First off, who is Ted Cruz? He is a Republican currently serving as the junior United States Senator for Texas. And he’s a “wacko bird.” At least, so said Senator John McCain, while criticizing Cruz’s 21-hour filibuster of Obamacare. Cruz’s political views are not the only source of controversy in his candidacy for President. Cruz was born in Canada to an American-born mother and a Cuban-born father who at the time was not an American citizen. This has led to much discussion regarding his eligibility to run for President. The Constitution declares that a candidate must be a “natural born citizen,” but Cruz was not born on U.S. soil or to two American citizens. Nevertheless, on March 23, he was the first presidential hopeful to announce his candidacy.
Although some may have hoped that Cruz’s Hispanic background would influence his opinions on immigration, a brief look at his voting record would quickly disillusion them. In 2013, Cruz voted in favor of an amendment which would have prohibited the reconsideration of illegal immigrant status until such a 700 mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border was completed. His voting record reveals other unpleasant surprises, including his vote against the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013 and his vote against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013, which prevents employers from discriminating on the basis of gender or sexual identity. (Both of those acts passed anyway.)
Ted Cruz has some interesting opinions about his possible predecessor, Obama. He said at a U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce forum last month that Obama has “inflamed racial tensions” in the United States. He supported his claim by citing an unrelated statement (about Wall Street, with no mention of race) by Joe Biden and failed to provide an example when asked. Rather, he repeated that Obama “exacerbated racial tension.” To him, at least, this must have seemed sufficient: he went on to hold Obama solely responsible for the recent riots in Baltimore.
Cruz also hates Obamacare. In September he compared it to the policies of Nazi Germany and claimed that “millions … have lost their health insurance” as a result of it. This claim is apparently contradicted by an Urban Institute report cited by USA Today stating that the Affordable Care Act accounts for 10 million Americans newly insured between September 2013 and December 2014. In spite of this seemingly contradictory evidence, Cruz introduced the “Obamacare Repeal Act” in February of 2015. The best part of it, though, is that despite his contempt for the system, Cruz announced in March that he and his wife are planning on signing up for it, even saying there’s nothing ironic about it.
Here’s a few more fun tidbits about Cruz:. He used taxpayers’ money to pay for portions of his campaign trips and doesn’t deny it. He said last July that same-sex marriage is “a real threat to our liberty.” He told a radio host in March that abortion access is “a manifestation of a war on women.” And, The Wall Street Journal has quoted him saying that Democrats want to repeal the Free Speech Amendment. Heard enough yet? Me too. Good thing most polls show him at consistently unfavorable ratings.
“Presidential Candidates” is a recurring column that anyone can write.