On this night of the Iowa caucuses, Sen. Ted Cruz has, just now, via email, issued this prayer request from Verses 1 & 2, Psalms 37:
Lord, we shall not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass and fade like the green herb.
Where? In New Hampshire? Not bloody likely.
It's a shame we have no idea what evildoer and wrongdoer Ted is talking about, though.
***
I should have paused to give Ted some credit, which I'll do now. Unlike Mike Huckabee, he has not, to my knowledge, at any time assured his evangelical audiences that God has anointed him to win this motherfucking election. That's the only kind thing I can think of to say about Ted Cruz. There. I've done it.
According to the Duck Dynasty genius, “We have to run this bunch out of Washington, D.C., We have to rid the earth of them.” Because, you know, evil is everywhere:
http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/politics/election/republican-presidential/cruz-in-iowa-city-says-america-is-in-crisis-compares-democrats-to-communists-20160131
Ted might be the prime asshole of the political universe.
Posted by: Bob | February 01, 2016 at 06:33 PM
While you're waiting for election results:
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/hell-is-empty-and-all-the-devils-are-here-a-shakespearean-guide-to-the-2016-republican-primary
Posted by: Bob | February 01, 2016 at 07:24 PM
Well Ted just gave an impaasioned thank you to the less than a third of the Republican voters who were courageous enough to vote for him. Implying the usual stern rebuke to the cowadrly two thirds who did not. He probably shoukd not have mentioned that his own party is complicit with the evil Democrats in crrating the curent state of affairs for that rather pisses in the corflakes of petty much all the Republicans in Congress. But that's classic Cruz I suppose.
Posted by: Peter G | February 01, 2016 at 10:48 PM
'Still'n'all', as I believe you say 'over there', HE WON!
And 'HillBilly' lost - by not winning by more than a whisker against the original 'silly ol' socialist coot'!
Too, too delicious!
Posted by: David & Son of Duff | February 02, 2016 at 03:00 AM
Except that Iowa doesn't mean much in the Democratic primary process, David, or the Republican primary, the last winner to go onto the Presidency was George W Bush.
You might remember that he managed to make compassionate Conservstism as uninviting as the old fashioned kind you are a living example of, and the same will be true if Cruz is the candidate against Hillary.
Posted by: The Dark Avenger | February 02, 2016 at 05:44 AM
Whatever but ABT = Anyone But Trump, a consummation devoutly to be wished!
Actually, a snarky bit of me almost hopes that Sanders wins in November so all you Lefties can experience socialism at first hand. Well, not really, because I do like America.
Posted by: David & Son of Duff | February 02, 2016 at 06:40 AM
Yes, it would be a shame to be like those hellholes of Denmark, Norway, Finland and Sweden, David.
I'm not sanguine about a Sanders victory, myself.
OTOH, unlike you stout-headed Brits, Americans might learn that democratic socialism isn't the Boogy-Man great thinkers like you have proclaimed it to be.
Posted by: The Dark Avenger | February 02, 2016 at 06:53 AM
Would that be the Denmark where they recently voted in a Right wing party with a handsome majority which has slammed its doors to all refugees? And would that be the same Sweden where the influx of Middle East immigrants is now the cause of riots?
And just to remind you, DA, I actually lived through socialism which inexorably drove us to be described, accurately, as "the sick man of Europe" - until 'that woman' arrived on her chariot and saved us all!
Anyway, you should look a little closer to gain an idea of socialism in action, start with Venezuela! What was that you said? It couldn't happen here'. Famous last words!
Posted by: David & Son of Duff | February 02, 2016 at 07:00 AM
Actually, David, you lot are well on your way to being the sickest man of Europe, if recent trends are an indication.
The Conservative-run East Sussex council has written to the prime minister David Cameron to complain about cuts to its budget, saying they will “significantly reduce the quality of life” for people in the area.
The letter, also sent to the chancellor, George Osborne, and Greg Clark, the communities secretary, was signed by the leader of the council, Conservative Keith Glazier, plus the leaders of the council’s other party groupings, including Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the UK Independence party.
The council, which has always been Conservative-led, says it recognises the government’s “continued commitment to reduce the national deficit”, but that the expectations on the local authority to reduce spending were unrealistic.
“In line with the rest of local government, East Sussex county council has delivered over £78m worth of savings and efficiencies since 2010,” the letter reads, adding: “Despite this work to reach a balanced and sustainable budget, we have had to consult on a further £70m to £90m cuts programme for 2016/17 to 2018/19.”
The letter continues: “The cuts will significantly reduce the quality of life for many people in East Sussex. Our proposed cuts have to include preventative services which, while offering a short-term saving, will cost the taxpayer more in the medium term.”
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jan/29/tory-council-complains-david-cameron-unrealistic-budget-cuts
Tell us again of the horrors of democratic socialism, oh wise one.
Posted by: The Dark Avenger | February 02, 2016 at 07:43 AM
Happy to be of assistance, DA. East Sussex is one of the wealthiest parts of the country and please don't pay any attention to the councillor concerned, he being a 'TINO' - Tory In Name Only - now where did I get that from?
County Councils always and forever want more and yet more money from central government but they're always very reluctant to raise their own Council Tax - I wonder why?! And, 'pur-lease', don't ruin your case by quoting 'The Graun' who are further to the dottier Left than Sanders!
Posted by: David & Son of Duff | February 02, 2016 at 08:24 AM
Ah, the No True Scotsman argument, applied to politics.
Can you tell the difference between objecting to cuts vs. wanting more money? Apparently not.
Thanks for demonstrating that Austerians have an unshakeable faith, as defined by St. Paul:
"Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the evidence of things that appear not.”
I'm sure the evidence of austerity working will appear for the rest of us sooner or later, we just have to have the childlike belief that you and your fellow Tories have shown in it for the past 7 years.
Posted by: The Dark Avenger | February 02, 2016 at 08:52 AM
"Can you tell the difference between objecting to cuts vs. wanting more money?"
No, not when our national debt continues to increase, er, rather like yours which, I read today, has reached $19 trillion!
Posted by: David & Son of Duff | February 02, 2016 at 09:00 AM
Yes, part of that wasthe mess that GWB left behind:
"That's because the increase in debt in the early years of the Obama administration was a largely a response to the imploding economy -- just as the big bulge at the end of the George W. Bush administration (2008) was."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/-fix/wp/2015/01/07/the-story-behind-obama-and-the-national-debt-in-7-charts/
Of course, as the end of the article pointed out, it was St. Maggie, Our Lady of the Corner Shop's favorite American, Reagan, who increased the National Debt far greater than any of his successors. Some food for thought for e thoughtful.
Posted by: The Dark Avenger | February 02, 2016 at 09:14 AM
It certainly doesn't mean much in the overall scheme of things but it can give useful insights into what the future might hold in terms of demographics. Here, for example, is something really interesting, the main demographic group that Cruz has been playing to are evangelicals. They are the heart and soul of his campaign, the bedrock on which he hopes to build. Slightly over sixty percent of the the Republican voters in the Iowa caucuses identify themselves as evangelicals. And Ted got less than half of them.
As Scooby would say: Roh Roh!
Posted by: Peter G | February 02, 2016 at 09:39 AM
DA, my dear old thing, please don't think for a second that I believe that only socialists overspend - it's governments, all bloody governments!
Posted by: David & Son of Duff | February 02, 2016 at 10:02 AM
On the contrary, this evil doer's green herb gets torched before it ever has a chance to fade.
Posted by: Coloradoan | February 02, 2016 at 01:19 PM
David, as you think any organization above the level of a Neolithic hunter-gatherer tribe is an imposition on human freedom, why am I not surprised?
Posted by: The Dark Avenger | February 02, 2016 at 03:36 PM
No, no, DA, I would not be silly enough to believe or wish for governments to be vanquished but it is always essential to treat them with suspicion as being a constant source of potential stupidity and/or danger.
Posted by: David & Son of Duff | February 02, 2016 at 04:15 PM
I think you'd manage to find fault if you were part of a hunter-gatherer band, complaining about the deer from last night, or being the only member of the tribe to get thorns in your feet while migrating to follow said deer to their summer grazings.
Posted by: The Dark Avenger | February 02, 2016 at 05:43 PM