Up until the other day, both of the so-called outsiders had me going ‘yeah, that’s right.’ Both Ted Cruz and Donald J. Trump championed free-market capitalism. Both believed that corporate welfare and crony capitalism had no place in a government by, of, and for the people. Both denounce pandering to special interests.
This is what Trump said in Pensacola just last week: (h/t Inweekly)
“Believe me, so much special interest that the politicians they’re all talk, they’re no action. They’re controlled by their lobbyist or their special or their donors, totally. If it’s bad remember this, if it’s bad for the United States, and if it’s good for them and the people they’re representing, forget it. The United States doesn’t have a chance.”
This all changed when Cruz was polling closer to Trump, and the Iowa caucuses became imminent.
Trump is a smart guy, and at the top of his game in his profession. But to now accuse Ted Cruz of being beholden to Big Oil because he does not support the food-for-fuel scam on the public called government subsidizing the ethanol industry, he has dropped off the conservative wagon. Aside from that accusation being patently not true, Cruz wants to end subsidies to the oil industry as well. He wants to end all govt subsidies, leaving the innovation and success in all industries up to the free market.
There is a contradiction that I can’t reconcile here about Trump. When in Iowa, to talk about not only supporting govt intervention and subsidies to the ethanol industry, (which makes fuel and food more expensive, and has a larger carbon footprint to produce than what is purported to save by using it http://bit.ly/aFcNt9), Trump is calling for increasing ethanol government subsides. If that’s not pandering, I don’t know what is. I’m sure his recent endorsee, Sarah Palin, would be in favor of ending the Big Agra welfare. Not increasing it. Hoping she can get his mind right on this.
It’s a contradiction in everything Trump has campaigned on until he entered Iowa. If a close and credible challenge is all it takes for him to change his principles, I’m sorry to see it.
I’m also sorry to see him lying about Cruz, just like Democrats do, to try to discredit him. The opportunity for a Republican landslide is at hand. It’s the Republican’s election to lose. Keep your taking points and criticisms of your opponents factual. Mr. Trump, don’t screw it up by going to the dark side.
