Green Eggs and Cruz

A passing observation that came up at lunch with some colleagues:  Green Eggs and Ham is a thematically odd book for Cruz to read during a filibuster aimed a propagating a rigid ideological goal.   After all, the book is about a fellow who goes on and on and on about how much he detests something, only to allow empirical evidence to change his mind.

This is pretty much the opposite of a filibuster, yes?

FILED UNDER: US Politics,
Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. Moosebreath says:

    “This is pretty much the opposite of a filibuster, yes?”

    And the modern Republican Party.

  2. OzarkHillbilly says:

    There you go again Steven, arguing from facts.

  3. Michael Slobodchikoff says:

    I think it has more to do with the fact that the Republicans did not want him to use this tactic, but when they actually see the results they may be happy? Or so he hopes?

  4. al-Ameda says:

    Steven, this is exactly the kind of biased anti-Republican stuff that will get you in trouble with base Republicans. Please continue.

  5. @Michael Slobodchikoff: Maybe Cruz thinks of himself as Sam-I-Am? 😉

  6. James Pearce says:

    I’d go further.

    “Green Eggs and Ham is a thematically odd book for Cruz to read during a filibuster because it was written for children.

  7. john personna says:

    Headline of the day:

    Experts: Seuss would be ‘offended’

    (I like expertise more than most but this one reaches beyond the grave …)

  8. David Parsons says:

    I agree, comrades. Don’t the reactionaries realize they should not read books to their children on C-SPAN2, unless the books provide appropriate political instruction? A better choice would have been “Never Miss a Chance to Indoctrinate Your Children”

  9. This is pretty much the opposite of a filibuster, yes?

    There you go assuming that Republicans are self-aware.

  10. gVOR08 says:

    A. What do filibusters have to do with a Ted Cruz story?

    B. Do you have empirical evidence that Ted Cruz grasps the concept of “empirical evidence”?

  11. john personna says:

    @David Parsons:

    If I recall correctly, Alex Keaton in Family Ties gave his young brother a childrens’ book “What’s mine is mine.” Hilarity ensued.

  12. C. Clavin says:

    The Constitution, the Bible, science books, the daily paper….Republicans seem to have trouble understanding those…but they’re complicated.
    Dr. Seuss is for children…and Cruz still can’t understand???
    Another “Next Great Hope” of the GOP has been tested…and found wanting.

  13. john personna says:

    @C. Clavin:

    Some good reading:

    Why We Should Choose Science over Beliefs

    By Michael Shermer who let data overturn his libertarianism, on specific topics.

  14. C. Clavin says:

    @ JP…
    That’s good….thanks

  15. Michael Slobodchikoff says:

    @Steven L. Taylor:

    He’s the Canadian Sam-I-Am. The debates will soon start as to whether or not he is eligible to run for president.

  16. al-Ameda says:

    @David Parsons:

    Don’t the reactionaries realize they should not read books to their children on C-SPAN2, unless the books provide appropriate political instruction? A better choice would have been “Never Miss a Chance to Indoctrinate Your Children”

    Or perhaps something more delusional, like, “Why the Civil War had nothing to do with Slavery,” or “Vince Foster and the Muslim Brotherhood: How they Founded ACORN”

  17. Grewgills says:

    @Steven L. Taylor:
    That doesn’t fit with his usage, but I guess that doesn’t preclude him thinking that.

  18. John Peabody says:

    He also read from “Atlas Shrugged”. But no one is commenting on that, because most people have not read it. I think it provides more than enough balance to the sordid undertone of philosphy that some people find in “Jambon et œufs verts”.

  19. @John Peabody: Isn’t Cruz reading from Atlas Shrugged pretty much a “dog bites man” kind of situation?

  20. @Grewgills: I suspect you are quite correct.

  21. Rob in CT says:

    This is the guy that went Godwin from the start (or so I hear, I didn’t listen to the jackass). We’re surprised that he doesn’t get Green Eggs and Ham?

  22. OzarkHillbilly says:

    At the end of the day, Cruz just has green eggs on his face.