Rand Paul: Ted Cruz Can’t Get Anything Done Legislatively

[BrooklynZoo]

Once upon a time, a young rabbi walked into the temple and kicked over the moneychangers' tables. He had some rather insulting things to openly say about people within his organization, but said them nonetheless.

So are you suggesting that Cruz is like Jesus? Or that Rand should go out of his way to be crucified for the sins of the electorate? Ridiculous analogy.

What we're dealing with is a WWE mentality, circa 1998. People want a Stone Cold Steve Austin who will give the middle finger to the boss. The problem is that Ted Cruz isn't even The Rock, he's more like Patterson or Briscoe and Donald Trump may talk tough but he's not Stone Cold, he's Vince McMahon.

 

[notsure]

The problem here is that when Cruz called McConnel a liar; it was actually Ted Cruz who was lying because he was trying to cover his ass for voting for TPA. Ted Cruz is a snake.

 

[rich34]

The problem here is that when Cruz called McConnel a liar; it was actually Ted Cruz who was lying because he was trying to cover his ass for voting for TPA. Ted Cruz is a snake.

I couldn't agree more. The man is a slick used car salesman, possibly better than Romney without the money. The man would sell his own sole to be president, while pandering to the Christian Right posing as an angel of light. "Blessed are the peace makers," but not in Cruz' eyes, the book he reads from says "blessed are the warmongers.." Because that's who he is.

 

[PierzStyx]

I don't seem to recall Ron getting much legislation passed. That passing legislation is seen as the hallmark for success is part of the problem.

 

[Intoxiklown]

Once upon a time, a young rabbi walked into the temple and kicked over the moneychangers' tables. He had some rather insulting things to openly say about people within his organization, but said them nonetheless.

WE ARE MAJORING IN THE MINORS when we prioritize style over substance, or decorum above truth. Cruz indeed was probably acting for self-serving reasons, but that does not mean the issue he jumped on was invalid. It was appropriate to hold McConnell accountable, and at this point, openly. The lack of comparable attacks on Reid is irrelevant, given that no one was expecting good treatment from the Democrats.

McConnell is expected to be representing his own party's rank and file, not running resistance for the establishment--so his doing so is more worthy of being held to account. If you're running the temple, it's on you that there are moneychangers in it.

Please tell me this is a joke.

You're really saying acting an unprofessional ass because your need to pander completely dominates your ability to maintain composure and address issues with your peers to solve an issue is putting substance over style? I do not disagree with Cruz's evaluation, nor did I say so. I'm not going to even get into you somehow equating Christ's progression of bringing the New Law to man, by exposing how corrupt the Old Law was being used to target the poor using a house of God as your draw to fleece them.

I think you need to read what I wrote again, and then read what you wrote. I'm going to assume you simply misunderstood something. If you didn't, then I'll wager it's a safe bet that the kind of people that think the makings of leadership like the ones I described hit a major nerve with you.

Which is it?

 

[PCKY]

Rand accuses Cruz of calling people names, shortly before calling Trump 'clown'. Rand doesn't seem to be making any effort.

Trump isn't a colleague in the Senate. Different...

 

[Peace&Freedom]

I think you need to read what I wrote again, and then read what you wrote. I'm going to assume you simply misunderstood something. If you didn't, then I'll wager it's a safe bet that the kind of people that think the makings of leadership like the ones I described hit a major nerve with you.

Which is it?

I am saying, for the third time, that Cruz's motives or manners aside, or putting Cruz entirely aside, openly criticizing McConnell was reasonable. You need to re-read what I said. Yes, I do put Christ up as an relevant example of leadership, including trusting His decision to use a bit of confrontational theater to make a point. Beating up on Cruz is NOT THE POINT. We seem to be getting caught up in the very secondary squirmishes over approach I suggested months ago Rand might get distracted by during the race:

"...By keeping all the focus on the selected [frontrunners, the MSM] can marginalize Rand by omission, just as with Ron in 2008 and 2012. Where they do cover Rand, it would be as a 'second tier' guy fighting for Tea Party bragging rights with Cruz, who may try to provoke Rand into diversionary debates over extreme wording on an issue..."--me, 11/05/2013

 

[PCKY]

Rand and Cruz just worked together to get a bill passed. Rand stood with Democrats and stopped the Patriot Act. Then Cruz offered the Freedom Act and it passed.

And thanks to that we're still getting spied upon by our government. It sucks....thanks Ted.

 

[PCKY]

Nope.

First, you are saying they cant uphold the constitution and obey the senate rules they agreed to. HOGWASH. Since when is "acting like a mature adult" against defending the constitution? You can easily do both. I combed through the senate rules twice yesterday...couldnt find a single thing keeping anyone from upholding the constitution.

Second, more than anti-establishment, the people want less conflict and division. Congress' approval rating is so low because they "never can get anything done". And, like Reagan, Rand is putting himself in the place of being a statesman that can work with both sides. Being able to work with both sides is FAR better than trying to be anti-establishment.

The problem is the media and people. They think in extremes. You either need to be rude and call mitch a liar on the senate floor during debate OR you're sticking your nose in mitch's rear/cuddle buddy/etc. There is a HUGE gap here and Rand is in the middle of that where he should be. This is how Rand got a defund planned parenthood bill to the floor for a vote, and Cruz couldnt get a simple roll call vote to the floor...didnt even get 1 vote lol.

I'm hoping people wisen up, though I doubt it. Anti-establishment would just clog the drain more. We dont need a bigger clog. We need someone who is able, as Rand says, to persuade the other side and work with both. Its the smart place to be, and just because morons dont realize that, doesnt make it any less smart.

This is the best thing I've seen all day! Thank you!

 

[PCKY]

Sadly, because this stirred up so much crap, Rand is going to have to answer that question another 25 times before we're done. The Cruz campaign had no comment.

 

[PCKY]

I am saying, for the third time, that Cruz's motives or manners aside, or putting Cruz entirely aside, openly criticizing McConnell was reasonable. You need to re-read what I said. Yes, I do put Christ up as an relevant example of leadership, including trusting His decision to use a bit of confrontational theater to make a point. Beating up on Cruz is NOT THE POINT. We seem to be getting caught up in the very secondary squirmishes over approach I suggested months ago Rand might get distracted by during the race:

"...By keeping all the focus on the selected [frontrunners, the MSM] can marginalize Rand by omission, just as with Ron in 2008 and 2012. Where they do cover Rand, it would be as a 'second tier' guy fighting for Tea Party bragging rights with Cruz, who may try to provoke Rand into diversionary debates over extreme wording on an issue..."--me, 11/05/2013

Not on the Senate floor! Criticize him on Face The Nation, or whatever, but save the campaigning for some place else. It was a whiney, crybaby move and his slobbering supporters ate it up. Any kind thoughts I had about Cruz went up in smoke with that stunt. And with all of that blow hard speechifying not one Senator corroborated his statement.

 

[Badger Paul]

Rand is right but doesn't matter. Cruz doesn't give a damn about legislating anything. He's there in Congress to block and to build a power base for himself. That's why he's running for President.

 

[Intoxiklown]

I am saying, for the third time, that Cruz's motives or manners aside, or putting Cruz entirely aside, openly criticizing McConnell was reasonable. You need to re-read what I said. Yes, I do put Christ up as an relevant example of leadership, including trusting His decision to use a bit of confrontational theater to make a point. Beating up on Cruz is NOT THE POINT. We seem to be getting caught up in the very secondary squirmishes over approach I suggested months ago Rand might get distracted by during the race:

"...By keeping all the focus on the selected [frontrunners, the MSM] can marginalize Rand by omission, just as with Ron in 2008 and 2012. Where they do cover Rand, it would be as a 'second tier' guy fighting for Tea Party bragging rights with Cruz, who may try to provoke Rand into diversionary debates over extreme wording on an issue..."--me, 11/05/2013

So you did miss the point. I didn't say anything in my life about it being wrong to criticize. I said calling peers names like a three year old is not only unprofessional, makes accomplishing goals incredibly hard. And my Bible doesn't have the story about Christ giving a sermon calling Jewish leaders a bunch of liars, nor him staging "confrontational theater". There is not one single thing in common with what Cruz did to Christ's actions when he saw the merchants inside the temple.

More to the point, I think it was fairly evident I was addressing the point jj was trying to make defending someone name calling from the Senate floor to illustrate how there is in fact a time and place for some actions, and not for others. Then you wanted to take it and run off into the other direction with it.

 

[revgen]

Paul is right, of course, but he omits an essential point: Cruz has been ineffective by design. Managing relationships and respecting decorum only matter to people trying to accomplish things in the Senate – that’s not what Cruz is up to. Like the fanatical Tea Party wing of the House, Cruz is there to obstruct and self-promote. In all likelihood, Cruz will retire after a single term in the Senate. Now that he’s boosted his national profile and endeared himself to the insurgent elements of the base, he can pivot to the private sector and make more money as a professional conservative activist – as, for example, Jim DeMint did in 2012.

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