Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz

Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz was born on December 22, 1970 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He is of Cuban and Irish/Italian descent. He was raised in Houston, Texas and later went on to study Public Policy at Princeton University before attending Harvard Law School. He took on the role of private-practicing lawyer, advisor to the 2000 Bush campaign, and Solicitor-General for the State of Texas (2003-2008) before being elected to the United States Senate in 2012. Cruz played a major role in the government shutdown of 2013 that strained his relations with the Republican Party. He is now running for the GOP nomination for the 2016 presidential election. Cruz's polling numbers show strong support, and he is second only to Donald Trump. (Bio)

Campaign Website

Tax Reform

Cruz's Tax Reform (section page)

Repeal Tax Code and Institute a "Flat Tax" Policy

• Wants to institute a "simple flat tax policy"
  • Up to 36,000 dollars in untaxed income for a family of four (TCWTR)
  • A flat 10% tax rate for all individuals exceeding the income cutoff (TCWTR)
  • An additional flat 16% "business tax" that effectively acts as a value-added tax (TCWTR)
  • Child Tax Credit and deductions for mortgage interest payments will remain in effect (TCWTR)
• "I am campaigning on a flat tax that would allow every American to fill out his or her taxes on a post card [or iPhone app] that allow us to abolish the IRS."(WE)
• Supports elimination of other taxes such as the Inheritance Tax, Overseas Profit Tax, Alternative Minimum Tax, and any "Obamacare" taxes (TCWTR)

Jobs and Business Policy

Cruz's Jobs and Business Policy (section page)

Reform and Regulation

• "When it comes to jobs and growth and opportunity, the two most effective levers that the federal government has to facilitate small businesses creating new jobs, are tax reform and regulatory reform." (WERR)
• Cruz is a co-sponsor and heavy supporter of the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act (ACOM)
• Advocates for the elimination of the IRS, the Department of Education, the Department of Energy, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Housing and Urban Developmen (TCWRW)
• Plans to reinstate the Grace Commission of the Reagan Era which will in (TCWRW)
• Opposes raising the minimum wage (WPSB)

Internet Regulation and Entrepreneurial Freedom

• "The Internet is the great equalizer when it comes to jobs and opportunity." (WPOPED)
• "We must promote growth in the technological sector, a consistent bright spot for the U.S. economy. But we won’t realize more of that dynamic growth unless we keep the Internet free from the kind of unnecessary regulation that is strangling our health-care, energy and banking industries... one of the biggest regulatory threats to the Internet is “net neutrality.” In short, net neutrality is Obamacare for the Internet." (WPOPED)
• Opposes net neutrality on the basis it stifles innovation (WPOPED)

Government Jobs

• Freeze on new hires in the federal executive branch, including no new job creation, no automatic position filling, no hiring of contractors (TCWJ)
  • Fill necessary vacant positions would be at a max ratio of one new hire for every three that leave (TCWJ)
  • Reduce the size of the federal government (TCWJ)
• Eliminate at least 25 Agencies, Bureaus, Commissions, and other programs (TCWJ)

Health Policy

Cruz's Health Policy (section page)

Health Initiatives

• Repeal Obamacare, open insurance markets across state lines, expand health savings accounts, delink health insurance from employment (TCS)
• Sponsored a bill called the Health Care Choices Act which allows people to buy health care plans across state lines (TCS)
  • HCCA also repeals Title I of the Affordable Health Care Act (TCS)
  • HCCA amend the Public Health Service Act (TCS)
• "We must save Medicare by gradually increasing the eligibility age and by moving to a premium support system that expands choices for seniors, opens up innovation, and utilizes market forces to rein in healthcare costs." (OTIHC)
• Supports the right for private organizations to deny contraceptive/abortion coverage to their employees if it conflicts with their personal beliefs (TCS)

Abortion and Planned Parenthood

• "The next thing I intend to do is instruct the Department of Justice to open an investigation... to prosecute Planned Parenthood for any criminal violations." (RD1)
• Supports the complete defunding of Planned Parenthood (TCWLLF)

Vaccines

• Cruz said that “of course” children should be vaccinated but thinks that which ones should be legally mandated be left up to the states (POLITICO)
• Some exceptions should still exist for religious conviction (POLITICO)

Drug Policy

Cruz's Drug Policy (section page)

Marijuana

• Cruz does not personally support the legalization of marijuana but does support a state's right to legalize its use (HuffPost)
• However, has criticized the way Obama has dealt with state legislation that makes marijuana legal while under federal law it is still illegal (HuffPost)

Incarceration

• "As of February 2015, nearly half--49%--of [federal prison] inmates were sentenced for drug crimes. This has contributed to overcrowding. Federal prisons now house 39 percent more inmates than their capacity. It is far from clear whether this dramatic increase in incarceration for drug crimes has had enough of an effect on property and violent crime rates to justify the human toll of more incarceration. Given the undeniable costs and dubious benefits of mass, longterm incarceration of nonviolent drug offenders, Congress should take steps to give judges more flexibility in sentencing those offenders. The Smarter Sentencing Act of 2015, which was introduced by Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), and of which I am an original cosponsor, is a significant stride in that direction. Among other things, the bill lowers minimum sentences, cutting them in half, to give judges more flexibility in determining the appropriate sentence based on the unique facts and circumstances of each case." (OTI - D)
• Cruz has called for converting regulatory crimes to civil offenses (OTI - D)

Middle East

Cruz's Middle East (section page)

International Terrorism

• Introduced the Terrorist Refugee Infiltration Prevention Act of 2015, immediately barring refugees to the United States from any country, such as Iraq or Syria that contains substantial territory controlled by a foreign terrorist organization (TCWDN)
• Chaired a hearing titled “Justice Forsaken: How the Federal Government Fails the American Victims of Iranian and Palestinian Terrorism.” (TCWDN)
• Really wants the president, and will do so as president, to utter the words "radical Islamic terrorism" (TCWDN)
• Wants the US to recognize the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas as terrorist organizations (TCWDN)
• When asked where he fit on the spectrum of Republican views on foreign policy, with Rand Paul (isolationist) at one end and John McCain (active interventionist) at the other he said, “I consider myself somewhere in between those two poles." [1](Stripes)
• Wants to “bomb [ISIS] back to the Stone Age” (FOX)
• "ISIS right now is the face of evil. They’re crucifying Christians, they’re persecuting Christians.” (Atlantic)
• Does not support any US training of the moderate opposition in Syria (NATR)

"We will carpet bomb [ISIS] into oblivion. I don’t know if sand can glow in the dark, but we’re going to find out."(PF)

Iran Deal

• Cruz vehemently opposes the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (Huff Post - Iran)
• "This deal makes war certainty" (Huff Post - Iran)
• Deal is "catastrophic" (Huff Post - Iran)
• "The #IranDeal will facilitate and accelerate the nation of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons" (deemed by sources as an untrue statement)

(Politifact - Iran)

Supporting Israel

• Will recognize Jerusalem as the eternal, undivided capital of Israel and the US embassy will be moved there (TCWSWI)
• Readdress US Policy in regards to Palestine; divert any American funds going there (TCWSWI)
• Consider defunding the UN for showing anti-Israel bias or American universities that boycott Israel (TCWSWI)
• Supports Israel's Iron Dome Program (TCWSWI)

Trade

Cruz's Trade (section page)

• "[Instead] of adjusting monetary policy according to whims and getting it wrong over and over again and causing booms and busts, what the Fed should be doing is, number one, keeping our money tied to a stable level of gold, and, number two, serving as a lender of last resort." (RD4)
• Cruz has been rated as a "Free Trade Supporter" by the Cato Institute and Wall Street Journal (CI) (WSJ)
• supported the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement until the eve of the vote to “fast-track” the measure when he voted against it (WSJ)
  • said he changed his mind becayse he found “new troubling information” in details of the emerging trade deal that suggests that the fast track bill could make it easier for Obama to change federal immigration law and also complained that House Speaker John Boehner punished Republicans who opposed the bill in the House. (WSJ)
• Cruz strongly disapproves of the Export-Import Bank (USA)
  • “The Export-Import Bank is big businesses’ big-government bank backed by U.S. taxpayers" (USA)

Immigration

Cruz's Immigration (section page)

"Restoring Rule of Law"

Ted Cruz proposes a return to heavy enforcement of American law by

• Repealing all of Obama's memorandums regarding illegal amnesty (TCWSB)
• Increase deportations (TCWSB)
• End catch-and-release (TCWSB)
• End sanctuary policies and sign Kate's Law (TCWSB)
• Suspend issuance of H-1B visas (TCWSB)
• Halt legal immigration while the United States' unemployment rate is "unacceptably high" (TCWSB)
• End birthright citizenship for children with illegal parents (TCWSB)
• Ensure legal immigrants do not receive public assistance (TCWSB)

Securing the Border

• Complete a secure wall across the entire border (TCWSB)
• Triple the number of Border Control agents (TCWSB)
• Install biometric tracking system at all of the nation's ports (TCWSB)
• Increase aerial surveillance around the border (TCWSB)

Environmental

Cruz's Environmental (section page)

Keystone Pipeline

• [We need to] get more jobs by embracing America's energy renaissance. This means passing legislation to make it easier to build energy infrastructure, such as the Keystone pipeline." (USAP)

Climate Change & Related Policies

“Climate change is not science. It's religion"(CNS)

• Does not believe that climate change is backed with scientific evidence (NPR)
• Opposes the Clean Power Act and and sponsored Affordable Reliable Energy Now Act (ARENA) to limit its effects (TCWJ)
• Voted against the Water Resources Act (TCWJ)
• Criticized NASA for spending "too much money" studying climate change and earth science (NATJ)

Energy

• Supports opening more areas for offshore drilling (Reuters)
• Pushes against restrictions on fracking (Reuters)
• Encourages "expanding energy development on federal land" (Reuters)

Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Cruz's Entrepreneurship and Innovation (section page)

Small Business

• "Instead of small businesses going out of business in record numbers, imagine small businesses growing and prospering."

This turns out to be false. The business failure rate in 2012 reverted back to the 2005 levels. [2]

Internet Regulation and Entrepreneurial Freedom

• "The Internet is the great equalizer when it comes to jobs and opportunity." (WPOPED)
• "We must promote growth in the technological sector, a consistent bright spot for the U.S. economy. But we won’t realize more of that dynamic growth unless we keep the Internet free from the kind of unnecessary regulation that is strangling our health-care, energy and banking industries... one of the biggest regulatory threats to the Internet is “net neutrality.” In short, net neutrality is Obamacare for the Internet." (WPOPED)
• Opposes net neutrality on the basis it stifles innovation (WPOPED)
• "Internet freedom has produced robust free speech for millions and is an incubator for entrepreneurs to expand jobs and opportunities." (TCW - J&B)

Tax Reform Spurs Growth, Growth Comes from Entrepreneurs

"Growth doesn’t come from government. It comes from individuals and enterprise. It comes from entrepreneurs risking capital to meet a need. Government is very effective at obstructing that creative process. If you look historically, every time we pursue out-of-control spending and taxes and regulations, the results have been stagnation and misery and malaise. And every time we pursue tax reform and regulatory reform, the result has been incredible economic growth." (TCW - TR)

Quotes Pertaining to Entrepreneurship/Innovation

• “One of biggest lies in politics is the lie that Republicans are the party of big business. Big business does great with big government. Big business is very happy to climb in bed with big government. Republicans are and should be the party of small business and of entrepreneurs.” (TH)

GOP Debate Quotes

• "The the truth of the matter is, big government benefits the wealthy, it benefits the lobbyists, it benefits the giant corporations. And the people who are getting hammered are small businesses, it's single moms, it's Hispanics. That is who I'm fighting for. The people that Washington leaves behind." (RD3)
• "On the business side, I've got a business flat tax of 16 percent -- again, that applies across the board. Right now, with our corporate income tax, giant corporations with armies of accountants regularly are paying little to no taxes while small businesses are getting hammered." (RD4)

Votes Pertaining to Entrepreneurship

(SBE Council Website)

• SBE Council KEY VOTES: In the 113th Congress, Senator Cruz voted for amendments to repeal $1 trillion in Obama tax increases and provide for pro-growth, revenue neutral tax reform; and permanently repeal the death tax. He also voted against an amendment to impose a surtax on successful entrepreneurs that would pay for student loan refinancing.

From Cruz's Jobs & Opportunity Page

(TCW - J&O)

• "The American Dream — the idea that anyone, through hard work and determination, can achieve anything — is under assault like never before. Obamacare, an overreaching federal government, and out of control spending threaten the ability of small businesses and entrepreneurs to create jobs and innovate. This has to stop and Ted Cruz has led the way to bring back jobs, growth, and opportunity to America."
• "Led the fight against regulating the Internet as a public utility because it threatens the Internet as a haven for entrepreneurial freedom and unlimited opportunity."

Monetary Policy

Ted Cruz Monetary Policy (section page):

"We need sound money. And I think the Fed should get out of the business of trying to juice our economy and simply be focused on sound money and monetary stability, ideally tied to gold" (RD3)

"Instead of adjusting monetary policy according to whims, and getting it wrong over and over again and causing booms and busts, what the Fed should be doing is number one, keeping our money tied to a stable level of gold, and number two, serving as a lender of last resort," (RD4)

Religion

Cruz's Religion (section page):

Separation of Church and State

Taken from Cruz's "Religious Liberty" Page

• America was founded on a revolutionary idea. Our rights do not come from government. They come from God.
• The Pilgrims risked everything so that they could worship the Lord with all their hearts, minds, souls, and strength. The founders enshrined this right to live according to our faith in the First Amendment, and we must continue to celebrate and safeguard citizens’ God-given rights.
• As we have witnessed an unprecedented attack on citizens’ first freedoms, Ted Cruz continues to champion Americans’ religious liberty.
• Ted has spent his career defending religious liberty. He has fought to protect our First Amendment rights in a number of Supreme Court cases, and as U.S. Senator, he has been a tireless fighter for the right to freely live according to our faith.
• As a presidential candidate, Ted Cruz has hosted two national religious liberties rallies and has brought together Christians who have been persecuted for their beliefs so that people across the country can listen to their stories and stand united for our first freedom.
• On day one, a President Cruz will instruct the Department of Justice, the IRS, and every other federal agency that the persecution of religious liberty ends today.

Also taken from Cruz's "Religious Liberty" Page is his "Proven Record":

• Introduced measures to protect faith organizations in DC from being forced to provide abortion services to their employees and support, and even fund, activities that directly violate their mission.
• Galvanized national support for Houston pastors who had been subpoenaed by the City of Houston and forced to turn in their sermons.
• Stood with Kim Davis in defense of her right to live in accordance with her faith.
• Defended Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood Specialties against Obamacare’s contraception mandate.
• Sponsored legislation to grant Meriam Ibrahim and her children permanent legal status in the US so they could swiftly return home after being imprisoned for her Christian faith.
• Introduced measures in Congress to protect service members’ right to worship.
• Attended prayer rallies for persecuted Christians and has Introduced a resolution that states that President Obama should not meet with Iran until they release American hostages, including Pastor Saeed Abedini.
• Kept the cross standing at the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial.
• Led the way to preserve the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance at the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Successfully defended the constitutionality of the Texas Ten Commandments monument, winning a 5-4 landmark decision before the U.S. Supreme Court.
• Successfully defended the words “under God” in the Texas Pledge of Allegiance and Texas schools’ moment of silence law in federal district court.
• Supported students’ right to display banners containing religious content at school sporting events.

Israel

Taken from Cruz's "Stand With Israel" Page:

• We must make clear to the world that the U.S.-Israel alliance is once again a strategic bedrock for the United States.
• America’s security is significantly enhanced by a strong Israel. Israel has been, is, and always will be the Middle East bulwark in defense of the West. Our American-Israeli alliance is something to celebrate.
• A Cruz administration will on day one recognize Jerusalem as the eternal, undivided capital of Israel and the US embassy will be moved to Israel’s capital city.
• A Cruz administration will continue to support Israel’s regional qualitative military edge and make sure that, especially in light of the worsening security climate caused by Iran and ISIS, Israel has everything it needs to defend itself.
• We should strengthen our partnership with Israel by supporting cooperative efforts such as missile defense to counter terrorism.
• A President Cruz will immediately reassess US policy towards the Palestinian Authority. Not one penny of American tax dollars should go to an organization that incites hatred against Jews and seeks to partner with the terrorist group Hamas.
• We should move to defund the United Nations if it continues its anti-Israel bias and withdraw federal funding from any American university that boycotts Israel.

Also take from Cruz's Webpage is his "Proven Record":

• Introduced measure to provide necessary funding for Israel’s missile defense, Arrow System, David’s Sling and Iron Dome.
• Sent a bicameral letter to Secretary of State John Kerry urging him to close the Palestinian Liberation Organization’s office in Washington, D.C.
• Sent a bipartisan letter signed by 36 senators to Federica Mogherini, vice president of the European Commission. The letter expresses concern over reports that the European Union (EU) intends to move forward with new guidelines to label certain products made by Israeli companies imported into the EU.
• Chaired a hearing for the Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts titled “Justice Forsaken: How the Federal Government Fails the American Victims of Iranian and Palestinian Terrorism.” This hearing focused on the federal government’s failure to support the American victims of Iranian and Palestinian terror in their search for justice.
• Has twice introduced legislation to prohibit negotiations between the United States and Iran until Iran released the American prisoners it is unjustly detaining and recognizes Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state.
• Co-sponsored legislation to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
• Congress passed Sen. Cruz’s resolution to condemn Hamas’ use of civilians as human shields.
• Senate passed legislation Cruz introduced to offer rewards to those who handed in information about the kidnappers and murderers of the 3 boys who were murdered in Jerusalem, one of them being an Israeli-US citizen.
• Cruz asked if the FAA imposed economic sanctions on Israel by banning flights into Ben Gurion, an unprecedented restriction not even imposed on tumultuous countries like Ukraine. That day, the Secretary of State was asked about the ban, and within 36 hours, it was lifted.
• Supports Israel’s Iron Dome program, which in defending Israel also protects US security interests.
• Opposed Chuck Hagel’s nomination for Secretary of Defense for multiple reasons, including his record of undermining U.S. – Israeli relations.
• Has traveled to Israel several times since being elected.

Persecution of Christians in other Countries

Cruz's rhetoric mainly focuses on defending the U.S. from the threat of terrorist groups that have attacked Christians and non-Muslims in other countries.

Taken from Cruz's "Defend our Nation" Page":

• Two terms of the disastrous Obama-Clinton foreign policy have had one useful effect: we now know what the world starts to look like without America. The next president will have to start on day one rebuilding what they have tried to tear down. A truly conservative foreign policy would have three simple principles:
  • To preserve our country we need to exert leadership on the global stage, not withdraw from it.
  • We need to fiercely defend our allies and interests.
  • And we need to judge each challenge through the simple test of what is best for America. Because what is best for America is best for the world.
• ISIS seeks to destroy our very way of life. We must defeat them. That starts by calling the enemy by its name – radical Islamic terrorism – and securing the border. Border security is national security.
• We cannot recede from our leadership in the world. If we withdraw from the Middle East, the radical jihadists will not be content to stay there—they are going to attack our allies in the region and beyond. And they are on the lookout for every opportunity to attack us here at home.
• On day one, a President Cruz will immediately repeal every word of President Obama’s dangerous Iran deal and will prioritize American national security interests in every instance.

Also taken from Cruz's "Defend our Nation" Page" is his "Proven Record":

• Authored legislation urging the Secretary of State to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization.
• Following the terrorist attacks in Paris, introduced the Terrorist Refugee Infiltration Prevention Act of 2015, immediately barring refugees to the United States from any country, such as Iraq or Syria that contains substantial territory controlled by a foreign terrorist organization.
• Chaired a hearing for the Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts titled “Justice Forsaken: How the Federal Government Fails the American Victims of Iranian and Palestinian Terrorism.” This hearing focused on the federal government’s failure to support the American victims of Iranian and Palestinian terror in their search for justice.
• Introduced the IRGC Terrorist Designation Act, urging the U.S. Department of State to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization.
• Sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker John Boehner laying out a three-step approach to stop the flow of funds to the Iranian regime according to the terms of Corker-Cardin, the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act.
• Has twice introduced the Sanction Iran, Safeguard America Act to reinstate, impose, and expand Iran sanctions and stop failed negotiations until Iran meets certain preconditions.
• Has twice introduced the Expatriate Terrorist Act, which seeks to prevent terrorists who join ISIS or other terrorist groups from re-entering the country and to make clear that citizens who collaborate with terrorists have forfeited their right to US citizenship.
• Introduced legislation to prevent terrorists from entering the US as UN ambassadors, which Iran had attempted by nominating Hamid Aboutalebi. It passed *Congress unanimously and President Obama signed it into law.
• Opposed arming Syrian rebels, while supporting securing Syrian chemical weapons.

Quotes

Cruz's Quotes (section page):

Middle East

• On Waterboarding: "It is enhanced interrogation, it is vigorous interrogation, but it does not meet the generally recognized definition of torture." RD8

Drug Policy

• On Illegal Drugs: "This is an absolute epidemic. We need leadership to solve it. Solving it has to occur at the state and local level with programs like A.A., and counseling, and churches and charities. But it also has to be securing the borders, because you have got Mexican cartels that are smuggling vast amounts of heroin into this country." RD8

Health Policy

• "If I'm elected president, we will repeal every word of Obamacare." RD7

Tax Reform

• On his tax plan: "It's a simple flat tax for everyone. It'll produce enormous economic growth, and it eliminates every mandate, every subsidy, so there's no subsidies for oil and gas, no subsidies for anyone." RD7

Sources Key

(Bio) = [3]

(TCWTR) = [4]

(TCWRW) = [5]

(TCWJ) = [6]

(TCWLLF) = [7]

(TCWDN) = [8]

(TCWSWI) = [9]

(TCWSB) = [10]

(WE) = [11]

(WERR) = [12]

(ACOM) = [13]

(WPOPED) = [14]

(OTIHC) = [15]

(RD1) = [16]

(POLITICO) = [17]

(Huff Post) = [18]

(OTI - D) = [19]

(WSJ) = [20]

(CI) = [21]

(USA) = [22]

(WPSB) = [23]

(NATJ) = [24]

(Reuters) = [25]

(NPR) = [26]

(USAP) = [27]

(FOX) = [28]

(NATR) = [29]

(Atlantic) = [30]

(Stripes) = [31]

(Politifact - Iran) = [32]

(TCS) = [33]

(HuffPost - Iran) = [34]