By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Well, the guy who ushered in the recent government shutdown with a 21 hour filibuster sure gets it honest. Texas senator Ted Cruz, that darling of the Tea Baggers, is no longer the Harvard educated political mystery man who chides the administration at every turn and who rabble rouses what is loosely referred to as the Republican base. Seems he learned the techniques of fact-free demagoguery at daddy’s knee and not amid the ivy in Cambridge (or at Princeton as Elaine M reminds me). That’s right, the Right (as in far) Reverend Rafael Cruz has embarked on his own freewheeling magical mystery tour armed only with the credential that he sired that darling of the Rebel flag wavers. Cashing in on sonny boy’s status among some on the right, Rafael Cruz is now touring the country demanding Obama “go back to Kenya” and turning the Treaty of Tripoli* on its head claiming divine sanction in decreeing that the land of the free and home of the brave is also the exclusive dominion of the Christian. And if that isn’t a big enough stain on his vestments, the representative of the Savior commands all Tea Baggers to shinny on up to the latest polling place to vote Republican.
IRS are you listening?
Speaking to the faithful at a Republican rally in Hood County (no pun intended), Texas, the elder Cruz gave us a new spin on two centuries plus of previously settled American history. Ignoring the fact that most of the movers and shakers who founded the nation were deists (and not Christians as currently subscribed), Cruz said “the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were signed on the knees of the framers” and were a “divine revelation from God, yet our president has the gall to tell us that this is not a Christian nation…The United States of America was formed to honor the word of God.” Amen brother, pass the plate.
Cruz the elder added this little historical revelation to his earlier intelligence blockbuster that President Obama is really an “outright Marxist” who “seeks to destroy all concept of God.” “Back to Kenya” he goes was our man of God’s solution to the crisis of faith facing the nation.
Perhaps sensing that daddy might be more useful in the attic behind a locked door or maybe as a guest at an institution where falling down or colliding with walls is never a worry, Senator Cruz dismissed the rantings. “He is a pastor. He is a man of deep integrity. And he made a joke.” Sonny didn’t disagree or distance himself from the remarks, however. Hardy Har Har.
Yep, those fire and brimstone guys are a laugh a minute. Lewis Black look out! Raffy Cruz is stealing your material. Here is the jokester at his best before an audience that seems more than happy to pay the two drink minimum from that Comedy Central of the right birtherreport.com.
I’m guessing the beverage is Jonestown Kool-ade:
Those Cruz’ are a riot.
For those who think that the Ivy League schooled Sen Ted Cruz may have educated himself out of this lunacy, I suggest that you ask too much genetic engineering from mere college professors.
Source: Huff Post
~Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
* From the treaty ratified by the Senate and signed by President John Adams:
As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion,—as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen ],—and as the said States never entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.
People who hate Ted Cruz, etc:
“The race card is dead. It’s time for the left to stop playing it.”
——————————-
It’s time for the right to stop dealing it.
It is obvious that Rafael Cruz is un-American with his views. They are not too surprising given his background as I have found that most Cuban exiles only want democracy for themselves and not others. Dominionism is as anti-American as one can get.
1. Batista was only one of numerous dictators that we have either supported or installed and supported over the years. Had he not been overthrown by Castro, someone else would have come along in due course. Many people supported Castro and the revolution, and for many reasons. My view is that the revolution was amply justified and I am sure that Mr. Cruz believed that as well.
2. I have no idea whether the elder Cruz is a man of integrity, and that issue is of no real importance. I also do not care whether he actually believes what he preaches. What is important is that he is wrong historically and theologically.
3. The Constitution was written by men for men. Regardless of what David Barton and other pretend historians may claim, that document was not intended to be a blueprint for the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth.
4. As Mike Spindell noted in his column two weeks ago, Mr. Cruz and his son are Christian dominionists. Dominionism and its foundation in Christian Reconstructionism have been the subject of prior columns on this blog. Dominionism is a threat to the form of government contemplated under the Constitution because it rejects religious pluralism and the very notion of secular government.
Mike Appleton wrote: “As Mike Spindell noted in his column two weeks ago, Mr. Cruz and his son are Christian dominionists.”
I don’t believe for one second that Ted Cruz adheres to any form of dominionism. It would take a lot more than quoting his father using the word “dominion” in a sermon to convince me of that. Everything Ted Cruz has written and done in his life shows that he is a strong Constitutionalist. Nobody who is a Constitutionalist is a dominionist. If I had to place a bet, I would bet that Ted Cruz’s eschatology was premillennial. The people who are screaming that he is a dominionist are motivated by their rabid anti-religious bigotry rather than by a rational intellectual understanding of Ted Cruz’s theology.
“I don’t believe for one second that Ted Cruz adheres to any form of dominionism.”
DavidM,
Of course you don’t………wink, wink, …..wink. That would be politically foolish and indiscreet until after he gets elected.
Annie,
It would be interesting, but I do not think Cruz will be able to grab the big ring.
People are too tough on Cruz. The RepubliCons should nominate him for President and see how it shakes out. I might vote for him if he promises to end welfare as we know it. But that includes the Military Industrial Complex and all those at the government trough not just the bearers of food stamp credit cards.
Gee I thought it was about that great Democrat Jessie Jackson Jr. and his dad
When I first watched those video clips of the elder Cruz, it brought home the fact that the Tea Party and the Religious Right have merged, melded and become one. The Tea Party for so long denied that they were seriously concerned wih social issues, but it’s become apparent that this was never the case. This Dominionist movement and Christian Fundamentalism threaten our secular government, IMO. I hope if Cruz gets the nomination, that he and is father’s religious beliefs as they pertain to governing are thouroughly examined.
“embarked on his own freewheeling magical mystery tour armed only with the credential that he sired that darling of the Rebel flag waivers.”
I really did miss you, Mark.
david,
I did not say that the US backed Batista throughout his tenure. Secondly, where is your documentation that Raphael backed Castro, but did not know he was a communist? Why are we supposed to believe that??
david,
I found your comment in spam and released it.
My reply to rafflaw was trapped by WordPress. Could a moderator please release it?
davidm2575:
I took this as a satirical comment based on Rafael Cruz’s comment on sending Obama back to Kenya.
lotta,
thanks for providing the documentation that the US backed Batista!
rafflaw wrote: “thanks for providing the documentation that the US backed Batista!”
Surely you don’t believe that is the whole story, do you? There is a lot of misinformation and slanted history about the U.S. and Cuba. Many histories omit the support Americans had toward Castro as Batista became dictatorial. Eisenhower never really supported Castro, but many Americans were mixed about what happened in Cuba.
Initially the U.S. supported Batista when he won the 1952 election, but Batista became dictatorial and unpopular. In the later election, he preempted it with a coup. When Castro gave his speech from the mountains in which he was organizing his own coup, John F Kennedy approved of Castro. Later, as surely you know from well publicized history of his Presidency, he opposed Castro. This is pretty much the same path Rafael Cruz took.
“Castro promised to restore democracy in Cuba, a feat Batista had failed to accomplish. This promise was looked upon benevolently but watchfully by Washington. Castro was believed to be too much in the hands of the people to stretch the rules of politics very far. The U.S. government supported Castro’s coup. It professed to not know about Castro’s Communist leanings.”
http://www.beyondweird.com/conspiracies/castro.html
“At first the United States supported Castro but when he embraced communism, the U.S. attempted to overthrow him. On April 17, 1961, at Cuba’s Bay of Pigs, there was a battle between U.S. sponsored Cuban exiles and the Cuban armed forces.”
http://staff.esuhsd.org/balochie/studentprojects/cubanrevcastro/index.html
I have heard it said by a couple of pundits last week that ‘attacking’ Ted Cruz’s father for his comments was breaking the rules, politicians family members were supposed to be off limits.
Not if they’re active campaigners.
Ann Coulter was on the Maher show Friday and dismissed the whole Kenya comment (and the birther obsession in general) as a joke, just a joke. Yeah, ha,ha. sure.
@ lottakatz “Not if they’re active campaigners.”
i think that is the right boundary. Everyone, even politicians, is entitled to some privacy.
But when family members involve themselves in the campaign or make public pronouncements then they open themselves to public comment and criticism.
BTW, I wasn’t laughing when I watched Mr Cruz’s remarks. Somehow it did not occur to me that he was joking.
Our government (and the MOB) gave money and assistance to Batista in his attempts to root out and destroy any revolutionaries.
***
“….by negotiating lucrative relationships with the American mafia, who controlled the drug, gambling, and prostitution businesses in Havana, and with large multinational American corporations that had invested considerable amounts of money in Cuba.[7][8] To quell the growing discontent amongst the populace—which was subsequently displayed through frequent student riots and demonstrations—Batista established tighter censorship of the media, while also utilizing his anti-Communist secret police to carry out wide-scale violence, torture and public executions; ultimately killing anywhere from 1,000 to 20,000 people.[9][10] For several years until 1959, the Batista regime received financial, military, and logistical support from the United States of America.[11]”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulgencio_Batista
“Cuba 1956[edit]
In June, 1956, Lyman Kirkpatrick, a senior Central Intelligence Agency figure, traveled to Cuba to offer President Batista aid and assistance in the development of the Bureau Para La Repression de Actividades Comunistas (BRAC), a Cuban agency established to combat the growing anti-government movement.[1]”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_activities_in_Cuba
Once again Nick shows us how Republicans also face his wrath. Notice how he focuses on the remarks of the campaigning Rev. Cruz
“The Rev. Wright comes to mind. Of course, Obama chose his angry, spewing, pastor. A son does not choose a father. A son should not pay for his father’s son. I’m not a “tea bagger” but I don’t hate them either”
Well, that ought to show those nasty Republicans that Nick finds them just as repulsive as he finds Democrats.
Raphael Cruz fought on the side of Castro. I wonder how many believe he was a victim of Communism, not an adherent. Until he got religion that is.
Annie wrote: “Raphael Cruz fought on the side of Castro. I wonder how many believe he was a victim of Communism, not an adherent.”
Raphael did not know Castro was a communist. Castro had the approval of many Americans like John F Kennedy, and our government provided financial support and weapons to Castro through the CIA.
davidm2575:
Rafael suggested that Obama was a Muslim. Rafael wants to send Obama back to Kenya.
Rafael Cruz indicated that his son was among the evangelical Christians who are anointed as “kings” to take control of all sectors of society, an agenda commonly referred to as the “Seven Mountains” mandate, and “bring the spoils of war to the priests”, thus helping to bring about a prophesied “great transfer of wealth”, from the “wicked” to righteous gentile believers.
I think Rafael Cruz needs to be sent back to Cuba where he came from.
Bonnie wrote: “I think Rafael Cruz needs to be sent back to Cuba where he came from.”
BigFatMike – see what I mean? How much you want to bet that NOBODY in this forum chastises Bonnie for saying this. She is doing the same thing, playing to her crowd.
@Davidm2575 ” – see what I mean? How much you want to bet that NOBODY in this forum chastises Bonnie for saying this. She is doing the same thing, playing to her crowd.
I think I am on record here and in other threads regarding acceptance and opposition to bigotry.
“If you believe this country is about broad acceptance – and I do – then the ideas of this person seem very troubling.”
But, I don’t comment or criticize everyone with whom I disagree. So far as I know Bonnie has no relatives likely to be candidates for president or other high office.
And I did wonder if Bonnie was being ironic – a sort of ‘good for the goose, good for the gander’ kind of remark.
But if Bonnie ever expresses such opinions in support of a close relative who is a political candidate for high office, I might make a remark to her as well – and I don’t care if she is right wing or the proverbial communist trying to destroy our society from within.
I do occasionally address remarks to you because you sometimes take positions on issues that interest me and you do seem open to informed discussion.
Bron:
Like I said, that’s the scariest part.
Bron, The only demo Wright played well w/ were voters Obama already owned. There was NO gain w/ Wright and a lot of loss. WTF ever became of Wright?