National Politics - 2016

Ted Cruz: Suddenly Centrist?

IT’S SURE STARTING TO SOUND THAT WAY … On the surface, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas had a very effective first visit to early-voting South Carolina this week … hot on the heels of his win in Iowa and his better-than-expected third-place finish in New Hampshire. For starters, he…

IT’S SURE STARTING TO SOUND THAT WAY …

On the surface, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas had a very effective first visit to early-voting South Carolina this week … hot on the heels of his win in Iowa and his better-than-expected third-place finish in New Hampshire.

For starters, he had some fun at the expense of “Republican” establishment candidate Marco Rubio – and the Fox News network, which has been fawning in its praise of Rubio over the course of the 2016 campaign (which is not surprising given their shared love of open borders).

“I’m looking forward to a wall-to-wall coverage of Fox News of the impressive third-place finish, which Marco Rubio got (in Iowa),” Cruz said. “So, I’m sure that’s what we’ll see on every show on Fox today, the shockingly impressive third-place finish of Cruz.”

LOL …

Credit where credit is due … that’s pretty funny.

It’s what Cruz said next, though, that gave us cause for pause.  Specifically, his boast that he is now the only candidate capable of beating national/ “First in the South” GOP frontrunner Donald Trump.

Here’s what he said (via Breitbart) …

Listen part of the reason – number one, we won Iowa.  We won Iowa despite all of the predictions and we beat Donald Trump. Number two, listen, everyone said a conservative cannot compete in a more moderate New England state like New Hampshire. Those predictions proved wrong. This is a national campaign and one of the most important conclusions coming out of these first two states is that the only candidate who can beat Donald Trump is me. The other candidates are unable to do so. So if you don’t believe Donald is the right person to be the Republican nominee, if you don’t believe he’s the right person to go head to head with Hillary Clinton or Sen. Bernie Sanders, if you don’t feel he’s the right person to be the commander-in-chief – what we’re seeing is conservatives uniting behind our campaign. I think Iowa and New Hampshire together played a critical role in that and then South Carolina is going to play an even more critical role.

Hmmmm …

“This is a national campaign?”

Isn’t it a little early in the primary process for Cruz to start making such a pivot? And more to the point: Just how far to the middle can he really run?   Especially when he’s running “me too” mail pieces on the issue of illegal immigration in an effort to steal some of Trump’s thunder?

Take a look …

Cruz Mailer 001 Cruz Mailer 002

Yeah …

Cruz has occupied the far right fringe of every far right issue there is in the 2016 race … which, let’s be honest, is one of the reasons he is among the top tier of candidates.

We predicted as much a year ago when we met Cruz … also on a trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C., which at the time was hosting a Tea Party convention.

At the time, Cruz spoke with our founding editor Will Folks about his strategy for capturing the GOP nomination.

“It’s all about winning (your) primary,” Cruz said, referring to certain subsets of the “Republican” voting bloc that had to be won over prior to others.

Once a certain subset had been captured – or once a competitor for the subset had been eliminated – the battle for the next subset began.  And so on and so forth.  Until there was no one else left standing.

It makes sense … until the positions taken in order to win these “primaries within a primary” created unmanageable contortions.

Can Cruz – the hero of the Tea Party – tack to the middle and make an “electability” argument against Trump?

Don’t look now … he’s doing it.

Why else would his campaign be making overtures in search of an endorsement from S.C. governor Nikki Haley – the new queen of the GOP establishment?  And the self-anointed anti-Trump voice in the Palmetto State?

We wonder … is the self-styled Messiah of the conservative movement doing business with the money changers in the temple at a time when he ought to be overturning their tables in a fit of righteous anger? 

Because that’s not the Ted Cruz we’ve come to know over the course of the last few years …

We get that Cruz wants to win South Carolina.  And it’s clear at this point his supporters are a “win at all costs” group of people.

But Cruz should be wary of contorting too far to the middle too fast …

Also the last time we checked, conventional definitions of “electability” weren’t all they were cracked up to be.

READ MORE >>>

On “Electability”

***

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84 comments

shifty henry February 10, 2016 at 5:41 pm

“Nikki Haley – the new queen of the GOP establishment”

everybody, now, just follow the bouncing ball ….

— “Trailer for sale or rent, rooms to let, fifty cents.”

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The Dude February 10, 2016 at 5:44 pm

how about “Suddenly…whatever he thinks can get him votes”?

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Bill February 10, 2016 at 6:04 pm

“I can attest to the fact that even in our campaign there were many efforts to try and say that people shouldn’t vote for me or Rick Santorum or Ben Carson. The Cruz people said it would be a wasted vote and they should vote for Cruz. It wouldn’t have made a difference for any of use but it is the kind of low-life, sleazy politics people truly get sick of.” Mike Huckabee

Could not have said it better.

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JB February 10, 2016 at 6:34 pm

Rich coming for poll pusher Huck. I guess he forgot about his 2008 campaign dirty tricks.

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Bible Thumper February 10, 2016 at 6:20 pm

I don’t understand your logic at all. You described Cruz’s strategy well,
but I didn’t hear anything about moving to the middle. Cruz is and always has been the most conservative candidate. Trump wasn’t a conservative, nor has he become one. Trump is a populist. He is the one who has and will do what ever is necessary to win.

Cruz’s conservatism leans more toward fiscal restraint than national defense, but by any traditional definition, Cruz is the most conservative candidate. Now that Paul is out of the race Cruz is also the most libertarian, also. His opposition to water boarding and resticting the NSA data collection are evidence of this.

everyone said a conservative cannot compete in a more moderate New England state like New Hampshire. Those predictions proved wrong.

That doesn’t sound like someone moving to the center. The difficulty is in believing Trump is or ever was a conservative.
….

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Windblowing Trump February 10, 2016 at 6:39 pm

I like what Bill Maher called Trump, a starfucker.

But let’s face it — Trump is a starf—er. One White House dinner with Leonardo DiCaprio, the big celebrity environmentalist, is all it would take. Trump, Melania, Leo, whatever supermodel Leo’s with at the time. The two supermodel chicks can bond, and Melania will talk to Don that night. “Leo, he seem very smart, The Donald. Maybe you should listen to him.” And the next day, Trump will switch. He does it all the time, and no one seems to care.

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stumpknocker February 10, 2016 at 6:41 pm

cruz just screams being a haggart, swagart type evangelical, it is the only explanation for his dirty politics. i’m not voting for Bernie but nobody can say he is not a straight up guy, i would expect a Bernie type honesty from an evangelical politician.

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The Colonel (R) February 10, 2016 at 7:35 pm

Will is just typing, looking for a story to appear. This whole article is a desperate attempt at creating a controversy to debate.

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stumpknocker February 10, 2016 at 7:39 pm

Colonel, in reality will could call the Pope catholic and we would create controversy and debate

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The Colonel (R) February 10, 2016 at 7:56 pm

Probably true, I always go with the “Mormons aren’t real Christians” debate when I want to start something….

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Soft Sigh from Hell February 10, 2016 at 8:16 pm

You should see what homeschooling triggers.

The Colonel (R) February 10, 2016 at 8:40 pm

I’m not foolish enough to go there, home schoolers are vicious!

9" February 10, 2016 at 6:26 pm

somebody pinched his face too hard when he was an infant

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Bible Thumper February 10, 2016 at 6:29 pm

I know. You think Rubio is hot.

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9" February 10, 2016 at 6:40 pm

No I don’t
Neurologist Explains What’s Off-Putting With Ted Cruz’s Face
http://www.askmen.com/news/power_money/neurologist-explains-what-s-wrong-with-ted-cruz-s-face.html

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Bible Thumper February 10, 2016 at 6:43 pm

They also said the same thing about Abraham Lincoln. A little girl even wrote Abe, suggesting a beard. He took the advice.

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9" February 10, 2016 at 6:44 pm

Abe was hot

stumpknocker February 10, 2016 at 6:46 pm
Mom February 10, 2016 at 6:49 pm

Ha! I thought you were smarter than to believe everything you read on the internet is true.

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Bible Thumper February 10, 2016 at 6:39 pm

If Trump can get on stage with McMaster and use him in his radio ads, then a Haley endorsement of Cruz can only help him.

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Mom February 10, 2016 at 6:54 pm

No one takes McMaster seriously.

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The Colonel (R) February 10, 2016 at 7:33 pm

Most of the state doesn’t even know who he is.

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Mom February 10, 2016 at 9:31 pm

Sad but true.

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Mom February 10, 2016 at 6:44 pm

Cruz is far better educated than Trump. Cruz has political experience unlike Trump. Cruz has integrity unlike Trump. Cruz takes marriage vows seriously unlike Trump. Cruz chose a highly educated wife with class unlike Trump’s tramp who posed nude. Cruz is a conservative unlike Trump. Cruz is fiscally conservative unlike Trump who has no idea how tax increases affect the common man. Cruz came from modest means unlike Trump who was born with a silver spoon. Someone please tell me why the blue collar, working man is voting for Trump?

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stumpknocker February 10, 2016 at 6:47 pm

for starters cruz is a dishonest douche bag

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Bible Thumper February 10, 2016 at 6:50 pm

Mom stated verifiable facts. Yours is just an opinion. You need to do better. Explain youself.

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stumpknocker February 10, 2016 at 6:51 pm

only the douche bag part, do you really need me to google cruz’s lies?

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Bible Thumper February 10, 2016 at 6:55 pm

Trump says he is pro-life, before he is pro-choice.
Trump says he is a Republican, yet he contributed to Democrats.
Trump’s says Blazio is a great Mayor of NYC.

stumpknocker February 10, 2016 at 6:59 pm

yeah and i compared him to mussilini in personality and i was serious, sooner or later he is gonna really get blind sided and he will implode.

stumpknocker February 10, 2016 at 7:07 pm

just a question, morning after pill for a rape victim who is old enough to conceive?

Flip February 10, 2016 at 9:37 pm

No I’m pretty sure the douchebag part is fact too, video of him in his younger days gives pretty strong evidence.

Mom February 10, 2016 at 6:53 pm

Grow up! If you want to participate in a mature discussion, give us some proven examples. Oh and the potty mouth talk makes you look childish.

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bobbymac February 11, 2016 at 11:49 am

One proven example is false statements on his Senate election filings. see http://www.npr.org/2016/01/14/463093708/the-ted-cruz-goldman-sachs-loan-explained Pretty hypocritical to criticize Goldman Sachs while using them to finance his Senate campaign. Guess that is why he had to conceal the loan until after the election was held.

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Yep! February 10, 2016 at 7:18 pm

You are absolutely right, Cruz is a fraud- the question is whether people will recognize it or not.

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Flip February 10, 2016 at 9:35 pm

They won’t, but Trump may keep them so distracted that they never notice he’s there at all.

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Yep! February 10, 2016 at 7:41 pm

“Someone please tell me why the blue collar, working man is voting for Trump?”

Because they know despite all of Trumps warts, he’s honest- unlike Cruz.

Cruz doesn’t even use his real name, “Rafael”(named after his father).

He tries to hide the fact his parents are divorced. When you watch the outtakes of his campaign videos with his parents it’s clear he’s not a very nice person.

Cruz is a man with a net worth of roughly $2.5million dollars that for a substantial period of time couldn’t be bothered to donate even 1% of his income in the form of a tithe to his church or any other charity.

Cruz is a man so rife with hypocrisy, that he decries the TBTF bank bailouts, while later taking a huge loan from one.

Bleh! Was a distasteful man.

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Mom February 10, 2016 at 9:11 pm

Honest is not the first word that comes to me to describe Trump. An Honest man wouldn’t go around declaring bankruptcy on LLCs while depriving the small businessmen payment for products/services.
What’s wrong with a nickname?
Whether his parents are divorced or not is a non-factor.
While it’s a nice thing to give to charity, it’s irrelevant as a qualification for being the POTUS.

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Flip February 10, 2016 at 9:34 pm

These are politicians not pastors, if you guys are looking to find a saint among these sinners you are going to spend the rest of your life disappointed!!

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Yep! February 10, 2016 at 9:59 pm

Bingo!

Pretty much anyone with any faith in any of them is going to be disappointed. With Trump you know what you’re getting for better or worse from the get go.

Cruz is clearly willing to do whatever it takes, including loans from Goldman Sachs, to get power.

Donald Trump already has power, he doesn’t need Goldman Sachs loans or lobbying money. He’ll do what he thinks is best if he gets elected minus that baggage at least.

He’ll get along with Dems & Republican just about the same, because most of them hate him and that’s just fine by me.

Yep! February 10, 2016 at 9:54 pm

“While it’s a nice thing to give to charity, it’s irrelevant as a qualification for being the POTUS.”

You think someone who has $2.5 million in worth not even giving 1%, against his own belief system none the less, is not relevant?

“Whether his parents are divorced or not is a non-factor.”

Your the one who brought up Trump marital history. Why is it that Cruz’s parents being divorced isn’t an issue, but Trump having had a divorce is?

Aside from that, I agree with you that divorce isn’t the issue, it’s Cruz’s “managing” of the issue so that the general public doesn’t know, just like they don’t know his real name.

There’s nothing wrong with either his name or divorce, which is why it’s perplexing his avoid talking about either and smacks of dishonesty.

Has Donald Trump ever claimed he did file bankruptcy? Do you think everyone that files bankruptcy is dishonest?

Trump is no saint, he may be bombastic and unrealistic- but he’s not a fraud, & Rafael Cruz Jr. is for all the reasons I listed.

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Yep! February 10, 2016 at 9:55 pm

*he DIDN’T file bankruptcy

Mom February 11, 2016 at 4:40 pm

Just because his total wealth in $2.5 million, doesn’t mean his income is much. Tithing is based on income, not total assets, btw.

No one is responsible for their parents’ divorce. Trump has 2 very public divorces, involving adultery.

If my parents were divorced, I would hope they would participate in some friendly pix for my campaign.

If my name were Rafael, I would most likely find a nickname for the simple purpose of meeting girls in loud bars and having to repeat my name three times. Ted is easy to pronounce and easy to spell. But personally, I might have chosen Chip or Buddy or Mac.

mamatiger92 February 11, 2016 at 10:06 am

He’s so honest, he’s only cheated on 2 of his 3 wives.

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Mom February 11, 2016 at 12:24 pm

that we know of…

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RogueElephant February 10, 2016 at 7:47 pm

The blue collar working man is voting for Trump because for far too long we have watched as our “leaders” have sold US out to the lobbyists and special interests and left US holding the bag for the bill. Trump is a successful businessman . He has earned what he has with hard work, astute business practices and , yes, a little luck. The average working stiff sees success rewarded and the American dream lived on a grand scale. What the promise of America is all about. All Cruz has is a law degree and politics. That ain’t much!!!

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Yep! February 10, 2016 at 7:54 pm

“All Cruz has is a law degree and politics. That ain’t much!!!”

Exactly. This is a 45 year old man that spent 6 years total in the private sector, 1 year of which involved lobbying for the NRA and Clinton trial preparation.

He is in essence, almost a life long politician…the last thing we need in government given the current state of things.

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Mom February 10, 2016 at 9:29 pm

The blue crowd is being duped in thinking Trump is “their man” who cares about them and will help them by cutting spending, lowering taxes.

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Yep! February 10, 2016 at 10:00 pm

No different than the evangelical crowd thinking 1% Rafael Cruz Jr. is their man.

Mom February 10, 2016 at 9:28 pm

Trump has taken advantage of bankruptcy laws many times. Many small businessman were left without payment for goods/services. Many of them were counting on a check from him to pay their own bills. They may have been counting on the check to pay a kid’s college tuition. All the while, Trump is living big and smoking expensive cigars. Do you see something unethical with this picture?

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Yep! February 10, 2016 at 10:03 pm

No more unethical than a life long politician living off small businessman taxes, with a wife that worked for a TBTF bank(that pays less tax than small businessman!) that is helping finance his campaign while he pulls the wool over the eyes of evangelicals.

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RogueElephant February 10, 2016 at 10:22 pm

The bankruptcies were part of business. They are completely legal and used every day in business. None of them were personal. Trump doesn’t smoke or drink.

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JB February 11, 2016 at 10:35 am

You want someone who filed corporate bankruptcy 4 times to handle your financial and business affairs?

Finance February 11, 2016 at 1:02 pm

Is there one candidate with more net worth than him? Someone we can look to that made all of their money in the private sector and grew it substantially?

JB February 11, 2016 at 6:51 pm

So that’s how we’re picking Presidents now – whoever has the most money?

RogueElephant February 11, 2016 at 2:50 pm

A guy that started with a million and wound up with ten billion sounds good to me.

Mom February 11, 2016 at 4:24 pm

I’m pretty smart, I think if my father had launched me into the world with a million, I too could end up with ten billion.

JB February 11, 2016 at 6:35 pm

His dad bailed him out with 3 million in one venture and when he died he left an estate worth appx 250 million. So not too hard to end up a billionaire after that – and the facts are firm that Trump has 9 or 10 billion. He puts a figure of what his name is “worth”.

Mom February 11, 2016 at 4:22 pm

Yes the bankruptcies were completely legal. But bankruptcy laws were put in place to protect ordinary people from starving to death and by giving them the opportunity for a fresh start. Trump took advantage of the bankruptcy laws which very likely caused hardship to vendors who were counting on payment from Trump for goods/services. Consider a plumber who did work for some of Trumps properties and was counting on getting paid for his work to pay his kid’s college tuition. All the while, Trump is living big.

mamatiger92 February 11, 2016 at 8:46 am

Why a “blue collar working man” would identify with an entitled, billionaire, reality TV star is baffling to me.

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Mom February 11, 2016 at 4:26 pm

Because Trump is easy to pronounce and doesn’t sound too foreign.

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JB February 11, 2016 at 10:32 am

He has earned what he has because of his grandfather and father’s wealth. Lets not act like Donald was raised in the ghetto, mopped floors and sold trinkets on the streets which he eventually parlayed into a successful real estate and self-promotion business.

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Finance February 11, 2016 at 1:04 pm

He has grown though what he inherited. Sure, there’s people out there that truly went from rags to riches and that’s not Trump, but when compared to all the other candidates running against him he’s the only one who built his wealth in the private sector. The rest are life long government workers and their wealth a result of that.

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huitecouture February 10, 2016 at 8:00 pm

OH LOOK another scummy nasty idiot who believes lies like Trump wants to raise taxes.

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tomstickler February 10, 2016 at 8:11 pm

Another Trumptroll, everybody! Give her a fine FITSNews welcome.

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Mom February 10, 2016 at 9:18 pm

Okay Darlin’ let me school you. Trump is not a fiscal conservative. Translation – he will raise taxes to pay for gov’ment programs. That’s the way it works.

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Flip February 10, 2016 at 9:38 pm

He has openly said, during this primary, that he would have the government pay for people who were “dying on the streets” because he has a heart. How do you think that is going to be paid for?

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Who Cares? February 11, 2016 at 1:44 pm

You are delusional……

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euwe max February 10, 2016 at 7:01 pm

Cruz looks like he’s wistful … maybe nostalgic for the Inquisition.

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Bible Thumper February 10, 2016 at 7:23 pm

If the election is to be decided on looks, the Republican will win.

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stumpknocker February 10, 2016 at 7:28 pm

this looks like a man who really cares for his fellow man.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKgU7JHCNck

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Quick! February 10, 2016 at 8:13 pm

He ran over to pull $5 out of his pocket before he woke back up.

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Bible Thumper February 10, 2016 at 7:28 pm

His looks a deceiving. He is the candidate that opposes water boarding and wants to restrict NSA data collection.

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Victorious Secret February 11, 2016 at 9:08 am

And you want full to give the NSA full and unfettered access to everything about everyone?

Oh, you don’t care because you’ve got nothing to hide?

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euwe max February 11, 2016 at 11:07 am

deceiving indeed…

I was surprised to learn from Senator Ted Cruz’s dad, Pastor Rafeal Cruz, that the Founding Fathers left something out of our Constitution.

Apparently, instead of, “We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America,” it should have added, “and we do all of this to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ.”

Odd that the Founders seemed to have somehow forgotten that fundamental statement. But Cruz Sr. did NOT miss it, announcing this past April that, “The United States of America was formed to honor the word of God.” This is the same God-appointed prophet who, in a sermon at a Texas Mega-church last year that helped elect Ted Cruz to the United States Senate,indicated that his son was,

“…among the evangelical Christians who are anointed as “kings” to take control of all sectors of society, an agenda commonly referred to as the “Seven Mountains” mandate, and “bring the spoils of war to the priests”, thus helping to bring about a prophesied “great transfer of wealth”, from the “wicked” to righteous gentile believers.”

Sounds vaguely communist, doesn’t it?

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Bible Thumper February 11, 2016 at 11:34 am

What’s the point? I could tell you things about Alexander Hamilton’s father too. Or perhaps you would like to hear about John F. Kennedy’s father. It would be just as relevant.

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Hank February 11, 2016 at 12:10 pm

Neither Alexander Hamilton’s father nor John F. Kennedy’s father reared him to believe he was anointed to transfer the wealth of the wicked to the Priests (like his father). Neither Alexander Hamilton’s father or John Kennedy’s father got rich convincing poor people to give them money in the name of Christ and then pocketed the money. Cruz’s father is a typical evangelist con man, a snake oil salesman using Christ name to bilk his followers out of money so he can be rich (Jim and Tammy Baker, Richard Tilton, etc.).
He son is just following in his father’s footsteps. Getting elected President would be their biggest con job yet.

idcydm February 10, 2016 at 7:32 pm

Anyone want to bet there will be an overload of articles on candidates that FITS did not endorse than the one he did endorse.

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Lone Ranger February 10, 2016 at 8:32 pm

Cruz needs to be careful about sticking his finger in the wind before speaking on the stump
Because he doesn’t really want a wall we well recall but we WILL get one with President Trump !!!

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Manray9 February 10, 2016 at 11:20 pm

Cruz, like Hillary, is in favor of whatever he needs to be in favor of to win elective office. He’s a right-wing TP-er in Texas, now he’s tacking toward the middle. First, and foremost, he’s a politician.

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nitrat February 11, 2016 at 10:27 am

Ted is always true to his fundamentalist Dominionist goal of establishing a theocracy. Dominionism is an ends-justify-means theology that allows lying, bearing false witness, to attain that goal.
The fools are the gay hedge fund millionaire Libertarians who believe him when he tells them gay marriage is a state issue. But, per Politico, as would be expected, the Libertarians fall for it.

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Billy S DuBose February 11, 2016 at 5:06 am

Side-winder Teddie, is a changeling! He is whatever you want him to appear to be….and whatever Trump has had the guts to find out from the people. But what really counts is whether Side-winder , Teddie, will represent you in DC. We all need to fight for the man who is fighting for us, and only us! Trump! If we don’t , then we might as well be silent, again, for another 4-8 years and watch our country fall into socialism and Islamic terror…..a state of no return! I’m voting Trump! I think Trump can turn our country around and “Make It Great Again”!

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mamatiger92 February 11, 2016 at 8:36 am

Wait, you call Cruz a changeling & you are supporting Trump? LMAO

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nitrat February 11, 2016 at 10:18 am

That’s another of those pictures of Cruz where he looks big hipped, thick thighed and knock kneed.
Maybe, he should ask Donald for his tailor’s name so he can cover up his thick middle.
I don’t know if that will help with the knees.

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Slim Shady February 11, 2016 at 3:53 pm

Rafael is not eligible and it will go to the Supreme Court if he is the nominee.

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