CRUZ: We Need America to Win Again

HOUSTON, Texas – Presidential candidate Ted Cruz released the following statement in advance of President Obama's White House address:

The recent attacks in Paris and San Bernardino have further confirmed that radical Islamic terrorists are at war with the West. The attack in San Bernardino was the worst Islamic terrorist attack on American soil since the attack on Ft. Hood in my home state of Texas.

At the time of that attack, the President insisted that it was a case of "workplace violence" ignoring the clear evidence that it was a terrorist attack. I was proud to have been able to help ensure that each of the victims of the Ft. Hood attack finally received a Purple Heart for their sacrifice.

The reality is that what President Obama, Secretary Kerry and Hillary Clinton have done has not worked. Their policies have in fact made the world more dangerous. It is time for a dramatic shift in both foreign and national security policy.

Tonight when President Obama addresses the nation, I hope that he will acknowledge and take responsibility for the failed policies of his administration and will take concrete steps to reverse the damage done.

He should start by finally calling our enemy by its name. Denying who the enemy is will only delay their defeat. The terrorists call themselves the Islamic State. So tonight, I challenge President Obama to finally acknowledge the enemy that the United States and our allies face. It is radical Islamic terrorism.

Second, after naming our enemy, the President should lay out a bold strategy to defeat ISIS, not to try to change the subject to gun control or the compliant media headline to global warming, but rather lay out a plan for decisive action for victory over evil.

Third, Americans want to know how this administration intends to keep them safe here at home. Border security is national security. We can no longer accept a border that is not secure and the President should announce the immediate steps he will take to ensure that it is.

We now know that one of the attackers was here on a visa. She went through the same background checks that the President says the refugees from Syria will go through. We also know that ISIS has made it clear that they intend to infiltrate the refugees in order to get to the United States. That can't happen.

The President should place an immediate moratorium on refugees from countries with a significant al Qaeda or ISIS presence, such as Syria. I’ve introduced legislation to make this happen; it is not a desired step, but a necessary step for the security of the United States.

Finally, the President should resist using terrorist attacks to try to take away the rights of law-abiding Americans. Millions of Americans have chosen to protect themselves and their families by purchasing a firearm. This is their right; indeed protecting their families is their obligation. The President should be looking to stop those who would do us harm - not attempting to take away the constitutional liberties of millions of innocent Americans.

The American people know that the threat is very real. They will be looking for the President to address restoring America's role in the world, defeating ISIS, securing the border, and keeping them safe from radical Islamic terrorism here at home.

They want to know the specific steps the President intends to take to keep them safe.

We need American leadership, and we need America winning again. The world does as well.

Presidential Candidates Comparison (Carson vs. Cruz vs. Rubio vs. Trump)

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Trump's Record on Civil-liberty Issue: (from the Conservative Review)

"Trump has an inconsistent record when it comes to civil liberties. He supported the NSA mass surveillance program but did not weigh in on the recently passed reforms. Overall, he has avoided commenting on religious freedom, but says he would be an advocate for Christians. Trump supports an individual’s right to make unlimited campaign contributions, but advocates for an end to soft money in politics. Most concerning is Trump’s belief that the government can use eminent domain powers to seize private property for economic benefit for others."

Trump supports the NSA’s metadata collection program, saying, “I support legislation which allows the NSA to hold the bulk metadata. For oversight, I propose that a court, which is available any time on any day, is created to issue individual rulings on when this metadata can be accessed.” This position was identical to the NSA’s mass surveillance program before being reformed by the USA Freedom Act. (Newsweek)

Trump has avoided commenting on religious freedom since Indiana passed its Religious Freedom and Restoration Act into law. Instead, he has said that he will be the “greatest representative of the Christians they've had in a long time” if elected president. (Christian Today) (Breitbart)

Trump believes political soft money should be banned, while individuals should be allowed to make unlimited contributions. "If I were drawing a political cartoon to represent the situation, it would include a very large guy with a huge bag of money. On that bag would be written one word: soft. Soft money is the bane of the current system and we need to get rid of it." (The America We Deserve)

Trump supported the Supreme Court’s 2005 decision in Kelo v. City of New London, giving public authorities the right to seize private land for economic development by private investors. Trump said, “I happen to agree with [the decision] 100 percent.” (National Review)

Trump highlighted his support for prosecuting "hate crimes" against homosexuals in his 2000 book, The America We Deserve. “Hate Crime” is a term used to extend special protections for a specific classes and in essence elevates the importance of these classes above others. For example, murder of homosexual or heterosexual should be viewed equally under the law and punished equally. Creating special classes is a liberal tactic used to divide and segment society.(Google Books)

Trump said that Kim Davis should not have been jailed for refusing to issue gay marriage licenses. He also said that she should allow her deputy clerks to do so, but also said that 30 miles away you can get a license so people should do that. He added, "The decision's been made, and that is the law of the land." (CNN)

Much like his stance on eminent domain, Donald Trump has shown a troubling tendency to want to use the power of government to stifle political speech. When the conservative Club for Growth released an advertisement regarding Trump's changing positions on taxation, Trump responded with a legal letter calling for them to cease and desist the advertisements. A chilling move towards the silencing of political speech. (Politico)

Donald Trump attacked SuperPACs (political action committees) in the third Republican debate. By suggesting they should be outlawed he came out against the First Amendment protection of speech, and echoed progressive talking points. (Time)

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