Thread: Ted Cruz, Paul Ryan offer conservatives a 2016 contrast at CPAC

Ted Cruz, Paul Ryan offer conservatives a 2016 contrast at CPAC

By Michael A. Memoli
March 6, 2014, 9:33 a.m.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.--The potential choice facing voters in the next Republican presidential race was on full display Thursday at the kickoff of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, where Ted Cruz and Paul Ryan offered conservative activists their vision for the way forward.

In a polished speech, Cruz, the headline-grabbing Texas senator, offered his familiar call for conservatives to hold true to their principles at a time when liberty was "under assault." Republicans who've strayed from that course have failed to win for a reason, he said.

"You want to lose elections? Stand for nothing," Cruz said. "All of us remember President Dole and President McCain and President Romney. Those are good men. They are decent men. But when you don't stand and draw a clear distinction, when you don't stand for principle, Democrats celebrate."

He outlined a 10-point plan that he said conservatives can rally around, with items like defending the Constitution, boosting energy production, passing a balanced budget, and repealing "every single word of Obamacare." And in a direct appeal, he said the key to inspiring young voters was to "tell the truth," as Ronald Reagan andRon Paul had.

"We need to turn this country around," he said. "We did it in 1980 with a grass roots movement that became the Reagan revolution. And let me tell you, the same thing is happening [now]."

Ryan, speaking shortly after Cruz, directly took on Democrats' new push for policies to address income inequality, calling it a sign the party is "out of ideas." The GOP's budget guru and 2012 vice presidential nominee pointed to specific proposals from a cast of Republicans in Congress – a list that did not include Cruz's name – as examples of how the party can apply conservative principles to the issues of the day.

In a subtle contrast to Cruz, Ryan said there was a difference "between being pragmatic and being unprincipled." And he later said that in Washington it was hard to tell who "came here to start a career" versus those who came "to take on a cause."

He highlighted his work on conservative budget blueprints as the House Budget Committee chairman, noting that at first only a few were willing to sign on to them but that after the tea party wave of 2010, they passed the House multiple times.

"Let the other party be the party of personalities. We want to be the parties of ideas," he said.

Ryan acknowledged divisions within the Republican ranks today, but said he saw it only as "creative tension" and a healthy debate.

"It's messy. It's noisy. It's a little uncomfortable," he said. "But the center of gravity is shifting."

Ryan and Cruz are the first of roughly a dozen potential 2016 GOP candidates to address the annual CPAC, the largest annual gathering of conservative activists.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, and Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) will address the audience later Thursday. Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) are slated to speak Friday.

http://www.latimes.com/nation/politi...#ixzz2vCpCf0ZM

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GOP http://www.alipac.us/f8/traitor-list...stance-289229/

Conservative firebrand Ted Cruz launches political convention with crowd-pleasing demand to abolish the IRS

• Cruz is a Texas senator and likely presidential candidate
• He wants to replace the IRS with a smaller agency that would collect postcard-sized income tax returns based on a flat tax rate
• Cruz also wants to 'repeal every word of Obamacare'
• President Obama said on Super Bowl Sunday that there was 'not a smidgen of corruption' in an IRS scandal involving the targeting of tea party groups
• 'You keep on using this word,' Cruz retorted, channeling a character from The Princess Bride. 'I do not think it means what you think it means.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...authority.html

Chris Matthews: There's Something About Ted Cruz That Is Bad For The Country

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Well, that's what I want to get to. We'll get to the issue of social justice in a minute, but the personality of [Ted] Cruz always amazes me. I can see the appeal of a Rand Paul. He's kind of a libertarian. I don't think he's a hater, he just wants total and utter freedom because he read The Fountainhead four-thousand times, and probably Atlas Shrugged a million times.

But he believes in it. Fine. Barry Goldwater was like that, he wasn't an evil guy. But Cruz looks like a guy that's out to get people. He votes against every nominee. He attacks Chuck Hagel, whose out defending our country there, as some sort of guy who is selling us out to the North Koreans.

He makes these personal attacks on people's patriotism. There's something about him I really don't think is good for the country. He even looks and acts like Joe McCarthy. Why do people in Texas think he's the second coming of what? Joe McCarthy? Why do they like him?

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/vid...e_country.html

http://www.alipac.us/f8/traitor-list...stance-289229/

20. REP. PAUL RYAN (R-WI)

Proof-- “I do support what (the Gang of 7) are doing. I think they put out a good product. It’s good policy.”

http://www.alipac.us/f12/paul-ryan-endorses-immigration-bill-after-labrador-walks-away-280486/

Ted Cruz is a Canadian and is unfit for elected office. Throw him out of the senate and out of the country. Government positions in the US are for citizens only.

McCain and Dole Scorch Cruz for CPAC

NBCNews.com

- ‎1 hour ago‎

John McCain says that Ted Cruz owes Bob Dole an apology, and Dole says Cruz should "check my voting record." Appearing on Andrea Mitchell Reports on Friday, the Arizona Republican said that Cruz unfairly described Dole as one of several past ...

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