold on to power — not that he wants suppression of speech — but they do.

[motor_racer]

Fix campaign finance like this:

1) Only individuals eligible to vote may make campaign contributions, in any amount. Since organizations can’t vote, it seems clear the founders did not intend “organizational interests” to influence campaigns. No contributions from foreign sources, period.

2) Names and amounts donated would be immediately disclosed on campaign websites. I don’t want to hear about privacy here. You can’t, on the one hand, demand the right to make contributions as “political speech” and, on the other, demand to keep such “speech” secret. It can’t be speech if you don’t want it heard. Funds would be held in escrow until the eligibility of the contributor is verified. No more “oops I used your illegal contribution to get my campaign rolling, but I’ll give it back since it was discovered.”

3) Outsize contributions would be acceptable as prima facie evidence of bribery if actions taken by the candidate, once elected, specifically benefit the donor. Officials would be prosecutable. In any case, we would know clearly who was in the pocket of whom. Political officers would be presumed guilty until they make a case for innocence.

4) So called “issue ads” by non-campaign organizations would be subject to the same disclosure requirements. Only voting individuals may contribute, full disclosure of names and amounts.

[NY.SS-Bar9]

It is, but you have mistaken his intent.

Read his dissent here

[xzins]

There is no way to control it in monetary terms.

I think the better way is election changes.

1. The current House of Representatives should have many more people than what they do. For a nation of 300 million, the House should have in the neighborhood of 3000 members.

Much smaller congressional districts make KNOWING the people you vote for a much more likely result.

2. Repeal the 17th amendment, and then put Senatorial selection back in the hands of state legislatures.

3. Return the presidential election to the Electoral College, and with the larger House of 3000 members, the battle in each district will be over the ELECTOR that that congressional district chooses. The College will then choose the president with the majority of EC votes. In other words, it will be a republic and not a democracy. We know that majority rule doesn’t work.

4. Amend the constitution to require term limits for all federal legislators, senators, judges, presidents, and the upper two levels of civil type service.

[Gaffer]

Our Republic was founded under a set of guiding principles that I consider God-inspired. That said, the protections they provide were intended to be managed and enforced by honest men and women.

Unfortunately, they have been used against us by evil people to weaken nearly every protection there is. In my opinion, this continual slide to ignominy won't be cured by voting.

[Gaffer]

Me too. He doesn’t come off as a proponent of it - he is stating the tactics used by Democrats/liberals.