If not Trump, just who is the US dangerman who would have the finger on the button, asks Richard Lutz.

As we testily admit that Donald Trump may just have a good chance to lead the GOP it is a good time to ask what we would get with Ted Cruz, one of his two Republican opponents.

While Trump, a four times bankrupt, faces uncomfortable questions over his finances (Bloomberg did a major report on how the figures were fiddled to show a paper-profit for his newest golf course in Scotland), just look at who could be the party candidate if Trump implodes.

Ted Cruz is a Tea Party man through and through. He is a hard core intellectual conservative backed by the Christian fundamentalist rightwing. Some of the Texan senator’s comments make for jittery reading.

Here are some pointers:

• if he became President, he would oppose not only more gun control, but also even the banning of high calibre ammo magazines of more than ten bullets in a weapon
• he would knock back Obamacare – he’s the one who filibustered for 23 hours to stop the health plan
• he would oppose a higher minimum wage
• he would oppose the right to choose abortion
• he would fight same sex marriage

“I believe God isn’t done with America yet…”  Cruz speech in March 2015.

He is the man who is on record as saying he would carpet bomb in Syria and Iraq. He is also the man who inferred in an oblique message that if Iran gets any more nuclear, he would want to see the leading Ayatollah of that country killed off.

He is for:

• tripling the Border Agency
• the death penalty (quote:  “…the death  penalty is a recognition of the preciousness of life”)
• installing  ABM missiles on the Ukraine border

The Trump circus, while creepily fun to watch, is an obstacle to observe just who lurks in the wings. It is not the billionaire bouffant businessmen with dubious dealings that is a danger to peace. It is Ted Cruz.