Here is your Morning Brief for 10.31.14

Mark Wilson, Getty Images
Mark Wilson, Getty Images
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Cruz Warns Republicans

Senator Ted Cruz on Thursday warned fellow Republicans not to pick a moderate candidate for 2016. According to POLITICO, Cruz believes that picking a moderate means Hillary Clinton would win.

Sen. Ted Cruz on Thursday took a thinly veiled shot at Jeb Bush, saying that Republicans will ensure a Hillary Clinton presidency if they run a more moderate candidate in 2016.

Appearing on CNBC, the Texas Republican and tea party favorite was asked about Bush and said that presidential candidates from the party’s establishment wing — like Arizona Sen. John McCain in 2008 and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney in 2012 — consistently fail to turn out millions of voters.

“[I]f we run another candidate in the mold of a Bob Dole [in 1996] or a John McCain or Mitt Romney, we will end up with the same result, which is millions of people will stay home on Election Day, which is what happened for all three of them,” the senator said. “And if we run another candidate like that, Hillary Clinton will be the next president.” Clinton, the former secretary of state, is widely considered to be the front-runner for the Democratic nomination if she chooses to run.
Cruz, himself a potential 2016 candidate, was initially asked what he thought of a potential Jeb Bush candidacy. Bush, who has staked out some centrist positions on issues like immigration reform, is openly considering a bid and has some support from the more moderate wing of the Republican Party.
“Jeb has not declared his candidacy. I like Jeb. I’m a fan of Jeb Bush’s. I’m going to let him decide if he’s running first and let the primary voters make a decision,” Cruz said. “But I will say this: We need to learn from history, we need to look to history and what works and what doesn’t.” The senator then went on to make his comments about Dole, McCain and Romney.
Cruz clarified that he thought all three former Republican nominees were “good, honorable men” and “patriots.”

Is Ted Cruz right? I don't think that Jeb Bush is a great candidate for 2016, but I could see where he could get the nomination though he would be competing with Chris Christie and others for the moderate donors.

Click the link above to read the full story.

Are Parents Ruining Halloween?

Reason.com has a great piece out about Halloween and about how some parents might be taking all the fun out of Halloween for kids.

Actually, while it may be a holiday tradition view your neighbors as psychopaths who patiently wait for the one day of the year to kill the local kids, in fact no child has ever been killed by a stranger's poisoned candy. Ever. But facts don't stop fear. Here are three ways in which our misguided terror on Halloween is killing all the fun.

Don't Go Outside

Parents are so scared of letting their kids roam free, that—no joke—there's a trend called "Trunk or Treat." Cars gather in a circle and kids go from one trunk to the next to grab candy, as if walking in a circle in a parking lot and collecting sugar is the whole point of the holiday. Sugar is important, but so is going outside on your own with your friends.

Some towns are so scared of the holiday that they've placed curfews on trick or treating. It's medieval. It's as if they really believe the ghouls come out at night.

It's Too Scary

There are schools, churches, and community centers sending home notes begging parents not to let their kids wear costumes that are "too scary," as if kids can't handle an eyeball oozing blood anymore. One town even made a guy take down the zombie decorations in his front yard because they were too realistic. In other words…they looked too much like real zombies?

Sex Offender Hysteria

In some towns, registered sex offender have to turn off the lights to keep the trick or treaters away, or all gather together at the local precinct like some twisted version of study hall. The rules are different in different places. But they're all based on the idea that sex offenders pounce on trick or treaters. Which turns out to be, like the poison candy story, completely false.

A recent study by a researcher now at Johns Hopkins University found that there is zero increase in child sex offenses on Halloween. In fact, the author Elizabeth Letourneau considered titling the study, "Halloween: The Safest Day of the Year," because it is, when it comes to sex crimes.

Thoughts?

You can view the entire story by clicking on the link above.

Other Must Read Links:

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.

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