CPAC Opens With the Scott Walker Show; All Eyes on Jeb

National Harbor Maryland—Acrimony towards President Obama’s hostile—and disastrous— takeover of the nation’s healthcare system and the contentious national education standards (Common Core) he’s forcing upon states took center stage at the opening of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) just outside Washington D.C.

Both are hot-button issues facing serious challenges across the country. Obamacare has so far proven to be a huge boondoggle rife with fraud and corruption. Judicial Watch has been a leader in reporting and investigating the scandals surrounding Obamacare and has legally fought the government overreach in federal court. JW has also exposed several scandals involving Obamacare, including that government officials in charge of its tumultuous implementation and calamitous health exchange website received tens of thousands of dollars in performance bonuses and other taxpayer-funded perks.

Common Core received equal scrutiny at CPAC during a lively morning session. Though public education is a state duty, around 45 states and the District of Columbia have been strong-armed by the administration to adopt the controversial standards. Like Obamacare, the education program has been an expensive debacle and in fact, the nation’s largest teachers union slammed its implementation as being completely botched. Some states, including South Dakota just this week, are repealing the new federal standards after blowing millions of dollars to implement them.

The first big-name politician—and Republican presidential contender—to take the stage Thursday was Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz. In a blazing afternoon speech Cruz blasted his own party, telling the crowd that GOP leaders in Congress sold out to Democrats on immigration. “The biggest division we have in the country is not between Republicans and Democrats,” Cruz said. “It is between career politicians in Washington and the American people.”

A few hours later Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker pumped up the crowd by blasting the Obama administration with a number of witty lines. “Here in America there is a reason we celebrate the Fourth of July and not April 15th,” Walker said. “Because in America, we celebrate our independence from the government, not our dependence on it.” He also touched on Voter ID laws—bragging that Wisconsin passed one— and said the number one target in America are labor unions. The crowd chanted “run Scott run.”

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, were the last high-profile politicians to address CPAC on Thursday. Florida Senator Marco Rubio and former Texas Governor Rick Perry will hit the stage back to back Friday morning. The big talk of the conference is former Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s highly-anticipated afternoon address. Bush is reportedly viewed as too “moderate” by conservatives and is expected to take grief for it at CPAC.