US Election: 2016

[Jed]

Sanders 12 Point Plan to success:

1.  Rebuilding Our Crumbling Infrastructure. We need a major investment to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure: roads, bridges, water systems, waste water plants, airports, railroads and schools. It has been estimated that the cost of the Bush-Cheney Iraq War, a war we should never have waged, will total $3 trillion by the time the last veteran receives needed care. A $1 trillion investment in infrastructure could create 13 million decent paying jobs and make this country more efficient and productive. We need to invest in infrastructure, not more war.

2.  Reversing Climate Change. The United States must lead the world in reversing climate change and make certain that this planet is habitable for our children and grandchildren. We must transform our energy system away from fossil fuels and into energy efficiency and sustainable energies. Millions of homes and buildings need to be weatherized, our transportation system needs to be energy efficient and we need to greatly accelerate the progress we are already seeing in wind, solar, geothermal, biomass and other forms of sustainable energy. Transforming our energy system will not only protect the environment, it will create good paying jobs.

3.  Creating Worker Co-ops. We need to develop new economic models to increase job creation and productivity. Instead of giving huge tax breaks to corporations which ship our jobs to China and other low-wage countries, we need to provide assistance to workers who want to purchase their own businesses by establishing worker-owned cooperatives. Study after study shows that when workers have an ownership stake in the businesses they work for, productivity goes up, absenteeism goes down and employees are much more satisfied with their jobs.

4.  Growing the Trade Union Movement. Union workers who are able to collectively bargain for higher wages and benefits earn substantially more than non-union workers. Today, corporate opposition to union organizing makes it extremely difficult for workers to join a union. We need legislation which makes it clear that when a majority of workers sign cards in support of a union, they can form a union.

5.  Raising the Minimum Wage. he current federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is a starvation wage. We need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage. No one in this country who works 40 hours a week should live in poverty.

6.  Pay Equity for Women Workers. Women workers today earn 78 percent of what their male counterparts make. We need pay equity in our country — equal pay for equal work.

7.  Trade Policies that Benefit American Workers. Since 2001 we have lost more than 60,000 factories in this country, and more than 4.9 million decent-paying manufacturing jobs. We must end our disastrous trade policies (NAFTA, CAFTA, PNTR with China, etc.) which enable corporate America to shut down plants in this country and move to China and other low-wage countries. We need to end the race to the bottom and develop trade policies which demand that American corporations create jobs here, and not abroad.

8.  Making College Affordable for All. In today's highly competitive global economy, millions of Americans are unable to afford the higher education they need in order to get good-paying jobs. Further, with both parents now often at work, most working-class families can't locate the high-quality and affordable child care they need for their kids. Quality education in America, from child care to higher education, must be affordable for all. Without a high-quality and affordable educational system, we will be unable to compete globally and our standard of living will continue to decline.

9.  Taking on Wall Street. The function of banking is to facilitate the flow of capital into productive and job-creating activities. Financial institutions cannot be an island unto themselves, standing as huge profit centers outside of the real economy. Today, six huge Wall Street financial institutions have assets equivalent to 61 percent of our gross domestic product - over $9.8 trillion. These institutions underwrite more than half the mortgages in this country and more than two-thirds of the credit cards. The greed, recklessness and illegal behavior of major Wall Street firms plunged this country into the worst financial crisis since the 1930s. They are too powerful to be reformed. They must be broken up.

10. Health Care as a Right for All. The United States must join the rest of the industrialized world and recognize that health care is a right of all, and not a privilege. Despite the fact that more than 40 million Americans have no health insurance, we spend almost twice as much per capita on health care as any other nation. We need to establish a Medicare-for-all, single-payer system.

11. Protecting the Most Vulnerable Americans. Millions of seniors live in poverty and we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of any major country. We must strengthen the social safety net, not weaken it. Instead of cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and nutrition programs, we should be expanding these programs.

12. Real Tax Reform.
At a time of massive wealth and income inequality, we need a progressive tax system in this country which is based on ability to pay. It is not acceptable that major profitable corporations have paid nothing in federal income taxes, and that corporate CEOs in this country often enjoy an effective tax rate which is lower than their secretaries. It is absurd that we lose over $100 billion a year in revenue because corporations and the wealthy stash their cash in offshore tax havens around the world. The time is long overdue for real tax reform.
Do you agree we need tax reform which asks the wealthy and large corporations and the wealthy stash their cash in offshore tax havens around the world. The time is long overdue for real tax reform.

Article Link

Woah! Might as well swap out the current National Anthem with Russia's if enough citizens 'feel the Bern.

 

[a_majoor]

It's actually a one point plan:

"Freestuffs for everyone! People you don't like will pay for it!"

Of course, no one seems to consider they are always on someone else's list as well.....

 

[CougarKing]

Some relief from all the crazy coverage of Trump making fun of Kasich's pancake-eating habits:

CBC

Ted Cruz-John Kasich deal may hurt more than just Trump
CBC
April 25, 2016

Trump and Clinton count on Tuesday's primaries to boost leads

It's a calculated plan with some calculated risk.

Working against delegate math and the primary calendar, Ted Cruz and John Kasich have formed an unusual alliance, a last-gasp ceasefire so they can double up efforts to sink Donald Trump's presidential ambitions.

But could it backfire?

(...SNIPPED)

Canadian Press

Delegate math: How Tuesday could close door on Sanders bid
Hope Yen, The Associated Press
The Canadian Press
April 25, 2016
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a town hall at Gettysburg College, on Friday, April 22, 2016, in Gettysburg, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON - Hillary Clinton can't win enough delegates on Tuesday to officially knock Bernie Sanders out of the presidential race, but she can erase any lingering honest doubts about whether she'll soon be the Democratic nominee.

After her victory in New York last week, Clinton has a lead over Sanders of more than 200 pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses. As she narrowed Sanders' dwindling opportunities to catch up, Clinton continued to build on her overwhelming support among superdelegates — the party officials who are free to back any candidate they choose.

In the last few days, Clinton picked up 14 more endorsements from superdelegates while Sanders received one, according to an Associated Press survey.

(...SNIPPED)

 

[cupper]

Tonights results show that Trump took all 5 states in tonights primaries with over 50% of the vote in all 5.

Clinton took 4 of 5, with Sanders taking Rhode Island.

With his win, Trump is now claiming to be the presumptive nominee.

Trump declares himself presumptive nominee

http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-gop-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/04/donald-trump-presumptive-nominee-2016-222494?lo=ap_a3

Donald Trump called the race over after sweeping Tuesday's five Republican primaries with blowout wins.

“I consider myself the presumptive nominee absolutely," Trump told reporters after delivering election night remarks at Trump
Tower in New York. “I started off with 17 (competitors) and now I’m winning. It's over."

Trump dismissed the recent alliance between his struggling rivals, Ted Cruz and John Kasich, as a sign of weakness from "failing campaigns."

"They can't get it done," Trump said.

Of Kasich, Trump asked, "Why is he here?" noting that the Ohio governor has still only won a single contest -- the primary in his home state.

Asked about Cruz's decision to move ahead with the vetting of potential running mates, Trump said, "He's wasting his time."
The big wins led Trump to mock months of speculation from pundits that his ceiling of support was somewhere short of 50 percent. Trump put his ceiling higher: "100 percent."

 

[CougarKing]

More on the above:

Associated Press

Trump routs rivals in Northeast; Clinton carries 4 states
Julie Pace And Catherine Lucey, The Associated Press
The Canadian Press
April 26, 2016

PHILADELPHIA - In a front-runner's rout, Republican Donald Trump roared to victory Tuesday in five contests across the Northeast and confidently declared himself the GOP's "presumptive nominee." Hillary Clinton was dominant in four Democratic races and now is 90 per cent of the way to the number she needs to claim her own nomination.

Trump's and Clinton's wins propelled them ever closer to a general election showdown. Still, Sanders and Republicans Ted Cruz and John Kasich, vowed to keep running, even as opportunities to topple the leaders dwindle.

(...SNIPPED)

Canadian Press

Donald Trump to celebrities threatening to immigrate to Canada: Go

Alexander Panetta, The Canadian Press

WASHINGTON - Donald Trump has a message for some of the celebrities musing about leaving for Canada if he's elected president: Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

The billionaire candidate expressed delight Tuesday when asked about the phenomenon of famous Americans talking about becoming political exiles if he's elected.

He said he'd be glad to make it a reality.

"Well, now I have to get elected," Trump told the morning show Fox and Friends.

(...SNIPPED)

 

[Altair]

I remember when everyone said trump's ceiling was in the 30s and 40s...

 

[PuckChaser]

I remember when everyone said trump's ceiling was in the 30s and 40s...

A lot of people see right through the desperation in Cruz and Kasich. When you basically give up hope to win by trying to focus resources to stop someone, a lot of your supporters are going to stay home on primary day. I think that's why we're seeing big shifts in actual results, only the anti Trump voters are getting out, and there's not as many as thought.

 

[a_majoor]

The Dems in dissarray. Sanders talks about creating an analogue of the TEA Party on the left, although the historical record suggests that this might not work so well:

http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/232429/

NEVER LET IT BE SAID THAT BERNIE SANDERS DOESN’T TAKE RECYCLING SERIOUSLY! Bernie: Create a Tea Party off the Left Within the Democratic Party Now.

Well, other than Occupy Wall Street, and their predecessors, including, as Glenn noted in 2011, “the Coffee Party, the Brownbaggers, The Other 95%, A New Way Forward, [and] the One Nation Movement,” it’s an idea that — much like Bernie’s underlying socialism — is an idea that’s sure to work this time!

The latest attempt to try and portray Democrat initiatives as some sort of populist movement will fail for the same reason that the others (go to article and click on the links to the various "movements" ); they are "top down" attempts to simulate a mass movement. Sanders himself is perhaps the exception; he is creating a mass movement which does have legs and can carry a large number of prospective voters. Maybe he should follow Donald Trump's advice and run as an independent.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Thucidides: You've got to stop relying on the ignorant, but prolific, blogger that is Instapundit, and read the supporting articles.

As of now, here are the number of times senator Sanders has spoken of creating a movement within the Dems: zero, nada, none, absolute silence on the matter.

On the contrary , he has clearly stated that if he lost, he would work very hard to make sure the next president is not a Republican. That smacks of rallying around the Democrat nominee to me, not fighting her.

The article quoted by Instapundit in his blog you reproduced is from Rabi Lerner, a well known Democrat, suggesting to Sanders and/or his followers how they could go about furthering their ideas within the democratic party. It does not originate from Sanders, neither has he indicated in any way that he intends to follow that advice. Nor, for that matter, is there any indication whatsoever that such a movement is in the process of creation within the Democrats.

It's important to read underlying material, especially with people like Glenn Harland Reynolds, a rather insignificant professor of law who would have been classified by the Old Teutonic war staff as being in the "stupid but hard working" category of officer, who were the worse and to be gotten rid of asap.

 

[Lumber]

It's important to read underlying material, especially with people like Glenn Harland Reynolds, a rather insignificant professor of law who would have been classified by the Old Teutonic war staff as being in the "stupid but hard working" category of officer, who were the worse and to be gotten rid of asap.

I love that categorization of officers. Makes me feel less bad about being lazy! Now just to figure out if I'm stupid or smart...

Anyways, as for feeling the Bern, there was a good article on CNN about why Sanders will not drop out of the race no matter how bleak his chances of winning are. It said that this campaign is his life's work and that he will continue to speak loudly about the issues in order to attempt political change in the system, even if he's not the one who gets to be the one effecting those changes.

 

[Lumber]

Found it!

It's an opinion piece, not gospel.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/26/opinions/sanders-is-not-dropping-out-opinion-obeidallah/index.html

 

[cupper]

Trump made a foreign policy speech today.

Takeaways: Needs to work on his use of a teleprompter. Long on criticism of previous / current policies, short on specifics about his. Donald Trump reading a prepared speech, boring.

Trump Reset? Sober Foreign Policy Address Gives Peek Into 'Trump Doctrine'

http://www.npr.org/2016/04/27/475936970/trump-reset-sober-foreign-policy-address-gives-peek-into-trump-doctrine

Championing "stability" and protectionism, Donald Trump managed a sendup of the foreign policies of the last three American presidents, as well as the candidate he is likely to face this fall in a general election — Hillary Clinton.

"With President Obama and Secretary Clinton, we've had ... a reckless, rudderless and aimless foreign policy — one that has blazed a path of destruction in its wake," Trump charged in a sober foreign policy address at a hotel in Washington. He added, "[T]he legacy of the Obama-Clinton interventions will be weakness, confusion and disarray."

Trump derided what he saw as President Obama's "weakness," lambasted George W. Bush's decision to intervene in Iraq (though he did not name the 43rd president) and Bill Clinton's "total disaster" NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement. He warned against what he called the "false song of globalism."

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign stop Tuesday in Janesville, Wis. Trump's approach to foreign policy reflects his perception that for the most part, the U.S. gets a raw deal.

The speech was more a litany of what Trump doesn't think has worked rather than a prescription of specifics — he did not mention his wall with Mexico and only alluded to his call for a temporary ban on Muslims coming into the U.S. But his 38-minute remarks did offer a peek into Trump's worldview, a window into a "Trump Doctrine" that is reflexively protectionist, against nation-building — underlined by the slogan "America First" — and reliant on a backbone of military strength.

It also gave Trump the opportunity to appear more serious and less bombastic. If there are two Trumps, as Ben Carson has said, this was "Presidential Trump." There were no "Lyin' Ted" references or mocking of John Kasich's eating habits.

Contradictions, there were a few

The Trump Doctrine did have some apparent contradictions:

Rethinking friends: He warned that NATO allies, who don't "pay their fair share," should be prepared to "defend themselves." Yet he pledged to "our friends and allies" that "America is going to be a reliable friend and ally again."

Stability vs. unpredictability: He vowed to focus on "creating stability in the world." Yet he implored, "We have to be unpredictable and be unpredictable starting now."

Critics would argue that retreating from NATO, calling for increasing nuclear weapons capability ("Our nuclear weapons arsenal — our ultimate deterrent — has been allowed to atrophy and is desperately in need of modernization and renewal") and threatening allies might have destabilizing effects.

Military spending vs. addressing debt: "We will spend what we need to rebuild our military," Trump said, blasting Obama for cutting back on military spending. "It is the cheapest investment we can make."

Military spending is the largest part of the federal budget, and yet Trump also said he could solve the nation's debt problem.

"In this time of mounting debt, no one knows how to address the debt, but I do," he boasted without specifics except talk of "waste."

A sign of how he might attack Clinton on foreign policy

Elections are choices. And Trump gave some clues as to how he might go after Clinton.

Trump's reference to "stability" follows American intervention in Iraq, the Arab Spring, the overthrow of Gadhafi in Libya and the U.S. backing of rebels in an attempt to overthrow Syria's Bashar Assad.

It has left some across party lines, and in other countries, wondering what the U.S.'s role is and should be. President Obama was elected to end wars, not start them, and he has talked of a limited footprint. But he has, at times, been dragged into conflicts he'd rather not be in or thought he had left behind.

"We went from mistakes in Iraq to Egypt to Libya, to President Obama's line in the sand in Syria," Trump said Wednesday. "Each of these actions have helped to throw the region into chaos, and gave ISIS the space it needs to grow and prosper."

Those comments happen to echo Russia's Vladimir Putin, who believes U.S. intervention in places like Iraq, Libya, Ukraine and Syria were mistakes that had dangerous destabilizing effects.

Here's what Putin told Charlie Rose in September, for example:

"We are trying to prevent the creation of a power vacuum in Syria in general, because as soon as the government agencies in a state, in a country are destroyed, a power vacuum sets in, and that vacuum is quickly filled with terrorists. This was the case in Libya and Iraq; this was the case in some other countries."

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has used a similar line against Clinton for her more interventionist tendencies. Clinton advocated arming Syrian rebels early on and was in favor of toppling Gadhafi.

"I worry," Sanders said at a debate in December, "that Secretary Clinton is too much into regime change and a little bit too aggressive without knowing what the unintended consequences might be."

It could be a preview to a Trump general-election attack. But Trump's position on intervention is not so clean cut. Remember, Trump has called for bombing "the s*** out of" ISIS in Syria and Iraq, and he has grudgingly said there might be a need for U.S. ground troops, as many as 10,000.

But there was none of that discussed Wednesday in his approach to fighting ISIS. Why?

"I have a simple message for them: Their days are numbered," Trump boasted. "I won't tell them where, and I won't tell them how."

Above all, Trump said — in a way only he can — that he would be cautious with sending troops off to war.

"I will never send our finest into battle unless necessary," Trump said, "and will only do so if we have a plan for victory — with a capital V."

 

[cupper]

Cruz is getting desperate.

He mad a BIG announcement today. Get ready for Ted and Carley's big adventure.

More of a desperate ploy to deflect attention back to him and away from Trump.

You would think that someone who believes Reagan is the GOP god would take a lesson from Reagan's 1976 run for the nomination and pulled the same publicity stunt, only to have it fail.

Ted Cruz Names Carly Fiorina As His Vice Presidential Pick

http://www.npr.org/2016/04/27/475894723/in-unprecedented-move-cruz-will-name-fiorina-as-his-vice-presidential-pick

Ted Cruz announced Tuesday he is picking former rival Carly Fiorina as his running mate in a last-ditch move designed to shake up the GOP primary race in which he badly trails Donald Trump.

Calling his decision "one of the most solemn choices you make" as a candidate, at a rally in Indianapolis, Ind., Cruz praised Fiorina's business experience, character and past ability to stand up to the Republican front-runner.

"She doesn't get overly excited," Cruz said. "She doesn't get rattled over what is being thrown at her."

He acknowledged his decision to name a running mate now was an unorthodox and unprecedented move, but that "all of us can acknowledge that this race, if anything, is unusual."

"I make this announcement today so that you, the voters, will know what you will get," Cruz said.

After a lengthy nearly half-hour introduction by Cruz, Fiorina finally took the stage as a worker changed the signs to their new campaign logo that read "Cruz Fiorina '16."

"This is the fight of our time, and I believe Ted Cruz is the man to lead that fight," the former Hewlett-Packard chief executive said as she accepted his offer to join the hypothetical GOP ticket.

Fiorina ran for president herself earlier this year before withdrawing after a disappointing showing in New Hampshire. She peaked early in the contest with a forceful showing in the first GOP debate, and proved herself to be a salient attack dog against Democrat Hillary Clinton. She endorsed Cruz in early March and has been a frequent, energetic surrogate for the Texas senator.

But actually getting the duo's ticket to victory in the Republican race is an uphill, and some would say improbable, battle. After Trump's Northeastern sweep on Tuesday night, it's mathematically impossible for Cruz to net enough delegates to win on the first ballot if Trump doesn't reach the requisite 1,237 delegates needed to clinch the nomination.

Earlier Wednesday on Fox News, Trump mocked the rumors that Cruz was making the Fiorina announcement later that afternoon.

"He's got no path to victory and he's naming a vice presidential candidate. I guess that's cute," Trump deadpanned.

Cruz trails Trump now by almost 400 delegates, and he needs a big win next Tuesday in Indiana to even hope to close the gap. The surprise pre-emptive announcement of Fiorina as his running mate is designed to try to move more support in the Hoosier State his way. There were more machinations to try to salvage his hopes in Indiana over the weekend when he and Ohio Gov. John Kasich's campaign announced an informal alliance where Kasich (who is a distant third in delegates) agreed he wouldn't campaign in Indiana while Cruz ceded New Mexico and Oregon to Kasich.

Cruz has proved more adept than Trump at wooing unpledged delegates and winning over activists at state conventions, including some Trump-pledged delegates who could break for him at a multiballot convention.

His announcement of Fiorina is a Hail Mary political calculation designed to salvage his fading White House hopes. In 1976, Ronald Reagan tried something similar by announcing he would name Pennsylvania Sen. Richard Schweiker as his would-be vice president. But that move came after all primaries had concluded, and he was still trailing President Gerald Ford in delegates. The gamble failed and the incumbent Republican wrested enough delegates to secure the nomination on the first ballot.

Fiorina could be helpful for Cruz in another state where he badly needs to stop Trump: California, which votes on the last major primary day, June 7. She unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2010 in the state. But her selection could also reopen criticisms that resurfaced during that failed run and her own White House campaign, over her tenure and eventual ouster from HP coupled with layoffs at the tech company.

The Cruz announcement of Fiorina as his running mate designate comes after Hillary Clinton has also essentially clinched the Democratic nomination, which would make her the first female major party nominee in history. Republicans believed early on in the race that Fiorina, the only woman in the GOP race, could uniquely criticize Clinton in a way without the backlash that other male candidates might risk.

Many Republicans worry that if Trump is the nominee, he will alienate female voters in the general election given his past controversial comments on women — a fear exacerbated by his victory speech last night where he blasted Clinton for playing "the woman's card."

"If Hillary Clinton were a man, I don't think she would get 5 percent of the vote," he jabbed at the end of his remarks.

Trump has been critical of Fiorina as well in the past, particularly her looks.

"Look at that face!" Trump said in a Rolling Stone article last September. "Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president."

"Ladies, look at this face," Fiorina fired back on the campaign trail. "This is the face of a 61-year-old woman. I am proud of every year and every wrinkle."

 

[Altair]

If one good come from a trump presidency it's that he said he would kick the free loaders out of NATO.

Considering that we, canada, spend half of the two percent of GDP that every NATO member is suppose to, that would mean doubling the 20 billion give or take that the CAF gets to 40 billion or so,or we go it alone.

I don't think any party in power could stand the national shame of being kicked out of NATO.

Go trump.

 

[cupper]

The other famous orange skinned man shares his opinion on the GOP race.

John, it's not healthy to hold things in. Tell us what you really think.  ;D

Boehner Says He's Never 'Worked With A More Miserable Son Of A Bitch' Than Cruz

http://www.npr.org/2016/04/28/476016486/boehner-says-hes-never-worked-with-a-more-miserable-son-of-a-bitch-than-cruz

Former House Speaker John Boehner is a retired politician, so he seems to have retired from being politic. He went with radical honesty at a recent event at Stanford, according to the Stanford Daily, when he was asked about his opinion of Republican presidential candidate and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

"Lucifer in the flesh," the former speaker said. "I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life."

Consider how strong those words are: John Boehner was in Congress for 24 years.

Boehner entered the House in 1991. Total up all the House members not re-elected in the elections since then, and it's nearly 800. On the Senate side, it's more than 100. And then add in the 535 members who are there right now who Boehner also worked with.

And they all had staffers. Plus there were some delegates. And then there were the years Boehner spent in the Ohio House. And true, some of those Congress members left and came back, but you get the idea: Boehner has worked with thousands of people on the Hill. Apparently, Ted Cruz is at the bottom of that list.

(The comment has also inspired a joke site already: Lucifer2016.com now redirects to Cruz's new campaign site, CruzCarly.com, as NBC News producer Margaret Menefee tweeted on Thursday.)

It's making headlines, but Boehner's comment just puts an exclamation point on one of the existing storylines of the election: many of Cruz's colleagues don't like working with him. As NPR's Ailsa Chang reported this year, Cruz's role (with House Republicans) in a 2013 government shutdown, plus that time he called Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell a liar, helped him make a long list of enemies in the Senate. That has also helped limit his list of endorsements.

But then, Cruz has been running an anti-establishment campaign, lambasting "Washington insiders" throughout the primary fight. It would almost be off-brand for too many senators to love him, as Chang pointed out.

"I never worked with John Boehner. Truth is, I don't know him that well," Cruz responded on Thursday. He added that he reached out to Boehner during the government shutdown but that Boehner rejected the offer.

As for Boehner, he had kinder words for the other candidates: he said he plays golf with Donald Trump and is also "texting buddies" with him, though he had milder praise for Ohio Gov. John Kasich ("[Kasich] requires more effort on my behalf than all my other friends ... but he's still my friend, and I love him").

Boehner added that while he would vote for Trump in a general election, he would not vote for Cruz.

 

[cupper]

Remember this?

I was wrong. It just got weirder.  :facepalm: :facepalm:

Caitlyn Jenner Likes Ted Cruz, Wants to Be His 'Trans Ambassador'
Jenner says she met Cruz before her transition "and he was very nice."

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/national-international/Caitlyn-Jenner-Ted-Cruz-Trans-Ambassador-370982061.html?_osource=SocialFlowFB_DCBrand

Yeah, well maybe not so much now.

Caitlyn Jenner Uses Donald Trump's Bathroom to Slam Ted Cruz's Anti-Trans Policies: 'By the Way, Ted, Nobody Got Molested!'
The "I Am Cait" star makes a big political statement in new video

http://www.nbcwashington.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/Caitlyn-Jenner-Uses-Donald-Trump-s-Bathroom-to-Slam-Ted-Cruz-377372591.html?_osource=SocialFlowFB_DCBrand

Caitlyn Jenner is responding to Donald Trump's message of support.

Last week, the Republican presidential front-runner supported trans people's right to use any bathroom in which they feel comfortable. While talking about North Carolina's anti-trans bathroom law on "Today," Trump was asked, "So if Caitlyn Jenner were to walk into Trump Tower and want to use the bathroom, you would be fine with her using any bathroom she chooses?"

"That is correct," Trump responded firmly.

Republican challenger Ted Cruz, who has come out in favor of North Carolina's new law banning people from using public bathrooms that do not match the sex listed on their birth certificates, said these laws prevent "predators."

The "I Am Cait" star posted a video of herself entering a Trump bathroom Wednesday, while also slamming Ted Cruz and his anti-trans policies.

"A trans woman in New York, I gotta take a pee. Anyway... Oh my God, Trump International Tower, I love this," Jenner says in her Facebook video. "OK, last week Donald Trump said I could take a pee anywhere in a Trump facility. I am gonna go take a pee in the ladies' room."

After exiting the bathroom, Jenner says to the camera, "Thank you, Donald, really appreciate it. And by the way, Ted, nobody got molested."

The shade Jenner is throwing is particularly sassy considering her previous support for Cruz's campaign.

"I like Ted Cruz. I think he's very conservative, and a great constitutionalist, and a very articulate man," the E! star said. "I haven't endorsed him or anything like that. But I also think, he's an evangelical Christian, and probably one of the worst ones when it comes to trans issues."

Jenner said she met Cruz before her transition "and he was very nice."

She more recently called his anti-trans views "totally misinformed."

 

[a_majoor]

The fact that this is an issue at all (especially given the magnitude of the real issues) speaks to some seriously malfunctioning institutions and social structures in the United States.

 

[Altair]

The fact that this is an issue at all (especially given the magnitude of the real issues) speaks to some seriously malfunctioning institutions and social structures in the United States.

The religious right has lost many battles in the past few decades, bathrooms might be the last stand.

 

[cupper]

I wouldn't make that bet if I were you.

They are like the Energizer Bunny.

And they've had some significant wins in the past few years, the Hobby Lobby case being the most significant of them.

Which makes the SCOTUS vacancy all the more problematic for both sides.

 

[cupper]

Just how bad does one have to be when Satanists are offended by comparison to Ted Cruz?

Satanists balk at Cruz comparison

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/278130-the-satanic-temple-dont-link-us-with-cruz

A leading Satanist group is trying to distance itself from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) after the presidential candidate was compared to Lucifer this week.

“Cruz’s failures of reason, compassion, decency and humanity are products of his Christian pandering, if not an actual Christian faith,” Satanic Temple spokesman Lucien Greaves said on Thursday, according to The Friendly Atheist.

“It grows tedious when pedophile priests and loathsome politicians are conveniently dismissed as Satanic, even as they spew Biblical verse and prostrate themselves before the cross, recruiting the Christian faithful. Satanists will have nothing to do with them.”

The Satanic Temple seeks “to be directed by the human conscience to undertake noble pursuits guided by the individual will,” according to its website.

Former Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Wednesday said that Cruz is “Lucifer in the flesh” during remarks at Stanford University.

“I have Democrat friends and Republican friends,” he said. "I get along with almost everyone. But I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life.”

Cruz on Thursday dismissed Boehner’s vitriol, noting he barely crossed paths with the former lawmaker in Congress.

“I’ve never worked with John Boehner,” he said. "Truth of the matter is, I don’t know the man. I’ve met John Boehner two or three times in my life.”

Cruz also linked Boehner with GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump and Democratic leadership in Congress.