What (a) Character

Laurence Doxsey

Medina, TX resident & Column contributor to Bandera Bulletin

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Although the competition is quite keen, Ted Cruz is ranked as likely one of the most, if not the most, reviled politician in Congress.  Former Republican House Speaker John Boehner labeled him “Lucifer in the Flesh”.  This particular disparaging moniker (one of many) resulted in a spokesman for the Satanic Temple to disavow the comparison saying the satanist group wanted “nothing to do” with politicians like Cruz.  

Yet this branding does not faze our junior Senator from Texas.  After a Congressional career start demonstrating questionable eloquence in reading “Green Eggs and Ham” in his filibuster attempt to block the Affordable Care Act, Senator Cruz is once again asking Texas voters to allow him to keep his day job for a 3rd term.

 

Presently, the Trump labeled “Lyin’ Ted” (later also known as “Flyin Ted” after his attempt to flee disastrous winter storm Uri) is recasting himself as a leading bipartisan lawmaker.  This is despite his ranking by Georgetown University’s Lugar Center bipartisan index as number 91 out of the 98 ranked Senators. His November election opponent Congressman Colin Allred was ranked 119 out of 425 House members by the Lugar Center and the #1 most bipartisan legislator in the Texas congressional delegation by the non-profit Common Ground Committee. Of course, Lyin’ Ted denounces Allred as being a strict partisan.

 

However, some readers may be glad that Lyin’/Flyin’ Ted is not bipartisan at all.  He has not voted for any major legislation signed by President Biden including the bipartisan bills passed by Congress. For example, he voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which is bringing billions to Texas. He also voted against major bills senior Texas Senator Cornyn worked on such as the CHIPS and Science Act to support semi-conductor development in the US in order to reduce having to import from China as well the Safer Communities Act. The latter bill implements crisis intervention programs such as “red flag laws” plus court programs for Veteran’s, Drug and DUI, and Mental Health. 

 

Yet, there was ‘truth teller’ Ted who previously panned candidate Trump as “utterly amoral, a narcissist, sniveling coward, pathological liar, serial philanderer”. Other ‘compliments’ toward Trump included “Donald is a bully. Bullies don’t come from strength; they come from weakness.” Another remark about Trump from Lyin’ Ted insightfully stated: “He doesn’t know the difference between truth and lies. In a pattern that is straight out of a psychology textbook, he accuses everyone of lying.” 

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But rest assured, Senator Cruz knows how to act upon his higher principles when Trump provided insults such as Cruz’s wife being ugly and his father being involved in the JFK assassination.  He responded by getting very angry and warning Trump to not mess with his family. He subsequently (with tail between his legs) endorsed Trump in 2016 and again in 2020 and even helped lead the charge against certifying the 2020 election results and getting Trump out of impeachment peril. That’s the principled Lyin’ Ted we all know. 

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Northeastern US legislators certainly remember Cruz well for his usual hypocritical manner. He fought gallantly against providing disaster funds for Superstorm Sandy that battered the Northeastern US and then pleaded for disaster funds for Hurricane Harvey that devastated parts of Texas.  Fortunately for Lyin’ Ted, the Northeastern legislators did not seek revenge and fight against Harvey relief funds. 

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When we consider what “Lyin” Ted has done for the nation and Texas, I am afraid that now with the newly incarnated self-proclaimed “Bipartisan Ted”, we need to take into account some apparent personality instability on his part (not to mention sound judgement capacity).  It definitely seems time to grant him a long-term Cancun vacation.