wheres there's no will....no way!
or to put it another way...
Posted on 03/23/2015 11:24:57 AM PDT by Citizen Zed
Ted Cruz is senator, firebrand, former prosecutor, the son of a preacher-man (who was also a Cuban emigre), a Tea Party favorite and now presidential candidate. To begin the season of decision, here is a look at where the first official Republican contender stands on ten key issues.
The Budget and debt: Mandate a balanced budget.
Cruz supports a Constitutional amendment mandating that Congress pass a balanced budget. He argues that this is the best way to cut down deficits and the debt.
Corporations: Slash corporate tax rates to 15 percent. End some programs like the Export-Import bank and federal subsidies for renewable fuels.
Cruz is a proponent of a simpler tax code (with no IRS, see below). As part of that, he would end some current tax breaks and lower tax rates. In the case of corporations, he would lower their current maximum rate of 35 percent (with deductions) to 15 percent (with fewer or no deductions).
In his speeches and writings, Cruz rails against what he calls “corporate welfare” from the government. As a specific example, he frequently points to the Export-Import bank. The bank is a federal program which helps foreign entities buy U.S. goods by insuring the purchase. Cruz sees it as a boon to large corporations which he believes do not need federal assistance. In addition, Cruz told voters in Iowa recently that he opposes subsidies for renewable fuels, including ethanol, because he believes the industry can compete without the federal funds.
Common Core: End it.
In stump speeches, Cruz stresses that he wants to repeal or roll back the Common Core education standards placed on states from the federal government. He is a co-sponsor of Local Control of Education Act, which allows states to opt out without affecting their ability to receive federal grant money.
Immigration: Block any current effort that lets undocumented immigrants legally remain in the U.S.
Cruz has particularly stressed his opposition to President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. The Texas senator filed a bill blocking the president’s actions, which allow more undocumented residents to gain legal status, including the administration’s waivers for young people brought to the U.S. as children. Cruz argues that those actions encouraged increased illegal immigration. In addition, Cruz opposed the 2013 comprehensive immigration bill which passed the U.S. Senate. He denounced the bill as offering “amnesty.” One of his amendments would have tripled the number of border patrol agents and quadrupled their equipment. It did not pass.
The Internet: Do not tax access to the Internet and block “net neutrality.”
Cruz vigorously opposes any federal, state or local taxes for accessing the Internet, even though ending such taxes would cost his home state $358 million a year, according to the National Journal. The Texas senator strongly opposes “net neutrality,” which would block Internet providers from charging different rates or having different policies for different pieces of Internet content. As he implied in a Facebook post, Cruz believes that policy would tie the hands of service providers and blocking innovation.
Obamacare: Repeal it.
As he displayed in his 2013 23-hour speech on the Senate floor, Cruz is adamantly opposed to the new health care law and wants it repealed in entirety.
Social Issues: States should be allowed to define “marriage” and set strict abortion limits.
Cruz has said that he personal believes marriage is between a man and a woman and that states should define the term “marriage” for themselves. As co-sponsor of the State Marriage Defense Act, Cruz would allow states that oppose gay marriage to not recognize gay couples who were married in other states.
On abortion, the Republican lawmaker has called the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalizing the procedure a “dark anniversary”, but has not said whether he would specifically work to overturn it. Cruz has staunchly supported bans on any taxpayer funding of abortion and bans of so-called partial birth abortion. He has fervently supported a Texas law that would require doctors at abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, a requirement that could limit staffing at abortion facilities. That Texas law was ruled unconstitutional by a lower court and is now before the U.S. Court of Appeals.
Taxes and the IRS: Move toward a flat tax and abolish the IRS.
Cruz supports moving toward a flat tax, which would set a single rate for all Americans regardless of income. With a simpler tax code, the senator argues the IRS would be unnecessary and would like to abolish it as a spokeswoman explained to the Dallas Morning News.
Iran: Increase and toughen sanctions. End current nuclear talks until Congress approves the outlines of a deal.
His approach is summed up in a bill the Texas Senator unveiled last week. You can read Cruz’ “Sanction Iran, Safeguard America Act” here.
Islamic State: Don’t send U.S. ground troops, yet.
Cruz told ABC’s “This Week” in February that he does not think the U.S. should send ground forces to fight I.S. now. But he added that if Kurdish Peshmerga fighters on the ground are unable to combat I.S., then the U.S. “should” send troops. He also stated that he thinks the U.S. should send arms to Peshmerga forces.
Vet vet vet. Imagine how much they could have dug up on Obama if they had actually done that.
I’m all in for Cruz.
kidd is 100% in agreement with Cruz.
Yet this is red meat to their liberal audience.
“He opposes Common Core and abortion??? Oh how racist.”
/libspeak
My one conservative friend in real life says I have to stop looking for the “perfect” candidate because there aren’t any, but instead, find the candidate who comes closest to my conservative standards and beliefs.
I think I’ve found that candidate.
Gee, I feel so stupid. Must have missed article on what Obama believed. Even worse, totally missed write-up on what Clinton believes.
Are Republicans the only ones having primaries?
I’d bet PBS wrote that as if no one knows these things already.
“The Budget and debt: Mandate a balanced budget.”
Even better than a balanced budget would be a reduction and a cap on spending. The goal should be a much smaller federal government. I would gladly trade cutting the federal government in half and then letting them have a small deficit.
no matter what ideas he has he is not a natural born citizen and is not eligible to run for president or vice president
I'm still looking. Continuing being world policeman is a deal breaker for me.
This shows that even Cruz is not a perfect conservative — even if he might well be the most conservative candidate we’ll get from the GOP.
His stance on gay “marriage” is troubling. Handing it over to the states is a cop-out. God will not be mocked. This situation requires nothing less than a Constitutional amendment to clarify the definition of marriage to be the one consistent with the Biblical worldview.
Also: Letting states to opt out of Common Core without affecting their ability to receive federal grant money is OK as far as it goes. But the real goal needs to be getting the federal government (and, eventually, state governments) out of education entirely.
I also do not think Cruz goes far enough on the subject of taxes.
PFL
“Taxes and the IRS: Move toward a flat tax and abolish the IRS.”
I know it would be harder to do, but I would love repealing the 16th amendment (income tax) and replace it with a national sales tax. That amendment did more to empower the federal government over us than anything else I can think of.
Not only did it give give the politicians and bureaucrats the power to take as much of our income as they like, but it allowed them to intrude into every facet of our lives and to control our behavior like puppets, by passing tax laws that reward or punish the behavior that the bureaucrats and politicians like or dislike.
“I’d bet PBS wrote that as if no one knows these things already.”
Everyone here does, but not many outside do.
Tha's pretty much where we all are in dealing with other people.
My lifelong experience has taught me two sayings are true.
The first is Mark Twain who says "the reason most people don't have any money is they are too busy working for a living".
The second is from Rudyard Kipling.
"Make all men count but, none too much".
That we should apply to all politicians. -Tom
Sure, we know that as President, he's unlikely to get more than a few percent of it done, but hey, he might stave off a civil war for a few more years. That's something.
Looking to PBS to answer "What does Ted Cruz believe?" is like looking to Fidel Castro to answer "What does the USA stands for?"
Even if you think PBS's answer is favorable, then look closer or wait for the other shoe to drop!
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