As the 2016 presidential election progresses and Wisconsin’s primary draws closer, conservative Wisconsinites must decide what direction they will head.
Should they play it safe and go for establishment mainstays like Former Gov. Jeb Bush? Or do they want to head into the land of chaos and fear with candidates like Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, or Donald Trump?
In the most recent Marquette polling data from late January, conservative Wisconsin appears to be all about the chaos and fear-provoking candidates.
Billionaire and potential Iowa farm owner Trump maintains a six point lead. First-ever robot candidate Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, sits in second, while future Disney movie villain Cruz holds third after a momentum-shifting win in Iowa.
Wisconsin, what the hell?
I know Bush, Gov. John Kasich, Ohio, and Gov. Chris Christie, New Jersey, aren’t the most exciting candidates ever, but at least they are (probably) sane. Out of the three front-runners for the Republican nomination in Wisconsin, Rubio is the only one the Republican Party hasn’t denounced.
Conservative Wisconsin needs to take a look at the candidates and pick one who isn’t constantly trying to scare people into voting for them or one who may be willing to compromise with others.
Obviously, I am not overly fond of any of the Republican candidates. But I really do believe the country would be okay with some of them. In fact, I think the nation would at least be somewhat fine with all but two.
There is no doubt that a Cruz or Trump presidency could be a huge blow to common sense in this country. But just imagining the bizarre and foolish presidency Trump’s time in office would yield does not hold a candle to what I think a Cruz White House would mean.
Frankly, I think Trump completely lacks an understanding of American politics in general, as well as any understanding of the tasks and decision-making required of the president. My picture of a Trump presidency is more sad than frightening.
If Trump were elected, I would like to think that Congress, the Supreme Court and the Joint Chiefs could prevent Trump from succeeding in any truly terrifying military or policy decisions. Trump is many things, but he is just not smart enough to achieve any of his political goals.
Cruz, on the other hand, scares me. He could do permanent and irreversible damage to the infrastructure, foreign relationships and economics of the United States.
It pains me to say it, but Cruz is brilliant. His in-depth understanding of constitutional law, paired with a remarkably manipulative and scheming mindset make him a potential nightmare for the other two branches, should he be elected.
In several instances, Cruz has proven himself to be completely unwilling to work with Democrats or even with less conservative members of the Republican Party. Powerful and respected Republicans like Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, have made their dislike of Cruz clear.
In fact, a ridiculous number of conservative politicians and influential political minds all over the country have come out in opposition to Ted Cruz.
One of Cruz’s most notorious acts, a 21-hour filibuster for defunding Obamacare, didn’t prevent the vote from taking place. He filibustered by reading Green Eggs and Ham, doing Darth Vader impressions and talking about Ashton Kutcher just to make his party members feel bad about not shutting down the government.
That’s not American politics — that’s a six-year-old not getting what he wants and throwing a tantrum about it.
The unwillingness he has shown to compromise leads me to believe that a Cruz presidency could send the country into a flurry of executive actions and an even more gridlocked Congress.
So, as Wisconsin’s time in the national spotlight approaches, I would urge all conservative voters to remember how our government is supposed to function, or maybe think about who you want knowing our nuclear codes.
This is the guy who refuses to work others because he is so convinced he is right on every issue.
Hell, write in Ronald Reagan on your ballot if it makes you happy. Just keep in mind that voting for Cruz would be possibly contributing to the ushering in of irresponsible and harmful presidential politics from a man who seems to understand our political system, but doesn’t respect it enough to work within it.
Don’t vote Cruz, Wisconsin.
Connor Touhey ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in journalism, political science and history.
