Posted on 09/04/2015 3:39:33 PM PDT by Isara
U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Ted Cruz told an East Texas crowd the current political climate reminds him of another time in American history - the late 1970s.
“We had the same failed economic policies, the same malaise,” he said during a brief campaign stop on Thursday at Smith’s Lone Star Event Center in Tyler. “We had the same failed foreign policies - with the same countries, Russia and Iran.”
But the parallels give him hope, Cruz said.
“Because we know how that story ends,” he said. “The American people rose up and gave us the Reagan Revolution. … We went from stagnation and malaise to booming growth. We went from our hostages languishing in Iran, to winning the Cold War and tearing down the Berlin Wall.”
For now, however, Cruz acknowledged there are political challenges ahead.
“We are here today as our country is in crisis,” he said. “The Constitution is under assault from Washington. But I’m here with a word of hope - help is on the way.”
Cruz implored listeners to look forward, to imagine a day in January 2017, when the newly elected president of the United States is sworn in.
“If I am elected, on the first day in office, I’ll rescind every single illegal and unconstitutional executive order” issued by President Barack Obama, he said.
“Obama likes to say he has a pen and a phone,” Cruz said. “But live by the pen, die by the pen.”
His second act as president, Cruz said, would be to “instruct the Department of Justice to open an investigation into Planned Parenthood. … Investigate the horrific videos and prosecute any and all criminal conduct.”
He also would instruct the Justice Department, the IRS and other federal agencies that “the persecution of religious liberties ends now.”
That was one of Cruz’s biggest applause lines of the speech. He pledged to ensure service members are free to worship as they choose and to drop the federal case against the Little Sisters of the Poor, a group of nuns opposed to providing some forms of contraception to workers in its health care facilities.
Cruz also cited the case of Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who was jailed on Thursday for contempt of court, after she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
“For the first time in the history of the United States, the federal government has locked up a Christian woman for exercising her faith,” he said. “I am proud to stand with Kim Davis - unequivocally.”
He cited other examples of elected officials refusing to enforce certain laws, on principle - such as the mayors of San Francisco and other “sanctuary cities.” If they’re not prosecuted, then neither should Kim Davis face jail time for taking her stand, Cruz said.
Cruz also pledged to “rip to shreds this catastrophic Iran nuclear deal.”
He said “the single greatest national security threat to America today is Iran.”
If the deal goes through, he added, “Obama becomes, quite literally, the world’s leading financier of terrorism.”
Cruz has been called on that statement before, he acknowledged.
“But let’s look at the facts - Fact 1, Iran is the leading state sponsor of terrorism,” he said. “Fact 2, the deal would give $100 billion directly to Iran and the ayatollahs. And Fact 3, billions of that would go to jihadists, who would use those billions to murder Americans and Israelis and Europeans.”
He pledged to support Israel and even to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
“A lot of candidates make the promise,” he noted. “And then they get elected, and they don’t do it. … The difference between me and the other fine candidates in this race is that, if I say I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it.”
Cruz promised to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare. He said he would repeal Common Core educational standards and mandates and would rebuild America’s military strength.
He also promised to roll back regulations on small businesses - regulations that have “descended like locusts” - and “bring back economic growth for America.”
Invoking Reagan, Cruz pointed out that Reagan wasn’t the establishment candidate in the 1980 election.
“Washington despised Ronald Reagan,” he said. “The (Reagan Revolution) came from the people.”
Just as Reagan said during what he called “morning in America,” Cruz told his audience they can again “restore that last, best hope for mankind, the shining city on a hill that is America.”
I was there, and the crowd was electrified by Cruz’ message. You may notice from the first picture below that a lot of people were standing. Actually, virtually all those standing at the start continued to stand throughout the whole 30 minute speech! I’m telling you, these people will walk on hot coals to support Cruz.
I remember Ronald Reagan saying it.
Nice photo of the Israeli Prime Minister and Mr.Ed.
Exactly - they will scream it is illegal for him to do what Obama did and he will tell them if it's illegal now, it was illegal then and therefore must be nullified.
GO CRUZ!!!
Is there a point to the question?
Instead of useless questions, how about some useful donations
Did you have a chance to talk to him?
“Didn’t Romney say “Help is on the way”?
Is there a point to the question?
Instead of useless questions, how about some useful donations
Donate to Cruz
Donate to FR”
I was asking a question because I remember someone saying it and thought it was Romney. Someone told me who had actually said it.
Your arrogance is offensive and you can kiss my azz. How dare you say I was asking a useless question.
And then to have the audacity to hit me up for a donation.
Your arrogance firmed up my decision to make a donation or not to FR.
I continue to donate to Cruz.
You owe me an apology.
Since it seems to take longer and longer for each quarterly fundraiser to do the job, even though there also seems to be more posters than ever, I took it upon myself to be their "conscience" and am not part of any FR team - the feathers I ruffle I ruffle on my own.
Glad your donating to your candidate and hope you don't use a dislike of my words as reason to not support FR.
Apology accepted.
I took it as arrogant because that is what it was.
Arrogance doesn’t help fundraising and is probably a big contributor to the lack of it.
Discernment is a good thing.
I usually look at people’s posting histories before I make blanket remarks.
You might look at mine in regard to Trump.
While arrogance may not be "helpful" in fundraising, saying "pretty please" seems to have its shortcomings too. With all those who claim to be "members" of FR, it is a sorry state that Jim has to come hat in hand every quarter to try to make ends meet.
If someone has an effective idea, I would be willing to try to be one of the cheerleaders.
I understand and appreciate your responses.
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