Is Ted Cruz Satan? Discuss.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally Posted by Not Bob

I agree that Rubio can win the GOP nomination, but I don't agree that he can't win the general. I don't think that he *will* win the general, but he could. I think many of the other GOP candidates will have a harder time getting 270 electoral votes against Hillary.

And if Trump doesn't lock down enough delegates to win on the first ballot, there is no way he gets the nod. The regulars will twist arms, approve challenges to his slate, set up floor fights, etc., and Trump doesn't have the mechanics and fixers on his side, so he gets hustled on every front. Result? Brokered convention and maybe the Mittster is anointed to save the party. And if that happens, he runs as a third party candidate who takes more votes from the GOP than from Hillary in places like Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania.

Of course, I am the guy who thought that Bill Bradley was going to win in 2000, so take the above with a grain of salt.

Maybe. But God help the GOP if Trump enters the convention the front runner only to be engineered out of the nomination by party insiders. The Tea Party will initiate a war on the Republican establishment that'll send the party the way of the Whigs.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

Maybe. But God help the GOP if Trump enters the convention the front runner only to be engineered out of the nomination by party insiders. The Tea Party will initiate a war on the Republican establishment that'll send the party the way of the Whigs.

Nah. The Tea party will peter out, now that they no longer have to protect us from a black foreign muslim.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by SlaveNoMore

Hmm. Reid is despised so much that a mob-influence treadmill beat him up. Yet he's still a leader to be feared. These 2 guys you mock - Cruz and Paul - are both under 50 and leaders of separate and very important wings of the GOP. They'll both be around for another 25 years. Don't overlook either.

PS - your scent - like your party - is losing in the Old Spice poll.

Slave(BearGlove)NoMore

I have no doubt they'll be around, but Cruz in particular doesn't have what it takes to be in the leadership - an ability to work with other people on their issues as well as your own. He isn't a legislative guy. Maybe he should run for governor if he doesn't get the nod (sorry, Texans).

Paul isn't out of the picture 10 years hence when McConnell is gone. His message is a lone-wolf, outsider message, but he does have legislative skills.

I'm not mocking either of these guys as politicians; Cruz got where he is now in part by being a total asshole to other members of his own party in the Senate. But that's not going to get him into Senate leadership.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

Maybe. But God help the GOP if Trump enters the convention the front runner only to be engineered out of the nomination by party insiders. The Tea Party will initiate a war on the Republican establishment that'll send the party the way of the Whigs.

One can only hope.

Survey question for you all:

What is the bigger threat to American liberty: Trump or Daesh?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

He has no choice now but to keep doubling down and becoming more and more outrageous. His problem is he has to keep doing it often, to keep the media on him. (Save Huffpo, which ludicrously stated it would not be giving him press anymore, as though it's a serious media outlet, or potential Trump voters read it.) At this rate, he's going to run out of crazy shit to say around February.

The visit to the Temple Mount is a new stroke of crazy, lunatic genius. Just what Israel needs. I'll bet he has fun hanging with Shaked over there and milking the press as she prepares her own PM run.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

Nah. The Tea party will peter out, now that they no longer have to protect us from a black foreign muslim.

Nah. They've got all the economic malcontents. They're not going anywhere.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

The visit to the Temple Mount is a new stroke of crazy, lunatic genius. Just what Israel needs. I'll bet he has fun hanging with Shaked over there and milking the press as she prepares her own PM run.

Bibi scratched that publicity stunt off the list. This means Trump has to come up with some new crazy statement by year's end (about when I surmise the press will tire of reporting on his Muslim ban).

Whatever it is, it'll have to be spectacular, but not so insane that he can't top it at least once more before New Hampshire. (I think he's going to lose Iowa, but hold NH.)

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

Bibi scratched that publicity stunt off the list. This means Trump has to come up with some new crazy statement by year's end (about when I surmise the press will tire of reporting on his Muslim ban).

Whatever it is, it'll have to be spectacular, but not so insane that he can't top it at least once more before New Hampshire. (I think he's going to lose Iowa, but hold NH.)

We need a poll of how different insane ideas fly among likely Iowa caucus goers. Something that covers it all: evolution, climate change, immigrants, Iran, Israel, farm subsidies..... Think of the fun Trump's staff is having now: "what if we have him suggest that if climate change exists, we'll need to double farm subsidies and provide Muslim slaves to work the farms, and because of all the slaves provide free automatic weapons to all non-Muslims in Iowa?"

[SEC_Chick]

I mostly agree with Slave. I would have a slight preference for Trey Gowdy for Rubio's VP over Carly Fiorina, but he probably wouldn't take it.

Cruz is my first choice, and I would be pretty surprised if he didn't win Texas, but Rubio is probably my second choice of those left that actually has a chance. So I will vote Cruz in the primary, but if Rubio gets the nod in a brokered convention, I am ok with that too. He is without a doubt the most palatable of the 'establishment' candidates. Although, given his prior tea party cred, it's a bit surprising that he is considered a traditional GOP guy now. I think that Mr. Chick and I have at some point given campaign contributions (senate/gubernatorial campaigns) to at least a half dozen or so of those that are or were running for the GOP nomination, so there are a lot of acceptable alternatives to me, but Trump sure as heck isn't one of them.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by SEC_Chick

I mostly agree with Slave. I would have a slight preference for Trey Gowdy for Rubio's VP over Carly Fiorina, but he probably wouldn't take it.

Cruz is my first choice, and I would be pretty surprised if he didn't win Texas, but Rubio is probably my second choice of those left that actually has a chance. So I will vote Cruz in the primary, but if Rubio gets the nod in a brokered convention, I am ok with that too. He is without a doubt the most palatable of the 'establishment' candidates. Although, given his prior tea party cred, it's a bit surprising that he is considered a traditional GOP guy now. I think that Mr. Chick and I have at some point given campaign contributions (senate/gubernatorial campaigns) to at least a half dozen or so of those that are or were running for the GOP nomination, so there are a lot of acceptable alternatives to me, but Trump sure as heck isn't one of them.

I admire this ability to somehow distinguish between the crazy that is Trump and the lunacy that is Cruz.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Take away from last night's debate:

You can get a degree from Princeton's Woodrow Wilson school without a basic knowledge of foreign policy.

Our educational system needs higher standards.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by SEC_Chick

I think that Mr. Chick and I have at some point given campaign contributions (senate/gubernatorial campaigns) to at least a half dozen or so of those that are or were running for the GOP nomination, so there are a lot of acceptable alternatives to me

Yikes

[ThurgreedMarshall]

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/12...ng-pissed-off/

TM

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2014/12...ng-pissed-off/

TM

I have no problem with stopping the nicey-nicey stuff (you all know how sweet I am) and getting pissed at this convention of chicken hawks and bigots (that's your party, SEC). But given the overall incredible idiocy level they display, it's hard to resist dealing with them with snark and a bit of trolling and actually confront the stupidity head on.

Really, how do you argue with people who just hate immigrants, regardless of any discussion of economic impact, humanitarian issues, security issues and all the things you can talk about rationally? You make those rational points to a jackass like Cruz and you just get back illogic and hate. How do you argue with hate?

One other thing, this language of "privilege". Fuck that. It's a stupid concept. I have no interest in feeling guilt or shame about where I am (insert snark about this), but am happy to help others get here too. Let's get everyone their piece of the privilege.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy

I have no problem with stopping the nicey-nicey stuff (you all know how sweet I am) and getting pissed at this convention of chicken hawks and bigots (that's your party, SEC). But given the overall incredible idiocy level they display, it's hard to resist dealing with them with snark and a bit of trolling and actually confront the stupidity head on.

Really, how do you argue with people who just hate immigrants, regardless of any discussion of economic impact, humanitarian issues, security issues and all the things you can talk about rationally? You make those rational points to a jackass like Cruz and you just get back illogic and hate. How do you argue with hate?

One other thing, this language of "privilege". Fuck that. It's a stupid concept. I have no interest in feeling guilt or shame about where I am (insert snark about this), but am happy to help others get here too. Let's get everyone their piece of the privilege.

lotta hate out there http://nypost.com/2015/12/17/jew-hat...ium=SocialFlow