Election night 2016:Ted Cruz declared the winner. What is your reaction?

[Frozen Sky Ever Why]

Let's say Cruz gets the nomination and wins the general. What is your election night reaction?

[Blair]

Well Anglo-American relations will take a hit.

[Suburbia]

Wow. America wants conservative change, and accept it and welcome the Cruzes to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Borders, language, culture. That is what America wants with a President Cruz.

[Sumner 1868]

My feelings would probably be something like this:

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

He won't but if he does, Dems will make strides against him in Congress and use him in the same manner as Sarah Palin

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

Well, he's far from my preferred candidate, but it means that the Obama era is just about over and the public is ready for a big change. I'd be excited, but with reservations.

[Roemerista]

Time to turn out the lights. America had a good run.

[Vega]

Be overjoyed. We can finally pick up seats in State Legislatures, Congress and Gubernatorial seats in 2018 and 2020; meaning we can gerrymander the f[inks] out of Congressional Districts in 2020. 

[Attorney General, Senator-Elect, & Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Utter shock and despair

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I'd be amused.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWuo0nwW90U

[IceSpear]

Attempt to wake myself up, since I'd clearly be having a nightmare of some sort.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I'd be amused.

This.  Life will go on.  Ted Cruz isn't the anti-Christ.  On the bright side, it'd mean Hillary will never be President and we might actually get a half-decent Democratic nominee in 2020.  Sure Scalia or Kennedy or could get replaced with a Republican, but I suspect they'll both stick around for another ten years or so.  Scalia's certainly a lifer, so maybe a Democrat can replace him when he goes.  Cruz would likely be gone in four years and probably be an electoral disaster for the Republicans.  Maybe he'll screw up badly enough that the country will decide to stop hitting itself in the head with a baseball bat.  Plus there are bound to be electoral silver linings somewhere within the Senate and House results.  Within a week, it'll be on to the next thing.  Plus, it'd be hilarious in a perverse sort of way.

[IceSpear]

I'd be amused.

This.  Life will go on.  Ted Cruz isn't the anti-Christ.  On the bright side, it'd mean Hillary will never be President and we might actually get a half-decent Democratic nominee in 2020.  Sure Scalia or Kennedy or could get replaced with a Republican, but I suspect they'll both stick around for another ten years or so.  Scalia's certainly a lifer, so maybe a Democrat can replace him when he goes.  Cruz would likely be gone in four years and probably be an electoral disaster for the Republicans.  Maybe he'll screw up badly enough that the country will decide to stop hitting itself in the head with a baseball bat.  Plus there are bound to be electoral silver linings somewhere within the Senate and House results.  Within a week, it'll be on to the next thing.  Plus, it'd be hilarious in a perverse sort of way.

Do you have any concept of how much damage Ted Cruz with a solidly Republican Congress (for at least 2 years, most likely 4) could inflict? Not only would any semblance of progress in the past 8 years be immediately rolled back, the entire Tea Party wishlist would be shoved down the country's throat at rapid speed.  You'd be begging for Hillary within a month.

The problem wouldn't be Cruz replacing Scalia, it would be Cruz replacing Ginsburg. If that happens, you can say goodbye to any slightly sane SCOTUS for a generation.

As for Cruz destroying the Republican Party, how did that work out with Dubya again? He was supposed to destroy the party for a generation, yet it struck back with a vengeance in less than 2 years.

I realize that most Atlasians have such deranged hatred of Hillary that they'd want her to lose and install President Walker or Cruz regardless of how many millions of people they hurt in the process, but if you're going to embrace that role, then kindly stop claiming the mantle of progressivism.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Maybe the Democratic party might learn a lesson by having Hillary lose to Cruz.

[IceSpear]

Maybe the Democratic party might learn a lesson by having Hillary lose to Cruz.

LOL, don't hold your breath on that one. If anything the conventional wisdom would be that Hillary lost because she's too liberal.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I'd be amused.

This.  Life will go on.  Ted Cruz isn't the anti-Christ.  On the bright side, it'd mean Hillary will never be President and we might actually get a half-decent Democratic nominee in 2020.  Sure Scalia or Kennedy or could get replaced with a Republican, but I suspect they'll both stick around for another ten years or so.  Scalia's certainly a lifer, so maybe a Democrat can replace him when he goes.  Cruz would likely be gone in four years and probably be an electoral disaster for the Republicans.  Maybe he'll screw up badly enough that the country will decide to stop hitting itself in the head with a baseball bat.  Plus there are bound to be electoral silver linings somewhere within the Senate and House results.  Within a week, it'll be on to the next thing.  Plus, it'd be hilarious in a perverse sort of way.

Do you have any concept of how much damage Ted Cruz with a solidly Republican Congress (for at least 2 years, most likely 4) could inflict? Not only would any semblance of progress in the past 8 years be immediately rolled back, the entire Tea Party wishlist would be shoved down the country's throat at rapid speed.  You'd be begging for Hillary within a month.

The problem wouldn't be Cruz replacing Scalia, it would be Cruz replacing Ginsburg. If that happens, you can say goodbye to any slightly sane SCOTUS for a generation.

As for Cruz destroying the Republican Party, how did that work out with Dubya again? He was supposed to destroy the party for a generation, yet it struck back with a vengeance in less than 2 years.

I realize that most Atlasians have such deranged hatred of Hillary that they'd want her to lose and install President Walker or Cruz regardless of how many millions of people they hurt in the process, but if you're going to embrace that role, then kindly stop claiming the mantle of progressivism.

Lol.  First, we haven't had an even slightly sane SCOTUS at any point since I was two days old.  Dubya did wreck his party, but this stuff is cyclical.  Cruz would wreck the Republican Party for the remainder of his Presidency.  The Democrats will be able to fillibuster the hell out of whatever Cruz tries to pass (or at least most of it).  We'll see the Wulfrics and the Smoltchanovs of the world whine about how the Republicans deserve a chance to pass their agenda and I'll be laughing my ass off since the Democrats won't let any major Republican bills come to a vote (assuming the Republicans still control the Senate).  

I wouldn't be begging for Hillary, I'd be saying "Don't blame me I wrote in Mike Ehrmantraut!  Besides, my vote wouldn't have changed the results."  If the Democrats want my vote, they should nominate someone worth voting for.  If they don't, that's what the write-in option is for.  Maybe there will be a decent third party candidate on the ballot, idk.  I don't hate Hillary, I just don't think she'd be a good enough President for me to vote for her.  Obamacare is here for good at this point and the progress on gay rights won't get rolled back at this point.  So aside from the usual Republican crap, much of which won't even come to a vote in the Senate, what exactly is it I'm supposed to be so scared of?  Also, if Cruz wins, 2018 will be absolutely brutal for the Republicans.

[IceSpear]

I'd be amused.

This.  Life will go on.  Ted Cruz isn't the anti-Christ.  On the bright side, it'd mean Hillary will never be President and we might actually get a half-decent Democratic nominee in 2020.  Sure Scalia or Kennedy or could get replaced with a Republican, but I suspect they'll both stick around for another ten years or so.  Scalia's certainly a lifer, so maybe a Democrat can replace him when he goes.  Cruz would likely be gone in four years and probably be an electoral disaster for the Republicans.  Maybe he'll screw up badly enough that the country will decide to stop hitting itself in the head with a baseball bat.  Plus there are bound to be electoral silver linings somewhere within the Senate and House results.  Within a week, it'll be on to the next thing.  Plus, it'd be hilarious in a perverse sort of way.

Do you have any concept of how much damage Ted Cruz with a solidly Republican Congress (for at least 2 years, most likely 4) could inflict? Not only would any semblance of progress in the past 8 years be immediately rolled back, the entire Tea Party wishlist would be shoved down the country's throat at rapid speed.  You'd be begging for Hillary within a month.

The problem wouldn't be Cruz replacing Scalia, it would be Cruz replacing Ginsburg. If that happens, you can say goodbye to any slightly sane SCOTUS for a generation.

As for Cruz destroying the Republican Party, how did that work out with Dubya again? He was supposed to destroy the party for a generation, yet it struck back with a vengeance in less than 2 years.

I realize that most Atlasians have such deranged hatred of Hillary that they'd want her to lose and install President Walker or Cruz regardless of how many millions of people they hurt in the process, but if you're going to embrace that role, then kindly stop claiming the mantle of progressivism.

Lol.  First, we haven't had an even slightly sane SCOTUS at any point since I was two days old.  Dubya did wreck his party, but this stuff is cyclical.  Cruz would wreck the Republican Party for the remainder of his Presidency.  The Democrats will be able to fillibuster the hell out of whatever Cruz tries to pass (or at least most of it).  We'll see the Wulfrics and the Smoltchanovs of the world whine about how the Republicans deserve a chance to pass their agenda and I'll be laughing my ass off since the Democrats won't let any major Republican bills come to a vote (assuming the Republicans still control the Senate).  

I wouldn't be begging for Hillary, I'd be saying "Don't blame me I wrote in Mike Ehrmantraut!  Besides, my vote wouldn't have changed the results."  If the Democrats want my vote, they should nominate someone worth voting for.  If they don't, that's what the write-in option is for.  Maybe there will be a decent third party candidate on the ballot, idk.  I don't hate Hillary, I just don't think she'd be a good enough President for me to vote for her.  Obamacare is here for good at this point and the progress on gay rights won't get rolled back at this point.  So aside from the usual Republican crap, much of which won't even come to a vote in the Senate, what exactly is it I'm supposed to be so scared of?  Also, if Cruz wins, 2018 will be absolutely brutal for the Republicans.

If you think the current SCOTUS is bad, just wait to see what happens if Ginsburg is replaced by a Scalia clone. Dubya did not wreck the Republican Party if it won a historic landslide less than 2 years after he left office. That's not cyclical, it's short attention spans and schizophrenia.

There's no scenario where the Republicans win the presidency but lose the Senate, so they will control it. Most likely with an expanded majority. As for the filibuster, be realistic. Do you really think McConnell won't abolish it the second the GOP holds the trifecta? Even if he doesn't right away, he will the minute Dems start using it often against President Cruz's priorities. And once that happens, there's literally nothing to stop the Tea Party wishlist from being rammed through, and that includes the repeal of any piece of legislation passed through 2009 that is even slightly beneficial. Here's just a small sampling of what you'll be getting: nationwide right to work, national crackdowns on contraceptives and reproductive rights, repeal of Obamacare, gutting the social safety net and cutting spending and investments, draconian education cuts, privatization of Medicare and Social Security, gutting the EPA, and plenty more where that came from. Is that what you want in an attempt to register a petty grudge against a single politician?

"If Democrats want my vote, they should nominate someone worth voting for". Hmm, interesting logic. Well, as I'm sure you know by now, the vast majority of Democrats find Hillary worth voting for and will be doing so. By nominating Bernie Sanders or whoever, the Democrats would be losing far more votes than whatever few they gain by the left wing Hillary haters. And I have to say regarding that: how would you have reacted if Hillary supporters decided en masse to write her in, vote third party, or stay home rather than vote for Obama in 2008? Something tells me you would've been calling them sore losers who would've been responsible for President McCain and (god forbid) Vice President Palin. Well guess what? The same thing applies to you, buddy.

I have no idea why you think Obamacare is here to stay. Perhaps Obama's ability to veto over the past few years has lulled you into a false sense of security? Well, if this scenario actually came to pass, that fantasy would be destroyed. Abruptly. If someone thinks that millions of people should lose their health insurance because they have a personal vendetta against a particular politician, I fear for their sanity.

As for 2018, take a look at the map for a second. Even in a massive Democratic wave, it would be essentially impossible for Democrats to gain more than 2 seats in the Senate, which almost certainly would not be enough. So if Republicans win the presidency in 2016, the Senate is gone until at least 2021. The House could flip, but the odds would still be against the Dems due to the ridiculous gerrymandering fortress that the Republicans have built up.

So the strategery here is apparently to shove the Tea Party wishlist down the country's throat, repeal any progress, surrender the SCOTUS for a generation and the Senate for 4 years, all for...an outside shot at taking the House in 2018? Oh, and we get to keep the anti christ Hillary Clinton from being president! Sounds like a great deal to me. Well, it's true as you said, Cruz can't be the anti christ, considering Hillary already fills that role in the eyes of so many of you, and last time I checked there can only be one.

And just as I said to jfern, if you genuinely believe that the Democratic Party will "learn a lesson", you're sadly mistaken. Most people don't think of Hillary as a far right wing neoliberal warmonger (obviously, otherwise she wouldn't be the strongest nonincumbent frontrunner in history), they see her as moderately liberal. If Hillary loses, the conventional wisdom will be that the party went too far left. In which case, you can enjoy nominee Cuomo or nominee Warner in 2020. The one silver lining will presumably be that they both have penises. Oh, then they can lose to Cruz again to send another message! Wow, this plan is truly foolproof.

And just as an aside at the end of this effortpost, I find it very ironic that many of the same Atlasians who are oh so concerned about electability in places such as the Florida or Ohio Senate race (states which are barely to the right of the country overall) would willingly throw away a nationwide election because "muh hillary not left wing enough." Seems like a rather large double standard to me.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

I'd be amused.

This.  Life will go on.  Ted Cruz isn't the anti-Christ.  On the bright side, it'd mean Hillary will never be President and we might actually get a half-decent Democratic nominee in 2020.  Sure Scalia or Kennedy or could get replaced with a Republican, but I suspect they'll both stick around for another ten years or so.  Scalia's certainly a lifer, so maybe a Democrat can replace him when he goes.  Cruz would likely be gone in four years and probably be an electoral disaster for the Republicans.  Maybe he'll screw up badly enough that the country will decide to stop hitting itself in the head with a baseball bat.  Plus there are bound to be electoral silver linings somewhere within the Senate and House results.  Within a week, it'll be on to the next thing.  Plus, it'd be hilarious in a perverse sort of way.

Do you have any concept of how much damage Ted Cruz with a solidly Republican Congress (for at least 2 years, most likely 4) could inflict? Not only would any semblance of progress in the past 8 years be immediately rolled back, the entire Tea Party wishlist would be shoved down the country's throat at rapid speed.  You'd be begging for Hillary within a month.

The problem wouldn't be Cruz replacing Scalia, it would be Cruz replacing Ginsburg. If that happens, you can say goodbye to any slightly sane SCOTUS for a generation.

As for Cruz destroying the Republican Party, how did that work out with Dubya again? He was supposed to destroy the party for a generation, yet it struck back with a vengeance in less than 2 years.

I realize that most Atlasians have such deranged hatred of Hillary that they'd want her to lose and install President Walker or Cruz regardless of how many millions of people they hurt in the process, but if you're going to embrace that role, then kindly stop claiming the mantle of progressivism.

Lol.  First, we haven't had an even slightly sane SCOTUS at any point since I was two days old.  Dubya did wreck his party, but this stuff is cyclical.  Cruz would wreck the Republican Party for the remainder of his Presidency.  The Democrats will be able to fillibuster the hell out of whatever Cruz tries to pass (or at least most of it).  We'll see the Wulfrics and the Smoltchanovs of the world whine about how the Republicans deserve a chance to pass their agenda and I'll be laughing my ass off since the Democrats won't let any major Republican bills come to a vote (assuming the Republicans still control the Senate).  

I wouldn't be begging for Hillary, I'd be saying "Don't blame me I wrote in Mike Ehrmantraut!  Besides, my vote wouldn't have changed the results."  If the Democrats want my vote, they should nominate someone worth voting for.  If they don't, that's what the write-in option is for.  Maybe there will be a decent third party candidate on the ballot, idk.  I don't hate Hillary, I just don't think she'd be a good enough President for me to vote for her.  Obamacare is here for good at this point and the progress on gay rights won't get rolled back at this point.  So aside from the usual Republican crap, much of which won't even come to a vote in the Senate, what exactly is it I'm supposed to be so scared of?  Also, if Cruz wins, 2018 will be absolutely brutal for the Republicans.

If you think the current SCOTUS is bad, just wait to see what happens if Ginsburg is replaced by a Scalia clone. Dubya did not wreck the Republican Party if it won a historic landslide less than 2 years after he left office. That's not cyclical, it's short attention spans and schizophrenia.

There's no scenario where the Republicans win the presidency but lose the Senate, so they will control it. Most likely with an expanded majority. As for the filibuster, be realistic. Do you really think McConnell won't abolish it the second the GOP holds the trifecta? Even if he doesn't right away, he will the minute Dems start using it often against President Cruz's priorities. And once that happens, there's literally nothing to stop the Tea Party wishlist from being rammed through, and that includes the repeal of any piece of legislation passed through 2009 that is even slightly beneficial. Here's just a small sampling of what you'll be getting: nationwide right to work, national crackdowns on contraceptives and reproductive rights, repeal of Obamacare, gutting the social safety net and cutting spending and investments, draconian education cuts, privatization of Medicare and Social Security, gutting the EPA, and plenty more where that came from. Is that what you want in an attempt to register a petty grudge against a single politician?

"If Democrats want my vote, they should nominate someone worth voting for". Hmm, interesting logic. Well, as I'm sure you know by now, the vast majority of Democrats find Hillary worth voting for and will be doing so. By nominating Bernie Sanders or whoever, the Democrats would be losing far more votes than whatever few they gain by the left wing Hillary haters. And I have to say regarding that: how would you have reacted if Hillary supporters decided en masse to write her in, vote third party, or stay home rather than vote for Obama in 2008? Something tells me you would've been calling them sore losers who would've been responsible for President McCain and (god forbid) Vice President Palin. Well guess what? The same thing applies to you, buddy.

I have no idea why you think Obamacare is here to stay. Perhaps Obama's ability to veto over the past few years has lulled you into a false sense of security? Well, if this scenario actually came to pass, that fantasy would be destroyed. Abruptly. If someone thinks that millions of people should lose their health insurance because they have a personal vendetta against a particular politician, I fear for their sanity.

As for 2018, take a look at the map for a second. Even in a massive Democratic wave, it would be essentially impossible for Democrats to gain more than 2 seats in the Senate, which almost certainly would not be enough. So if Republicans win the presidency in 2016, the Senate is gone until at least 2021. The House could flip, but the odds would still be against the Dems due to the ridiculous gerrymandering fortress that the Republicans have built up.

So the strategery here is apparently to shove the Tea Party wishlist down the country's throat, repeal any progress, surrender the SCOTUS for a generation and the Senate for 4 years, all for...an outside shot at taking the House in 2018? Oh, and we get to keep the anti christ Hillary Clinton from being president! Sounds like a great deal to me. Well, it's true as you said, Cruz can't be the anti christ, considering Hillary already fills that role in the eyes of so many of you, and last time I checked there can only be one.

And just as I said to jfern, if you genuinely believe that the Democratic Party will "learn a lesson", you're sadly mistaken. Most people don't think of Hillary as a far right wing neoliberal warmonger (obviously, otherwise she wouldn't be the strongest nonincumbent frontrunner in history), they see her as moderately liberal. If Hillary loses, the conventional wisdom will be that the party went too far left. In which case, you can enjoy nominee Cuomo or nominee Warner in 2020. The one silver lining will presumably be that they both have penises. Oh, then they can lose to Cruz again to send another message! Wow, this plan is truly foolproof.

And just as an aside at the end of this effortpost, I find it very ironic that many of the same Atlasians who are oh so concerned about electability in places such as the Florida or Ohio Senate race (states which are barely to the right of the country overall) would willingly throw away a nationwide election because "muh hillary not left wing enough." Seems like a rather large double standard to me.

k

[Xing]

Probably a lot of cursing, I'd lose even more faith in this country, and seriously consider living abroad. Cruz might not be the anti-Christ, but don't underestimate how much damage he could do.

[IceSpear]

k

Not even gonna try? Disappointing, but not surprising. It's fairly clear that the logic the Hillary haters use can't hold up when subjected to even the slightest bit of scrutiny.

I gladly accept the victory though.

[Oak Hills]

I would be shocked and frightened.

[The Other Castro]

Move to Canada.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

k

Not even gonna try? Disappointing, but not surprising. It's fairly clear that the logic the Hillary haters use can't hold up when subjected to even the slightest bit of scrutiny.

I gladly accept the victory though.

Normally I'd continue trolling you, but I'm about to start watching this documentary called The Jinx that looks like it'll be much more interesting.

[MATTROSE94]

I would be extremely unhappy about the results, but probably won't let it bother me all that much and move on with my life.