The young senator from Texas, after just nine months on the job, had managed to drag down his Republican Party to historic unpopularity. But as Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) went to the Senate floor Wednesday afternoon to announce a deal that would begin to repair the damage Cruz inflicted, the renegade couldn’t resist one more poke at his leadership. As McConnell was speaking on the floor about his compromise to end the government shutdown and to avoid a federal default, Cruz marched up to the bank of TV cameras outside the Senate chamber to deliver his own statement. CNN’s Dana Bash told him that the news networks were airing McConnell’s speech live. “Do you want to wait until the leaders are done?” she asked. Cruz did not want to wait. He launched right into a condemnation of the deal McConnell had negotiated. “Unfortunately, once again, it appears the Washington establishment is refusing to listen to the American people,” the Texan intoned, his protruding chin bouncing as the vitriol poured from the lips above it.
I know I’m prone to saying that I try to avoid taking pleasure out of the suffering and/or defeat of others…but who am I kidding, right? There are times when I not only enjoy take pleasure, I practically bathe in Schadenfreude…especially when the subject of my derision is as richly deserving as Ted Cruz. In the wake of the Tea Party’s stunning comeuppance yesterday, Cruz decided that taking defeat gracefully was for losers and Liberals. No, defiant to the end, Cruz continued to lie and prevaricate as long as there was a camera in front of him. He went on at some length about those who can’t find jobs because of Obamacare and those irreparably harmed because of Obamacare…as if providing health insurance for 30 million Americans was an example of high crimes and misdemeanors. That Cruz has yet to provide even the barest shred of evidence to support his claims is obvious. What I fail to understand is that, if the Affordable Care Act is such an abomination, why does he feels the need to lie about it so shamelessly? Why not provide some facts and evidence to back up his argument? Why engage in propaganda and fear-mongering?
Oh, right; it’s because propaganda and fear-mongering are all Cruz has. He has no evidence that Obamacare is a recipe for the enslavement of future generations…and so he lies repeatedly…and those who get their news from Fox News Channel love him for it. The truth doesn’t break in his favor, and so he’s left to make stuff up. You can do that when you have no integrity.
It would be easy to dismiss Cruz as ignorant and stupid, but nothing could be farther from the truth. The man’s a Harvard-educated lawyer; he’s far from stupid. He’s a 24-carat liar and ideologue devoid of anything even faintly redolent of honesty. He’s Sarah Palin in a cheap suit and a bad tie. Until I saw a picture of them together the other day, I’d found myself wondering if Palin and Cruz were the same person.
The amount of wreckage Cruz has caused in such a short time is truly awe-inspiring. He has damaged his party, hurt the economy, lowered the nation’s standing and set back the conservative cause. But appearing at the Capitol on Wednesday morning, he wore a broad smile as reporters and cameras surrounded him to learn what further mayhem he was planning…. He walked slowly — the better to savor the attention — as reporters clamored for information…. Cruz’s stroll across the second floor of the Capitol was a tour of the disruption he had caused: Past the office of Sen. John Cornyn, the fellow Texas Republican whose reelection Cruz has refused to endorse; alongside the Senate chamber, where he spoke for 21 straight hours last month; past the office of McConnell, whose leadership he had undermined; and down the hall toward the office of House Speaker John Boehner (Ohio), against whom Cruz had encouraged a rebellion.
If the past few weeks and months have established nothing else, it’s that Ted Cruz is a bully- a liar and a thug even more dangerous than Caribou Barbie. The former Alaska half-Governor is a civilian currently making a career out of grifting. Cruz has a seat in the Senate, making him far more dangerous and bestows and able to do far more damage…and he’s taken full advantage of the opportunity.
Cruz is building a political base predicated on tearing things down. It’s a terrible way to govern, but it’s a great way to raise money and support his enormous ego and political aspirations. He’s discovered a rich vein of Palin supporters looking for someone to believe in. Cruz appeals to the same fear, xenophobia, racism, and ignorance that Palin’s manipulated with alacrity. The American government may be in shambles, our reputation abroad may be damaged, and our economy may have taken a body blow, but Ted Cruz has established himself as a major political player in Washington. That his only loyalty is to himself is self-evident. That’s he’s the most despised person in Washington is indisputable. None of that appears to matter to Cruz. His blind ambition and willingness to do and/or say whatever it takes to draw attention (and with it money) to himself has turned him into a hero to the Rabid, knuckle-dragging Right.
This is why I’m enjoying Cruz’ defeat so completely. Unfortunately for America, I have a feeling that this is only a bump in the road for the junior Senator from Texas. I think there’s every reason to believe that he could well be the Republican Presidential nominee in 2016…and the ensuing campaign could set American democracy back generations.
Americans may well be Just. That. Stupid.
