# I am Moderate America, sell me on Ted Cruz **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 2, 2016, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921 "2016-02-02T04:36:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/21 "2016-02-02T18:29:10Z")
Right now Rick Santorum, Carly Fiorina, Rand Paul and Ben Carson should ideally follow Mike Huckabee’s suit and drop out. Kasich, Christie, Bush should wait and see how it goes in New Hampshire and if hey do poorly, then drop out then. UT the first names have no chance, Santorum is in dire need of dropping out, look dude you’re not going to win, stop wasting your time. Ben Carson has better chance than Santorum. Actually there is one man who is even more of a long shot than Rick Santorum and that is Jim Gilmore. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/22 "2016-02-02T18:30:54Z")
It would be interesting to see how the _‘born in Canada of an “American” mother who was registered to vote in Canada’_ thing would play out in the courts, should Cruz become the nominee. But he’s one scary dude. He can’t get along with anyone–he would take no advice. My prediction: nuclear annihilation within a year of his taking office. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/23 "2016-02-02T18:33:32Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > This. > > In the event he gains access to the White House, he could coherently answer the red phone at 2AM, whereas Trump would probably send it to an answering machine. IMHO, [del]Republicans[/del] America got a real blessing in Iowa with the results. Well no, Trump would have some jersey sounding guy answering the phone and telling them that Mr. Trump is sleeping now, call back later. No, don’t care why you called. Call the secretary in the morning and make an appointment like everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/24 "2016-02-02T21:40:18Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > He’s not Trump. I’m not convinced that even Trump is Trump. I think he is punking us. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/25 "2016-02-02T21:45:26Z")
> [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](#): > > Man. I miss the days when I was worried about Rick Perry getting the nomination. This is the only thing in here that made me smile. Ted Cruz is a perfect illustration of how a person who has made up his mind about everything behaves. Scary doesn’t even cover it. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/26 "2016-02-02T21:46:33Z")
> [@F.Pu-du-he-pa-as](#): > > Man. I miss the days when I was worried about Rick Perry getting the nomination. I like Rick Perry. I wouldn’t ever vote for him, but he seems like a genuinely nice guy. Having bad ideas doesn’t preclude you from being a nice guy. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/27 "2016-02-02T21:50:27Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > What are we looking for that he brings to the table? A possible disqualification on the eve of the general election? Other than that, there is nothing appealing about him to a moderate voter. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/28 "2016-02-02T22:27:14Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > He’ll nominate SCOTUS justices like Roberts and Alito, if that helps. But Cruz is far from being a “moderate”, so I’m not seeing how he wold appeal to people who think of themselves as such. Actually, it sounds like Cruz sees Roberts as too liberal: > [@](#): > > Cruz cited Souter and Roberts (whom Cruz praised at the time he was appointed, an appointment Cruz has since called a mistake) as examples of “stealth” Republican-selected nominees without a proven conservative record. If more conservative judges like Edith Jones and Mike Luttig were picked, he argued, Obamacare would have been struck down in 2012 and states wouldn’t have lost their authority to ban same-sex marriage. (Both cases were decided by a 5-to-4 margin.) > > Presidents Bush took the “easy way out” by picking Souter and Roberts, Cruz said. “They didn’t want to spend the political capital trying to confirm a proven conservative.” As examples of principled conservative justices he’d model his nominees after, Cruz cited Scalia, Clarence Thomas, William Rehnquist, and Samuel Alito. He’s basically promised that he would do everything to make sure he only nominates the most conservative judges possible. The only way I could see selling Cruz to moderate Americans, is that Cruz is the embodiment of a lot of the most conservative principles of the Republicans, and that if he wins, and then makes a total mess of things, then maybe the Republicans would start swinging back towards being more moderate. ---
**Author:** ![Hank\_Beecher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hank_beecher/32/7275_2.png) [@Hank\_Beecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hank_Beecher)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/29 "2016-02-02T22:32:23Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > Right now Rick Santorum, Carly Fiorina, Rand Paul and Ben Carson should ideally follow Mike Huckabee’s suit and drop out. Kasich, Christie, Bush should wait and see how it goes in New Hampshire and if hey do poorly, then drop out then. UT the first names have no chance, Santorum is in dire need of dropping out, look dude you’re not going to win, stop wasting your time. Ben Carson has better chance than Santorum. > > Actually there is one man who is even more of a long shot than Rick Santorum and that is Jim Gilmore. Why would Carson bail out and Bush stay? Carson got three delegates and Bush only got one. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/30 "2016-02-02T23:55:49Z")
For the retro appeal. His people seem to have stood up in caucuses and said that Ben Carson was dropping out, which was a very Richard Nixon move. Not to mention that he’s a ringer for Joe McCarthy. ---
**Author:** ![Stringbean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Stringbean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringbean)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/31 "2016-02-03T00:43:24Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > And how many candidates have their own [coloring book](http://www.amazon.com/Ted-Cruz-Future-Coloring-Activity/dp/1619530953)?! The reviews are stellar. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/32 "2016-02-03T02:10:11Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > The reviews are stellar. The jokes are funny, the fans are fucking scary though. It’s almost like one long Poe’s Law feed. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/33 "2016-02-03T02:35:25Z")
The republican establishment doesn’t like him because he doesn’t fall in line. That could be a selling point, however whether you see this as individualism or opportunism is up to you. Cruz is a very educated man, going to Princeton and Harvard Law (Of course that is almost a pre-req to run for president, a high quality education). Trump, Romney, Obama, etc. could say the same thing so I’m not sure if that alone is a selling point. He speaks out against crony capitalism, and has some criticisms of oligarchy. ---
**Author:** ![theR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@theR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theR)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/34 "2016-02-03T03:01:59Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > He is against crony capitalism and he put his career where his mouth was by being against ethanol subsidies in Iowa. Even Sanders and Warren have pretty much surrendered to corporate welfare interests, from corn subsidies to the Export Import Bank, to bailouts(as long as it’s not banks). > > The only real difference between the “corporate” Democratic Party and the “anti-corporate” Democratic Party is that the “corporate” Democrats like big business and the “anti-corporate” Democrats like big businesses that are dependent on the government. He claims he is against crony capitalism but his wife got up to a half million dollar loan from Goldman Sachs for his 2012 campaign. They also got a similarly valued line of credit from CitiBank. It gives the impression of cronyism and of Goldman Sachs investing in future goodwill from Cruz, even if they legitimately qualified for the loan. Having your wife borrow a half million from her company for you while bashing the company as crony capitalists is just a bit disingenuous. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/35 "2016-02-03T03:09:02Z")
Electing him President will get him out of the Senate. The Senate would then be able to pass bills or at least name post offices with unanimous consent! That veto thing might suck though. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/36 "2016-02-03T03:38:44Z")
He was a professional lawyer. I think that is almost a requirement for the job of president. How much would Trump screw up being more ignorant of the law? He was a congressperson. I know people hate the government right now, but when it comes to government jobs, g-men have the know-how to do them. Political novice for city council? Sure. The highest office in the land? No. Of course Clinton and Sanders eclipse Cruz on these kinds of qualifications. The GOP field is just more lightweight. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/37 "2016-02-03T03:42:21Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Of course Clinton and Sanders eclipse Cruz on these kinds of qualifications. The GOP field is just more lightweight. Katich, Christy and Bush have plenty of experience. They’re just not getting any traction. I would say that Kasich has more experience across the board than anyone else running. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/38 "2016-02-03T05:34:22Z")
Well, Christie has a personality problem and Bush has a negative inherited legacy problem. Kasich? He was an extremely unpopular governor at one point, but then again Cruz eschews popularity in favor of purity, I guess. Was Kasich ever a lawyer, law professor or congressperson? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/39 "2016-02-03T05:36:44Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > What the hell happened to the Republican party? Newt Gingrich, with some help from Grover Norquist & NewsCorp. Oh, and people actually still believe that Reagan was right about government being the problem. And here we are! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921/40 "2016-02-03T05:37:43Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Well, Christie has a personality problem and Bush has a negative inherited legacy problem. Kasich? He was an extremely unpopular governor at one point, but then again Cruz eschews popularity in favor of purity, I guess. > > Was Kasich ever a lawyer, law professor or congressperson? Ohio Senate 9 terms House of Rep. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-am-moderate-america-sell-me-on-ted-cruz/744921.md?page=3)