Pulling for Cruz and Tea Party

Published November 7, 2013

by Gary Pearce, Talking About Politics, November 6, 2013.

Remember when George W. Bush ran as a “compassionate conservative” in 2000? Ted Cruz could run in 2016 as a “cruel conservative.”

The distance between the two Texans shows how far right the Republican Party has gone, thanks to the Tea Party. It’s a hell of a thing when Bush looks good in hindsight.

Carter says that 70 percent of Republicans call themselves “conservatives.” Not moderates, not mainstream, but conservative. Presumably, they don’t share other Americans’ antipathy to the Tea Party.

Given that 70 percent, how can Chris Christie be the nominee in 2016? Even assuming he overcomes temperament issues and questions about his health, how can any Republican with any hint of “moderate” win a Tea Party gauntlet in the debates and primaries?

Republicans like Cruz – and the North Carolina legislature – are on a mission to rid the party and the nation of any compassion whatsoever for people who aren’t rich, white, old and male. They turn on anyone, like a Mitch McConnell, who won’t meet their ever-rising ransom demands.

Now the Karl Rove-Chamber of Commerce wing of the party is fighting back. They are putting money behind candidates running against Tea Partiers. There is talk of business-backed GOP primary challenges in North Carolina.

Myself, I’m pulling for Cruz and the Tea Party to pull the GOP right over the cliff.

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November 7, 2013 at 9:21 am
TP Wohlford says:

The TEA people have no doubt felt the brunt of the smear campaign launched by those who are entrenched in power, and kinda like things the way they are.

Sadly for you, I recall the same nasty comments from both Dems and Rockefeller GOP types about a previous candidate, some former Gov from California. Who then carried 49 out of 50 states.

I'm not saying that Cruz is the guy that will do that, but I am saying that insiders kid themselves if they think that a nasty smear campaign will stop a conservative outsider backlash. That the budget is still in horrible shape, and the economy is still sick partially due to the budget mess, is not lost on voter.

November 8, 2013 at 12:29 am
Jack Miller says:

Under Bush and Obama, the wealthy 1% got wealthier, the middle class paid the freight and the poor got shafted. The big difference is that the Washington Establishment democrats have the ability to fool the people into believing they are for the poor. Before the war on poverty started, black unemployment was on par with white unemployment. The discriminatory practices of democrats are tricky but powerful. Your pompous attitude and your hypocrisy makes me angry. You can believe that I'll be praying for you tonight.

November 8, 2013 at 11:27 am
Glenn Hood says:

Who is "Carter" in paragraph 3?