Here’s an Interesting Fact About Ted Cruz’s Past Most People Don’t Know About

Young Conservatives ^ | December 9, 2015 | Michael Cantrell

[Isara]

One of the reasons Sen. Ted Cruz continues to climb the polls in the GOP presidential race is because of his proven track record of standing up for conservative principles, particularly social issues.

What a lot of folks may not know is that his first major leadership role was economic in nature, and he proved himself to absolutely be a defender of the free market.

As if you didn't have enough reasons to love the guy already...

From PJ Media:

Now that Cruz regularly polls toward the top of an ever-shrinking field, his early tenure bears closer scrutiny. Cruz has gained fame as a social conservative and an unwavering opponent of Obamacare. In his first major leadership role, however, he developed economic policy as the director of the Federal Trade Commission's Office of Policy Planning.

At the FTC, Cruz's agenda could have been written by Milton Friedman.

Cruz promoted economic liberty and fought government efforts to rig the marketplace in favor of special interests. Most notably, Cruz launched an initiative to study the government's role in conspiring with established businesses to suppress e-commerce. This initiative ultimately led the U.S. Supreme Court to open up an entire industry to small e-tailers. Based on his early support of disruptive online companies, Cruz has some grounds to call himself the "Uber of American politics."

Moreover, and perhaps surprising to some, Cruz sought and secured a broad, bipartisan consensus for his agenda. Almost all of Cruz's initiatives received unanimous support among both Republicans and Democrats.

From the start of his tenure in 2001, Cruz strategically reoriented the FTC to focus on ways in which government restricts competition. To lay a foundation, Cruz organized a conference on regulatory barriers to e-commerce. Large online companies, such as Amazon and eBay, explained that government regulation and legacy laws threatened the growth of e-commerce. For example: funeral licensing laws meant online retailers could not legally sell caskets into certain states, even though they typically offered much lower prices. Other laws hampered online sales of cars, contact lenses, and legal and medical services.

Cruz also launched efforts to fight against crony capitalism, along with many other projects to defend the free market and secure a thriving economy for the country.

When you look at Sen. Cruz's record, he appears to be an anomaly in the world of politics: a man who stands on principle and conviction no matter what.

It's been a long time since we've seen this type of person in government, and it may be a long time after him before we do again.

I believe we should keep all of this in mind when we go to the polls to select the next president, knowing we need someone in charge we can, to some small degree, trust to hold to their word.

[Isara]

"When you look at Sen. Cruz's record, he appears to be an anomaly in the world of politics: a man who stands on principle and conviction no matter what."

"It's been a long time since we've seen this type of person in government, and it may be a long time after him before we do again."

[Isara]

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

Please click on the pictures at the top of the columns for more details on the ratings of the candidates.

Budget, Spending & Debt
Civil Liberties
Education
Energy & Environment
Foreign Policy & Defense
Free Market
Health Care & Entitlements
Immigration
Moral Issues
Second Amendment
Taxes, Economy & Trade

More at Conservative Review: https://www.conservativereview.com/2016-presidential-candidates

Note: If you don't like the ratings for any reason, please contact Conservative Review's Editor-in-Chief, "The Great One," Mark Levin. But I have to warn you that you may get this response from him: "GET OFF THE PHONE, YOU BIG DOPE!"

[Isara]

Trump supported TARP, auto bailout and Porkulus bill, i.e., Trump is for big government and big businesses.

Trump's Record on Free-market Issue: (from the Conservative Review)

Trump has a terrible record on free market issues. The only bright spot is the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing, but this glimmer is countermanded by his repeated support for bailing out Wall Street and the auto industry, and increased stimulus spending. Of particular concern is Trump's belief that the government can use eminent domain powers to seize private property in the name of private economic development. This comes as no surprise, given his support for using eminent domain to profit his own company.

Trump supported the Supreme Court’s 2005 decision in Kelo v. City of London, allowing public authorities to seize private land for economic development by private investors; Trump said, “I happen to agree with [the decision] 100 percent.” (National Review)  This is no surprise given Trump’s attempt to use eminent domain in his own line of work. (Institute for Justice)

Trump supported President Obama’s 2009 stimulus, saying: “The word stimulus is probably not used in its fullest…you know, certain of the things that were given weren't really stimulus. They were pork, as we call it, or they were gifts to certain people. But overall, I think he's [President Obama] doing very well. You do need stimulus and you do have to keep the banks alive.” (CNN) 

Trump supported TARP, saying, "You had to do something to shore up the banks, because ... you would have had a run on every bank." (CNN) 

Trump supported the 2008 auto bailout, saying, “I think the government should stand behind them 100 percent. You cannot lose the auto companies. They’re great. They make wonderful products.” He also said that the federal government could “easily save the companies.” (Daily Caller) 

Trump criticized the Federal Reserve’s intervention in the debt market, saying quantitative easing creates “phony numbers” that mislead the marketplace and “will not ultimately benefit the economy. The dollar will go down in value and inflation will start rearing its ugly head.” (CNBC) 

Donald Trump has a history of using eminent domain to complete business deals. Multiple times Trump has supported the use of government agencies to take possession of homes and businesses for use in his private business plans. Eminent domain seizures are reserved only for public use of property rather than abuse by the government taking property from one individual and giving to another. (Washington Post) 

Donald Trump has sought and received crony capitalist tax breaks for his commercial properties in New York. These tax breaks, and even an abatement, force the property taxes of other property owners to rise at the expense of the connected. Special treatment for one business or industry over another with the tax code conflicts with free market principles. (National Review) 

In 2009, Trump supported Barack Obama's call for limits on the pay of executives. (CNN)

[FourPeas]

[Greetings_Puny_Humans]

Ted Cruz! Now the “social issues” candidate (except on Islam) because Trump has sucked the air out from everywhere else.

Meanwhile, Americans are voting on their most important issues: Economy and National Security.

Good luck trying to win on the, “But but but I’m the only true Christian!” platform.

[Las Vegas Ron]

You have reached the point where you turn people off from your candidate.....and I am a Cruz supporter.

Give it a rest and see what happens, yeesh.

[CatherineofAragon]

Bump that, and thanks for all the work you do, Isara.

Keep it up.

[DoughtyOne]

Continues to climb the polls...
Stop it will ya. You're cracking
me up...

[MarchonDC09122009]

Completely disagree.
I appreciate as much background information on candidates as possible.
Thanks Isara

[Moorings]

Thanks for your posts.

[Slyfox]

Cruz's yellow dot on the Free Market needs to be changed to a green dot.

Snap to it, Mt. Levin.

[21twelve]

The article I thought was informative.

The spam chart with the green dots and the “Trump not Free-Market” is getting old.

[libbylu]

Cruz on Trump:
I don’t think the American people want to listen to politicians bickering like schoolchildren.
Yep, and is that not what I have been saying about trump? A big whiny baby, fake conservative. I like that he is bothering the GOPe. But he is just disgusting, acting like a child. He will never try to do half of what he says and congress won’t go along with the rest.
So just cheer away, be happy!! I rejoice in your happiness. It is still a long time before the voting starts.
At least I support a man with honor, a gentleman, who acts grown.

[volunbeer]

I have stuck with Cruz although I am not sure it is his time. I am very pleased that he has quietly climbed in the polls and there is not doubt he has performed far better than many believed he would.

I am disheartened at the shots at Cruz I see here on FR because of love for Trump. I really like what both of them have done and are doing because they are both anti-GOPe candidates espousing conservative views. Imagine that! The two front-runners are the anti-establishment candidates! We can celebrate one without tearing down the other. We can also celebrate that both of them piss off the GOPe!

I can vote for either. If it’s Trump that’s cool. If it’s Cruz that’s cool too. We still have a long way to go and will have to see how it plays out, but I feel much better about this primary vs the last one.

[DoughtyOne]

And yet: LINK

You're welcome to consider Donald Trump a school child if you like. I don't particularly mind. His polling numbers speak for themselves.

People who believe as I do are backing Trump at around 32 to 38%. People who believe as you do are backing Cruz at around 8 to 13%.

Some folks think Trump is making a lot of sense.

As for school-children, I only got into this game afters six months of continual lies and misrepresentation regarding my candidate.

Now all of a sudden, your team doesn't think we should be acting like school children.

Funny, we said that for six months.

On many a Cruz thread, there are materials posted month after month that are flat out falsehoods. Never the less, the followers of the very moral and upstanding Ted Cruz can't bring themselves to refrain from posting lies.

It's a little difficult to work up some concern over what troubles you folks.

[GraceG]

I like cruz and trump. So glad that we dont have a bush or bush jr. Or romney type in the top 2 contenders.

[DoughtyOne]

So am I. Without Trump I believe we would have.

[going hot]

People who believe as I do are backing Trump at around 32 to 38%. People who believe as you do are backing Cruz at around 8 to 13%.

Not just 25 point up, but a whopping 275% higher.

[DoughtyOne]

Are you spiking the ball in the end zone? I mean it looked a lot like spiking the ball in the end zone. Some folks will think it was spiking the ball in the end zone.

Just want to be clear if I need to or not... = :^)

[going hot]

I Put down 1 K at 7/1