Ted Cruz’s speech in Iowa was a piece of sociopathic delusion that was highlighted by the fact he thinks he will be running against Obama in 2016, and he never mentioned Hillary Clinton’s name.
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Ted Cruz’s entire speech was based around the idea that he is the Ronald Reagan who will lead the grassroots revolution that will drive Jimmy Carter/Barack Obama from office.
Cruz said,
Then if you look at the fiscal and economic state, we’re facing an enormous crisis. For the last four years, our economy has grown 0.9% per year. There is only one other four-year time since World War II with less than 1 percent growth. 1979 — 1982.
Coming out of the Jimmy Carter administration, the same failed economic policies and out of control spending and regulation. This produced the exact same economic stagnation. People are hurting all across this country. We’re at the edge of a fiscal and economic cliff.
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The book of Ecclesiastes says there is nothing new under the sun. I would say the challenges we face right now are very similar to the late 1970-s. This President is fond of saying he has inherited the worst economy since the history of the universe.
He does not seem to have a great memory. Do you remember double digit unemployment, 22% interest rates, gas lines across the block. Do you remember our hostages in Iran as the President wrung his hands?The answer we saw in 1980 was a grass-roots revolution, the Reagan revolution, millions of Americans, many Americans in this room who got involved and said, we will get back to the principles that made this nation great.
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The model I turn to over and over again is the model of Ronald Reagan. Does anyone remember in 1980 Ronald Reagan if he ever stood and said, “I am almost exactly like Jimmy Carter? Except a little more conservative.” No. Ronald Reagan stood up with a smile and drew a line and he said President Carter and I have a different visions of this country and our future. If you believe in freedom, in standing on your own feet, if you believe if government is not the solution, government is the problem, and stand with me and that is how we saw an epic transformation.
In Sen. Cruz’s mind, he is Ronald Reagan and he is going to defeat the incumbent President Barack Obama in 2016. The only problem with this fantasy is the President Obama won’t be on the ballot in 2016. Nowhere in Cruz’s speech did he mention the likely 2016 Democratic nominee. Not once did Ted Cruz use the name Clinton.
The reason for this is because Cruz is trying to convince the Republican Party that it must move even more to the right in 2014 and 2016. He has to deny everything that happened after the 1980 presidential election, or his argument falls apart. Sen. Cruz can’t admit that the Democrat who is waiting in the wings is someone whose last name is synonymous with economic prosperity.
Ted Cruz is so detached from reality that he thinks the 2016 election will be about President Obama. Sen. Cruz believes that he can get himself elected president by running against Barack Obama. In a place like Iowa, where the Republican base has moved to the far right, Ted Cruz gets treated like a hero.
Cruz is selling a fantasy to the Republican base. They won the government shutdown. The Republican Party isn’t the party of the rich. Republicans will repeal Obamacare and they will defeat Obama in 2016. Cruz doesn’t deal in realities, and that why he will continue to be the Democratic Party’s best friend.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
