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Philip Maddocks: Bedlam in Senate as Cruz brings in unsafe model plane By Philip Maddocks More Content Now MailTribune.com By Philip Maddocks More Content Now Posted Oct. 2, 2015 @ 7:49 am By Philip Maddocks More Content Now Posted Oct. 2, 2015 @ 7:49 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Republican leaders were in disarray Wednesday after Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican and presidential candidate, showed up at the Senate carrying a Sky Rangers Park Flyer Radio Control Airplane, a product that had not been seen in the corridors of Congress since its recall in 2007 because of a tendency to explode when launched. “I don’t know what Sen. Cruz thinks he is going to accomplish by bringing this highly dangerous toy into our revered chamber,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, as he hurriedly scanned a site that sold protective equipment to Police Department bomb squads. Mr. Graham said Mr. Cruz’s plan – whatever it might be – is bound to fail, but he feared the short-term damage the senator might do with his explosive plane could cripple Congress for years. “My understanding is that before the recall the company who made these model airplanes had received 45 reports of airplanes exploding, including 22 reports of consumers experiencing temporary ear pain or hearing being affected; five reports of minor burns to hands, faces or eyes; two reports of chest impact from debris; two reports of eye injuries; and one report of a cut hand,” Mr. Graham said. “Needless to say there is no telling what kind of harm such a toy like this might do in the hands of Ted Cruz.” Sen. Kelly Ayotte, Republican of New Hampshire, voiced similar concern in a text message to the model-plane-wielding Mr. Cruz in which she accused him of trying to scare Republicans into engaging in an unwinnable fight over government funding. “That model airplane has nothing to do with the business at hand,” Ayotte said. “So why is he bringing it in here?” And in a further disruption of congressional protocol, some House Republicans joined in the chaos, saying they would be open to taking the dangerous plane off Mr. Cruz’s hands if Senate Republicans would change their rules and allow the Texas senator to give it to them. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California and the majority leader, said on Wednesday that “if the Senate would simply change that rule,” then the House would be happy to assume the risk of launching Mr. Cruz’s Sky Ranger. “The time for playing it safe is past,” Mr. McCarthy said. “If someone here gets hurt, well aren’t our conservative principles worth at least that much?” Most Senate Republicans rejected the idea of allowing Mr. Cruz’s plane to fall into the hands of the House, saying that that chamber has already caused enough problems for the Republican Party and Congress. “And they didn’t need a model plane to do it,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee, as he busily stacked sandbags along the walls of his office. House conservatives, Mr. Alexander said, should be the most interested members in Congress in keeping Cruz’s weapon at arm’s length. “The House already has more than it can handle without bringing that device into its chamber,” he said. As senators scrambled around Capitol Hill in self-preservation panic trying to avoid being injured by Mr. Cruz’s plane while appearing to flee on principle rather than fear, some senators went so far as to accuse conservative hard-liners in the House of arming Mr. Cruz with the recalled Park Flyer model. “I have never liked Mulvaney,” Mr. Graham said, catching his breath for a moment as he referred to Rep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina. “It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he was behind this whole thing.” Aides cautioned that while the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, Republican of Kentucky, had initiated a process that he hoped would convince Mr. Cruz not to launch his model plane, there was no guarantee that the Texas senator would be willing to simply follow along. Still, the majority leader urged Democrats to lend their support and accused them of pushing the country to the brink of a Senate explosion in a bid to strong-arm Republicans into accepting spending increases, saying “that’s exactly what Cruz wants.” The Senate Democratic leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, complained that Republicans were wasting time, but Mr. McConnell said he had a plan. “Let’s make Sen. Cruz the next House speaker,” he said. “It’s as close as he’ll get to the presidency. And it’s the one position where nobody can get anything done.” Philip Maddocks writes a weekly satirical column. He can be reached at [email protected]. By Philip Maddocks More Content Now MailTribune.com By Philip Maddocks More Content Now Posted Oct. 2, 2015 @ 7:49 am » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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