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Posted on 05/02/2014 9:49:27 AM PDT by SoConPubbie
Sen. Ted Cruz (R.-Texas)
(CNSNews.com) – The economic and political scene in America today is similar to what was occurring in the late 1970s, but this is not all bad news for conservatives because “it took Jimmy Carter to give us Ronald Reagan,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in a tele-town hall sponsored by the conservative group ForAmerica.
“I understand that looking at what’s happening in this country, it’s easy to be demoralized, to feel despondent at the continual assault on our liberty,” said Cruz. “But I want to encourage everyone -- it often takes things getting really bad, to wake people up. It took Jimmy Carter to give us Ronald Reagan.”
Cruz drew a comparison between what was happening under President Jimmy Carter with the last five years under President Barack Obama, along with other observations about the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), youth unemployment, the national debt, foreign policy, and the Benghazi scandal.
ForAmerica, which sponsored the tele-town hall on April 29, was founded by author, columnist, and activist L. Brent Bozell III. ForAmerica supports personal freedom, a limited, constitutional government, a strong national defense, and a commitment to Judeo-Christian values.
Bozell is also the president of the Media Research Center, the parent organization of CNSNews.com.
For the tele-town hall, Bozell introduced Cruz and the two spoke briefly about Obamacare and how polls show the new health care law is not popular and likely will be a major issue in the 2014 elections. Cruz went on to talk about how politicians, on both sides of the aisle, are averse to taking risks and that, in his view, the best way to affect change is through the grassroots as happened in the late 1970s.
“If we get back to the founding principles of this country, we can turn America around,” said Cruz. “I’m optimistic because Americans are waking up, they’re speaking out, and they’re holding our government accountable. You know, the Book of Ecclesiastes tells us there is nothing new under the sun. And I think where we are today reminds me a great deal of the late 1970s.”
“In the late 1970s, Jimmy Carter was in the White House,” he said. “We had the same failed economic policies, out of control spending and taxes and regulation. It produced the same stagnation and misery and malaise. And we had the same naïve and feckless foreign policy that was making the world a much, much more dangerous place.”
Cruz continued, “And in response, all across this country, we saw a grassroots movement – millions of men and woman who rose up to become the Reagan Revolution. That didn’t come from Washington. Washington despised Ronald Reagan. It came instead from the American people.”
“And that tidal wave that swept in the Reagan Revolution, turned this country around, turned us back from economic malaise and stagnation to vibrant economic growth, to expanding opportunity for all Americans,” said the senator from Texas. “And it turned around our foreign policy to reasserting American values to ultimately winning the Cold War without firing a shot.”
“That came from the grassroots,” he said. “And the reason I’m optimistic, the reason I am hopeful is I’m convinced the same thing is happening. I’m optimistic and hopeful because of each of you, because as we stand up together, it’s only the American people that can turn this around. As we stand up together and we hold elected officials in Washington accountable, that’s how we’re going to get back to the principles this country was founded on.”
As the tele-town hall continued, Cruz answered questions from people calling in, as well as questions submitted through Twitter and Facebook.
In speaking to a college student, Cruz encouraged him to use his time wisely to study the history, ideas, and people that helped build America and to share his learning with his peers, face to face and through social media.
Cruz also talked about the Benghazi scandal, stressing that in the nearly two years since the attack, “no one has been brought to justice – we haven’t apprehended the terrorists, we haven’t brought them to justice.”
Although Cruz talked about the necessity for strong leaders in government, he repeatedly emphasized the power of ordinary Americans speaking out for their beliefs and holding politicians accountable.
“What makes a difference, the reason why the Washington establishment is reacting with such terror to what is happening is because of you,” said Cruz. “The reason they’re reacting is because when millions of Americans rise up and hold elected officials accountable, it changes the rules.”
Following on Senator Cruz’s remarks, ForAmerica President Brent Bozell said that, for years, conservatives had been clamoring for a new generation of leaders who would not succumb to “Beltway Fever” and not compromise their principles.
“I can now say to our 5 million supporters around the country that the cavalry really has arrived,” said Bozell. “For the first time in a long, long time, I am actually optimistic about the future.”
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Cruz is right. I awake to a late 70’s flashback every day.
Except that Obama has had twice as much time to inflict damage.
Except it's $16 trillion of national debt worse now.
In all due respect to the Senator, I believe we’re far worse than the late 70’s. Three reasons: lack of passion for liberty amongst the voters, much more advanced technology, and our out of control national debt.
Cruz wants to be so much like Reagan circa 1980. I hope he is and I hope we have an electorate that wants it.
And is worse than Carter by a factor of 100 or more. Carter was merely a naive, Jew hating, Utopian, idealistic, sentimental fool in the mold of Woodrow Wilson.
BO is all of that plus a committed Marxist and anti-American.
The only thing which remains to be seen is if he will overtake our first gay president as the first of the worst. He hasn't ushered in a civil war. Yet.
Sadly, where we are today DOESN’T remind me of the late 70s and Carter. Don’t get me wrong; Carter was a bad president. But:
Carter deregulated the airlines. Carter was pushing to lower taxes. You may disagree with his characterization, but he nevertheless proudly called himself a Born Again Christian. And the entire federal debt was $640 billion. Not per year — $640 billion in total.
Carter was a horrible president but the Communist we have in office today is much, much worse than Carter.
I respectfully disagree. 0bama is far worse than Carter. Carter was president for four years and he did not ruin my health care.
reminds me more of 1934 and Berlin, Senator.
. rampant unemployment
. marches in the streets
. a government of occultists, sexual deviants, and malcontents
. fascistic policies swallowed in the name of the public good.
. a media unwilling or afraid to report the truth.
. the rest of the world watching and wondering what the heck has happened to a once great country
It is also worse because we have been infiltrated by huge numbers, both legal and especially illegal, who do not love this country or respect the rule of law which respect made this country a shining city on the hill.
Although the “Lyin’ King” is EXPONENTIALLY worse than Jimmuh, it is definitely a good historical analogy to AT LEAST get people to start thinking about replacing him!
Some Jimmuh “Achievements”:
Double Digit Inflation
Double Digit Mortgage Rates
Double Digit Unemployment
Gas Lines
“Malaise”
52 American Hostages in Iran
Official reboot of Global Jihad (It’s always been with us, but it got a kickstart during Jimmah’s administration)
Jimmah’s labeling himself as a “Born Again Christian”, and his subsequent ineptitude and hypocrisy has caused what was once a respectable term for a reasonable Faith to be reduced to ridicule and contempt.
Any Republican who gets in during 2016 and does a fair job cutting back regulation, allowing resource development and getting government out of health care will witness an economic roar-back like Reagan did in the early 80s.
Cruz doesn’t have his facts straight.
There was no grassroots rising in 1980, as polls were tight going into the last week of the election. Polls had even shown Reagan in 3rd place at one point in the early Summer.
It was the results of the October debate and a turn in the electorate away from Carter over the last weekend prior to the election that provided the mandate. Carter made a very sad TV appearance that weekend that essentially solidified the impression that he could not make any substantial progress dealing with Iran regarding releasing the hostages who were seized from the US Embassy in Tehran.
There’s no need to rewrite history, just the proper interpretation based on verifiable information. This should be of concern to anyone watching Ted Cruz that whoever is putting out his PR pieces may not be taking adequate time to make sure their facts are straight.
But we almost went metric!
I don't know....carter was a lib and libs are socialists/communists at heart.
Funny, I was thinking that we’re way past Carter and the 70s and approaching 1917 and Lenin.
Don’t you think we’re far worse off today than under Carter?
I dunno for sure, I was about 10 then.
I know it took a few years into Reagan before it started looking better, and the left was denigrating that recovery like crazy.
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