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What's next?</div></div></div> <table class="infobox" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="float: right; margin: 0 0 0.5em 0.5em; text-align:left; border: 1px solid #1E90FF; width:175px;"> <tbody><tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center; color:White; background-color:#1E90FF"><b>God, guns, and freedom</b><br /><a href="/wiki/United_States_politics" title="United States politics"><font size="4" color="White"><b>U.S. Politics</b></font></a> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#97DEFF;" align="center"><a href="/wiki/Category:United_States_politics" title="Category:United States politics"><img alt="Icon politics USA.svg" src="/w/images/thumb/8/8b/Icon_politics_USA.svg/100px-Icon_politics_USA.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="100" srcset="/w/images/thumb/8/8b/Icon_politics_USA.svg/150px-Icon_politics_USA.svg.png 1.5x, /w/images/thumb/8/8b/Icon_politics_USA.svg/200px-Icon_politics_USA.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="200" data-file-height="200" /></a> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; color:White; background-color:#1E90FF; text-align:center;"><b>Starting arguments over Thanksgiving dinner</b> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; background-color:#97DEFF;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/National_Prayer_Breakfast" title="National Prayer Breakfast">National Prayer Breakfast</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/House_Committee_on_Science,_Space_and_Technology" title="House Committee on Science, Space and Technology">House Committee on Science, Space and Technology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Todd_Akin" title="Todd Akin">Todd Akin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Don_McLeroy" title="Don McLeroy">Don McLeroy</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chelsea_Manning" title="Chelsea Manning">Chelsea Manning</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Andrew_Cuomo" title="Andrew Cuomo">Andrew Cuomo</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ron_Paul" title="Ron Paul">Ron Paul</a></li></ul> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; color:white; background-color:#1E90FF; text-align:center;"><b>Persons of interest</b> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="font-size: 95%; background-color:#97DEFF;"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Paul_Broun" title="Paul Broun">Paul Broun</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Grover_Norquist" title="Grover Norquist">Grover Norquist</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Bob_Dole" title="Bob Dole">Bob Dole</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nancy_Pelosi" title="Nancy Pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tim_Walz" title="Tim Walz">Tim Walz</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/James_A._Garfield" title="James A. Garfield">James A. Garfield</a></li></ul> <div class="vte plainlinks" style="font-size:smaller; text-align:center;"><a href="/wiki/Template:Uspolitics" title="Template:Uspolitics">v</a> - <a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Uspolitics" title="Template talk:Uspolitics">t</a> - <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://rationalwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Uspolitics&action=edit">e</a></div> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>I do think in the <a href="/wiki/Media" title="Media">media</a> there is a tendency to describe <a href="/wiki/Conservatives" class="mw-redirect" title="Conservatives">conservatives</a> as one of two things: stupid or <a href="/wiki/Evil" class="mw-redirect" title="Evil">evil</a>.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—Ted Cruz, asking — why can't it be both?<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1">[1]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>...the only real debate around Ted Cruz’s personal qualities is whether he’s better described as a “creep” or an “<a href="/wiki/Asshole" class="mw-redirect" title="Asshole">asshole</a>.”</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—Nathan Robinson<sup id="cite_ref-robinson_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-robinson-2">[2]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b>Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz</b>, suspected Zodiac Killer,<sup id="cite_ref-stuart_3-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-stuart-3">[3]</a></sup> a.k.a <b>Lyin' Ted</b>,<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4">[4]</a></sup> <b>Sweaty Teddy</b>,<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5">[5]</a></sup> or <b>Cancún Cruz</b>,<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6">[6]</a></sup> (1970–) is a <a href="/wiki/Canadian" class="mw-redirect" title="Canadian">Canadian</a>-<a href="/wiki/Texas" class="mw-redirect" title="Texas">Texan</a><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7">[note 1]</a></sup> <a href="/wiki/US_Senate" class="mw-redirect" title="US Senate">Senator</a> and a leading light of the absurdist wing of the <a href="/wiki/GOP" class="mw-redirect" title="GOP">GOP</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-boehner_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-boehner-8">[7]</a></sup> </p><p>Like any senator from said state, he's a gibbering <a href="/wiki/Tea_Party" class="mw-redirect" title="Tea Party">Tea Party</a> nut — an obnoxious <a href="/wiki/Reactionary" title="Reactionary">reactionary</a> on every social and economic issue. When people he (and his bosom buddy <a href="/wiki/Mike_Lee" title="Mike Lee">Mike Lee</a>) doesn't like make decisions he doesn't agree with, he implies they are <a href="/wiki/Originalism" title="Originalism">in violation of the Constitution</a>, because his supporters are morons who respond to divisive idiocy like that. He also looks — and behaves — uncomfortably like <a href="/wiki/Joseph_McCarthy" title="Joseph McCarthy">Joseph McCarthy</a>. Or a villain from a <a href="/wiki/Barbie_(film)" title="Barbie (film)">Barbie movie</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9">[8]</a></sup> </p><p>Cruz was a leading candidate for the <a href="/wiki/2016_Republican_Party_presidential_nomination" title="2016 Republican Party presidential nomination">2016 Republican Party presidential nomination</a>. You have to remember this is the guy who blew up chiefly thanks to <a href="/wiki/Sarah_Palin" title="Sarah Palin">Sarah Palin</a> endorsing him for Senate.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10">[9]</a></sup> His 'credentials' are beyond reproach. It is truly an honor to witness such a meteoric rise. He suspended his campaign in May 2016; even Teabaggers have no time for a <a href="/wiki/Dominionist" class="mw-redirect" title="Dominionist">Dominionist</a> with no track record of successful legislation whatsoever. Ever since then, he has become one of the worst Trump bootlickers in the Senate, even going so far as vote against the certification of <a href="/wiki/Arizona" class="mw-redirect" title="Arizona">Arizona</a>'s electoral votes for <a href="/wiki/Joe_Biden" title="Joe Biden">Joe Biden</a>, a move many people claim to be treasonous, especially considering that a violent horde of Trump supporters had broken into the Capitol during the vote, the first time something like that had ever happened since <i><a href="/wiki/War_of_1812" title="War of 1812">1814</a></i>.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11">[10]</a></sup> All of this in spite of the very nasty comments that Trump has made about his wife,<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12">[11]</a></sup> and in spite of Trump having given Cruz the moniker "Lyin' Ted" (though he did later change it to "Beautiful Ted" in the 2018 midterms<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13">[12]</a></sup>). </p><p>Of course, given the way the Republicans took the ball and ran with <a href="/wiki/Birtherism" class="mw-redirect" title="Birtherism">birtherism</a> when <a href="/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama">a black Democrat</a> was in the White House, you'd think they would have immediately shut down the candidacy of someone who was born in Canada. Oddly enough, that never seemed to have come up (except in a passing mention by Trump, of course<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14">[13]</a></sup>). You'd almost think the whole birtherism thing was pure partisanship and/or racism, if you didn't know better. </p><p>Former US Speaker of the <a href="/wiki/House_of_Representatives" class="mw-redirect" title="House of Representatives">House of Representatives</a> <a href="/wiki/John_Boehner" title="John Boehner">John Boehner</a><sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15">[14]</a></sup> (a fellow Republican and a <a href="/wiki/Catholic" class="mw-redirect" title="Catholic">Catholic</a>) called Cruz "<a href="/wiki/Lucifer" class="mw-redirect" title="Lucifer">Lucifer</a> in the Flesh"- but that's insulting to <a href="/wiki/Satanist" class="mw-redirect" title="Satanist">Satanists</a>, who want nothing to do with Cruz.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16">[15]</a></sup> Ted Cruz actually gives us a lot of hope. Republicans hate him, Democrats hate him. It's wonderful to see how people can come together, if only in their hatred of Ted Cruz — the most hated man in the Senate, especially since he was one of the six senators who voted to help Trump steal the 2020 election (out of the 13 who initially threatened to vote for such before the failed <a href="/wiki/2021_U.S._Capitol_riot" class="mw-redirect" title="2021 U.S. Capitol riot">Trumpist coup</a>). To call him a "clown" is insulting to clowns.<sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17">[note 2]</a></sup> </p> <div id="toc" class="toc" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="mw-toc-heading"><input type="checkbox" role="button" id="toctogglecheckbox" class="toctogglecheckbox" style="display:none" /><div class="toctitle" lang="en" dir="ltr"><h2 id="mw-toc-heading">Contents</h2><span class="toctogglespan"><label class="toctogglelabel" for="toctogglecheckbox"></label></span></div> <ul> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-1"><a href="#My_Father.2C_the_Hero"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">My Father, the Hero</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-2"><a href="#A_star_is_born"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">A star is born</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-3"><a href="#Mask_of_sanity"><span class="tocnumber">2.1</span> <span class="toctext">Mask of sanity</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-4"><a href="#Remaking_Washington_in_his_image"><span class="tocnumber">2.2</span> <span class="toctext">Remaking Washington in his image</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-5"><a href="#Poisoning_the_party"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Poisoning the party</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-6"><a href="#2016_Presidential_campaign"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">2016 Presidential campaign</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-7"><a href="#Rivalry_with_Rubio"><span class="tocnumber">4.1</span> <span class="toctext">Rivalry with Rubio</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-8"><a href="#Et_tu.3F"><span class="tocnumber">4.2</span> <span class="toctext">Et tu?</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-9"><a href="#.22Smartest_guy_in_the_room.22"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">"Smartest guy in the room"</span></a> <ul> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-10"><a href="#His_memoir"><span class="tocnumber">5.1</span> <span class="toctext">His memoir</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-11"><a href="#Working_the_rubes"><span class="tocnumber">5.2</span> <span class="toctext">Working the rubes</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-12"><a href="#Not_racist.2C_but_.231_with_racists"><span class="tocnumber">5.3</span> <span class="toctext">Not racist, but #1 with racists</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-13"><a href="#This_is_my_gift.2C_my_curse"><span class="tocnumber">5.4</span> <span class="toctext">This is my gift, my curse</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-14"><a href="#How_can_he_ban_himself.3F"><span class="tocnumber">5.5</span> <span class="toctext">How can he ban himself?</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-15"><a href="#Mommas.2C_Don.27t_Let_Your_Babies_Grow_Up_to_Be_This_Guy"><span class="tocnumber">5.6</span> <span class="toctext">Mommas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be This Guy</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-16"><a href="#Messianic_nutball"><span class="tocnumber">5.7</span> <span class="toctext">Messianic nutball</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-17"><a href="#Truthiness"><span class="tocnumber">5.8</span> <span class="toctext">Truthiness</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-2 tocsection-18"><a href="#Forward_to_yesterday.21"><span class="tocnumber">5.9</span> <span class="toctext">Forward to yesterday!</span></a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-19"><a href="#Vatman"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Vatman</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-20"><a href="#On_his_place_of_birth"><span class="tocnumber">7</span> <span class="toctext">On his place of birth</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-21"><a href="#Mister_Popularity"><span class="tocnumber">8</span> <span class="toctext">Mister Popularity</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-22"><a href="#Does_he_believe_in_anything.3F"><span class="tocnumber">9</span> <span class="toctext">Does he believe in anything?</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-23"><a href="#See_also"><span class="tocnumber">10</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-24"><a href="#Videos"><span class="tocnumber">11</span> <span class="toctext">Videos</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-25"><a href="#External_links"><span class="tocnumber">12</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-26"><a href="#Notes"><span class="tocnumber">13</span> <span class="toctext">Notes</span></a></li> <li class="toclevel-1 tocsection-27"><a href="#References"><span class="tocnumber">14</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li> </ul> </div> <h2><span id="My_Father,_the_Hero"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="My_Father.2C_the_Hero">My Father, the Hero</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: My Father, the Hero">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p>Some of Cruz's ideology can be traced to his father, Rafael Bienvenido Cruz y Díaz. According to stories long repeated by Rafael Cruz on the conservative conference circuit, Rafael Cruz's youth in his native <a href="/wiki/Cuba" title="Cuba">Cuba</a> was shaped by four years, as a teenager, working as a gun-toting rebel leader with an underground resistance movement against dictator <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulgencio_Batista" class="extiw" title="wp:Fulgencio Batista" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#477979 !important;" title="Wikipedia: Fulgencio Batista">Fulgencio Batista's</span></a><sup><img alt="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/12px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="12" srcset="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/18px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/24px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="128" data-file-height="128" /></sup> government (a position that at the time aligned him with the movement of <a href="/wiki/Fidel_Castro" title="Fidel Castro">Fidel Castro</a>). Not long after Rafael turned 18, according to Rafael, he was arrested as a suspected terrorist in his native Cuba. Due to this arrest, he decided that it was best to flee the country and applied for a student visa at various American universities. Accepted by the University of Texas, he moved to Austin to pursue a math major with a minor in chemical engineering (according to the story, the money for the entire trip was sewn in Rafael Cruz's underwear). Knowing no English, he learned the language from scratch and supported himself by working as a dishwasher.<sup id="cite_ref-rafael_18-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rafael-18">[16]</a></sup> </p><p>When Rafael Cruz returned to visit Cuba in 1959, <a href="/wiki/Fidel_Castro" title="Fidel Castro">Fidel Castro</a> was fully in charge. According to Rafael Cruz's conservative stumping, he was shocked, <i>shocked!!</i>, that the revolutionary <a href="/wiki/Marxist" class="mw-redirect" title="Marxist">Marxist</a> <a href="/wiki/Authoritarian" class="mw-redirect" title="Authoritarian">authoritarian</a> he supported was actually implementing <a href="/wiki/Marxist" class="mw-redirect" title="Marxist">Marxist</a> and <a href="/wiki/Authoritarian" class="mw-redirect" title="Authoritarian">authoritarian</a> policies. (The exact reasons for this shock are a bit muddled, but it appears that Rafael Cruz's fierce commitment to his <a href="/wiki/Christianity" title="Christianity">Christianity</a> (and Castro's persecution of Christianity) might have played a key factor.)<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19">[17]</a></sup> After graduating, Rafael Cruz got a job in the oil industry, married, had two kids, divorced, married again, followed the oil industry to Canada, sired Ted, and moved back to Texas. Critically, in 1975, Rafael Cruz converted from the <a href="/wiki/Catholicism" class="mw-redirect" title="Catholicism">Catholicism</a> of his native <a href="/wiki/Cuba" title="Cuba">Cuba</a> and joined the <a href="/wiki/Baptist" title="Baptist">Baptist</a> church.<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20">[18]</a></sup> This led to Rafael Cruz getting involved with a mirror group to <a href="/wiki/Jerry_Falwell_Sr." title="Jerry Falwell Sr.">Jerry Falwell Sr.'s</a> <a href="/wiki/Moral_Majority" title="Moral Majority">Moral Majority</a> called the <i>Religious Roundtable</i>. This, plus the particularly bad economic climate for the oil industry under the <a href="/wiki/Jimmy_Carter" title="Jimmy Carter">Jimmy Carter</a> administration, also seems to have led to Rafael Cruz embracing the <a href="/wiki/Free_market" title="Free market">free market</a> zealotry of <a href="/wiki/Ronald_Reagan" title="Ronald Reagan">Ronald Reagan</a> devotees, a zealotry that he successfully taught to his son.<sup id="cite_ref-rafael_18-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-rafael-18">[16]</a></sup> </p><p>Rafael Cruz's account of his youth in Cuba has been disputed as partial <a href="/wiki/Bullshit" title="Bullshit">bullshit</a> by some who knew him. According to one source, Rafael Cruz was merely an <i>ojalatero</i>, a person "wishing and praying that Batista would fall, but not doing much to act on it." His arrest for revolutionary terrorism may have been an arrest merely for illegally possessing a revolver. In one interview, both Ted and Rafael Cruz described a battle that occurred on November 30, 1956 known as the <i>Santiago De Cuba Uprising</i>.<sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21">[19]</a></sup> Mistakenly, they claimed that Cuban revolutionary <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Pa%C3%ADs" class="extiw" title="wp:Frank País" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#477979 !important;" title="Wikipedia: Frank País">Frank País</span></a><sup><img alt="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/12px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="12" srcset="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/18px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/24px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="128" data-file-height="128" /></sup> was killed there. In reality, País was killed by Santiago police in a raid on July 30, 1957.<sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22">[20]</a></sup> </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="A_star_is_born">A star is born</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: A star is born">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>I think we might have messed up again in Texas. We thought Ted Cruz would be an educated, articulate senator with a positive vision of constitutional conservatism. But it turns out he might also be crazy, and not the Charlie Wilson "Let's see how many Playboy bunnies fit into this hot tub!" kind of crazy. Ted Cruz's crazy is the unfunny, dangerous kind, and we just gave him a six-year term. Sorry.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—Jason Stranford<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23">[21]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <p><a href="/wiki/George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush">George W. Bush</a> is seen by the vast majority of people in the country and the rest of the world as being a disgrace and an embarrassment. You could make the claim that the failures of his presidency single-handedly killed the <a href="/wiki/Neoconservative" class="mw-redirect" title="Neoconservative">neoconservative</a> movement, specifically the 1990s-style <a href="/wiki/Joe_Scarborough" title="Joe Scarborough">Joe Scarborough</a>, <a href="/wiki/Newt_Gingrich" title="Newt Gingrich">Newt Gingrich</a>, and the "But muh <a href="/wiki/Tax_cut" title="Tax cut">tax cuts</a>!" types. The Republican Party had to do <i>something</i> to re-brand their party after that. Hence the "True Conservative"<sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24">[22]</a></sup> <i>à la</i> the directionless Grand Old Pile known as the Tea Party, which gave us Ted Cruz in all his glory.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26">[note 3]</a></sup> </p><p>Prior to his election to the Senate, from 2003-2008 Cruz served as Solicitor General of Texas under Governor <a href="/wiki/Rick_Perry" title="Rick Perry">Rick Perry</a>. As a Senator, Tailgunner Ted came to prominence during the party's efforts to obstruct <a href="/wiki/Obamacare" class="mw-redirect" title="Obamacare">Obamacare</a> by near-singlehandedly attempting to <a href="/wiki/Fiscal_cliff" title="Fiscal cliff">blow up the world economy</a>. His 21-hour sermon (technically not a "filibuster", just a waste of everybody's time) on the matter failed, but it was interesting for its wanderings into… well, readings from Doctor Seuss don't often happen in <a href="/wiki/Congress" class="mw-redirect" title="Congress">Congress</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-GreenEggs_27-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-GreenEggs-27">[24]</a></sup> while <a href="/wiki/Fun:Star_Wars" title="Fun:Star Wars">Darth Vader</a> impersonations are not unheard of in the Senate.<sup id="cite_ref-Darth_28-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Darth-28">[25]</a></sup> The first time he really made the news, however, was by <a href="/wiki/Just_asking_questions" title="Just asking questions">just asking questions</a> about whether or not the Secretary of Defence was taking money from <a href="/wiki/North_Korea" title="North Korea">North Korea</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-29" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-29">[26]</a></sup> (Ironically, he and his family have <a href="/wiki/Hypocrisy" title="Hypocrisy">registered for Obamacare.</a>)<sup id="cite_ref-30" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-30">[27]</a></sup> </p><p>During his run for the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination, <a href="/wiki/Just_asking_questions" title="Just asking questions">questions were raised</a> as to whether Ted Cruz, who was born in 1970, is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiac_Killer" class="extiw" title="wp:Zodiac Killer" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#477979 !important;" title="Wikipedia: Zodiac Killer">Zodiac Killer</span></a><sup><img alt="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/12px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="12" srcset="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/18px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/24px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="128" data-file-height="128" /></sup> (whose killing spree started in the 1960s). He has so far refused to deny the allegations.<sup id="cite_ref-stuart_3-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-stuart-3">[3]</a></sup> Make of this what you will. </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Mask_of_sanity">Mask of sanity</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Mask of sanity">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>Of all the supporters of all the clown car candidates, Cruz supporters are the most baffling. They have to ignore so many signs of an <a href="/wiki/Sociopath" class="mw-redirect" title="Sociopath">antisocial disorder</a> in order to convince themselves that Cruz is the purest conservative candidate.<sup id="cite_ref-31" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-31">[28]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-32" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-32">[29]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-33" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-33">[30]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-34" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-34">[31]</a></sup> Evidently, all it takes to do that is repeat the word "<a href="/wiki/United_States_Constitution" title="United States Constitution">Constitution</a>" 10-15 times a minute for five years.<sup id="cite_ref-35" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-35">[32]</a></sup> </p><p>The press keeps hitting at the same issue with this guy; he doesn't want to pass legislation. He doesn't want to govern. He just wants to create the illusion of doing something to placate the people voting for him (the deep-red Texas) and sending him money (the anarchic Tea Party).<sup id="cite_ref-36" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-36">[33]</a></sup> Heaven forbid he take any concrete action in a crisis. As an example, in early 2021, <a href="/wiki/Texas" class="mw-redirect" title="Texas">Texas</a> was hit with an unusually frigid <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_13%E2%80%9317,_2021_North_American_winter_storm" class="extiw" title="wp:February 13–17, 2021 North American winter storm" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#477979 !important;" title="Wikipedia: February 13–17, 2021 North American winter storm">winter storm</span></a><sup><img alt="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/12px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="12" srcset="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/18px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/24px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="128" data-file-height="128" /></sup> that left 4 million people without power, causing a cascade of other infrastructure failures.<sup id="cite_ref-37" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-37">[34]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-39" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-39">[note 4]</a></sup> Cruz's response to this crisis? Running away to vacation in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canc%C3%BAn,_Mexico" class="extiw" title="wp:Cancún, Mexico" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#477979 !important;" title="Wikipedia: Cancún, Mexico">Cancún, Mexico</span></a>.<sup><img alt="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/12px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="12" srcset="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/18px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/24px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="128" data-file-height="128" /></sup><sup id="cite_ref-40" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-40">[36]</a></sup> And when called out on this, he blamed his daughters,<sup id="cite_ref-41" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-41">[37]</a></sup> which turned out to be a <a href="/wiki/Deceit" title="Deceit">lie</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-42" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-42">[38]</a></sup> Contrast his response to that of Beto O'Rourke, the guy who nearly beat him, who held an event to help seniors who were stuck without power.<sup id="cite_ref-43" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-43">[39]</a></sup> Way to show Texas how much you care, Ted! </p><p>For <a href="/wiki/Democrats" class="mw-redirect" title="Democrats">Democrats</a>, he was the gift that kept on giving — until the GOP took control of the Senate. </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Remaking_Washington_in_his_image">Remaking Washington in his image</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Remaking Washington in his image">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>In 2015, in a truly horrifying nightmare-turned-real for <a href="/wiki/Science" title="Science">science</a>, he was appointed the new Head of the Senate Subcommittee for Science, Space, and Competitiveness. To put that in perspective, this is the man who said that <a href="/wiki/Net_neutrality" title="Net neutrality">net neutrality</a> was "Obamacare for the internet,"<sup id="cite_ref-44" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-44">[40]</a></sup> proving <a href="/wiki/Chewbacca_defense" class="mw-redirect" title="Chewbacca defense">he knows nothing of either</a>. And he has been placed in charge of the Senate subcommittee that deals with both. Start hammering out those rock spears and weaving those fur rags, boys! We're going back to the Stone Age! </p><p>He has now been appointed to oversee <a href="/wiki/NASA" title="NASA">NASA</a>. You may weep now.<sup id="cite_ref-45" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-45">[41]</a></sup> Better yet, be outraged because someone this blatantly ignorant has the authority to tell actual scientists and <a href="/wiki/Engineer" class="mw-redirect" title="Engineer">engineers</a> what to do. As chair, he does not believe NASA should focus on <a href="/wiki/Climate_change" title="Climate change">climate change</a> (or Earth sciences at all), but rather the exploration of the solar system only. This absurd notion was quickly smacked down by the then-Director of NASA, Charles Bolden.<sup id="cite_ref-46" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-46">[42]</a></sup> </p><p>Further showing his complete misunderstanding of the word "science", Cruz enjoys wasting taxpayer dollars holding <a href="/wiki/Kangaroo_court" title="Kangaroo court">hearings</a> to question the objectivity of climate science.<sup id="cite_ref-47" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-47">[43]</a></sup> On the issue of global warming, Cruz, a <a href="/wiki/Denialist" class="mw-redirect" title="Denialist">denialist</a>, <a href="/wiki/Dunning-Kruger_effect" class="mw-redirect" title="Dunning-Kruger effect">compares</a> himself to <a href="/wiki/Galileo_gambit" title="Galileo gambit">Galileo</a> and his opponents to <a href="/wiki/Flat_Earth" title="Flat Earth">Flat Earthers</a>. </p><p>To give him <a href="/wiki/Stopped_clock" title="Stopped clock">a modicum of credit</a>, he is at least pro-<a href="/wiki/GMO" class="mw-redirect" title="GMO">GMO</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-48" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-48">[44]</a></sup> </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Poisoning_the_party">Poisoning the party</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Poisoning the party">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p>While he's universally disliked by anyone <a href="/wiki/Rational" class="mw-redirect" title="Rational">rational</a> (as well as <a href="/wiki/John_Boehner" title="John Boehner">some</a> <a href="/wiki/Donald_Trump" title="Donald Trump">who</a> <a href="/wiki/Paul_Ryan" title="Paul Ryan">certainly</a> <a href="/wiki/Lindsey_Graham" class="mw-redirect" title="Lindsey Graham">aren't</a>), Cruz has a frightening amount of power within the Senate and the House. He's already notorious for teaming up with <a href="/wiki/Rand_Paul" title="Rand Paul">Rand Paul</a> to shut down the government in 2013, which did nothing to harm the Republicans in the 2014 midterms. He somehow<sup id="cite_ref-49" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-49">[note 5]</a></sup> got <a href="/wiki/Mitch_McConnell" title="Mitch McConnell">Mitch McConnell</a> to appoint him as head of the Senate Subcommittee for Science, Space, and Competitiveness, and as the overseer of <a href="/wiki/NASA" title="NASA">NASA</a>; by all accounts, Cruz should have been purged from the party, yet McConnell, to guard his right flank, allowed this <a href="/wiki/Asshole" class="mw-redirect" title="Asshole">asshole</a> to gain actual authority in the Senate. </p><p>The House <a href="/wiki/Freedom_Caucus" title="Freedom Caucus">Freedom Caucus</a>, an <a href="/wiki/Orwellian" class="mw-redirect" title="Orwellian">Orwellian</a>-named Tea Party splinter group formed in January 2015, is filled with some of the most <a href="/wiki/Joe_Barton" title="Joe Barton">ultra</a> <a href="/wiki/Mo_Brooks" title="Mo Brooks">right</a> <a href="/wiki/Louie_Gohmert" title="Louie Gohmert">wing</a> members ever seen in the Republican Party. Senator Cruz, once a month, meets with the Freedom Caucus to advise them on how to drive their agenda and champions himself as "standing up to the Republican establishment" while he runs for the White House.<sup id="cite_ref-50" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-50">[45]</a></sup> This is best shown when Senator Cruz tried using <a href="/wiki/Planned_Parenthood" title="Planned Parenthood">Planned Parenthood</a> as a <a href="/wiki/Wedge_issue" title="Wedge issue">wedge issue</a> to try to shut down the government again in 2015; the Freedom Caucus jumped at the call as soon as Cruz brought it up.<sup id="cite_ref-51" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-51">[46]</a></sup> Cruz became the leading attack dog against Planned Parenthood, rallying <a href="/wiki/Evangelical" class="mw-redirect" title="Evangelical">evangelicals</a> in an <a href="/wiki/Anti-abortion" class="mw-redirect" title="Anti-abortion">anti-abortion</a> crusade, airing <a href="/wiki/Advertising" title="Advertising">advertising</a> against Planned Parenthood, and insisting that "religious freedom is under attack." This <i>skyrocketed</i> his popularity among evangelicals, especially in <a href="/wiki/Iowa" class="mw-redirect" title="Iowa">Iowa</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-52" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-52">[47]</a></sup> During the Trump presidency, Cruz was largely responsible for reshaping the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to be staunchly anti-abortion, including getting his friend James Ho appointed to the court, which includes Texas and is responsible in part for Texas' particularly cruel anti-abortion laws.<sup id="cite_ref-bassett_53-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-bassett-53">[48]</a></sup> Despite having bragged about reshaping the federal court, he has been unusually silent about abortion during his 2024 reelection campaign, indicating the unpopularity of the near-total ban on abortion in Texas.<sup id="cite_ref-bassett_53-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-bassett-53">[48]</a></sup> </p><p>Cruz has insisted that <a href="/wiki/Anders_Behring_Breivik" title="Anders Behring Breivik">Christians don't commit terrorism</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-54" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-54">[49]</a></sup> </p><p>With his blessing, the Freedom Caucus forced <a href="/wiki/John_Boehner" title="John Boehner">John Boehner</a>, seen by many as Cruz's rival,<sup id="cite_ref-55" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-55">[50]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-56" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-56">[51]</a></sup> to resign from the Speakership.<sup id="cite_ref-57" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-57">[52]</a></sup> Majority Leader <a href="/wiki/Kevin_McCarthy" title="Kevin McCarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>, the heir apparent to Boehner, announced his intention to replace Boehner as Speaker, and immediately ran into a wall from the Freedom Caucus.<sup id="cite_ref-58" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-58">[53]</a></sup> <i>One day</i> before the vote was scheduled, Cruz met with the Freedom Caucus.<sup id="cite_ref-59" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-59">[54]</a></sup> One day later, McCarthy withdrew his candidacy for Speaker.<sup id="cite_ref-60" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-60">[55]</a></sup> While Cruz refused to weigh in on <a href="/wiki/Paul_Ryan" title="Paul Ryan">Randroid Ryan's</a> candidacy, and the Freedom Caucus was wishy-washy on Ryan as well (in one month he went from "one of the last real conservatives" to a <a href="/wiki/RINO" class="mw-redirect" title="RINO">RINO</a>-in-disguise; it's amazing what being Speaker can do for a career).<sup id="cite_ref-61" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-61">[56]</a></sup> Ryan's very nomination has effectively mainstreamed the extremists in the Republican Party, embodied most of all by the Freedom Caucus (and Ryan himself). </p><p>Cruz's influence in the party is the dirty little secret many Republicans refuse to acknowledge. In September 2013, just eight months into his congressional career, Cruz met with House Republicans privately to talk strategy over the budget crisis, with Cruz insisting on including amendments aimed at dismantling Obamacare in the budget resolution that meant to avert the shutdown. A few days later, GOP lawmakers shut down the government. In October 2013, two weeks into the shutdown, <a href="/wiki/John_Boehner" title="John Boehner">John Boehner</a> was pushing for a vote on a bill that would have reopened the government and avoided a debt default. Cruz hosted a secret meeting with House Republicans to discuss the deal, and the meeting was filled with many of the same allies who backed anti-Obamacare amendments in the budget deal as a caveat to avoiding a shutdown.<sup id="cite_ref-62" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-62">[57]</a></sup> The next day, realizing he didn’t have the votes, Boehner and the rest of the House Republican leadership withdrew their proposal in shame. Boehner, who already held off a coup attempt in January 2013, had to rely on House Democrats to end the shutdown. This turned Boehner into a leader without followers, and the party insurgents would confront him with regular threats of challenges to his speakership should he not obey their every wish. At every point, Cruz was there pushing the House insurgents to sucker punch Boehner. By taking advantage of the conservative backlash against the party establishment, and presenting himself as a point man, Cruz personified everything that's tearing the Republican Party apart.<sup id="cite_ref-63" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-63">[58]</a></sup> </p><p>It doesn't end there. In April 2014, Cruz hosted a discussion with House Republicans about strategy on immigration reform. A bipartisan reform bill died in the chamber soon after. In June 2014, on the same day that Kevin McCarthy was elected to replace <a href="/wiki/Eric_Cantor" title="Eric Cantor">Eric Cantor</a>, Cruz met again with a group of House Republicans to put <a href="/wiki/Wingnut" title="Wingnut">wingnut</a> Steve Scalise as Majority Whip.<sup id="cite_ref-64" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-64">[59]</a></sup> In July 2014, Cruz huddled with House Republicans yet again, who took his advice, ignored their party’s leadership, and derailed a GOP border bill.<sup id="cite_ref-65" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-65">[60]</a></sup> Each time, Cruz garnered support from the party insurgents, from everything to Obamacare and the executive action that prevented deportations to millions of undocumented immigrants. Steve King (R-Iowa) even called him a “perfect catalyst” who has a “real rapport with conservatives in the House.”<sup id="cite_ref-66" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-66">[61]</a></sup> And once again, when Boehner tried to pass an Omnibus Bill at the end of 2014, Cruz was right there, gathering up party insurgents and devising ways to delay or obstruct its passage in the House.<sup id="cite_ref-67" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-67">[62]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-68" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-68">[63]</a></sup> </p><p>Even on the campaign trail, Cruz catered to the anti-establishment and ultra-conservative segments of the primary base. He was the first to support <a href="/wiki/Donald_Trump" title="Donald Trump">Donald Trump</a> and adopt his insane policies, from hating on immigrants to ending birthright citizenship;<sup id="cite_ref-69" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-69">[64]</a></sup> however, <a href="/wiki/2016_Republican_National_Convention#Ted_Cruz_speech" title="2016 Republican National Convention">at the 2016 GOP convention</a>, he refused to endorse Trump for <a href="/wiki/POTUS" class="mw-redirect" title="POTUS">POTUS</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-HealyMartin_70-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-HealyMartin-70">[65]</a></sup> His strategy was twofold: if Trump falters, Cruz takes his supporters, but if Trump wins, Cruz was angling for a possible VP pick. It would have been a win either way, and when it failed, he still had a recalcitrant House and Senate in his back pocket. However he did have to abandon the last shreds of his dignity and become a toady for Trump. </p><p>If you had any doubts that Cruz turned the Freedom Caucus into his own personal mini-party, they actively campaigned for Cruz as he ran for the presidency.<sup id="cite_ref-71" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-71">[66]</a></sup> </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="2016_Presidential_campaign">2016 Presidential campaign</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: 2016 Presidential campaign">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>The only joy that came from watching Trump win the GOP nomination was watching him de-pants Cruz at every step of the way—but I can't even enjoy <i>that</i> now because Trump might make this oil slick in the shape of a human being a Supreme Court justice. I'm gonna be sick.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—Drew Magary<sup id="cite_ref-72" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-72">[67]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <p>On 21 March 2015, Ted Cruz surprised everyone by becoming the first person to announce that he was going to run for President. We'll queue up some <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B0CyOAO8y0">fitting</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnHmskwqCCQ">songs</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8zhNb8ANe8">to describe his campaign for you.</a> Cruz was only in this race to make other Republicans <a href="/wiki/Not_as_bad_as" title="Not as bad as">look moderate by comparison</a>—before all the moderates slit their own throats with Trump's help.<sup id="cite_ref-73" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-73">[68]</a></sup> </p><p>He also won the first primary in <a href="/wiki/Iowa" class="mw-redirect" title="Iowa">Iowa</a> decisively, as it's a religious rural state with a knack of going <a href="/wiki/George_H.W._Bush" class="mw-redirect" title="George H.W. Bush">for</a> <a href="/wiki/Mike_Huckabee" title="Mike Huckabee">the</a> <a href="/wiki/Rick_Santorum" title="Rick Santorum">runner up</a>. However, his supporters spread false rumors that other candidates were dropping out, so the legitimacy of that win is in doubt.<sup id="cite_ref-74" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-74">[69]</a></sup> It was in Iowa that Ted Cruz tried out his best fundamentalist lines, exhorting the Iowa flock to "awaken the body of Christ" and to "strap on the full armor of God."<sup id="cite_ref-75" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-75">[70]</a></sup> Cruz won that primary despite very few Iowans attempting either feat. </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Rivalry_with_Rubio">Rivalry with Rubio</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Rivalry with Rubio">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>When Cruz was running for Senate in 2012, he wanted an endorsement from <a href="/wiki/Florida" class="mw-redirect" title="Florida">Florida</a> Senator <a href="/wiki/Marco_Rubio" title="Marco Rubio">Marco Rubio</a>, who was elected on the <a href="/wiki/Tea_Party" class="mw-redirect" title="Tea Party">Tea Party</a> wave in 2010, but he didn't get it, and Cruz has been bitter ever since. Both are even taking opposite routes in the Senate: Rubio voted to give <a href="/wiki/President_Obama" class="mw-redirect" title="President Obama">President Obama</a> fast track authority on the <a href="/wiki/Trans-Pacific_Partnership" title="Trans-Pacific Partnership">Trans-Pacific Partnership</a>, whereas Cruz did not. Cruz pushed for a shutdown over Planned Parenthood, while Rubio did not.<sup id="cite_ref-76" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-76">[71]</a></sup> When both launched their presidential campaigns in 2015, Cruz courted the insurgent anti-establishment evangelical wing, while Rubio gradually outgrew his Tea Party label, notably by courting support from <a href="/wiki/Mitch_McConnell" title="Mitch McConnell">Mitch McConnell</a>, Cruz's rival in the Senate. </p><p>Why is this relevant? As <a href="/wiki/Donald_Trump" title="Donald Trump">Donald Trump</a> dominated the headlines, it is Cruz and Rubio who had the most to gain as the rest of the <a href="/wiki/Primary_election" title="Primary election">primary field</a> struggled to keep ahead. Both were 44-year old freshman Senators vying to become the first Latino President, both are natural born (probably, <a href="/wiki/Donald_Trump" title="Donald Trump">some people</a> think that he is legally Canadian) American citizens with immigrant families, both are stridently anti-<a href="/wiki/Castro" class="mw-redirect" title="Castro">Castro</a> <a href="/wiki/Cuba" title="Cuba">Cuban</a> Americans, and both were leading vice presidential candidates if they were to ever falter as well. Cleveland's not big enough for the two of them. </p> <h3><span id="Et_tu?"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Et_tu.3F">Et tu?</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Et tu?">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>It's hard not to find this a little amusing. After all, Ted Cruz helped create an environment where <a href="/wiki/Populist" class="mw-redirect" title="Populist">populist</a> demagoguery would flourish on the right. Of course, he, no doubt, assumed he would be the beneficiary of this… He figured wrong.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—Matt Lewis<sup id="cite_ref-77" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-77">[72]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <p>After Rubio dropped out, and Cruz ran along a bunch of delegates from western states, he was seen as the top opponent to Donald Trump… until he hit a brick wall in <a href="/wiki/New_York" class="mw-redirect" title="New York">New York</a>; he lost so badly, he was mathematically eliminated from the race. On 3 May 2016, Ted Cruz announced he was dropping out after being defeated by large margins by Donald Trump in the third to last primary state, <a href="/wiki/Indiana" class="mw-redirect" title="Indiana">Indiana</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-78" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-78">[note 6]</a></sup> </p><p>The only person who ever even considered supporting him was <a href="/wiki/Jeff_Sessions" title="Jeff Sessions">Jeff Sessions</a>, who instead endorsed Donald Trump.<sup id="cite_ref-79" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-79">[73]</a></sup> Poor Ted. In his mind, <a href="/wiki/God" title="God">God</a> tells him to run and even kills <a href="/wiki/Antonin_Scalia" title="Antonin Scalia">Scalia</a> to make every conservative voter realize how important Ted winning is for them, and then snubs him in favor of <i>Donald Trump?</i> Did <a href="/wiki/Book_of_Job" title="Book of Job">Job</a> get it this bad? </p><p>And let's not forget Cruz picking <a href="/wiki/Carly_Fiorina" class="mw-redirect" title="Carly Fiorina">Fiorina</a> as his running mate mere days before he dropped out. It was like a <i>Sunset Boulevard</i> delusion. You could clearly see a moment of genuine worry cross Carly's face. Then she fell off the stage (or passed out from the smell of Ted's chloroform; it happens a lot) while he pretended not to notice. <big>The next President of the United States!</big> </p> <h2><span id=""Smartest_guy_in_the_room""></span><span class="mw-headline" id=".22Smartest_guy_in_the_room.22">"Smartest guy in the room"</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: "Smartest guy in the room"">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="His_memoir">His memoir</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: His memoir">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>Possibly taking a page out of the <a href="/wiki/Scientology" class="mw-redirect" title="Scientology">Scientology</a> playbook,<sup id="cite_ref-80" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-80">[74]</a></sup> Cruz may have attempted to shoehorn his way onto the <i>New York Times</i> Bestseller List, but failed because an "overwhelming preponderance of evidence was that sales were limited to strategic bulk purchases" according to a NYT spokesperson.<sup id="cite_ref-81" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-81">[75]</a></sup> His publisher, HarperCollins, denied that there were bulk orders after an "exhaustive internal review".<sup id="cite_ref-82" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-82">[76]</a></sup> Cruz's book appeared on the Times' Bestseller list the following week. According to the Times, they stand by their original analysis for the first week and the second week's entry is based on the same methodology they have always used in recent times.<sup id="cite_ref-83" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-83">[77]</a></sup> </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Working_the_rubes">Working the rubes</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: Working the rubes">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>Cruz seems to be assembled from the most annoying parts of all the GOP Presidential candidates. Let's think about this guy for a minute: As a law student at Harvard, he refused to study with anyone who hadn't been an undergrad at Harvard, Princeton, or Yale<sup id="cite_ref-84" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-84">[78]</a></sup> (sounds like he has <a href="/wiki/Reaganism" title="Reaganism">a long tradition of fighting for the working man</a>). He worked for <a href="/wiki/George_W._Bush" title="George W. Bush">George W. Bush</a>'s campaign in 2000, was <a href="/wiki/John_Boehner" title="John Boehner">Speaker Boehner's</a> private attorney, used to clerk for Chief Justice Rehnquist, and he's married to a <a href="/wiki/Goldman_Sachs" title="Goldman Sachs">Goldman Sachs</a> executive,<sup id="cite_ref-85" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-85">[79]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-86" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-86">[80]</a></sup> giving him extra juice with that company.<sup id="cite_ref-87" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-87">[81]</a></sup> But somehow he ran an "outsider, grassroots" campaign in Texas. With a resumé like his, the only way he could become more "insider" is if Barack divorced Michelle and married <i>him!</i> </p><p>You don't graduate <i>magna cum laude</i> out of Harvard Law and have <a href="/wiki/Alan_Dershowitz" title="Alan Dershowitz">Alan Dershowitz</a> call you "off the charts brilliant"<sup id="cite_ref-88" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-88">[82]</a></sup> and not know that you're <a href="/wiki/Bullshit" title="Bullshit">full of shit</a> when you make the kinds of climate change jokes he does (<i>hurr durr ice on the ground</i><sup id="cite_ref-89" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-89">[83]</a></sup>). If he chose the corporate world, this would be the guy who openly says he has no friends, but goes to every event, party or conference with the explicit goal of "networking". </p> <h3><span id="Not_racist,_but_#1_with_racists"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Not_racist.2C_but_.231_with_racists">Not racist, but #1 with racists</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: Not racist, but #1 with racists">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>Dylann Roof, the perpetrator of a shooting inside a black church in Charleston, was influenced by the "Council of Conservative Citizens", a white supremacist group. The leader of said group donated tens of thousands of dollars to Republican campaigns, including those of 2016 presidential contenders such as <a href="/wiki/Rick_Santorum" title="Rick Santorum">Rick Santorum</a>, <a href="/wiki/Rand_Paul" title="Rand Paul">Rand Paul</a>, and (yes) Ted Cruz.<sup id="cite_ref-90" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-90">[84]</a></sup> To their credit, Santorum's and Cruz's campaigns said they're going to return the money. Paul's campaign donated it to the families. Regardless, one would do well to wonder <i>why</i> white supremacists support Republican policies. </p> <h3><span id="This_is_my_gift,_my_curse"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="This_is_my_gift.2C_my_curse">This is my gift, my curse</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=13" title="Edit section: This is my gift, my curse">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>Cruz has a made-up super ability called "audiographic memory,"<sup id="cite_ref-91" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-91">[85]</a></sup> where he remembers literally <a href="/wiki/Asshole" class="mw-redirect" title="Asshole">anything anyone has ever said about him</a>; this gives him an "unfair advantage" in debates. Is this the same Cruz Missile who can't even handle debate moderators?<sup id="cite_ref-92" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-92">[86]</a></sup> </p> <h3><span id="How_can_he_ban_himself?"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="How_can_he_ban_himself.3F">How can he ban himself?</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=14" title="Edit section: How can he ban himself?">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>While working on behalf of then-Attorney General <a href="/wiki/Greg_Abbott" title="Greg Abbott">Greg Abbott</a> (now governor) of Texas, Cruz wrote a 76-page legal brief defending the Texas penal (ahem) code prohibition on "the advertisement and sale of <a href="/wiki/Sex_toys" title="Sex toys">dildos</a>, artificial <a href="/wiki/Vagina" title="Vagina">vaginas</a>, and other obscene devices".<sup id="cite_ref-dildo_93-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-dildo-93">[87]</a></sup> Cruz maintained that the government had an interest in "<a href="/wiki/Masturbation" title="Masturbation">discouraging… autonomous sex</a>" and the brief equated using them to "hiring a willing <a href="/wiki/Prostitute" class="mw-redirect" title="Prostitute">prostitute</a> or engaging in consensual <a href="/wiki/Bigamy" class="mw-redirect" title="Bigamy">bigamy</a>."<sup id="cite_ref-dildo_93-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-dildo-93">[87]</a></sup> Texas lost the case on appeal and decided not to pursue the case to the <a href="/wiki/Supreme_Court" class="mw-redirect" title="Supreme Court">Supreme Court</a>, perhaps because Cruz did not want to talk about sex to a Supreme Court Justice who is also a grandmother.<sup id="cite_ref-95" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-95">[note 7]</a></sup> Both the Trump-sycophantic<sup id="cite_ref-96" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-96">[89]</a></sup> <i><a href="/wiki/National_Enquirer" title="National Enquirer">National Enquirer</a></i> (for bigamy)<sup id="cite_ref-97" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-97">[90]</a></sup> and Cruz's college roommate (for allegedly using a masturbatory aid)<sup id="cite_ref-98" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-98">[91]</a></sup> have, essentially, called Cruz a <a href="/wiki/Hypocrite" class="mw-redirect" title="Hypocrite">hypocrite</a>. </p> <h3><span id="Mommas,_Don't_Let_Your_Babies_Grow_Up_to_Be_This_Guy"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Mommas.2C_Don.27t_Let_Your_Babies_Grow_Up_to_Be_This_Guy">Mommas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be This Guy</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=15" title="Edit section: Mommas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be This Guy">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>But he sure likes him some country music, because <a href="/wiki/Rock_music" title="Rock music">rock music</a> reacted badly to <a href="/wiki/9/11" title="9/11">9/11</a>. </p><p><i>This is literally what he said.</i><sup id="cite_ref-99" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-99">[92]</a></sup> </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Messianic_nutball">Messianic nutball</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=16" title="Edit section: Messianic nutball">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <div class="thumb tright"><div class="thumbinner" style="width:167px;"><a href="/wiki/File:Rafael_Cruz.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Rafael_Cruz.jpg/250px-Rafael_Cruz.jpg" decoding="async" width="165" height="174" class="thumbimage" srcset="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Rafael_Cruz.jpg/330px-Rafael_Cruz.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1273" data-file-height="1339" /></a> <div class="thumbcaption"><div class="magnify"><a href="/wiki/File:Rafael_Cruz.jpg" class="internal" title="Enlarge"></a></div>Guano</div></div></div> <p>He's the son of batshit pastor Rafael Cruz, who — among other things — believes that Ted is "annointed" by God to supervise the transfer of wealth from <a href="/wiki/Reaganism" title="Reaganism">Big Government</a> to "<a href="/wiki/Dominionism" title="Dominionism">God's bankers</a>".<sup id="cite_ref-JTTW_100-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-JTTW-100">[93]</a></sup> </p><p>In other totally unsurprising news, Cruz claims an <a href="/wiki/Atheism" title="Atheism">atheist</a> is not fit to be president. A president has to fear <a href="/wiki/God" title="God">God</a> and <a href="/wiki/Prayer" title="Prayer">pray</a> daily. "Any president who doesn't begin every day on his knees isn't fit to be commander-in-chief of this country," according to Cruz.<sup id="cite_ref-101" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-101">[94]</a></sup> No word on if you have to be praying when you <a href="/wiki/Oral_sex" class="mw-redirect" title="Oral sex">go down onto your knees</a>. For a Constitutional scholar, it's staggering how ignorant he is of the Constitution.<sup id="cite_ref-102" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-102">[note 8]</a></sup> </p> <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Truthiness">Truthiness</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=17" title="Edit section: Truthiness">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <div role="note" class="hatnote">See the main article on this topic: <a href="/wiki/Truthiness" title="Truthiness">Truthiness</a></div> <p>In the wake of the shooting at a <a href="/wiki/Planned_Parenthood" title="Planned Parenthood">Planned Parenthood</a> facility in <a href="/wiki/Colorado" class="mw-redirect" title="Colorado">Colorado Springs</a>, Cruz released a stunning <i><a href="/wiki/Non_sequitur" title="Non sequitur">non sequitur</a></i>: the "overwhelming majority of violent criminals are <a href="/wiki/Democrats" class="mw-redirect" title="Democrats">Democrats</a>."<sup id="cite_ref-103" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-103">[95]</a></sup> The research he cited was not studying political affiliation, so the rigor and thoughtfulness that went into the other points were not applied to that (<a href="/wiki/Cherrypicking" class="mw-redirect" title="Cherrypicking">somewhat throwaway</a>) question. It is massively unlikely that Cruz found this article while trolling academic journals years ago, saw a piece of information and decided to try and <a href="/wiki/Deceit" title="Deceit">pull the wool over the public's' eyes</a>; rather, a naïve staff-member probably saw something that aligned with his biases and fed it to Cruz who simply believed it. Cruz is trying to massage the legacy of <a href="/wiki/Jim_Crow" class="mw-redirect" title="Jim Crow">Jim Crow</a> — <a href="/wiki/Nixon" class="mw-redirect" title="Nixon">Nixon</a>/<a href="/wiki/Reagan" class="mw-redirect" title="Reagan">Reagan</a>-era <a href="/wiki/War_on_Drugs" title="War on Drugs">drug policies that overwhelmingly target minorities</a> — into <a href="/wiki/Wrong_direction" title="Wrong direction">an indictment of the Democratic Party</a>. In <a href="/wiki/The_South" title="The South">the South</a>, <a href="/wiki/Dixiecrats" class="mw-redirect" title="Dixiecrats">Dixiecrats</a>/Republicans pit lower-class whites against blacks <a href="/wiki/Southern_Strategy" title="Southern Strategy">to come out ahead</a> in elections. Cruz is just perpetuating this tradition, <i>and</i> trying to pin the blame for it on the people who aren't engaging in it. </p><p>In 2016, he spoke even more boldly, blaming <a href="/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a>'s tough <a href="/wiki/Gun_control" title="Gun control">gun laws</a> on an uptick in <a href="/wiki/Sexual_assault" class="mw-redirect" title="Sexual assault">sexual assault</a>. This increase is likely a reflection of the rise in the <i>reporting</i> of sexual assaults (i.e., <a href="/wiki/Correlation_does_not_imply_causation" title="Correlation does not imply causation">correlation does not imply causation</a>). It's amazing how the <a href="/wiki/Far_right" title="Far right">far right</a> suddenly care so much about <a href="/wiki/Women%27s_rights" class="mw-redirect" title="Women's rights">women's rights</a> when they think they can use them as <a href="/wiki/Black_brute" title="Black brute">a stick to beat liberals and minorities</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-104" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-104">[96]</a></sup> </p><p>Even with <i><a href="/wiki/The_Washington_Post" title="The Washington Post">The Washington Post</a></i> explaining the errors, most people will still not understand it and <a href="/wiki/Pseudostatistics" title="Pseudostatistics">assume Cruz is correct.</a> </p> <h3><span id="Forward_to_yesterday!"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Forward_to_yesterday.21">Forward to yesterday!</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=18" title="Edit section: Forward to yesterday!">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h3> <p>It's about goddamn time the U.S. embraced the <a href="/wiki/Goldbuggery" class="mw-redirect" title="Goldbuggery">gold standard</a>. We at <a href="/wiki/RW" class="mw-redirect" title="RW">RW</a> remember a simpler time when a corporation was allowed to dump toxic waste in the water table without the fear of big government or the <a href="/wiki/EPA" class="mw-redirect" title="EPA">EPA</a>'s sticky fingers shutting them down. </p><p>A time when a man was judged by <a href="/wiki/Anti-environmentalism" title="Anti-environmentalism">how much he could exploit the environment</a> and not what he's done to help it. </p><p>A time where a man could <a href="/wiki/Gilded_Age" title="Gilded Age">treat filthy immigrants as endless waves of cheap expendable sub-human resources.</a> </p><p>A time where a man could legally <a href="/wiki/Gender_pay_gap" title="Gender pay gap">pay women less for the same work.</a> </p><p>A time when a man could <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Fruit_Company" class="extiw" title="wp:United Fruit Company" rel="nofollow"><span style="color:#477979 !important;" title="Wikipedia: United Fruit Company">purchase his own army, invade a small brown country and declare himself president</span></a>,<sup><img alt="" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/12px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="12" srcset="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/18px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Wikipedia%27s_W.svg/24px-Wikipedia%27s_W.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="128" data-file-height="128" /></sup> if he so chose. </p><p>A time when idiotic and unnecessary excesses led directly to <a href="/wiki/Boom_and_bust" title="Boom and bust">the worst economic crises in American History</a> (<i>Only for </i>most<i> of the last century. Quit exaggerating.</i><sup id="cite_ref-105" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-105">[97]</a></sup>) </p><p>For too long we've lost sight of what it means to be an American. It's about time someone like Ted Cruz reminded us. </p><p>Take us home, Ted, take us home.<sup id="cite_ref-106" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-106">[98]</a></sup> </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Vatman">Vatman</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=19" title="Edit section: Vatman">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p>It's not a <a href="/wiki/FairTax" title="FairTax">FairTax</a>, it's a <b>Valued Added Tax</b>, which is different... because it sounds different.<sup id="cite_ref-107" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-107">[99]</a></sup> </p><p>The sad thing is of all the major Republican candidates, his proposed tax policy is the <a href="/wiki/Stopped_clock" title="Stopped clock">least insane</a>. What Ted is actually proposing is a European-style National Sales Tax. He won't admit it, because saying "<a href="/wiki/Europe" title="Europe">Europe</a>" would cause parts of his voters to sizzle and fall off. (It's also known as a "Consumption Tax", which Americans like even less.) Still too opaque? Essentially he is calling for a 19 percent federal sales tax that would apply to all purchases of goods and services made in the U.S. Many of the taxes you pay in the U.S. for things are already built into the price or services so you don't see them on a paper receipt. So the <a href="/wiki/Poor" class="mw-redirect" title="Poor">poor</a> and middle class pay the same or more. Upper 20 percent pay the same, but no more gift and estate tax for super wealthy. He's also proposing cutting taxes to 0 for everyone making under $36,000/year,<sup id="cite_ref-108" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-108">[100]</a></sup> so everyone's savings should increase. That doesn't mean there are more jobs, and it doesn't mean <a href="/wiki/Income_inequality" class="mw-redirect" title="Income inequality">income inequality</a> goes away. </p><p>Putting aside the feasibility of ramming this tax plan through Congress, will it work? Conservatives <i>hate</i> this idea,<sup id="cite_ref-109" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-109">[101]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-110" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-110">[102]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-111" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-111">[103]</a></sup> so don't scroll down the page just yet. However, there are a few baked-in problems with the VAT: Cruz argues that his plan is a tax on businesses, not on consumers. <a href="/wiki/Economist" class="mw-redirect" title="Economist">Economists</a> argue that <a href="/wiki/Phantom_distinction" title="Phantom distinction">it's a distinction without a difference.</a> If you tax businesses, they’re going to pass those costs onto the workers <i>and</i> consumers. <a href="/wiki/Paul_Krugman" title="Paul Krugman">Pundits</a> who claim otherwise are probably being <a href="/wiki/Wishful_thinking" class="mw-redirect" title="Wishful thinking">a bit naïve</a>. In theory, it would unfairly burden lower and lower middle class families, since 1) A greater portion of their income goes to consumption because there are fixed costs they cannot escape, e.g. gasoline, and 2) upper-middle and upper class taxpayers can use <a href="/wiki/Tax_haven" title="Tax haven">business entities</a> to hide their consumption (like they already do now). </p><p>Cruz's plan is dangerous for the way it handles corporate taxation more than anything.<sup id="cite_ref-112" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-112">[104]</a></sup> </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="On_his_place_of_birth">On his place of birth</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=20" title="Edit section: On his place of birth">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>The more of a genuine '<a href="/wiki/Originalism" title="Originalism">originalist</a>' someone (like Cruz) is, the harder it becomes to resolve that 'serious question' in Cruz’s favor. The more of a 'living constitutionalist' someone (like me) is, the easier it becomes to conclude that 'natural born citizen' has gradually acquired the broader meaning on which Cruz necessarily relies.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—Cruz's former professor at Harvard, Laurence Tribe<sup id="cite_ref-113" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-113">[105]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <p>Cruz is an <a href="/wiki/Undocumented_immigration" title="Undocumented immigration">immigrant</a> who is <a href="/wiki/Irony_meter" class="mw-redirect" title="Irony meter">opposed to immigration reform</a>:<sup id="cite_ref-114" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-114">[106]</a></sup> He was born in Alberta, <a href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a>, the son of a <a href="/wiki/Cuba" title="Cuba">Cuban</a> exile (and former child-soldier for <a href="/wiki/Fidel_Castro" title="Fidel Castro">Fidel Castro</a>, really)<sup id="cite_ref-115" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-115">[107]</a></sup> and an American citizen, Eleanor Elizabeth Darragh. Due in part to bitterness over <a href="/wiki/Birthers" class="mw-redirect" title="Birthers">birthers</a>' claims about <a href="/wiki/Barack_Obama" title="Barack Obama">Barack Obama</a>, some people (<a href="/wiki/Donald_Trump" title="Donald Trump">Donald Trump</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-116" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-116">[108]</a></sup> <a href="/wiki/Ann_Coulter" title="Ann Coulter">Ann Coulter</a><sup id="cite_ref-117" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-117">[109]</a></sup> and <a href="/wiki/Rand_Paul" title="Rand Paul">Rand Paul</a>)<sup id="cite_ref-118" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-118">[110]</a></sup> have made some hay about Cruz's birth in Canada. Those pushing this should knock it off — unless you're a Canadian having fun.<sup id="cite_ref-119" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-119">[111]</a></sup> </p><p>And even then this joke gets old fast. As the child of an American citizen, he would be a "natural-born citizen," and eligible for the Presidency.<sup id="cite_ref-PolFact1_120-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-PolFact1-120">[112]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-121" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-121">[113]</a></sup> Though the appearance of Cruz's mother, Eleanor Cruz, on a 1974 Canadian voter list does give one pause.<sup id="cite_ref-122" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-122">[114]</a></sup> </p><p>In 1974, his parents — including his American born mother — were found to be full-fledged Canadian voters. Being a Canadian citizen requires swearing an oath of allegiance. According to Section 349 of the US Immigration and Nationality Act, American citizens who swear allegiance to another country may <i>lose</i> their American citizenship. If true at the time of his birth (1970), this would mean that Cruz cannot run for the Presidency since his mother renounced her own American citizenship.<sup id="cite_ref-123" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-123">[115]</a></sup> However, the US Supreme Court, notably in the cases <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afroyim_v._Rusk">Afroyim v. Rusk</a></i> and <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vance_v._Terrazas">Vance v. Terrazas</a></i>, rendered that particular section of the INA (as well as the old <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bancroft_Treaties">Bancroft Treaties</a>) virtually unenforceable. So, basically all Cruz's mother has to do is officially say that she never meant to relinquish US citizenship and voila! She's a citizen again (if she did in fact lose her citizenship). </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Mister_Popularity">Mister Popularity</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=21" title="Edit section: Mister Popularity">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>What do you call that thing where a person has neither a moral center nor the social skills to conceal that fact?</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—Craig Mazin on freshman roommate Ted Cruz<sup id="cite_ref-124" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-124">[116]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>Is there some rule that you can’t confess error in your state?</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—Justice <a href="/wiki/Anthony_Kennedy" title="Anthony Kennedy">Anthony Kennedy</a> speaking to Ted Cruz in <i>Dretke v. Haley</i><sup id="cite_ref-125" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-125">[117]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>The chief of the wacko birds.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—<a href="/wiki/John_McCain" title="John McCain">John McCain</a><sup id="cite_ref-126" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-126">[118]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>If you killed Ted Cruz on the floor of the Senate, and the trial was in the Senate, nobody would convict you.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—<a href="/wiki/Lindsey_Graham" class="mw-redirect" title="Lindsey Graham">Lindsey Graham</a><sup id="cite_ref-127" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-127">[119]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>... I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—John Boehner<sup id="cite_ref-boehner_8-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-boehner-8">[7]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>Trump called his wife ugly. Trump accused his father of helping to assassinate <a href="/wiki/JFK" class="mw-redirect" title="JFK">JFK</a>. And voters got in on the heckling too, as evidenced [Gawker.com: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.is/http://gawker.com/indiana-student-pulls-too-slow-handshake-on-ted-cruz-1774443137">archive.is</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://gawker.com/indiana-student-pulls-too-slow-handshake-on-ted-cruz-1774443137">web.archive.org</a> here]... This would be a horrible thing to watch if, again, it were not Ted Cruz we were talking about. No one, aside from Ted Cruz, deserves to be stripped of their dignity. No one, aside from Ted Cruz, deserves to be so horribly slandered.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—Drew Magary<sup id="cite_ref-128" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-128">[120]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>A running fascination of the 2016 GOP primary campaign has been the steady revelation that no one, anywhere, likes or admires Ted Cruz or remembers him fondly or wants him to be president or wants anything to do with him. His colleagues despise him. The party establishment hates his guts. His former schoolmates talk about him the way you recall a memorably revolting cave cricket you once discovered in the bathtub. Carly Fiorina threw herself off a ledge at his approach. His wife is visibly repulsed by him. His children flee from him in terror. Even his own dad seems, well… let’s be generous and call it ambivalent. Ted Cruz is Earth’s least-liked person.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—Albert Burneko<sup id="cite_ref-129" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-129">[121]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>In 2013, three months into Mr. Cruz’s tenure, <i>Foreign Policy</i> magazine identified him as both “the most hated man in the Senate” and “the human equivalent of one of those flower-squirters that clowns wear on their lapels.”</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—Matt Flegenheimer, <i>The New York Times</i><sup id="cite_ref-130" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-130">[122]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>I like Ted Cruz more than most of my other colleagues like Ted Cruz. And I hate Ted Cruz.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—<a href="/wiki/Al_Franken" title="Al Franken">Al Franken</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-131" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-131">[123]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>I don't know if I need to send you a surgeon to examine your spine or a psychiatrist to examine your head, but something is wrong with you if you continue to follow <a href="/wiki/Trump" class="mw-redirect" title="Trump">this president</a>.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—<a href="/wiki/Josh_Shapiro" title="Josh Shapiro">Josh Shapiro</a>, <a href="/wiki/Pennsylvania" class="mw-redirect" title="Pennsylvania">PA</a> Attorney General<sup id="cite_ref-132" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-132">[124]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="margin: auto; border-collapse:collapse; border-style:none; background-color:transparent;" class="cquote"> <tbody><tr> <td><div style="padding:4px 50px;position:relative;"><span style="position:absolute;left:10px;top:-6px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">“</span><span style="position:absolute;right:10px;bottom:-20px;z-index:1;font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-weight:bold;color:#B2B7F2;font-size:36px">”</span>We don't need your lectures, thanks mate. You know nothing about us. And if you stand against a <a href="/wiki/COVID-19_vaccine" title="COVID-19 vaccine">life-saving vaccine</a>, then you sure as hell don't stand with <a href="/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a>.</div> </td></tr> <tr> <td style="padding:4px 10px 8px;font-size:smaller;line-height:1.6em;text-align:right;"><cite style="font-style:normal;position:relative;z-index:2">—Michael Gunner, Chief Minister of Australia's Northern Territory<sup id="cite_ref-133" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-133">[125]</a></sup></cite> </td></tr></tbody></table> <h2><span id="Does_he_believe_in_anything?"></span><span class="mw-headline" id="Does_he_believe_in_anything.3F">Does he believe in anything?</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=22" title="Edit section: Does he believe in anything?">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <p>In a review of his autobiography, Nathan Robinson writes that Cruz seems to not believe in anything, noting that he consistently mentions things that are counter to his political positions (writing in favor of bringing in low skilled immigrants while voting against exactly that) and never actually mentions why he does the things he does. Robinson writes that Cruz is only interested in becoming President, or at least being a major force in politics, and has no interest in actually governing nor implementing conservative ideas.<sup id="cite_ref-robinson_2-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-robinson-2">[2]</a></sup> </p> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="See_also">See also</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=23" title="Edit section: See also">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Deep_cover_liberal" title="Deep cover liberal">Deep cover liberal</a> — Increasingly pondered.</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ron_Johnson" title="Ron Johnson">Ron Johnson</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sarah_Palin" title="Sarah Palin">Sarah Palin</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ron_Paul" title="Ron Paul">Ron Paul</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rand_Paul" title="Rand Paul">Rand Paul</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Peter_Thiel" title="Peter Thiel">Peter Thiel</a> — "a friend" of Cruz,<sup id="cite_ref-134" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-134">[126]</a></sup> <a href="/wiki/PAC" class="mw-redirect" title="PAC">PAC</a> donor, and fellow <a href="/wiki/Federalist_Society" title="Federalist Society">Federalist Society</a> alumni<sup id="cite_ref-135" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-135">[127]</a></sup></li></ul> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Videos">Videos</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=24" title="Edit section: Videos">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaZGaJrd3x8">Move Over Rand, Ted Cruz Is Making Machine-Gun Bacon</a> - Seriously now, is there a contender for the GOP nomination who <i>isn't</i> a walking caricature?</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWUkUTwnOyI">Cruz Missile strikes again!</a></li></ul> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="External_links">External links</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=25" title="Edit section: External links">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://dlisted.com/2016/01/06/hot-sluts-of-the-day-94/">Cruz: A Vote for Marco Rubio Is a Vote for High-Heeled Booties!</a> - "Rubio is 5’10” and Ted Cruz is 5’8″, so this shade is covered with a thick layer of pure jealousy."</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://americanloons.blogspot.com/2024/01/2733-ted-cruz.html">Ted Cruz</a> at the <a href="/wiki/Encyclopedia_of_American_Loons" title="Encyclopedia of American Loons">Encyclopedia of American Loons</a></li> <li><i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://i.imgur.com/T1bqQKZ.webm">"Please Lord, let the paternity test come back negative"</a></i></li></ul> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Notes">Notes</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=26" title="Edit section: Notes">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <div class="references-small" style="font-size:90%;"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-7">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">From <a href="/wiki/Alberta" class="mw-redirect" title="Alberta">Alberta</a>, natch. He renounced his Canadian citizenship in 2014.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-17">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">At least "clown", in the most literal sense, is a legitimate profession which aims to be entertaining on purpose.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-26">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Once it's obvious this won't pan out either, you can fully expect the far/alt-right to try to whitewash<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25">[23]</a></sup> Bush and downplay how awful he really was.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-39"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-39">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">As <a href="/wiki/Beto_O%27Rourke" title="Beto O'Rourke">Beto O'Rourke</a> correctly noted, the infrastructure crisis was a lot worse than it should have been, in part due to Texas's strong deregulation culture creating incentives for power companies not to prepare for outlier weather events, and Republicans focusing on "stupid culture battles" instead of actually important items such as infrastructure.<sup id="cite_ref-38" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-38">[35]</a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-49"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-49">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Easy answer: To keep the money flowing to Texas.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-78"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-78">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Addendum: The spin is that Cruz "outmaneuvered" Trump in <a href="/wiki/Colorado" class="mw-redirect" title="Colorado">Colorado</a> because Cruz is such a smart campaigner. No, he's not. He got the delegates because the establishment chose to give them to him. If Trump weren't in the campaign and it was Cruz vs. <a href="/wiki/Jeb_Bush" title="Jeb Bush">Jeb!</a>, those votes would have gone to Jeb!, and it would have nothing to do with brilliant maneuvering by Teddy.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-95"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-95">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Mothers however, are another story.<sup id="cite_ref-94" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-94">[88]</a></sup></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-102"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-102">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Remember back when <a href="/wiki/JFK" class="mw-redirect" title="JFK">JFK</a> was running for office and all the Republicans were scared as fuck that he was going to screw over America by answering to the <a href="/wiki/Pope" title="Pope">Pope</a>'s wishes over his duties as laid out by the Constitution?</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <h2><span class="mw-headline" id="References">References</span><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Ted_Cruz&action=edit&section=27" title="Edit section: References">edit</a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></h2> <div class="references-small" style="-moz-column-count:3; -webkit-column-count:3; column-count:3; font-size:80%;"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-1">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Interview with Alex Altman, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://swampland.time.com/2013/08/08/why-ted-cruz-thinks-the-media-gets-conservatism-wrong/#ixzz2cnxPPCOQ">"Why Ted Cruz Thinks the Media Gets Conservatism Wrong"</a>, <i>Time</i> 8.8.13.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-robinson-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-robinson_2-0">2.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-robinson_2-1">2.1</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text">Nathan J. Robinson, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.currentaffairs.org/2016/07/the-political-sociopath">The Political Sociopath</a>. <i>Current Affairs</i>, 22 July 2016.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-stuart-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-stuart_3-0">3.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-stuart_3-1">3.1</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text">Stuart, Tessa. <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/is-ted-cruz-the-zodiac-killer-maybe-say-38-percent-of-florida-voters-20160226">"Is Ted Cruz the Zodiac Killer? Maybe, Say 38 Percent of Florida Voters"</a> Rolling Stone.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-4">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.texastribune.org/2018/10/22/donald-trump-say-he-has-new-nickname-ted-cruz-beautiful-ted/">Ahead of trip to Texas, Donald Trump uses a new nickname for Ted Cruz: "Beautiful Ted"</a> by Matthew Watkins (Oct. 22, 2018) <i>The Texas Tribune</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-5">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jimmy-kimmel-ted-cruz-donald-trump_n_60935ca6e4b04620270fbec7">Jimmy Kimmel Spots The Weirdest Part Of ‘Sweaty Teddy’ Cruz’s Awkward Trump Photo</a> by Ed Mazza (May 6, 2021, 12:05 AM EDT) <i>HuffPost</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-6">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/mar/28/ted-cruz-cancun-airport-security">Ted Cruz, US senator mocked for flight to Cancún, seeks airport police escorts</a> by Martin Pengelly (28 Mar 2024 15.45 EDT) <i>The Guardian</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-boehner-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-boehner_8-0">7.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-boehner_8-1">7.1</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/boehner-endorses-paul-ryan-for-president-220855">"In the same question-and-answer session here, Boehner referred to Ted Cruz as "Lucifer."</a> He previously called the Texas senator, who led the failed Republican effort to shut down the government over Obamacare, a “jackass.”]</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-9">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">[Gawker.com: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.is/http://gawker.com/this-creepy-animated-barbie-movie-villain-is-ted-cruz-1761924418">archive.is</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://gawker.com/this-creepy-animated-barbie-movie-villain-is-ted-cruz-1761924418">web.archive.org</a> This Creepy Animated Barbie Movie Villain Is Ted Cruz]</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-10">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Quigley, Bernie, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/national-party-news/229989-ted-cruz-the-sarah-palin-phenomenon">"Ted Cruz: The Sarah Palin phenomenon"</a>, The Hill (5/30/12 12:41 pm).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-11">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2021/01/06/ted-cruz-accused-of-abetting-sedition-and-inspiring-pro-trump-riot-by-resisting-bidens-victory/%3foutputType=amp">https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2021/01/06/ted-cruz-accused-of-abetting-sedition-and-inspiring-pro-trump-riot-by-resisting-bidens-victory/%3foutputType=amp</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-12">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/03/08/remember-when-trump-insulted-cruz-wife-they-all-having-dinner-together-tonight/uBbVeyoJs5VJ3cHEVsfdFL/story.html%3FoutputType%3Damp&ved=2ahUKEwiuwJzunInuAhV1ElkFHZDtAiIQFjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw3KcE_TpFtD9w-P7r-tgfEI&ampcf=1">https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2017/03/08/remember-when-trump-insulted-cruz-wife-they-all-having-dinner-together-tonight/uBbVeyoJs5VJ3cHEVsfdFL/story.html%3FoutputType%3Damp&ved=2ahUKEwiuwJzunInuAhV1ElkFHZDtAiIQFjAAegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw3KcE_TpFtD9w-P7r-tgfEI&ampcf=1</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-13">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.texastribune.org/2018/10/22/donald-trump-say-he-has-new-nickname-ted-cruz-beautiful-ted/amp/">Ahead of trip to Texas, Donald Trump uses a new nickname for Ted Cruz: "Beautiful Ted"</a>. <i>Texas Tribune.</i> 22 October, 2018.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-14">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.npr.org/2016/01/05/462083872/donald-trump-goes-birther-on-ted-cruz">Donald Trump Goes 'Birther' On Ted Cruz</a>. NPR. 5 January 2016.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-15">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/ted-cruz-mocked-john-boehner-lucifer-flesh/story?id=38732727">Ted Cruz Mocked by John Boehner as '</a><a href="/wiki/Lucifer" class="mw-redirect" title="Lucifer">Lucifer</a> in the Flesh' by Benjamin Siegle (Apr 28, 2016, 6:22 PM ET) <i>ABC News</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-16">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/satanists-snub-comparison-cruz-lucifer/story?id=38785064">Satanists Snub Comparison of Cruz to Lucifer</a> by Ben Gittleson (Apr 30, 2016, 11:42 AM ET) <i>ABC News</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-rafael-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-rafael_18-0">16.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-rafael_18-1">16.1</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2014/january/how-ted-cruz-dad-rafael-became-a-gop-rock-star/">"How Ted Cruz’s Dad Became a GOP Rock Star</a> by Michael J. Mooney, D Magazine, 2014 January</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-19">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2011/11/exile-and-revolution-mario-loyola/">"Like all Cuban-Americans, Ted Cruz belongs to a family of exiles."</a>, by Mario Loyola National Review, November 2011</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-20">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nationalreview.com/2013/08/rise-rafael-cruz-robert-costa/">"Senator Ted Cruz’s father is a conservative force."</a> by Robert Costa, National Review, August 2013</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-21">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://cubanstudiesinstitute.us/this-day-in-cuban-history/this-day-in-cuban-history-november-30-1956-the-santiago-de-cuba-uprising/">"This Day In Cuban History – November 30, 1956. The Santiago De Cuba Uprising"</a>, by Pedro Roig, Cuban Studies Institute, 2018 November 30</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-22">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/10/us/politics/cuban-peers-dispute-ted-cruzs-fathers-story-of-fighting-for-castro.html">"Cuban Peers Dispute Ted Cruz’s Father’s Story of Fighting for Castro"</a> by Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 2015 November 9</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-23">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Jason Stranford, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/ted-cruzs-craziness-the-unfunny-dangerou">"Ted Cruz’s craziness is the unfunny, dangerous kind"</a>, <a href="/wiki/MSNBC" title="MSNBC">MSNBC</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-24">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://mediamatters.org/video/2016/02/16/foxs-megyn-kelly-calls-ted-cruz-the-true-conser/208629">Fox's Megyn Kelly Calls Ted Cruz "The True Conservative"</a>, <a href="/wiki/Fox_News" title="Fox News">Fox News</a>' <i>The Kelly File</i> 2.16.16.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-25">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/poll-george-w-bush-popularity-obama-popularity-118576">George W. Bush outpolls Barack Obama</a> by Nick Gass (06/03/2015 06:57 AM EDT; Updated 06/03/2015 08:41 AM EDT) <i>Politico</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-GreenEggs-27"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-GreenEggs_27-0">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://swampland.time.com/2013/09/25/ted-cruz-reads-green-eggs-and-ham-on-senate-floor-and-thats-not-the-weird-part/">Ted Cruz Reads ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ on Senate Floor — And That's Not the Weird Part</a>, <i>Time</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Darth-28"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-Darth_28-0">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/ted-cruz-obamacare-filibuster-senate-speech-2013-darth-20372524">Ted Cruz Impersonates Darth Vader in 'Obamacare' Remarks</a>, ABC News</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-29"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-29">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Red_baiting" class="mw-redirect" title="Red baiting">Senator Cruz</a> has also <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/is-senator-ted-cruz-our-new-mccarthy">taken on "The Reds" at Harvard Law School</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/ted-cruz-respondsand-still-sees-red-at-harvard-law">unapologetically</a>, <i>The New Yorker</i>, February, 2013.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-30"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-30">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Sarah Ferris, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/236800-cruz-signing-up-for-obamacare">"Cruz signing up for ObamaCare"</a>, <i>The Hill.</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-31"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-31">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Alexander Smith, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/ted-cruz-apologizes-making-joe-biden-joke-during-his-time-n369566">"Ted Cruz Apologizes for 'Ill-Timed' Biden Joke"</a>, <a href="/wiki/MSNBC" title="MSNBC">MSNBC</a>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-32"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-32">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Arlette Saenz, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/happened-ted-cruz-told-year-girl-worlds-fire/story?id=29673686">"The Time Cruz Told a 10-Year Old Girl the World Was on Fire"</a>, ABC.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-33"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-33">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Sarah Pulliam Bailey, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/03/25/ted-cruzs-logo-a-burning-flag-al-jazeeras-logo-or-a-pentecostal-church-logo/">"Ted Cruz’s logo: A burning flag?"</a>, <i>Washington Post</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-34"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-34">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Katie Glueck, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/12/cruz-isil-bombing-216454">Cruz pledges relentless bombing to destroy ISIS: "I don’t know if sand can glow in the dark, but <b>we're going to find out!</b>"</a>, Politico.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-35"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-35">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">He is said to have <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2015/03/24/ted-cruz-principled-or-smug-know-it-all/">memorized the 4,543 words of the Constitution (7,591 if you include the amendments)</a> as a youngster.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-36"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-36">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.texasobserver.org/ted-cruzs-do-nothing-record/">"Ted Cruz's Do-Nothing Record"</a> by Christopher Hooks, Texas Observer, 2018 October 22</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-37"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-37">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.kxan.com/weather/weather-blog/before-and-after-satellite-captures-texas-power-outage-from-space/">"BEFORE AND AFTER: Satellite captures Texas power outage from space"</a> by Kate Winkle, KXAN, 2021 February 18</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-38"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-38">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/beto-o-rourke-texas-winter-storm-b1803484.html">[1]</a> "Beto O’Rourke calls Texas a ‘failed state’ as 23 left dead from winter storm" by Danielle Zoellner, Independent, 2021 February 18</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-40"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-40">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/18/us/politics/ted-cruz-storm-cancun.html">"Ted Cruz’s Cancún Trip: Family Texts Detail His Political Blunder"</a> by Shane Goldmacher and Nicholas Fandos, New York Times, 2021 February 18</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-41"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-41">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Bess Levin, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/02/ted-cruz-cancun-excuse-daughters">Ted Cruz Blames Cancún Getaway On His Daughters</a>, Vanity Fair 18 Feb. 2021</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-42"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-42">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Shane Goldmacher and Nicholas Fandos, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/18/us/politics/ted-cruz-storm-cancun.html">Ted Cruz’s Cancún Trip: Family Texts Detail His Political Blunder</a>, New York Times 19 Feb. 2021</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-43"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-43">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Aaron A. Bedoya, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2021/02/18/is-ted-cruz-in-cancun-beto-orourke-texas-weather-twitter/6797522002/">Ted Cruz in Cancun? Beto O'Rourke aids seniors during blackout. Twitter reacts</a>, El Paso Times 18 Feb. 2021</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-44"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-44">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://twitter.com/sentedcruz/status/531834493922189313">Twitter post</a> 10 Nov 2014.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-45"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-45">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Colin Lecher, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/11/7528337/senator-ted-cruz-nasa-subcommittee">"Senator Ted Cruz appointed to oversee NASA in Congress"</a>, <i>"The Verge</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-46"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-46">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/video/2015/mar/18/nasa-climate-change-cruz-video">Bolden explains to Cruz why he is an idiot at 2:00</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-47"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-47">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Politico <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/12/ted-cruz-climate-change-216577">"Cruz takes climate-science detour from campaign trail"</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-48"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-48">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/mar/7/ted-cruz-dont-let-anti-science-zealotry-shutdown-g/">Ted Cruz: Don’t let 'anti-science zealotry' shutdown GMOs</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-50"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-50">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/10/22/3714663/ted-cruz-house-leadership/">Ted Cruz Is Tying His Campaign To The Speaker Shake-Up And Conservative Voters Are Loving It</a> by Kira Lerner (October 22, 2015) <i>ThinkProgress</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-51"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-51">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/09/the-plot-against-planned-parenthood-and-john-boehner/403348/">The Plot Against Planned Parenthood and John Boehner</a> by Russel Berman (September 2, 2015) <i>The Atlantic</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-52"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-52">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/08/25/434667313/ted-cruz-rallies-evangelicals-over-campaign-to-defund-planned-parenthood">Ted Cruz Rallies Evangelicals In Campaign To Defund Planned Parenthood</a> by Don Gonyea (August 25, 2015) <i>NPR.</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-bassett-53"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-bassett_53-0">48.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-bassett_53-1">48.1</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/sep/03/ted-cruz-texas-senate-election-abortion-record">How Ted Cruz’s abortion record could cost him a historic election in Texas: The notoriously verbose senator has gone largely silent on the issue since horror stories under the state’s ban emerged</a> by Laura Bassett (3 Sep 2024 08.00 EDT) <i>The Guardian</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-54"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-54">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.texastribune.org/2015/11/15/cruz-discuses-opening-us-borders-christian-refugee/">Cruz: 'No Meaningful Risk' of Christians Committing Terrorism</a> by Katie Zezima (November 15, 2015) <i>Texas Tribune</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-55"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-55">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Tom Boggioni, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rawstory.com/2015/09/john-boehner-rips-false-prophet-ted-cruz-for-spreading-noise-every-time-he-doesnt-get-his-way/">"John Boehner rips ‘false prophet’ Ted Cruz for ‘spreading noise’ every time he doesn’t get his way"</a>, <i>Raw Story</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-56"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-56">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Sophia Tesfaye, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.salon.com/2015/09/01/ted_cruz_breaks_his_silence_on_john_boehners_jacka_insult/">"Ted Cruz breaks his silence on John Boehner’s “jackass” insult "</a>, <i>Salon.</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-57"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-57">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Scott Wong, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thehill.com/homenews/house/254587-boehner-coup-talk-puts-house-gop-on-edge">"Boehner coup talk has House GOP on edge"</a>, <i>The Hill</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-58"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-58">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/kevin-mccarthy-house-republicans-freedom-caucus-speaker-214529">"Kevin McCarthy's Freedom Caucus problem"</a>, <i>Politico</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-59"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-59">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">David M. Drucker, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/ted-cruz-to-meet-with-house-insurgents-one-day-before-gop-elections/article/2573419">"Ted Cruz to meet with House insurgents one day before GOP elections"</a>, <i>Washington Examiner</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-60"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-60">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Mike DeBonis, Robert Costa and Rosalind S. Helderman, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/10/08/house-majority-leader-kevin-mccarthy-drops-out-of-race-for-house-speaker/">"House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy drops out of race for House speaker"</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/Washington_Post" class="mw-redirect" title="Washington Post">Washington Post</a></i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-61"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-61">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Jason Easley, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politicususa.com/2015/10/18/ted-cruz-turns-paul-ryan-republicans-rip.html">"Ted Cruz Turns On Paul Ryan As Republicans Rip Each Other Apart"</a>, <i>Politicus USA</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-62"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-62">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Matt Fuller, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://blogs.rollcall.com/218/ted-cruz-house-republicans-meet-in-secret-at-tortilla-coast/">"Ted Cruz, House Republicans Meet in Secret at Tortilla Coast"</a>, <i>Roll Call</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-63"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-63">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Fred Barbarsh, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/09/28/bad-blood-john-boehner-and-the-tormenter-he-called-jackass-ted-cruz">"Bad blood: John Boehner and his tormentor Ted Cruz"</a>, <i>Washington Post</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-64"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-64">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Robert Costa, Jackie Kucinich and David A. Fahrenthold, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2014/06/19/ccc0b35e-f7e2-11e3-a606-946fd632f9f1_story.html">"Kevin McCarthy of Calif. selected majority leader, Steve Scalise of La. whip on busy day"</a>, <i>Washington Post</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-65"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-65">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Steve Benen, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-speaker-vs-the-shadow-speaker-the-border-crisis">"The Speaker vs. the Shadow Speaker on the border crisis"</a>, MSNBC.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-66"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-66">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Robert Costa, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/sen-ted-cruz-of-texas-is-a-rising-republican-power-in-house-as-well-as-a-whip/2014/07/31/10e5a87a-18ed-11e4-85b6-c1451e622637_story.html">"Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas is a rising Republican power in House, as well as a whip"</a>, <i>Washington Post.</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-67"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-67">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Lauren French, Anna Palmer and Burgess Everett, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/conservatives-scoff-at-boehner-deal-113280">"Conservatives scoff at Boehner deal"</a>, <i>Politico</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-68"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-68">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Steve Benen, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/cruz-huddles-house-republicans-eve-speaker-vote">"Cruz huddles with House Republicans on eve of Speaker vote"</a>, MSNBC.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-69"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-69">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Rena Flores, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ted-cruz-birthright-citizenship-doesnt-make-sense/">"Ted Cruz: Birthright citizenship "doesn't make sense""</a>, CBS.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-HealyMartin-70"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-HealyMartin_70-0">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Patrick Healy & Jonathan Martin <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/21/us/politics/ted-cruz-donald-trump-mike-pence-rnc.html">Ted Cruz Is Booed When He Refuses to Back Donald Trump at Convention</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/The_New_York_Times" title="The New York Times">The New York Times</a></i> (July 20, 2016).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-71"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-71">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/12/ted-cruz-house-rebels-senate-217099">http://www.politico.com/story/2015/12/ted-cruz-house-rebels-senate-217099</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-72"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-72">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Magary, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.gq.com/story/the-least-influential-people-of-the-year">"The Least Influential People of 2016"</a>, <i>GQ</i> 12.21.16.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-73"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-73">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Stanage, Niall, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thehill.com/homenews/presidential-campaign/274147-desperate-gop-establishment-turns-to-ted-cruz">"Desperate establishment turns to Cruz"</a>, The Hill (03/23/16 08:34 PM EDT).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-74"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-74">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/02/07/carson-says-an-apologetic-cruz-asked-for-a-meeting-at-debate/">Carson says an apologetic Cruz asked for a meeting at debate</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-75"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-75">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/ted-cruz-iowa-voters-awaken-the-body-of-christ-pray-caucus.html">https://www.christianpost.com/news/ted-cruz-iowa-voters-awaken-the-body-of-christ-pray-caucus.html</a> God's strap on</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-76"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-76">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Jason Horowitz, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/02/us/politics/ted-cruz-and-marco-rubio-grow-apart-as-their-ambitions-expand.html?_r=1">"Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio Grow Apart as Their Ambitions Expand"</a>, <i>New York Times</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-77"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-77">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Lewis, Matt, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rollcall.com/news/opinion/cruz-helped-create-monster-thats-devour#sthash.1wHecZfS.dpuf">"Cruz Helped Create Monster That Devoured Him"</a>, <i>Roll Call</i> (5/3/16 2:19 PM).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-79"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-79">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Ferris, Sarah, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/271109-gop-senator-expected-to-endorse-trump">"Trump gets first Senate endorsement"</a>, The Hill (2/28/16, 05:07 pm).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-80"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-80">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.latimes.com/local/la-scientology062890-story.html#page=1">Costly Strategy Continues to Turn Out Bestsellers</a> by Robert W. Welkos & Joel Sappell (June 28, 1990) <i>Los Angeles Tims</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-81"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-81">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2015/07/ny-times-keeps-cruz-off-bestseller-list-210254.html">N.Y. Times keeps Cruz off bestseller list</a> By Dylan Byers (7/9/15 5:53 PM EDT, updated 9:42 p.m.) <i>Politico</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-82"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-82">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/421039/ted-cruz-book-nyt-bestseller-list-harpercollins-bulk-buying">HarperCollins Says There’s ‘No Evidence’ Behind NYT’s Exclusion of Ted Cruz’s Book</a> by Brendan Bordelon (July 10, 2015 4:23 PM) <i>National Review</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-83"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-83">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2015/07/ted-cruz-makes-new-york-times-list-210608.html?utm_source=jolt&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Jolt&utm_campaign=Jolt07162015">Ted Cruz makes New York Times' list</a> by Dylan Byers (7/15/15 6:30 PM EDT) <i>Politico</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-84"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-84">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Frank-Ruta, Garance, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/09/how-unpopular-is-ted-cruz-right-now/279903/">"How Unpopular Is Ted Cruz Right Now?"</a>, <i>The Atlantic</i> 9.23.13.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-85"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-85">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Will Weissert and Scott Baue, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/cruz-political-insider-past">"Ted Cruz's Outsider Claims Belie His Political Insider Past"</a>, Talking Points Memo (1/9/16 9:09 AM EST).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-86"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-86">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Michael J. Moore and Margaret Talev, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-03-23/cruz-omits-goldman-sachs-from-description-of-bread-baking-wife">"Ted Cruz Omits Goldman Sachs From Description of Bread-Baking Wife"</a>, Bloomberg (3/23/15 12:39 PM PST).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-87"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-87">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">McIntyre, Mike, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/14/us/politics/ted-cruz-wall-street-loan-senate-bid-2012.html">"Ted Cruz Didn’t Report Goldman Sachs Loan in a Senate Race"</a>, NYT1.13.16. Cruz is still hitting on that <a href="/wiki/Hypocrite" class="mw-redirect" title="Hypocrite">"Wall Street Money"</a> talking point, 20 minutes after having to discuss the loan from a major Wall Street firm he "forgot" to disclose during his Senate campaign, and only got due to his... Wall Street connections.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-88"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-88">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Smerconish, Michael <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/20140406_The_Pulse__Dershowitz_and_his_life_at_Harvard_Law.html">"Dershowitz and his life at Harvard Law"</a>, Philadelphia Inquirer 4.6.14.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-89"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-89">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">McDonnell, Tim, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2015/03/ted-cruz-seth-myers-climate-change">"Ted Cruz's Climate Theories Are a "Load of Claptrap"</a>, <i>Mother Jones</i> (3/18/15 4:00 PM EDT).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-90"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-90">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Lichtbeau, Eric, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/us/campaign-donations-linked-to-white-supremacist.html?smid=pl-share">"White Supremacist Who Influenced Charleston Suspect Donated to 2016 G.O.P. Campaigns"</a>, 6.22.15.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-91"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-91">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Tré Goins-Phillips, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/10/28/a-massive-plus-glenn-beck-describes-ted-cruzs-unique-skill/">"Glenn Beck Describes the Unique and Impressive Skill Ted Cruz Possesses, but Is ‘Not Comfortable Talking About’"</a>, <i>The Blaze.</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-92"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-92">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Bradford Richardson, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/gop-primaries/258754-cruz-cnbc-debate-moderators-were-left-wing-operatives">"Cruz: CNBC debate moderators were ‘left-wing operatives’"</a>, <i>The Hill</i>. (And once he becomes president he will expect the planet to be baby-proofed for him.)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-dildo-93"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">↑ <sup><a href="#cite_ref-dildo_93-0">87.0</a></sup> <sup><a href="#cite_ref-dildo_93-1">87.1</a></sup></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/04/ted-cruz-dildo-ban-sex-devices-texas">The Time Ted Cruz Defended a Ban on Dildos: His legal team argued there was no right "to stimulate one's genitals."</a> by David Corn (Wed Apr. 13, 2016 6:00 AM EDT) <i>Mother Jones</i>. Coming soon to America: No knock dildo raids at 3 A.M. — with a flashbang grenade thrown in the crib upon entry.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-94"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-94">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/ted-cruzs-favorite-porn-star-cory-chase-is-more-patriotic-than-hell-ever-be">Ted Cruz’s Favorite Porn Star Cory Chase Is More Patriotic Than He’ll Ever Be</a> by Marlow Stern (Updated Mar. 06, 2021 8:50AM ET / Published Mar. 06, 2021 2:30AM ET) <i>Daily Beast</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-96"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-96">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/28/the-very-cozy-relationship-between-donald-trump-and-the-national-enquirer/">The very cozy relationship between Donald Trump and the National Enquirer</a> by Callum Borchers (March 28, 2016). <i>The Washington Post</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-97"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-97">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nationalenquirer.com/celebrity/ted-cruz-sex-scandal-mistresses-cheating-claims/">SHOCKING CLAIMS: Pervy Ted Cruz Caught Cheating — With 5 Secret Mistresses! The romps that could destroy his presidential campaign!</a> by J.R. Taylor (Mar 23, 2016 @ 14:19PM) <i>National Enquirer</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-98"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-98">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rawstory.com/2016/04/ted-cruzs-former-roommate-just-revealed-his-self-pleasuring-technique-only-click-if-youve-already-had-lunch/">Ted Cruz’s former roommate just revealed his self-pleasuring technique — click only if you’ve already had lunch</a> by Bethania Palma Markus (13 Apr 2016 at 11:31 ET) <i>Raw Story</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-99"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-99">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Grow, Kory, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/ted-cruz-on-9-11-i-didnt-like-how-rock-music-responded-20150324">"9/11 Made Me Like Country Music"</a>, <i>Rolling Stone</i> 3.24.15. He has yet to answer the question of how he feels about country rock.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-JTTW-100"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-JTTW_100-0">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">JacobSloan, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://disinfo.com/2013/10/ted-cruzs-father-preaches-son-anointed-king-will-bring-end-time-transfer-wealth/">"Ted Cruz’s Father Preaches That His Son Is An 'Anointed King' Who Will Bring The 'End Time Transfer Of Wealth'</a>, <i>disinfo</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-101"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-101">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ted-cruz-atheists_us_5640b613e4b0411d30719f52">Ted Cruz: An Atheist 'Isn't Fit To Be' President</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-103"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-103">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Marc Meredith and Michael Morse, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2015/12/02/ted-cruz-cited-this-research-when-he-said-most-violent-criminals-are-democrats-now-the-researchers-say-hes-wrong/">"Ted Cruz’s Four-Pinocchio claim that ‘the overwhelming majority of violent criminals are Democrats'"</a>, <i>The Washington Post</i> 12.2.15. Note: Among just the pool of convicted violent offenders, 40.1% identify as Democrat and only 14.3 as Republican.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-104"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-104">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Mitchell, Peter, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theage.com.au/world/republican-ted-cruz-claims-about-rape-and-guns-in-australia-slapped-down-20160126-gme0ah.html">"Ted Cruz's claims about rape and guns in Australia slapped down"</a>, <i>The Age</i> (1/26/16 12:55PM). <b>Cruz</b>: "There's nothing that criminals or terrorists like more than unarmed victims." Was he fondling his gun when he came up with that?</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-105"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-105">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Hiltzik, Michael, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.latimes.com/business/hiltzik/la-fi-mh-the-gold-standard-20151229-column.html">"The worst idea in the presidential debate: a return to the gold standard"</a>, <i>LA Times</i> 12.31.15.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-106"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-106">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Matthis-Lilley, Ben, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/11/10/ted_cruz_says_1920s_united_states_economy_was_fantastic_fails_to_mention.html">"Ted Cruz Promises Return to Sensible, Sustainable Economic Policies of the 1920s"</a>, Slate 11.10.15. He's convinced that he's doing the Lord's work when in reality he's <a href="/wiki/Persecution_complex" title="Persecution complex">doing the work of the 0.01%.</a> The <a href="/wiki/Delusion" title="Delusion">delusion</a> is strong.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-107"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-107">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Rubin, Richard, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2016/01/11/marco-rubio-says-ted-cruzs-tax-plan-contains-a-sneaky-vat/">"Marco Rubio Says Ted Cruz’s Tax Plan Contains a ‘Sneaky’ VAT"</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/WSJ" class="mw-redirect" title="WSJ">WSJ</a></i> (1/11/16 3:19 pm ET).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-108"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-108">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Rubin, Jennifer, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2015/10/30/the-pluses-and-minuses-in-ted-cruzs-tax-plan/">"The pluses and minuses in Ted Cruz’s tax plan"</a> <i>The Washington Post</i> 10.30.15.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-109"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-109">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Edwards, Chris, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/ted-cruzs-rand-pauls-strange-embrace-vat">"Cruz's and Rand's Strange Embrace of the VAT"</a>, <a href="/wiki/Cato_Institute" title="Cato Institute">Cato Institute</a> 11.3.15.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-110"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-110">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">de Rugy, Veronique <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://reason.com/archives/2010/03/04/vat">"The Wrong Idea at the Wrong Time"</a>, <i>Reason</i> 3.4.10.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-111"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-111">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/wiki/Grover_Norquist" title="Grover Norquist">Grover Norquist</a>, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://twitter.com/grovernorquist/status/511636249804025856">9.15.14 tweet</a>. <b>Norquist</b>: "VAT is a French word for <a href="/wiki/Small_government" title="Small government">"big government."</a>"</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-112"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-112">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Rubin, Richard, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/10/29/ted-cruz-tax-plan-would-yield-big-gains-to-top-1-report/">"Ted Cruz Tax Plan Would Yield Big Gains to Top 1% — Report"</a>, <i>Wall Street Journal</i> (10/29/15, 10:56 am ET).</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-113"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-113">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/01/15/that-vexing-natural-born-citizen-requirement-what-were-the-founding-fathers-afraid-of/">Ted Cruz and that ‘natural born citizen’ requirement: What were the Founding Fathers afraid of?</a> by Fred Barbash (January 15 at 8:47 AM) <i>Washington Post</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-114"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-114">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politico.com/story/2014/09/ted-cruz-obama-orders-110770.html">Ted Cruz pushes for vote on Obama orders</a>, <i>Politico</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-115"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-115">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Robert Costa, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nationalreview.com/article/356934/rise-rafael-cruz-robert-costa">"The Rise of Rafael Cruz"</a>, <i><a href="/wiki/National_Review" class="mw-redirect" title="National Review">National Review</a></i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-116"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-116">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-says-cruzs-canadian-birth-could-be-very-precarious-for-gop/2016/01/05/5ce69764-b3f8-11e5-9388-466021d971de_story.html">Trump says Cruz’s Canadian birth could be ‘very precarious’ for GOP</a> By Robert Costa and Philip Rucker (January 5 at 8:11 PM) <i>Washington Post</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-117"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-117">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/264930-coulter-cruz-is-not-a-natural-born-citizen">Coulter: Cruz is not a natural born citizen</a> By Jonathan Easley (January 06, 2016, 12:32 pm) <i>The Hill</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-118"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-118">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/11/politics/rand-paul-ted-cruz-canadian-born-citizenship/">Rand Paul: Ted Cruz 'natural-born Canadian'</a> by Tal Kopan (Updated 12:56 PM ET, Mon January 11, 2016) <i>CNN</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-119"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-119">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/editorials/ted-cruz-i-am-not-canadian/article16220647/">I am not Canadan!</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-PolFact1-120"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-PolFact1_120-0">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2013/aug/20/ted-cruz-born-canada-eligible-run-president/">Is Ted Cruz, born in Canada, eligible to run for president?</a>, PolitiFact</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-121"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-121">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2015/mar/26/ted-cruz-born-canada-eligible-run-president-update/">Is Ted Cruz, born in Canada, eligible to run for president? (Updated)</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-122"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-122">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/megan-smolenyak-smolenyak/ted-cruz-and-the-question_b_8937948.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592">Ted Cruz and the Question of 'Natural Born' Citizenship</a> by Megan Smolenyak (Posted: 01/08/2016 8:40 am EST Updated: 01/08/2016 9:59 am EST) <i>HuffPost</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-123"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-123">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/ted-cruz-mother-canadian-voter-list">http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/ted-cruz-mother-canadian-voter-list</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-124"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-124">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://twitter.com/clmazin/status/861680716106522624">https://twitter.com/clmazin/status/861680716106522624</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-125"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-125">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.texastribune.org/2012/07/23/cruz-supreme-court-work-heart-campaign/">For Cruz, Supreme Court Work at Heart of Campaign</a> by Aman Batheja (July 23, 2012) <i>Texas Tribune</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-126"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-126">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2013/09/30/kelly-mcparland-ted-cruz-and-his-wacko-birds-bring-republican-civil-war-to-a-head/">Ted Cruz and his ‘wacko birds’ bring Republican civil war to a head</a>, <i>National Post</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-127"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-127">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/even-now-senate-republicans-still-dont-ted-cruz">[2]</a>, <i>MSNBC</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-128"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-128">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Magary, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.gq.com/story/ted-cruz-is-the-reason-trump-won">"Dammit Ted"</a>, <i>GQ</i> 5.4.16.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-129"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-129">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://theconcourse.deadspin.com/farewell-to-ted-cruz-self-made-sucker-1774699995">Farewell To Ted Cruz, Self-Made Sucker</a> Deadspin.com</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-130"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-130">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/10/us/politics/after-making-enemies-ted-cruz-works-at-making-friends.html?_r=0">After Making Enemies, Ted Cruz Tries to Make Friends</a>, <i>The New York Times</i></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-131"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-131">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external free" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senator-al-franken-heres-the-thing-you-have-to-understand-about-ted-cruz-2017-5">https://www.businessinsider.com/senator-al-franken-heres-the-thing-you-have-to-understand-about-ted-cruz-2017-5</a></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-132"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-132">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/529651-pennsylvania-ag-calls-ted-cruz-a-sad-sack-after-trump-calls-for-his-help">Pennsylvania AG calls Ted Cruz a 'sad sack' after Trump asks for his help in Texas lawsuit</a>, Jordan Williams, <i>The Hill</i> 10 December 2020</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-133"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-133">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ny-ted-cruz-australia-covid-20211018-x2mmeopwsndu5livlvuvijfare-story.html">Ted Cruz rebuked by Australian official: ‘You know nothing about us’</a>, Brian Niemietz, <i>Daily News</i>, 18 October 2021</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-134"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-134">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Jay Root (July 3, 2012). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.texastribune.org/2012/07/03/ted-cruzs-gay-billionaire-donor-draws-criticism/">"Cruz Mega-Donor is Gay, Pro-Pot Billionaire"</a>. <i>The Texas Tribune</i>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-135"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><a href="#cite_ref-135">↑</a></span> <span class="reference-text">Ryan Mac and Lisa Lerer (February 14, 2022). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20231225042226/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/14/technology/republican-trump-peter-thiel.html">"The Right’s Would-Be Kingmaker"</a>. <i>The New York Times</i>.</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div role="navigation" aria-labelledby="75px_2016_United_States_presidential_election_articles_on_RationalWiki_75pxv_-_t_-_e-navigationbox" class="toccolours" style="clear:both; margin:0.5em 3.5%; text-align:center;"> <div style="margin:0.15em; padding:0.1em; background:#ccccff; font-weight:bold;"><span id="75px_2016_United_States_presidential_election_articles_on_RationalWiki_75pxv_-_t_-_e-navigationbox"><a href="/wiki/File:Donald_Trump_official_portrait_(3x4a).jpg" class="image"><img alt="Donald Trump official portrait (3x4a).jpg" 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Trump</a></b> <small>(presidential nominee)</small> - <b><a href="/wiki/Mike_Pence" title="Mike Pence">Mike Pence</a></b> <small>(vice presidential nominee)</small> - <a href="/wiki/Jeb_Bush" title="Jeb Bush">Jeb Bush</a> - <a href="/wiki/Ben_Carson" title="Ben Carson">Ben Carson</a> - <a href="/wiki/Chris_Christie" title="Chris Christie">Chris Christie</a> - <a class="mw-selflink selflink">Ted Cruz</a> - <a href="/wiki/Mike_Huckabee" title="Mike Huckabee">Mike Huckabee</a> - <a href="/wiki/Bobby_Jindal" title="Bobby Jindal">Bobby Jindal</a> - <a href="/wiki/John_Kasich" title="John Kasich">John Kasich</a> - <a href="/wiki/Rand_Paul" title="Rand Paul">Rand Paul</a> - <a href="/wiki/Rick_Perry" title="Rick Perry">Rick Perry</a> - <a href="/wiki/Marco_Rubio" title="Marco Rubio">Marco Rubio</a> - <a href="/wiki/Scott_Walker" title="Scott Walker">Scott Walker</a> <br /> <u><b>Democratic Party</b></u> <small>(<a href="/wiki/2016_Democratic_Party_presidential_nomination" title="2016 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