Why Do We Think Ted Cruz Is A Smart Man?

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ted-cruz-obama-cuba-statement

Cruz is this generation's Newt Gingrich, who was the previous generation's Henry Cabot Lodge, of whom it was said, "His mind was like the soil of his native New England: highly cultivated but barren."

Here, Cruz is either mouth-breathingly stupid or simply cynical beyond belief.  The latter is, of course, a possibility, but given his recent blunder in the Senate that allowed Obama and Reid to get a new Surgeon General and a dozen judges confirmed, I'd say the former explanation might make sense.

Cruz calls the Castro regime "totalitarian."  It's not, ok.  It doesn't have the ability to be totalitarian.  Totalitarian regimes control every facet of a country.  The Castro regime is certainly, brutally authoritarian - it is easily the worst regime in the western hemisphere.  But it's not totalitarian.  Not even close.  And we have diplomatic relations with far, far worse countries than Cuba.  Pakistan, for instance.  Or Vietnam.  Or Saudi Arabia, whom we consider our dear friend.  We have diplomatic relations with Russia, who just invaded Ukraine.

He then goes on to say the following:

"If history be our guide, the Castros will exploit that power to undermine America and oppress the Cuban people," he said. "First Russia, then Iran, now Cuba – this is one more very, very bad deal brokered by the Obama Administration.”

OK, no.

If "history be our guide" then greater connection between the United States and Cuba will lessen the ability of the Castros to control their populace.  The more Americans come and spend precious dollars in Cuba, the more capitalist they will become.  The more we flood their country with media, the less they will want to be told what to do by the Castros.

And as for "first Russia"....have you checked in on Putin's Russia, Senator Dipshit?  While the falling oil prices have hurt them, the sanctions - led by Obama - have crippled the Russian economy.  Putin's bargain with his populace, a modification of Deng Xiaoping's deal with the Chinese people after Tiananmen - you can be rich but not free - is falling to pieces.  If oil prices hadn't fallen, Russia wouldn't be suffering nearly as much, but the sanctions have crippled the Russian currency.

And similar sanctions have crippled the Iranian economy as well.  I'm fairly optimistic we will get a deal to end the Iranian nuclear program, and Senator Dipshit will go on Fox and say it's a bad deal, because totalitarian RussiaCubaCicero blah blah blah.

Ted Cruz is increasingly what Sarah Palin would sound like if she went to Harvard and Princeton.