Posted on Feb 7, 2016
COL Ted Mc
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When answering the survey, PLEASE, do not base your answer on your personal like or dislike of any particular candidate as a person or on what their party affiliation is.

PLEASE base your answer solely on the degree to which the candidate comes close to the "Traditional Republican Platform" as PUBLICLY STATED (which should not be confused with "What the Republicans Have Traditionally DONE".
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Responses: 21
SSG Program Control Manager
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Edited 9 y ago
Traditional Republican is a term that leaves a lot of room for interpretation. A traditional republican in 1970 vs. a traditional Republican in 1995 vs. a traditional Republican today. That phrase has shifted considerably to the right in recent decades.

I would have added Bush and Kasich to the list. I believe Kasich would have been the best choice for traditional Republican.
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MCPO Roger Collins
MCPO Roger Collins
9 y
LCDR (Join to see) - Don't know why, but he nor his Father can get traction, despite being better than most running on either side.
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LCDR Naval Aviator
LCDR (Join to see)
9 y
I don't know, honestly. I'm a Democrat myself, but I'd vote for Mr. Paul over Mrs. Clinton.
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LTC Substitute Teacher
LTC (Join to see)
9 y
Where are the Eisenhowers, McCains, and Goldwaters and Reagans?
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SSG Program Control Manager
SSG (Join to see)
9 y
LTC (Join to see) - I don't believe they would be politically viable (able to win a primary) in this day and age. They are too liberal to be Republicans and too conservative to be Democrats. Just wait till the primaries are over... if Hillary wins she will change her spots to stripes and outside of Healthcare and gay rights look almost like McCain, and every Republican will be trying to make people think their Reagan.
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PO2 Steven Erickson
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I'm sorry, COL Ted Mc, I cannot conceive of a correct answer.

The "Traditional Republican Platform" is as precise as the PG movie rating. What was PG in 1980 is no where near a PG today. Can anyone compare the "Republican Party" of Teddy Roosevelt and McKinley to today's Republican Party? What about Eisenhower? Barry Goldwater? Of course not! Yet they all bear the title and mantle of "Republican Party."

As a physicist, I know that EVERYTHING (except light) is anchored against its frame of reference. Ditto with any "tradition".

Gimme a target, Colonel, and I'll answer your question. None of these men look or act anything like Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Barry Goldwater, or Eisenhower. If you pick a definable category, say, "Constitutional Constructionist" - I can give you my OPINION that Ted Cruz comes closest. If you pick "Fiscal Conservative" I'd go with Rand Paul.

The "Traditional Republican Platform" has changed so much over the last half century, that I'm afraid we're all looking at different standards.
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Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS
9 y
Like you, I came up against that same matter of relativity. I set my anchor somewhere between Pres Nixon & Pres Reagan (I was born in 1976) so that's how I formulated my response. It gave me a few Rep & a few Dem Presidents to compare, and a pretty decent phase shift since the 60s~ to formulate an answer.
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COL Ted Mc
COL Ted Mc
9 y
Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS & PO2 Steven Erickson - Gentlemen; I think that Sgt. Kennedy's marker is quite appropriate in the modern context and I'll go with it rather than the longer term historical context I was originally thinking about.
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MSG Intelligence Analyst
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Cruz is by far the best conservative and based on his views on smaller, responsible government, the Constitution, and foreign policy, if you consider a "traditional " republican to be someone like Ronald Reagan, Cruz comes closest
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LTC Immigration Judge
LTC (Join to see)
9 y
Cruz loves the constitution when it suits him, and twists it when it doesn't.

Funny how in 2010 when running for the senate he shouted that Obama was born in Kenya (to a US citizen mother) and thus was ineligible to be POTUS, but now that he's running birth abroad is suddenly okay with him.

By the way, foreign birth is fine, which is why the whole Birther Movement was so stupid in 2008 and 2012 against Obama, and remains stupid today when used against Cruz.
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Capt Seid Waddell
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SPC Edward Robinson
SPC Edward Robinson
9 y
To this one Cruz will never come close to Ronald Reagan. Cruz to me is a carpet bagger like the Clintons. He did not renounce his Canadian Citizenship until two years before deciding to run for the President of the Republic of the United States of America. He was born in Canada whose father was Cuban and his mother was American. He is just another lawyer who will change his answer and vote to get your vote. Never trust an attorney not unless they are at the bottom of the ocean or under six feet of dirt.
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MCPO Roger Collins
MCPO Roger Collins
9 y
SPC Edward Robinson - you mean like Hillary when she first ran for the Senate in NY, in preparation for the last run for President, when Obama ate her lunch?
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