Regardless of who you support in the 2016 Presidential primary race, most will admit there’s one strategic advantage held by Donald Trump over all other candidates – Trump’s willingness to “own the downside“.

All policies and proposals have a “downside“, there’s no such thing as a policy proposal with benefit to all and harm to none.   This empirical truth is toxic to professional politicians – therefore they spend an inordinate amount of time using pretzel logic to avoid it.

As a direct consequence of avoidance, the media love to use the downside as a weapon.  For the first time in recent political memory Donald Trump represents a candidacy who is unafraid of their spear; and as a consequence, immune to the damage. (more…)

Someone in an earlier thread tried to claim that Candidate Ted Cruz was “out front” against the import of Syrian refugees.  Unfortunately, reality begs to differ.

Here’s video of Ted Cruz (from his own U-Tube channel) in 2014 specifically advocating for the direct import of additional Syrian refugees.  Additionally interesting, when confronted with the concern of terrorist embeds within the refugee population – Senator Ted Cruz was dismissive of the issue saying he was confident we have a way to insure that doesn’t happen:

Then again, this is “Senator” Ted Cruz, and not “Candidate” Ted Cruz – apparently those are two different people. (more…)

And by try, we mean generally failing miserably. 

By now almost everyone has awakened to how media manipulates and advocates.  It is very easy to see who corporate media support, both democrat and republican, and also increasingly easier to see why.

As an example the Wall Street Journal support Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio.  National Review also support Bush / Rubio – the establishment selections.  However, ideological alignment, and specific intent to create candidate benefit, should be noted and given attention when various levels of nuance are noticed.

There is another aspect that needs to be discussed regarding espoused views of “conservative media”. Everyone should pay attention to the Super-PAC spending, and campaign spending, as it relates to opinions that ultimately come from those media entities.

There is massive campaign spending taking place particularly amid talk radio formats (Limbaugh, Hannity, Levin, and Salem Media Networks as examples), it is disingenuous in the extreme not to notice the espoused views from punditry are impacted by the financial benefits afforded them via campaign, and special interest, ad revenues. (more…)

In a hilariously transparent rush to catch-up to Donald J Trump’s prior position (asserting no Syrian refugees should be granted access to the U.S.A), candidate Marco Rubio joins with another ‘johnny-come-lately‘ Ted Cruz:

In light of the terrorist attacks in Paris, the Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio on Sunday said the US should not take in more Syrian refugees.

The Florida senator had previously signalled openness to relocating some of the millions fleeing the Syrian civil war to American shores.

(more…)

It would appear Candidate Ted Cruz is now aligning himself with the position of Donald Trump.  It was several months ago when Trump told media he would immediately repatriate any Syrian refugee taken by the Obama administration – the media blasted him for it.    This move by Ted Cruz has a particular whiff of political opportunism to it.

TED CRUZ RESPONDS TO PARIS ATTACK – “America must stand with our allies against the scourge of radical Islamic terrorism. This is an evil that does not discriminate between French, German or American, Christian, Muslim or Jew, soldier, football player, or concert goer. Their only goal is to murder those who do not submit to their vicious, totalitarian ideology. Our deepest condolences go out to our French allies, and I know the government of the United States stands by to offer any assistance necessary.

“We must now face the facts. Between the downing of the Russian jet over Egypt and this massive coordinated attack on Paris, we are seeing an unmistakable escalation of ISIS’ ambitions and the scale of their terrorist attacks outside Syria and Iraq. Even as chaos rages in Paris, we need to take immediate, commonsense steps to preserve our own safety. (more…)

Senator Marco Rubio and Senator Ted Cruz are competing for the ‘moderate amnesty vote’.

Via CNN – Rubio, speaking in Hilton Head, South Carolina, Thursday, noted Cruz’s support for H-1B visas as the two senators spar over broader immigration policy.

“Ted is a supporter of legalizing people that are in this country illegally,” Rubio said. “In fact, when the Senate bill was proposed he proposed legalizing people that were here illegally — he proposed giving them work permits. He’s also supported a massive expansion of the green cards. He’s supported a massive expansion of the H-1B program – a 500% increase.”

He added: “If you look at it, I don’t think our positions are dramatically different.” (link)

Ted Cruz isn’t the only presidential candidate trying to hide his support of the globalist trade deal known as TPP.   Marco Rubio is trying a similar approach at avoidance.

It would appear that both Rubio and Cruz have recognized that not only is TPP unpopular, but their support for TPP has the potential to expose their hidden alignments with Wall Street globalists. 

This election will be won/lost around this issue – watch.

( Via Breitbart ) Marco Rubio declared the Trans-Pacific Partnership to be one of three essential “pillars” of a Rubio Presidency—is now taking issue with a Wall Street Journal news report that lists Rubio as supporting the unpopular Obamatrade pact he voted to fast-track.

The Wall Street Journal article observed that: “Still backing the trade legislation are the party’s establishment wing candidates: Sen. Marco Rubio and former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida and Govs. John Kasich of Ohio and Chris Christie of New Jersey.”

Indeed, it was in the very pages of the Wall Street Journal that on April 29th Rubio wrote: “We must rebuild our own military capabilities, conclude and pass TPP, and renew our support for freedom and the rule of law in Asia.” (more…)

Red Circled Candidates All Support Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement (TPP)

HR2146 (TPA “Trade Promotion Authority” or “Fast Track”):  This House Bill #2146 originating April 30th ’15, became the vehicle for passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal.

HR2146 was originally introduced in the House of Representatives as a bill to address issues with retirement funds of federal law enforcement officers and firefighters.

In April of 2015 Senator Ted Cruz and House Ways and Means Chairman, Representative Paul Ryan, supported TPA being added to HR2146.  Their support was most notable when they posted the following Op-Ed which appeared in the Wall Street Journal on April 22nd: (more…)

We have exhaustively outlined the GOPe road map to insure the nomination of Jeb Bush for the Republican Presidential Candidate in 2016.   While the road map is rather complex, it essentially boils down to a strategy of small accumulated delegate pickups using 15-20% electoral support.

Candidates George Pataki and Jim Gilmore have already been disqualified from the Alabama Primary, yet they remain in the race.  Only a handful of candidates (Bush, Trump, Cruz and to a lesser extent Rubio & Fiorina) have efforts underway to qualify for ballot placement in all of the states with primary dates prior to April 1st 2016.  (more…)