Ted Cruz

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Super PAC's backing him raised $31MM in one week after his formal announcement. He's going to be a force in the primaries.

 

[Ostate4life]

Honestly don't know a lot about him other than media sound bites, is this guy a conservative or a RINO like Lindsey Graham and John McCain.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[wyomingosualum]

Conservative.

 

[ctrawick]

Wants to abolish the IRS. I am okay with that, lets get a Flat or Fair tax in place.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Originally posted by Ostate4life:
Honestly don't know a lot about him other than media sound bites, is this guy a conservative or a RINO like Lindsey Graham and John McCain.

Posted from Rivals Mobile

Definitely not a RINO. He's very smart, and well spoken. I like him, not everything about him, but overall I like him. I think it will come down to him or Paul vs. Jeb for the GOP nod. I like Scott Walker, but he doesn't quite seem prepared for the Presidential campaign, despite what he's accomplished in Wisconsin.

I'm not sure, in terms of winning the national election, that Cruz would be the best choice, though.

 

[JonnyVito]

Paul wants a flat 17% tax also. I am just not sold on Cruz yet.

 

[Headhunter]

He'd be a huge improvement over the person currently in office. I really like his fiscal conservatism and tax ideas.

He's more hawkish on foreign policy than I like and he's more socially conservative than I am but I can deal with it because I believe he wouldn't pander just to get my vote.

 

[aix_xpert]

My biggest concern/gripe with Cruz is his social stances. He's certainly played hard to the religious right and that gets played up by the media as much or more than his conservative economic stances.

Justin

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Originally posted by aix_xpert:

My biggest concern/gripe with Cruz is his social stances. He's certainly played hard to the religious right and that gets played up by the media as much or more than his conservative economic stances.

Justin

Or maybe it's really his beliefs.

 

[MegaPoke]

If his social stances are really his beliefs, I don't care. If they are political priorities, that's a problem.
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[CBradSmith]

Originally posted by MegaPoke:
If his social stances are really his beliefs, I don't care. If they are political priorities, that's a problem.

Posted from Rivals Mobile

Exceptionally put.

Do you believe there is a way for someone who espouses conservative values personally can create enough daylight in the face of pop culture and a hostile media to not allow middle of the road voters/libertarians/others to be run off at the characterizations that will be levied? How would you do it?

(I have no "front horse" at this point, so it's more of a general question than a Ted Cruz specific question. Way too early in the cycle and I've got too many other things that need my attention)

 

[aix_xpert]

Originally posted by CBradSmith:

Originally posted by MegaPoke:
If his social stances are really his beliefs, I don't care. If they are political priorities, that's a problem.


Posted from Rivals Mobile

Exceptionally put.

Do you believe there is a way for someone who espouses conservative values personally can create enough daylight in the face of pop culture and a hostile media to not allow middle of the road voters/libertarians/others to be run off at the characterizations that will be levied? How would you do it?

(I have no "front horse" at this point, so it's more of a general question than a Ted Cruz specific question. Way too early in the cycle and I've got too many other things that need my attention)

He would have to come out and say it. "These conservative, religious values are how I was raised and are my beliefs, however, these values are not the agenda that I am proposing. I believe that there is room in America for a spectrum of beliefs and values. I am running for president to represent an agenda of shrinking government waste, spending, and to restore faith in the ability of our government to represent all Americans and not just the political interests of one party."

Justin

 

[NZ Poke]

Originally posted by aix_xpert:

Originally posted by CBradSmith:

Originally posted by MegaPoke:
If his social stances are really his beliefs, I don't care. If they are political priorities, that's a problem.


Posted from Rivals Mobile

Exceptionally put.

Do you believe there is a way for someone who espouses conservative values personally can create enough daylight in the face of pop culture and a hostile media to not allow middle of the road voters/libertarians/others to be run off at the characterizations that will be levied? How would you do it?

(I have no "front horse" at this point, so it's more of a general question than a Ted Cruz specific question. Way too early in the cycle and I've got too many other things that need my attention)

He would have to come out and say it. "These conservative, religious values are how I was raised and are my beliefs, however, these values are not the agenda that I am proposing. I believe that there is room in America for a spectrum of beliefs and values. I am running for president to represent an agenda of shrinking government waste, spending, and to restore faith in the ability of our government to represent all Americans and not just the political interests of one party."

Justin

I agree with all of this and think it could work as a message.

But unfortunately, the political interests of both political parties are largely determined by lobbyists, special interests and donations.

'Average Americans' make for good photo ops and campaign slogans, but K Street and the revolving door of government controls much more.

 

[imprimis]

Originally posted by NZ Poke:

Originally posted by aix_xpert:

Originally posted by CBradSmith:

Originally posted by MegaPoke:
If his social stances are really his beliefs, I don't care. If they are political priorities, that's a problem.


Posted from Rivals Mobile

Exceptionally put.

Do you believe there is a way for someone who espouses conservative values personally can create enough daylight in the face of pop culture and a hostile media to not allow middle of the road voters/libertarians/others to be run off at the characterizations that will be levied? How would you do it?

(I have no "front horse" at this point, so it's more of a general question than a Ted Cruz specific question. Way too early in the cycle and I've got too many other things that need my attention)

He would have to come out and say it. "These conservative, religious values are how I was raised and are my beliefs, however, these values are not the agenda that I am proposing. I believe that there is room in America for a spectrum of beliefs and values. I am running for president to represent an agenda of shrinking government waste, spending, and to restore faith in the ability of our government to represent all Americans and not just the political interests of one party."

Justin

I agree with all of this and think it could work as a message.

But unfortunately, the political interests of both political parties are largely determined by lobbyists, special interests and donations.

'Average Americans' make for good photo ops and campaign slogans, but K Street and the revolving door of government controls much more.

You could have also included a media machine overwhelmingly biased towards one political party rather than being neutral reporters. This is the problem all republicans/non-democrats face. Their positions, beliefs, personalities, and past history are examined, reexamined, and reexamined again while democrats rarely, if ever, have their positions, beliefs, personalities and past history ever examined.

Perhaps if the media went after the lobbyists, special interests and donors on the left side of the aisle as zealously and vociferously as they go after the Koch Brothers, the NRA, the Tea Party and those who support candidates not bearing a "D" behind their names, things might work better in this country.

 

[aix_xpert]

Originally posted by imprimis:
You could have also included a media machine overwhelmingly biased towards one political party rather than being neutral reporters. This is the problem all republicans/non-democrats face. Their positions, beliefs, personalities, and past history are examined, reexamined, and reexamined again while democrats rarely, if ever, have their positions, beliefs, personalities and past history ever examined.

Perhaps if the media went after the lobbyists, special interests and donors on the left side of the aisle as zealously and vociferously as they go after the Koch Brothers, the NRA, the Tea Party and those who support candidates not bearing a "D" behind their names, things might work better in this country.

One thing that is worth noting. This media bias is a new phenomenon. Clinton while popular didn't get the kid glove treatment from the media that our current president gets. Whether its because the current WH has been successful in intimidating the media with the use of NSA investigations, IRS targetting or simply accusations of racism, or because the left media finally figured out that there were no consequences of being biased, I don't know. But I agree whole-heartedly that the key role of media is to serve as a watchdog against our government (both parties) and not as the cheerleading team.

Justin

 

[davidallen]

Originally posted by aix_xpert:

Originally posted by CBradSmith:

Originally posted by MegaPoke:
If his social stances are really his beliefs, I don't care. If they are political priorities, that's a problem.


Posted from Rivals Mobile

Exceptionally put.

Do you believe there is a way for someone who espouses conservative values personally can create enough daylight in the face of pop culture and a hostile media to not allow middle of the road voters/libertarians/others to be run off at the characterizations that will be levied? How would you do it?

(I have no "front horse" at this point, so it's more of a general question than a Ted Cruz specific question. Way too early in the cycle and I've got too many other things that need my attention)

He would have to come out and say it. "These conservative, religious values are how I was raised and are my beliefs, however, these values are not the agenda that I am proposing. I believe that there is room in America for a spectrum of beliefs and values. I am running for president to represent an agenda of shrinking government waste, spending, and to restore faith in the ability of our government to represent all Americans and not just the political interests of one party."

Justin

This agenda gets my vote...