by Chris Rossini Economic Policy Journal
Recently by Chris Rossini: Americans Are War Weary … and the Neocons Don’t Like It
I remember so vividly, people with libertarian leanings cheering passionately that a new breed was coming in to change The Republican Party. The Tea Party was taking Washington…small government, the Constitution…you know the rest… Many of the cheers were coming from the younger generation, who really don’t understand how twisted politicians really are. That, yes, they will lie to you just to get your vote and support. But, that’s what experience is for…the young, oftentimes, must learn their lessons the hard way. We all go through it. Two politicians that really stick out in my head that received abundant cheers were Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. Both are of Cuban descent (which is supposedly a big deal in Politics-land), and both were talking Constitution, small government, beating back Obama’s big spending ways, etc. They were Tea Party darlings. Here’s Matt Kibbe, President of the Tea Party group FreedomWorks, back in 2011 on Cruz: “After evaluating the candidates in this race, we believe that Ted Cruz will best serve the interests of hardworking Texas taxpayers by advocating the principles of lower taxes, less government and more individual freedom,” he said. Jim DeMint, now head of The Heritage Foundation had this to say: “He’s proved himself an effective advocate for the founding principles that made our nation great: personal freedom and responsibility, local control and adherence to the law as it is written, not the way some politicians wish it was written,” wrote DeMint. Cruz was providing lots of rhetoric himself: “It’s easy to be demoralized, to look at these elections and throw up your hands in despair. Things can change very quickly,” he said. “It took Jimmy Carter to give us Ronald Reagan, and I am convinced the most long-lasting legacy of Barack Obama is going to be a new generation of leaders in the Republican Party standing up and defending liberty and getting back to our values.” Nice, happy and fluffy stuff. What young Ron Paul supporter could resist? Ron was leaving the political stage, why shouldn’t the GOP scoop up the kids? You can’t just leave them there for the Democrats. Then there’s Rubio: 
Here’s Marco giving the same BS rhetoric in thanking The Tea Party Express for their endorsement:
So what’s going on now that the smoke has cleared? Well, the tune has changed. Here’s Ted Cruz now on Social Security and Medicare: “I’m encouraged by any steps that President Obama is taking to save and preserve Social Security and Medicare.” “I think it should be a bipartisan priority to strengthen Social Security and Medicare to preserve the benefits for existing seniors and to enact fundamental reform to ensure that those programs remain strong and vital for generations to come.” Wow….talk about lower taxes, less government and more individual freedom. What a turnaround! And here’s Marco Rubio now on The Military Empire: “While the President’s budget attempts to address some of the defense cuts imposed by sequestration, I am concerned that it does nothing to reverse the damaging impact that cuts have already had on our military readiness. America is becoming less capable of projecting power and deterring conflict wherever it arises. For example, despite almost daily evidence of the increasing threat to the United States posed by rogue states with ballistic missiles, the president’s budget cuts spending on missile defense.” Way to go Tea Party-ers, you picked a real humanitarian! It’s reached the point where you have to actually agree with DailyKos!! Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) are supposed to be the new faces of the Republican Party—young, Latino, and a living symbol that the party can change. But when it comes down to it, on matters of substance, they are no different than the same old Republicans.
Yes, politics has not changed, politicians have not changed, The Republican Party has not changed. The only thing that has changed, is a bunch of young, libertarian, Ron Paul supporters find themselves actually supporting the big government monster.
Reprinted with permission from Economic Policy Journal.
