Posted on 04/03/2014 12:11:34 PM PDT by iowamark
Last week, Democratic Senate candidate Bruce Braley questioned whether a “farmer who never went to law school” had the chops to take on a leadership role in Washington D.C.
Well, let me tell you something. Washington would be a lot better off if we had more farmers in Congress and a lot fewer trial lawyers.
I’m a constitutional lawyer who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and in my opinion Chuck Grassley – that Iowa farmer whom Braley was denigrating – would make an outstanding chairman of that committee.
Sen. Grassley is a champion for the American people, and his work holding the executive branch accountable, protecting Second Amendment rights, and fighting the unfair and unconstitutional exemption Congress gave itself from Obamacare is well regarded on Capitol Hill and beyond.
I know from working alongside Sen. Grassley he’s exactly the kind of government watchdog the American people need. As Ranking Member of the committee, he’s perfected a tenacious brand of oversight, implementing important anti-fraud tools, promoting transparency, and keeping an eagle eye out for anyone who may try to cheat the taxpayer.
I’ve also worked with him directly on several pressing matters, and I’ve seen first-hand how effective he is.
Together, we’ve advocated for an important bipartisan proposal to reform the military’s protocol for prosecuting sexual assault, to better protect the men and women serving in our armed forces. Garnering support from the Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee was critical to advancing this issue. His opinion carries real weight in the U.S. Senate.
In the aftermath of the illegal IRS targeting scandal, he cosponsored two pieces of legislation with me to prohibit IRS employees from targeting individuals or groups based on political views and to amend the tax code to use the independent FEC’s definition to determine whether an organization is engaging in political activity.
And, when members of the Senate took up an ill-advised comprehensive immigration plan, Sen. Grassley helped lead a contingent of conservatives, myself included, in opposing the bill that was negotiated behind closed doors with special interests that would ultimately make our already-flawed immigration system worse.
His persistence in forcing the Obama Administration to disclose the facts behind the dangerously bungled Fast and Furious gun walking scandal is especially admirable. Sen. Grassley spearheaded the first congressional investigation into complaints an ATF field office was using straw buyers to funnel guns to the Mexican drug cartel.
Thanks to Sen. Grassley, the Obama Administration’s attempts to silence whistleblowers were exposed. Although the Obama Administration repeatedly denied participating in “gun walking,” the investigations led by Sen. Grassley showed the American public the truth.
At the same time, Sen. Grassley has worked diligently to protect Second Amendment rights. In the aftermath of Sandy Hook, I was honored to work with him to produce a commonsense, comprehensive plan that focused on keeping guns out of the hands of violent criminals.
Indeed, the Grassley-Cruz legislation had the most bipartisan support of all the comprehensive gun proposals; Democrats cast nine of the 52 yes votes.
Sen. Grassley took another bold stand by working to remove the unfair and unconstitutional congressional exemption for Obamacare, too.
Despite the outcry from many of his Senate colleagues, he forced the matter to a public vote. Every single Democrat in the U.S. Senate voted to keep their special exemption from the law, showcasing how out-of-touch the creators of Obamacare really are.
That measure is simply known as the “Grassley amendment” because everyone knows Sen. Grassley is the man who insisted that our nation’s lawmakers not hold themselves above the law. He is one of the rare people in Washington who still believes Congress should live under the same laws it passes for the rest of the country.
He understands the secrecy, special exemptions, loopholes, and increasingly imperial nature of the federal government is tearing this country apart.
The biggest political divide in America is not between Republicans and Democrats. It’s between Washington and the rest of America.
We need more people like Sen. Grassley who rely on good, old-fashioned commonsense than those who depend on an army of accountants, lawyers, and lobbyists to get their way in Washington.
That’s why I’d venture that if any Republican had to choose between a trial lawyer and a farmer, they’d pick the farmer. I would.
Sen. Cruz (R-Texas) is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights.
End all farm and corporate subsidies
Not a lawyer sounds like a compliment to me
Farmers milk cows. Trial lawyers milk everyone else.
LOL you’re right!
That’s what worries me about Cruz...Harvard Law and Goldman Sachs, organizations that have brought much damage to the USA.
I’ll wait for the debates (assuming he runs for POTUS).
I’m sure his opponents will do a fine job of providing what you ask for.
Oh, it’s you again. Still trying to spread FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) about Senator Cruz and attempting to entice conservatives to form circular firing squads.
It’s so transparent.
Yesterday, it was a Virginia Democrat named Dickinson whose nasty opinions about TEA movement members. Today, it's Braley!
As for Dickinson, what a shame that this son of Virginia's Henrico County exhibits such a shocking bit of ignorance, combined with an arrogant elitism, considering that such a Virginian might have studied and been influenced by the ideas of Virginians Washington, Jefferson, and Madison as he grew up.
That great intellectual giant and learned political philosopher who authored our Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, was modest and humble in his assessment of those of less education than he, thereby exhibiting a generous spirit and wisdom.
"State a moral case to a ploughman and a professor. The former will decide it as well, & often better than the latter, because he has not been led astray by artificial rules."- Letter to Peter Carr
On the other hand, Jefferson had this to say about a class of politicians that Dickinson might hold in great esteem:
"If the present Congress errs in too much talking, how can it be otherwise in a body to which the people send one hundred and fifty lawyers, whose trade it is to question everything, yield nothing, and talk by the hour?" - Thomas JeffersonToday, we have constitutionally-illiterate folks who call themselves "progressives," or sometimes "intellectuals," who have studied little of the history of civilization, few of the great philosophers, and their reading and discussions of "progressive" political ideas only makes them dangerous to the cause of liberty in America and worldwide.
Oh, for a Jefferson, who, at age 33, was able to articulate the philosophical basis for an American Constitution whose protections for individual liberty and limits of government power made America the destination for hundreds of millions of oppressed people from all over the globe, and the literal breadbasket of the world.
Is a rediscovery of its ideas not the very wish list that the Taxed Enough Already movement embraces?
If so, then it is Mr. Dickinson's and Mr. Braley's ignorance is on display!
Looking at the track record of what they’ve done to this nation, one of my criteria in evaluating candidates is “Do they have an Ivy League degree of any sort?”
Harvard Law and HBS are the two worst schools for cranking out people who want to destroy the US for their own gain tho. Worse than all other Ivies combined.
As for Goldman Sachs... if the US government wanted to, there’s enough scandal coming out of Goldman that the SEC could have disassembled them years ago. But as usual, they allowed Goldman to pay a fine “without admitting wrongdoing.”
All of which is immaterial in forming an opinion as to whether or not Ted Cruz is a good candidate for any political office.
Give me the actions of the man or woman, the supported policy positions over the gray area of looses associations provided by schools attended and where his wife works any day.
And on those concrete measures, Ted Cruz passes with flying colors. Better than any proposed 2016 POTUS candidate with the possible exception of Governor Palin.
No, all of which is absolutely material.
The GOP has been courting these twits since Reagan retired in ‘89. We’ve had a succession of one RINO after another, all with Ivy League degrees, either in the presidency or running for it.
It’s time to admit what we now know: These clowns have a motto: “Hooray for me. Screw you.”
Cruz is peddling “I’m different.” Yea, see, I don’t think so.
Electing people from the Ivies and expecting different results is like adopting a grizzly bear as a pet, and being surprised when he eats your children. It’s stupid. “But until now, this bear had been as gentle as a lamb.”
The objective observer asks the stupid person who allowed the grizzly into their home the following question: “At what point did you delude yourself into thinking that a grizzly bear no longer had claws and teeth?”
” all with Ivy League degrees”
That statement reminds me of the gun grabbers, “We need to eliminate guns for all Americans so there will be no gun violence.” You are saying that we need to eliminate candidates simply because they attended “ivy league schools.”
Notice that Cruz has a record to follow. He is solidly conservative.
Cruz actually has a pretty thin record. He’s a junior senator and before that, he was a functionary in the Bush administration.
He has no executive experience.
He has won only one election.
I’d rather trust Cruz’ thin record that Jeb Bush’s, Khris Kristy’s, Rand (I’m just like dad) Paul’s or most other Rino’s longer records. Given the disappointment most conservatives have experienced since Reagan, I think Cruz would be quickly voted out if he moves in a liberal or selfish direction. But right now - none better than Cruz. I’d like to see a Cruz/Lee or a Cruz/Tim Scott ticket. Sarah Palin for RNC chair.
I basically agree with you 100%.
While there are undoubtedly some exceptions to the rule, why take a chance when there are so many other good folks to support.
Facts are facts.
Harvard Law and Goldman Sachs are institutions that have done untold damage to America.
To me they are SO destructive that they fall into the “guilty until proven innocent” category.
While Cruz may be an exception, I’ll wait until the vetting process is complete before supporting him.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.