Ted Cruz’s Missed Opportunity

Unfortunately, I have not been able to write much commentary on the GOP race recently, though there was plenty of material I wished to discuss. But here we are Super Tuesday, and it has been interesting to say the least. I will try to very briefly recap some of the thoughts I either had or conveyed on social media.

It was clear to me from the start of this over-packed primary season, that Ted Cruz was the man that most correctly understood conservative values, capitalism, and the geopolitical challenges facing America. He also had that Hispanic name which, we have been force-fed since 2012 is necessary for a Republican to win the White House today. But unlike Rubio, none of flip-flopping and leftist positions on certain issues. I commented on these things more fully back in an article early on at the outset of the Trump campaign. In that article, it was correctly and quickly perceived that the raw never that Trump had hit had to do with immigration mostly, and with a suffocating culture of political correctness and “whininess” in the second.

And though Trump is far from a true conservative ideologue, this things are powerful enough that he has managed to garner to his side much of the true ideological right  of the party.

The Candidates

There were other very admirable candidates, Rick Perry for one, Gov Huckabee who I was not the biggest fan of in previous years (really hated that he did not drop out earlier hurting Newt Gingrich dearly) has come around to be an extremely well educated, clear thinking and well behaved candidate (he really impressed me in demeanor, class, and refusal to fall into the trap of moderators and media wanting a blood bath between the candidates). Others like Ben Carson were certainly nice, successful, respectable and likable, but not presidential material.

Still others, were irritating, near socialists, self-righteous and frustratingly persistent in their quest to reign over the free world, Rick Santorum far on top on that list. Rand Paul frustrated as his father (but less likably) always was, in that he is the only candidate up there who actually understands the constitution or freedom. Of Jeb it must be said, as much as I feel bad for him and his family, was extremely disappointing. His first moves was to bad mouth and distance himself as much as possible from his brother and father. And his advisers may have been correct in a general sense that to do that was politically necessity, but the GOP are not Democrats nor the general public, and betrayal did not sit well with them.

The most admirable trait of his brother is his determination, decisiveness, but most of all loyalty. G W Bush had incredible, inspiring and enviable loyalty to everything that ought to have it (starting with his family, his country, his soldiers, and his staff). The man ordered a surge when the entire world including his own advisors, party, and 80% of the American people yelled “out”. He wrote a book about his father called a “A love story”. So he may not be hailed as the most brilliant of men, nor head of the most beloved administration lately, but he is known and respected by many, and loved by some, as a strong loyal leader (see my rather far seeing farewell to G W at the close of his term, while widely hated and unappreciated). Jeb fails to seem remarkably more brilliant or eloquent, and definitely not more conservatively principled or ideologically inclined, but he sure seemed far weaker, political and less sincere. I would have loved nothing more than to back another Bush, while Bush Sr and his wife Barbara still live, to see them witness two of their sons in the White House is beyond a dream for anyone, and it would demolish any pretense the media and the left have of the Kennedys being America’s “royal family” as much as it would pain them. But for heaven’s sake, he was the only candidate known by his first name alone… by seeing his material or listening to him you would never know he was a Bush.. and I found that the only reason to have supported him. Forsaking it, he had nothing left in camp of patriots.

Ted Cruz and the Swamp that Feeds the Trump Hope

Senator Ted Cruz, who does not have the most suave or attractive personality at first glance, was easily in the top two deep thinkers of the bunch (and no, Rubio was not the second). Clearly principled, a patriot and a lover of the constitution and his nation. One of the very few who don’t automatically support what they think is “Republican” position, but really thinks and understands, which is why, along with this blog, he was not of the republicans (such as Rubio) that were all about the Arab Spring, toppling Qaddafi and (this weak) action in Syria. It was only natural that he would slowly gravitate to the top of the list as the many candidates dropped out. He would be in 1st place would it not be for the phenomenon of Donald Trump.

And Mr. Cruz missed an opportunity to put that challenge behind him. It was, rather simple. There are people grasping at Trump due to some perceived “Reagan-like” qualities (I believe Gulliani indicated something of the sort about Trump), a man who may not know too many details but knows how to lead. A man of action, and most of all, a winner, which America surely is in bad need of. But the people hanging on to those hopes know Mr Trump is no Reagan, and they are in fear that their hopeful choice is correct, and not a mirage that will be swallowed up by the reality of his lack of knowledge, absence of conservative and capitalist ideology, and tendency to say and do anything.  They are not sure. The mass of his camp is there because of one thing and one thing only; his promise to expel millions of illegal immigrants from the country (then incomprehensibly muddled by then him claiming that the “good ones” can then come back).

As discussed before, for many reasons, this touched a very raw never in the country, both because of the issue itself, and also because it reverberates of times past, when large endeavors were possible, when winning was possible, when doing something like this, anything like this, was possible. From defeating the Islamists, to restoring the economy, to fixing traffic or schools, everything is seen as impossible today. A democracy can mire in deadlock and argue as entertainment, within political correctness of course, but nothing large or great can be achieved anymore.. this is the pervading feeling. Sure we can race down the social progressivism of the age, knocking down whatever we used to hold dear, we can light up the White House “rainbow gay” colors, but we can’t really win against anyone or anything. We can give up rights or assets, against some group or another, but no victory can be had over any group at all. We are friends with dictators, presumably out of this same weakness, and when any rabble rises against them, we throw them under the bus and switch allegiances.  Then we are surprised the rabble murders the ambassador. We so frantically eradicate so many “oppressive” laws and conditions over oppressed groups that it is hard to imagine how they ever got so oppressed. Be it Isis, Iran, North Korea, gang bangers or the emasculated punks that show up and shoot everyone in schools and colleges in America, we can’t seem to “oppress” anyone. The silent majority just keeps receding. To this darkness, Trump offers a glimmer of light.

Ted Cruz had an early opportunity to dispatch Donald Trump

The Opportunity

Ted Cruz, should have seen this, and rather than slowly sink further and further down into a classless struggle he had long avoided, he should have taken a higher road. Rather than try to convince the millions of people who clearly lived through it, that Trump did not really raise any new issue when it comes to immigration or illegals, he should embrace have embraced it. Cruz should have simply made a big announcement, praising Donald Trump for what he claims. That to speak about the illegals was taboo (since the GOP required the Hispanic vote to be able to win at all), and to speak about enforcing existing law, and deporting them was unheard of, and he raised that banner high and proud. Mr. Cruz should say that previous to this giant persona of Donald Trump, making that conversation possible, he too was not eager to bring it up, being plenty of other issues to speak about.

But that it is clear that Donald spoke to something dear to the voters, something that they were angry they were told could not be spoken about. And he was right to do that. And that while he (Cruz) has always been a supporter of securing the border and against amnesty, he had not addressed the elephant in the room, the clear issue of enforcing the law, and being able to deport a person who has entered the country illegally. Without this basic ability, there is no border, and no border means no country. And he should relate that with respect, and the knowledge that a wise man knows to learn and change his mind when needed, he joins Trump in carrying that banner, Yes of course under his presidency the rule of law will be enforced and illegals deported. He can then add the caveat, that under his administration, once deported (which is the crazy and hard part!), they would not be allowed back, as “the good ones” are in Trump’s plan.

If Ted Cruz could have taken that high road, and performed that classy pivot, he would have found the challenge of Donald Trump melting away, for the conservatives wish to rally behind him, but are torn by the prospect of “more of the same” under him, a country where enforcing non politically correct law is impossible and taboo, and the glimmer of regaining some glory once again under Donald Trump.

So we will be much closer in knowing the outcome of this unique and infinitely important primary after today’s Super Tuesday. Perhaps Ted Cruz can take it after all in any event, and perhaps he will be destroyed by the unbelievable Donald Trump machine (btw, a Doland Trump Ted Cruz ticket would be extremely formidable against Hillary as I wrote  months back).  But that simple pivot  could have long ago ensured his victory. Is it too late now? Who knows, perhaps it can still be done.