MARK CUBAN: I want to be a Republican - but the party has one big problem
In a Tuesday post on his Cyber Dust social media app, the outspoken billionaire investor wrote that he would prefer to join the GOP but has an issue with the party's push for conformity.
"I would prefer to be a Republican. I want smaller government. I want smarter government. Just like most Republicans," Cuban wrote in the post, which was flagged by The Dallas Morning News. "Put aside that I disagree with Republicans on most social issues. The Republicans have a much bigger problem that will crush them in every Presidential election until this changes."
Cuban lamented that those who disagree with the "Consensus" are labeled as fake Republicans.
"The Republican Party requires that all their Presidential candidates Conform to Consensus. If you don't agree with every platform of the party not only are you called a RINO, a 'Republican in Name Only.' You are considered unelectable in primaries and become a source of scorn on Fox News. That's a problem," he said.
The "Shark Tank" star's desire to avoid party orthodoxy could be related to his recent praise for real-estate mogul Donald Trump, whom he hailed as "the best thing to happen" to politics in a long time. Indeed, Cuban even told Business Insider that he would consider being Trump's vice president if asked, though he said he would probably decline the hypothetical offer.
In his Tuesday Cyber Dust post, Cuban also reflected on the meaning of leadership:
Leaders don't conform to the consensus. They create consensus to their vision and goals.
Leaders don't change their positions mid debate. They welcome scorn from the masses because it creates the opportunity for dialogue.
Leaders don't look backwards to condemn what has already been done, they look forward to create a better future.
Leaders are not dogmatic. They are principled and know that change is never easy, but when it's necessary, they must lead.
The Republican Party does everything possible to discourage leadership.
They want dogma.
They want conformity.
They want to conserve their romanticized past.
That's a shame. I wish they wanted to conserve the best of what America is today and find a leader that can take us to new places that make our future better.
I realize that's not the way politics work in this day and age. And that just proves the point.
"And btw, I know a lot of the same can be said about the democrats, but I don't want to be a democrat," he concluded. "Until things change, I'll sit in the middle and think for myself. Unlike the Republicans."