Ted Cruz: A Modern Day Napolean

     There was a time when Ted Cruz first claimed the national stage by winning a seat in the United States Senate as a representative from Texas, that I admired him. The first term senator seemed to be a solid conservative who was willing to stand on principle. Even though I supported Senator Cruz I cautioned family and friends not to hang their hopes on any one person, men always disappoint, only God can be trusted completely. Over the last several years my warning has unfortunately come to fruition with regards to Ted Cruz.
     His supporters like that he "sticks it" to the establishment, even when they may not deserve it. This was the case with Mr. Cruz's recent emotional outburst against Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Not that I am a fan of the Majority Leader, but neither I am a fan of airing the Party's dirty laundry in public, which seems to be a mainstay of the Cruz modus operandi. He called Mitch McConnell a liar and did not present any evidence of his charge.
     At the kernel of the disagreement between the Majority Leader and the senate's biggest crybaby is the Majority Leader's assurance that there was no deal struck with Democrats over the import/export bank. Mr. Cruz accused Mr. McConnell of lying because he allowed a vote on the import/export bank. However, Mr. Cruz has not to this date presented any evidence that the vote was a result of some nefarious deal that the Majority Leader made with Democrat senators.
     When the Republicans won the majority in the senate last Fall, the new Majority Leader said he was not going to run the senate as his predecessor Harry Reid did. In the Reid-lead senate, the determining factor as to whether any amendment was presented for a vote depended completely on the whim of the Majority Leader. In this senate, lead by Mitch McConnell, an amendment is submitted to the whole senate based on whether there appears to be majority support for it. The amendment to re-authorize the import/export bank was such an amendment. Mr. Cruz's amendments that he has been publicly whining about not having approved for a full vote, did not have majority support.
     The Republican leadership in congress can be faulted for many things they have done wrong, or times when they may have not appeared to stand on principle. But the McConnell-lead senate has passed a budget for the first time in 6 years, and along with support from the Boehner-lead House have cut the annual budget deficit by 2/3. What Mr. Cruz and his supporters seem to want is public humiliation of leadership for the wrongs of which they have determined the leadership to be guilty. Ronald Reagan once said that his eleventh commandment was to never publicly criticize another Republican. Mr. Cruz would be wise to follow the leadership example set by President Reagan, instead of the slash and burn tactics of Napoleon.