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Why I Trust Ted Cruz [libertarian Congressman Justin Amash]
Independent Journal Opinion ^ | February 23, 2016 | Congressman Justin Amash

Posted on 02/23/2016 10:06:21 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

As a libertarian Republican, I have spent several months promoting the candidacy of my friend Senator Rand Paul, who is, in my view, the most passionate defender of our rights on the national stage today. Since his departure from the presidential race, I've been asked many times: what now?

It's easy to withdraw from politics when the positions and priorities of the candidates do not precisely mirror our own. But we owe it to our beliefs to find constitutional conservative political allies who not only respect our philosophy but also fight for our views to be heard.

We have found such an ally in Senator Ted Cruz.

Ted is not a libertarian and doesn't claim to be. But he is a principled defender of the Constitution, a brilliant strategist and debater who can defeat the Democratic nominee in the general election, and the only remaining candidate I trust to take on what he correctly calls the Washington Cartel.

The recent passing of Justice Antonin Scalia reminds us of the importance of electing a president committed to nominating justices to the Supreme Court who will uphold the Constitution and the Rule of Law. Because the Court has not lost a conservative in many years, this selection may become the most influential act of the next president. Replacing Justice Scalia with a poorly chosen justice could alter our country’s identity on critical issues such as education, health care, criminal justice, privacy, and even the very meaning of the Constitution.

In this regard, history has given us a uniquely qualified candidate-Ted Cruz served as a Supreme Court clerk (an extraordinarily selective job held each year by fewer than 40 lawyers who work directly with the justices to shape the Court's opinions) and has the rare distinction of having argued many cases before the Supreme Court. The importance of these credentials cannot be overstated in the current context.

But the Supreme Court is not the only thing at stake. Our entire constitutional system is under threat.

An effective president for the people is going to face massive fights with the lobbyist class and Washington elites. It is not enough for a president to have smart advisers and well-rehearsed lines. Whether or not we agree on every issue, libertarian and conservative Republicans must choose a president who has the courage to stand up for the American people in the face of relentless attacks. Ted has shown that he is a true leader who can defend the principles of our constitutional republic, takes libertarian ideas seriously (even when he disagrees), and will not back down from the battles that must be fought.

Since Ted arrived in the Senate, he has stood shoulder to shoulder with the House Freedom Caucus, of which I am a member. Ted has consistently led the fight in the Senate against the Washington Cartel's trillion-dollar omnibus spending bills. And while his Senate colleague Marco Rubio pays lip service to inclusivity while actually advocating unwelcoming and unpopular GOP positions from past decades, Ted Cruz recognizes that we grow the Republican Party by embracing new approaches that genuinely reflect our support for limited, constitutional government.

Take, for instance, Ted's opposition to cronyism and corporate welfare. Unlike his competitors, Ted understands that when we allow the government to pick winners and losers, the American people lose. He isn't afraid to challenge the rampant corruption in Washington, and he isn't afraid to champion economic freedom. Ted won the Iowa caucuses with a principled stand against subsidies, even though pundits warned that no one could win the state without pandering to the ethanol lobby.

On civil liberties and foreign policy, Ted and I don't always agree. But he was one of only ten Republican senators to stand up for our rights by supporting Rand Paul's amendment to kill the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015-also known as CISA-a cyberspying bill that violates the privacy of all Americans. And Ted has been a stalwart defender of our Fifth Amendment right to due process, strongly opposing the government's asserted power to indefinitely detain Americans without charge or trial.

Like me, Ted believes that the United States must be well defended and respected around the globe. He stands with our troops and will not put them in harm's way unless necessary to protect our country. Unlike some other Republican candidates, Ted opposed intervening in Libya and voted against arming Syrian rebels, and he will not use our Armed Forces to engage in nation building.

To defend liberty, we must defend our Constitution. I'm supporting Ted because, knowing him personally and having served with him in Congress over the past few years, I trust him as a conservative ally who consistently listens to my perspective and stands firm for what he believes is right.

Congressman Justin Amash Cascade Township, MI - Justin A. Amash is a Republican member of Congress representing Michigan's 3rd District.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: conservative; cruz; gopprimary; libertarian
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Remember the 2012 libertarian force in Iowa?

Ted Cruz's Quiet Coup in Iowa

They were there on Iowa Caucus night for Ted Cruz.

That article [written by a libertarian activist] gives the history. Very good read.

1 posted on 02/23/2016 10:06:22 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

I think this guy kind of unintentionally makes an excellent case for why we need Ted Cruz to stay in the Senate.


2 posted on 02/23/2016 10:09:35 AM PST by 20yearsofinternet (Border: Close it. Illegals: Deport. Muslims: Ban 'em. Economy: Liberate it. PC: Kill it. Trump 2016)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

http://twitter.com/_HankRearden/status/699058971907268608/photo/1

Ted Cruz Joins Establishment on January 2013 when he takes office.

July 2013: Proposes amnesty for 11 million illegals, 2X’s legal immigration and 500% increase in H1B visas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHlGlNwsQb0

Oct. 2013: Joins NRSC (National Republican Senatorial Committee) and begins giving money from his leadership PAC to GOPe operatives.

2014: Serves Establishment:

Jan. 2014: Announces he will not support any challengers in 2014 Mid Terms.

March/April 2014: Supports Mitch McConnell.

July/August 2014: Cruz says he doesn’t support McConnell any more but yet remains on the NRSC.

Dec. 2015: Post election announces he is leaving the NRSC.

2015 Ensure TTP for Establishment.

Feb/March 2015: Meets with Paul Ryan and constructs road map for Chamber of Commerce requested TTP trade deal.

April 2015: Pens open letter promoting TPA with Paul Ryan.

May/2015: Creates ‘fast track’ trade rider to attach to TPA changing vote threshold for approval/disapproval to simple majority to ensure it’s passage.

May 2015: Votes down TTP amendment requiring congress’ notification prior to China/Russia joining.

June/July 2015: Votes against TPA bill he helped draft, even though his rider ensures it’s passage.

http://www.politijim.com/2016/02/the-concordance-of-cruz-corruption.html

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/tom-coburn-rips-ted-cruz-effect/2015/10/16/id/696627/

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/02/developing-cruz-camp-accused-of-more-facebook-dirty-tricks-sued-for-illegal-fundraising-in-texas/

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/214989/right-stuff-ted-cruz

http://twitter.com/brandonlb/status/698738959648747520/photo/1

https://csteventucker.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/no-senator-cruz-donald-trump-does-not-want-single-payer-health-care/

http://swampland.time.com/2013/10/18/ted-cruz-failed-to-disclose-ties-to-jamaican-holding-company/

And he did not know McConnell lied to him about TPA
And he did not know Corker/Iran was not the best we could do.
And he did not know he was a Canadian citzen.
And he did not know he had to file official paperwork on a loan.
And he did not know he should have told Texans in his Senate race that he has a Canadian birth certificate.
And he did not know that Glen Beck is a loon.

And he did not know he did not lose his health insurance
And he did not know he really did not liquefy all his assets

Attachments area

Preview YouTube video Sen. Cruz Amendment to Immigration Legislation to Increase H-1B Visas

Sen. Cruz Amendment to Immigration Legislation to Increase H-1B Visas


3 posted on 02/23/2016 10:10:49 AM PST by HarleyLady27 ("The Force Awakens"!!! TRUMP;TRUMP;TRUMP;TRUMP!!! 100%)
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To: HarleyLady27

I hope you know that fake conservatives are gonna hate on you. They love words, NOT research!!


4 posted on 02/23/2016 10:16:48 AM PST by stephenjohnbanker (My Batting Average( 1,000) since Nov 2014 (GOPe is that easy to read))
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
Ted will always have his Iowa trophy.
5 posted on 02/23/2016 10:17:13 AM PST by TornadoAlley3 ( I'm Proud To Be An Okie From Muskogee)
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To: HarleyLady27

“....That $100,000 gift from Trump to the Boehner-allied super PAC was twice as big as his next-biggest contributions. [Trump’s] given $50,000 .. to Karl Rove’s American Crossroads (2010) [and $50,000 to] the pro-Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Kentuckians for Strong Leadership (2013)...

http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2015/08/when-it-comes-to-contributions-trump-doesnt-play-in-the-big-leagues/

And then Trump gave McConnell’s PAC another $10,000 in Nov 2014.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mz-m0P3kd7kiWFGuJ3SNpzjwd8znn4wpbvldTJ9RCUQ/edit?pref=2&pli=1#gid=0


6 posted on 02/23/2016 10:19:47 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: TornadoAlley3; HarleyLady27

“Ted will always have his Iowa trophy. “

As will a number of losers, who also won Iowa : )


7 posted on 02/23/2016 10:22:06 AM PST by stephenjohnbanker (My Batting Average( 1,000) since Nov 2014 (GOPe is that easy to read))
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To: HarleyLady27
July 24, 2015: 'Flat-out lie': TED CRUZ calls McConnell a liar on Senate floor

...."It saddens me to say this. I sat in my office, I told my staff the majority leader looked me in the eye and looked 54 Republicans in the eye. I cannot believe he would tell a flat-out lie, and I voted based on those assurances that he made to each and every one of us," Cruz said.

"What we just saw today was an absolute demonstration that not only what he told every Republican senator, but what he told the press over and over and over again, was a simple lie.".....

Jan 7, 2016 Chuck Schumer: "...Donald Trump is the only Republican candidate who says don't cut Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security, he's the only Republican candidate who's against free trade," Schumer explained. "He's the only one who voices clearly this idea that 'well if very wealthy people aren't paying their fair share of taxes, they ought to.'"

June 16, 2016: "....Trump defended his donations to New York Democrats in an interview with Fox News'..Trump last donated to Schumer directly in 2010, though he had made donations ranging from $250 to $2,000 since 1996.

"I mean, I've contributed to Schumer, I contribute - I've known Schumer for many, many years. And I have a good relationship with him. The fact is, that I think it is time maybe that we all do get along," he told Hannity...

8 posted on 02/23/2016 10:22:17 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

:: Senator Ted Cruz... not a libertarian and doesn’t claim to be. But he is a principled defender of the Constitution, a brilliant strategist and debater who can defeat the Democratic nominee in the general election ::

Provided the debate / question concerns upholding the Constitution. All other arguments, for the Dhimmicrats, take second place.


9 posted on 02/23/2016 10:23:27 AM PST by Cletus.D.Yokel (Catastrophic Anthropogenic Climate Alterations: The acronym defines the science.)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

...and your tired point is?... We have had enough of Cruz and the Rube...let it go...it’s over...


10 posted on 02/23/2016 10:25:51 AM PST by HarleyLady27 ("The Force Awakens"!!! TRUMP;TRUMP;TRUMP;TRUMP!!! 100%)
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To: HarleyLady27
May 8, 2013 Fox News Latino

Ted Cruz Files Amendment To Deny Path To Citizenship As Senate Works On Bill

......"The amendments filed today to strengthen border security and reform our legal immigration system will not only bring meaningful, effective improvements to our immigration system, but also have a chance of becoming law," said Cruz in a statement. "America is a nation of immigrants, built by immigrants and we need to honor that heritage by fixing our broken immigration system, while upholding the rule of law and championing legal immigration."

His amendments are among more than 300 filed by the Tuesday evening deadline. Republicans wanting tighter enforcement provisions filed a majority of the amendments, with Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, leading the pack with 77 amendments.

Supporters of the bill, mainly of the part of it that would legalize millions of undocumented immigrants, kept a steady drumbeat in defense of the measure though emails, websites and social media.

In a press release, America's Voice, a leading national group that advocates for more lenient immigration laws, singled out Cruz's anti-citizenship amendment as particularly worrisome.

"This would not only destroy the path to citizenship in the Senate bill - the popular heart of an immigration reform solution - but also turn its back on 100 years of precedent in immigration policy," said the release..........

************************************

Dec 17, 2015: Politico

Who's right: Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio?

"....The bipartisan group of eight senators - including battle-tested veterans and relative newcomers like Rubio - painstakingly negotiated a delicate compromise in early 2013 that would overhaul every corner of the U.S. immigration system, including a 13-year pathway to citizenship for millions here illegally.

Fans and foes of the legislation, as well as observers at the time, knew the core bill couldn't change too dramatically because that would upset that compromise, which not only had the backing of Democrats and Republicans in the Senate but also coalitions off the Hill, such as labor unions and the business lobby.

Cruz's amendment - which called for stripping out a pathway to citizenship, but keeping a path for legalization - would have done precisely that.

The night before each Senate Judiciary Committee markup, senior Gang of Eight aides would huddle to scour through each of the amendments that were teed up for the following day, determining which proposals would be palatable and which would be unacceptable. This strategy was meant to ensure the core elements of the Gang of Eight deal would stay intact (the four members of the Gang who sat on the Judiciary Committee would vote in a bloc, usually with the rest of the committee Democrats, to vote down potential deal-killers).

"This one was one that clearly we all had to oppose because it went to the core of the deal," recalled an aide to a Senate Democrat during the 2013 negotiations. "It could've unraveled the whole deal. Sure, Cruz himself never called it a "poison pill" at the time. But no senator refers to his own proposal as a poison pill, even if it plainly is. The Gang of Eight never considered Cruz as "gettable," and it was well-known at the time that Cruz was never going to vote for the bill and was in fact, trying to kill it.".....

11 posted on 02/23/2016 10:26:18 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
...and here is more lies.....

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/02/breaking-allegations-cruz-cronies-are-running-robocall-stating-another-candidate-is-dropping-out/

It wasn't bad enough to have done this to Carson, he goes to SC and does it to Rubio...lies, liar, not even a Natural Born Citizen of American, but only maybe a ‘naturalized’ citizen if even that...

And on top of that, the people in Texas was not aware of his Canadian Birth Certificate or his ‘dual’ citizenship as he puts it, only problem with that is, Canada didn't have dual citizenship after 1977 and he didn't denounce his Canadian Citizenship until 2014...lies, liar...

12 posted on 02/23/2016 10:32:29 AM PST by HarleyLady27 ("The Force Awakens"!!! TRUMP;TRUMP;TRUMP;TRUMP!!! 100%)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife
June 16, 2016:

Ahem !

13 posted on 02/23/2016 10:51:30 AM PST by Timocrat (Ingnorantia non excusat)
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To: HarleyLady27
It wasn't bad enough to have done this to Carson, he goes to SC and does it to Rubio...lies, liar,

Sure every tweet on twitter is true, especially those that that start with "anonymous sources say...".

14 posted on 02/23/2016 10:52:13 AM PST by Rightwing Conspiratr1
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To: Rightwing Conspiratr1

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/02/breaking-allegations-cruz-cronies-are-running-robocall-stating-another-candidate-is-dropping-out/


15 posted on 02/23/2016 10:57:05 AM PST by HarleyLady27 ("The Force Awakens"!!! TRUMP;TRUMP;TRUMP;TRUMP!!! 100%)
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To: Timocrat
Thank you.

June 16, 2015: "....Trump defended his donations to New York Democrats in an interview with Fox News'..Trump last donated to Schumer directly in 2010, though he had made donations ranging from $250 to $2,000 since 1996.

"I mean, I've contributed to Schumer, I contribute - I've known Schumer for many, many years. And I have a good relationship with him. The fact is, that I think it is time maybe that we all do get along," he told Hannity...

16 posted on 02/23/2016 10:58:23 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
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To: HarleyLady27
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2016/02/breaking-allegations-cruz-cronies-are-running-robocall-stating-another-candidate-is-dropping-out/

UPDATE - The Cruz camp was accused of more nasty robocalls in South Carolina but the rumors below do not play out.

Do you even read what you link to?

17 posted on 02/23/2016 11:06:32 AM PST by Rightwing Conspiratr1
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To: kevslisababy

Pinging my favorite FReeper! :)


18 posted on 02/23/2016 11:19:46 AM PST by Mich Patriot ("The problem with quotes found on the Internet is they are often not true." - Abraham Lincoln)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2016/02/stop-the-lies-marco

https://pjmedia.com/trending/2016/02/18/marco-rubio-defense-hawk-a-no-show-at-911-committee-meetings/

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/02/23/exclusive-ice-officer-rubio-lied-american-public-fox-news-challenges-meet/

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/02/the_gop_duping_of_america.html


19 posted on 02/23/2016 11:35:32 AM PST by pookie18 (9 months until the general election...)
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To: Cincinatus' Wife

Justin Amash must be stupid and a liar. Right, Donnie?


20 posted on 02/23/2016 12:01:06 PM PST by TBP (0bama lies, Granny dies.)
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