Cruz Out of Control

[AR]

I've read three articles today about Senator Ted Cruz's speech at the Heritage Foundation yesterday. He got to talking about the late Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina, who was an avowed, unrepentant racist. You can look up the details of the speech if you like, but Cruz wound up saying, "We need 100 more like Jesse Helms in the U.S. Senate."

Helms served in the Senate for 30 years, was known for his efforts to stop progressive polices relating to gay rights, abortion and race. He voted against the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which he referred to as "the single most dangerous piece of legislation ever introduced in the Congress." When the Senate acted in 1983 to create a federal holiday honoring King, Helms staged a 16-day filibuster to try to block it. He ultimately caved in exchange for action on a tobacco bill.
In 1988, Helms opposed the Kennedy-Hatch AIDS bill, stating that there "is not one single case of AIDS in this country that cannot be traced in origin to sodomy."

No, Senator Cruz, we do not need 100 more like Jesse Helms. We do not even need one more, even though you seem to want to channel him. Like Helms, you are long on hate and short on facts.

Cruz is an idiot, a racist, or both.

[venice]

He might ask Bob Livingston how their mutual admiration of Jesse Helms, worked out for him

[Mike M]

You can't fix stupid but you can vote them out of office. Then again, his constituents keep him there. Just like they did with Jesse Helms.

Take care,
Mike

[venice]

The writers on the staffs of The Daily Show & The Colbert Report have job security at least thru 2016 Presidential elections...they must love Senator Cruz

C-SPAN has the hghest ratings in it's history covering the Heritage Foundation, Press Club Dinner and CPAC the last 6 years..politicians like Cruz know this and saves his best material for these events to receive the most exposure

Cruz was born in Canada, American Mother, Cuban Father..where is the "Birther" outrage

The Discovery Channel has been running an excellent program about Chief's of Staff's. (gatekeepers to the POTUS) which gives bi-partisian insight into the politics of our Country..what I gained from this program is that a POTUS's Chief of Staff main function is keeping the POTUS in check with political reality (so voters don't feel buyers remorse)..what was scary it showed the Rumsfield/Cheney combination influence over the POTUS during the Ford/Bush 43 eras

To Mike's point...the system might keep reelecting the Helm's, Cruz's on the local level, but they seldom succeed on the national platform

[Luanne Russo]

AR Would you please point out the full context of Cruz's speech. I can't seem to find it.

Thanks

[Luanne Russo]

I read everything I could about Jesse Helms and it seems he was very out spoken, and wasn't afraid to go against what the party wanted.

I only can find AR saying Cruz is a racist. Not even Texas demos are saying that, so could this be a case of beat him up incase he runs in 16?

AS far as the birthers, Cruz came out with the story, and birth certificate, before anyone could ask for it. He didn't try to hid anything.

I would also like to remind all that Cruz was elected to represent the people in his district. He speaks for us, and when we no longer think he is doing a good job, then WE will vote him out.

I encourage anyone reading this to go to Cruz's web site, and see what how he really feels.

[Mike M]

Originally Posted by Luanne Russo

AR Would you please point out the full context of Cruz's speech. I can't seem to find it.

Thanks

Luanne,

Here is a link to the transcript.

Sen. Cruz At Heritage: When America Doesn't Lead, The World Is A More Dangerous Place | RealClearPolitics

Take care,
Mike

[Dave Beers]

Originally Posted by Luanne Russo

I read everything I could about Jesse Helms and it seems he was very out spoken, and wasn't afraid to go against what the party wanted.

Taking Ted Cruz's speech in the context he meant it to be taken, he was referring to Jesse Helms as being one who did not by default agree with the party line and was not afraid to go against the grain. He was not endorsing everything, or anything, that Jesse Helms did or supported, but rather his style of politics, which was to shake up the status quo. Alleging that Ted Cruz is or might be a racist is ridiculous and unfounded.

However, Cruz probably should have reconsidered his choice of people to laud, and also his appearing at an event that celebrates a man who is largely despised by the media, and up to now was a forgotten lightning rod that the left will hope to resurrect in their attempts to destroy Cruz, both politically and personally.

For those who think Cruz is an idiot, to quote a Daily Caller article:

"Famed Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz ranks Ted Cruz among the school’s smartest students. He had brilliant insights and he was clearly among the top students".

[AR]

Originally Posted by Luanne Russo

I read everything I could about Jesse Helms and it seems he was very out spoken, and wasn't afraid to go against what the party wanted.

You read everything you could about Helms? Don't you remember him? You're certainly old enough. You don't remember his elevator encounter with Illinois Senator Carol Mosely Braun of Illinois, then the only African-American in the Senate? You don't remember that he said he would make her cry by singing "Dixie," and proceeded to sing? She didn't cry, but all those in the elevator were aghast. The overt racism of the man was legendary, not just in Washington, but in the whole nation. He was constantly re-elected by people who were fine with that.

Originally Posted by Luanne Russo

I only can find AR saying Cruz is a racist. Not even Texas demos are saying that, so could this be a case of beat him up incase he runs in 16?

You're not looking hard enough, in Texas and everywhere else. Do your homework.

Originally Posted by Luanne Russo

AS far as the birthers, Cruz came out with the story, and birth certificate, before anyone could ask for it. He didn't try to hid anything.

As much as you love to pin everything you can on me, AR never said anything about the birther issue, although I do find it entertaining.

Originally Posted by Luanne Russo

I would also like to remind all that Cruz was elected to represent the people in his district. He speaks for us, and when we no longer think he is doing a good job, then WE will vote him out.

No, he wasn't elected to represent people in his "district." Unfortunately, he is a senator, not a Congressman. Accordingly, it's his job to represent your whole bloody state. And your state's toleration of him is one of the most potent reasons that Texas is gradually turning purple and will in the next 15 or 20 years be an entirely different place politically. I hope I'm around to see it happen.

Originally Posted by Luanne Russo

I encourage anyone reading this to go to Cruz's web site, and see what how he really feels.

Right. A politician's website is the first place to look when you want to know the truth about him, and how he "really feels." Please.

[AR]

Originally Posted by Dave Beers

Taking Ted Cruz's speech in the context he meant it to be taken, he was referring to Jesse Helms as being one who did not by default agree with the party line and was not afraid to go against the grain. He was not endorsing everything, or anything, that Jesse Helms did or supported, but rather his style of politics, which was to shake up the status quo. Alleging that Ted Cruz is or might be a racist is ridiculous and unfounded.

Ah, yes, the "out of context" cry. The last bastion of those who blow the dog whistle but don't want to be called out for it.

Originally Posted by Dave Beers

For those who think Cruz is an idiot, to quote a Daily Caller article:

"Famed Harvard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz ranks Ted Cruz among the school’s smartest students. He had brilliant insights and he was clearly among the top students".

There's a huge difference between "brilliant" and "decent," and maybe even a wider gap between "brilliant" and "wise." So I'd be happy to replace my claim of "idiot" with one of "vicious and unwise."

[venice]

Dave...just curious...do you live anywhere near Birmingham and if so, what is your insight into the recent 50th anniversary events in conjunction with the Church Bombing that killed 4 Black girls at Sunday School? .Helms never spoke out against the actions of the KKK during that period, and in fact used his committee seniority to undermind the Civil Rights. Movement and maintain the "status quo"...He made no apologies for being an avowed Racist...for Cruz's to say Helm's is his political role model based upon his"political style" cannot be separate from Helm's "political actions" and given the Heritage Foundation was his audience, Cruz knew exactly the message he was delivering to the base, he is trying to cultivate...
I have lived in the deep South for 14 years and for the life of me cannot figure out that 4 miles from my house is a Parish that elected David Duke(note to Luanne, goggle Duke and visit his website for his views) to the LA State House in 1992 and when Duke ran for Gov (as a Republican) ., he lost but 680,000 LA citizens voted for him...this is the same Parish that elected Livingston, Vitter and Jindal to Congress which tells me alot..what values and message does that send to your Child in terms of the "content of one's character as opposed to the color of one's skin"
You make a valid point that Cruz has a sharp mind but as we see on the SCOTUS has 4-5 folks that have "sharp minds" also but a very narrow perspective of the changing demographics of America in which the State of Texas is example #1

[Paul Motter]

Does playing the race card EVER get old to you guys? I mean for the love of God, the whole meme of conservatives being racist by mere association with other people is over the top to start with.

George Washington had slaves, as did Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. Jesse Helms is about in the same age group as those guys.

If I never hear another word about race it will be too soon, I thought this was the president who was going to unite us as a people, but race relations are at an all time low since Obama was elected.

Why are we even talking about this? Why is it so important to try to continue to convince anyone that our disapproval of Obama is solely because he is black? That is a weak and stupid premise on its face, as I have pointed out here so many times. It is to act as if none of Obama's actions count, only his race.

Just ridiculous crap.

[Truck Cruiser]

Totally agree Paul!!

[AR]

Originally Posted by Paul Motter

George Washington had slaves, as did Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. Jesse Helms is about in the same age group as those guys.

This may be the strangest two sentences I've ever seen here or most anyplace else. The same age group? Well, yeah, if you mean they're all dead. I'm trying to extract the deep meaning that must be in there somewhere.

Are you saying that owning slaves is (or should be) somehow tied to an age cohort? Are you saying that Jesse's world view in the 20th century should be equated with the founding fathers' in the 18th? Especially when we know that the Declaration of Independence only got signed after a "deal was done" over slavery, which was a notorious moral tug-of-war even then? Are you saying that Jesse should have owned slaves?

You can deny the overt racism in this country all you like. Many others do as well. Some really believe there is none; others are simply hypocrites.

That aside, my own belief is that your views on racism are about as accurate as the views you've expressed on personal finance. Which is to say, not very.

[Manuel]

I have met quite a few people who don't approve of a Black President.

There are plenty of racists left in our society.

TM

[zydecocruiser]

Originally Posted by AR

I've read three articles today about Senator Ted Cruz's speech at the Heritage Foundation yesterday. He got to talking about the late Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina, who was an avowed, unrepentant racist. You can look up the details of the speech if you like, but Cruz wound up saying, "We need 100 more like Jesse Helms in the U.S. Senate."

Helms served in the Senate for 30 years, was known for his efforts to stop progressive polices relating to gay rights, abortion and race. He voted against the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which he referred to as "the single most dangerous piece of legislation ever introduced in the Congress." When the Senate acted in 1983 to create a federal holiday honoring King, Helms staged a 16-day filibuster to try to block it. He ultimately caved in exchange for action on a tobacco bill.
In 1988, Helms opposed the Kennedy-Hatch AIDS bill, stating that there "is not one single case of AIDS in this country that cannot be traced in origin to sodomy."

No, Senator Cruz, we do not need 100 more like Jesse Helms. We do not even need one more, even though you seem to want to channel him. Like Helms, you are long on hate and short on facts.

Cruz is an idiot, a racist, or both.

Allow me to summarize - a REPUBLICAN