I am not a Ted Cruz fan, but he is not naturalized. He was a dual citizen until he renounced his Canadian one -- an American because of his mother, and Canadian because the country, like America, grants automatic citizenship to anyone born there. Cruz qualifies as a natural born citizen,because he was American at birth.

I don't want him to run for president, because Charles Krauthammer warned him what would happen if he tried shutting down the government. He did it anyway and not successfully.

IMO, if he runs against Hillary, he will get smeared and it will be at least 4 more years of Obama's failed policies.

What's not to like about 'ol Ted? A strong supporter of the U.S. Constitution and we're not so sure that the Hildebeast is a shoe-in are we?

After all, he won the Federalist Presidential Straw Poll with 26 percent of the nearly one thousand votes cast.

: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/29/last-ted-cruz-finally-wins-presidential-straw-poll/#ixzz3NKQ8Kyej

Thanks for the thread. Even though I'm living in the US for a while now I'd never seen this guy before. Unless the executive branch is going to continue to be run as a dictatorship, it seems to me someone of his political skill (whether you agree with his positions or not) would do better to stay in Congress.

4 more years of Obama's failed policies.

What was the deficit in 2009, what is it now and in which directing is it moving?

What was the unemployment rate in 2009, what is it now and in which direction is it moving?

Unless you refer to foreign policy.

1. "What was the deficit in 2009, what is it now and in which directing is it moving?"

The trend is down from 2009's final amount of $1.413 Trillion to the current estimated amount of $483 Billion for 2014. The years between were:

FY 2014: $483 bln

FY 2013: $680 bln

FY 2012: $1,087 bln

FY 2011: $1,300 bln

FY 2010: $1,294 bln

FY 2009: $1,413 bln

The last full year of the Bush administration and last spending bill approved by his administration was $458 Billion.

2. "What was the unemployment rate in 2009, what is it now and in which direction is it moving?"

The unemployment rate is hovering around the 5.8% figure for the past few months. Prior to that it reached something over 10% in the early stages of the Obama administration. Having said that, the labor participation rate is at its highest since 1954. The labor participation rate is the percent of the eligible (by age) work force in the US population hat have actively sought work during the last four week period prior to month's end. The U-6 unemployment rate, which includes those drop-outs, is running near 11% which is up from when Obama took office.

Things aren't quite as rosy in this area as one might expect.

Thank you for finding the information.

Still trying to get my head around 'failed policies'. It can certainly be argued that Obama could have done better especially during his first two years but that does not equate to failed policies.

A much shorter list would be those policies which have not failed. All while breeding the worst animosities I have witnessed in my lifetime.

Getting back to this thread after a restful night's sleep, I ran across this report on the virtual flood of Obama regulations that were released during the past year or so.

This is often overlooked by many citizens but it has a huge impact on private enterprise and the prospects of opening a business in the US. Regulations and the enforcement of them can have a tremendously negative impact on new business start-ups.

Somebody needs to get these regulatory agencies under some sort of sensible control.

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Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Obama Imposed 75,000 Pages of New Regulations in 2014

Written by Alex Newman

Just in the last few weeks, the Obama administration has proposed or imposed over 1,200 new regulations on the American people that will add even more to the already crushing $2 trillion per year cost burden of the federal regulatory machine. According to data compiled from the federal government’s Regulations.gov website by the Daily Caller, most of the new regulatory schemes involve energy and the environment — 139 during a mere two-week period in December, to be precise. In all, the Obama administration foisted more than 75,000 pages of regulations on the United States in 2014, costing over $200 billion, on the low end, if new proposed rules are taken into account.

Read article here: http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/19803-obama-imposed-75-000-pages-of-new-regulations-in-2014

To add a little emphasis on my position concerning Obamacare mentioned in post #29, this article came out yesterday as well:

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Some businesses use part-time to meet health law

Paul Davidson, USA TODAY 7:57 p.m. EST December 30, 2014

Many businesses in low-wage industries have hired more part-time workers and cut the hours of full-timers recently to soften the impact of new health law requirements that take effect Thursday, some consultants say.

The strategies have had only a modest impact on job growth, which has accelerated substantially this year, but could take a somewhat bigger toll next year as firms gear up for an expanded health care mandate in 2016.

A majority of small businesses say the Affordable Care Act already has hurt their profits, forcing them to reduce or postpone investment, withhold raises or trim other types of benefits, according to a new survey by the top small-business trade group.

Under the health care law, businesses that employ at least 100 full-time workers — or full-time equivalents, including part-time workers — must offer health benefits to at least 70% of those working at least 30 hours a week by Thursday, or pay a penalty.

Entire article here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/12/30/health-law-impact/21067751/

To add a little emphasis on my position concerning Obamacare mentioned in post #29, this article came out yesterday as well:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some businesses use part-time to meet health law

Paul Davidson, USA TODAY 7:57 p.m. EST December 30, 2014

Many businesses in low-wage industries have hired more part-time workers and cut the hours of full-timers recently to soften the impact of new health law requirements that take effect Thursday, some consultants say.

The strategies have had only a modest impact on job growth, which has accelerated substantially this year, but could take a somewhat bigger toll next year as firms gear up for an expanded health care mandate in 2016.

A majority of small businesses say the Affordable Care Act already has hurt their profits, forcing them to reduce or postpone investment, withhold raises or trim other types of benefits, according to a new survey by the top small-business trade group.

Under the health care law, businesses that employ at least 100 full-time workers — or full-time equivalents, including part-time workers — must offer health benefits to at least 70% of those working at least 30 hours a week by Thursday, or pay a penalty.

Entire article here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/12/30/health-law-impact/21067751/

Obamacare is a big jobs killer & that's probably the #1 item on Ted Cruz's agenda - get it repealed.

One of the things I like about 'ol Ted is he's an ardent supporter of Israel. His statement "If you will not stand with Israel, then I will not stand with you" rings a few bells.

To add a little emphasis on my position concerning Obamacare mentioned in post #29, this article came out yesterday as well:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some businesses use part-time to meet health law

Paul Davidson, USA TODAY 7:57 p.m. EST December 30, 2014

Many businesses in low-wage industries have hired more part-time workers and cut the hours of full-timers recently to soften the impact of new health law requirements that take effect Thursday, some consultants say.

The strategies have had only a modest impact on job growth, which has accelerated substantially this year, but could take a somewhat bigger toll next year as firms gear up for an expanded health care mandate in 2016.

A majority of small businesses say the Affordable Care Act already has hurt their profits, forcing them to reduce or postpone investment, withhold raises or trim other types of benefits, according to a new survey by the top small-business trade group.

Under the health care law, businesses that employ at least 100 full-time workers — or full-time equivalents, including part-time workers — must offer health benefits to at least 70% of those working at least 30 hours a week by Thursday, or pay a penalty.

Entire article here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/12/30/health-law-impact/21067751/

Obamacare is a big jobs killer & that's probably the #1 item on Ted Cruz's agenda - get it repealed.

One of the things I like about 'ol Ted is he's an ardent supporter of Israel. His statement "If you will not stand with Israel, then I will not stand with you" rings a few bells.

Obamacare is a big jobs killer & that's probably the #1 item on Ted Cruz's agenda - get it repealed.

Which is what Romney said during his election campaign. As I remember, he said that he would reduce unemployment to 6% in 4 years but only by repealing the ACA. 2 years later Obama had got it down to 5.8% without repealing the ACA.

One of the things I like about 'ol Ted is he's an ardent supporter of Israel. His statement "If you will not stand with Israel, then I will not stand with you" rings a few bells.

Shall we see how well that went down?

Obamacare is a big jobs killer & that's probably the #1 item on Ted Cruz's agenda - get it repealed.

Which is what Romney said during his election campaign. As I remember, he said that he would reduce unemployment to 6% in 4 years but only by repealing the ACA. 2 years later Obama had got it down to 5.8% without repealing the ACA.

One of the things I like about 'ol Ted is he's an ardent supporter of Israel. His statement "If you will not stand with Israel, then I will not stand with you" rings a few bells.

Shall we see how well that went down?

I don't think you're American so you probably don't read the monthly jobs report. A goodly portion of new jobs are part time workers, so that employers are not on the hook for Obamacare. When those workers get 2nd and 3rd jobs in order to get by and pay the mandated premiums those count as 2nd and 3rd people employed in the system .

I don't think you're American so you probably don't read the monthly jobs report. A goodly portion of new jobs are part time workers, so that employers are not on the hook for Obamacare. When those workers get 2nd and 3rd jobs in order to get by and pay the mandated premiums those count as 2nd and 3rd people employed in the system .

Similar method used by TAT to calculate annual tourist numbers.

It would appear that Jeb Bush is also going to run which would seriously increase the odds of a Republican victory. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, there are lots of Democrats who could not bring themselves to vote for Clinton leading to low turnout and a Republican victory. Very much doubt that any Dem would vote for Cruz to keep her out but there could well be quite a few who would vote for Jeb in order to do so. When it comes down to it I doubt it will matter because if Clinton gets the nod then they are basically screwed

2016 really is going to be a choice of who is the least bad. With this in mind, Elizabeth Warren would be the least bad but I doubt she will run because she wouldn't have enough financial backing.

Ted Cruz threatens the 'old guard' of the Republican Party because he brings in new ideas such as following more strictly to the Constitution.

Like his father Rafael, Ted is a Dominionist so the idea of following more closely to the Constitution has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Dominionism (sometimes used interchangeably with Christian Reconstructionism and theonomy, see below) is a political and religious philosophy that seeks to make the United States government a Christian theocracy.[2] (Most Dominionists try to avoid using this name. Regardless, it is usually applied to any Christian movement with these explicit or implicit goals.)

Dominionists believe that the civil laws laid down by the Old Testament (as distinct from the moral laws such as the Ten Commandments) should be enforced by reforming the U.S. legal system along theocratic lines, which would entail a substantial increase in the use of capital punishment. They also believe that that biblical injunctions regarding slavery should be followed.[

http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Dominionism

Dominion Theology or Dominionism is the idea that Christians should work toward either a nation governed by Christians or one governed by a conservative Christian understanding of biblical law. At least under this name, it exists primarily among non-mainstream Protestants in the United States. It is a form of theocracy and is related to theonomy, though it does not necessarily advocate Mosaic law as the basis of government. Prominent adherents of Dominion Theology are otherwise theologically diverse, including the Calvinist Christian Reconstructionism and the charismatic/Pentecostal Kingdom Now theology and New Apostolic Reformation.

Some elements within the mainstream Christian right have been influenced by Dominion Theology authors. Indeed, some writers have applied the term "Dominionism" more broadly to the mainstream Christian right, implicitly arguing that that movement is founded upon a theology that requires Christians to govern over non-Christians. Mainstream conservatives do not call themselves "Dominionists," and the usage has sparked considerable controversy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion_Theology

Ted Cruz could well take the US Constitution very seriously but if it conflict's with Christian scripture, scripture takes precedent.

As I stated in another post, I don't know the first thing about Ted Cruz, but apparently he's got the other side running scared. Just look at this character assassinating piece of propaganda/innuendo from what is supposedly a mainstream media site. Read the comments. These people are rabid dogs!

http://www.salon.com/2015/01/10/ted_cruz_the_new_mccarthyism_inside_a_dangerous_response_to_the_atrocity_in_paris/

Is This really a "dangerous response" that should draw comparisons to Joe McCarthy?

“The attack in Paris is heartbreaking,” Cruz told BuzzFeed News. “It is a reminder of the global threat we face and the enormous peril presented by radical Islamic terrorists. It is unfortunate to see media outlets engaging in censorship.”

“The First Amendment is designed to ensure a robust debate and refusing to publish the cartoons that are the alleged reason for this brutal act of murder and terror is inconsistent with the spirit of a free debate,” he said.

And yes, the other side has publications that similarly slander the opposition but to be fair those ar primarily "fringe" sites and not mainstream. Wow!

4 more years of Obama's failed policies.

What was the deficit in 2009, what is it now and in which directing is it moving?

What was the unemployment rate in 2009, what is it now and in which direction is it moving?

Unless you refer to foreign policy.

How about the debt? It was about 10 trillion when Obama took office in January of 2009 and today it has passed 18 trillion. Obama has increased the debt far more than any president in the history of the USA.

4 more years of Obama's failed policies.

What was the deficit in 2009, what is it now and in which directing is it moving?

What was the unemployment rate in 2009, what is it now and in which direction is it moving?

Unless you refer to foreign policy.

How about the debt? It was about 10 trillion when Obama took office in January of 2009 and today it has passed 18 trillion. Obama has increased the debt far more than any president in the history of the USA.

In the financial world such activity is called paying the bill.... the bill Bush ran up. You can't pay off a bill without incurring debt unless you have a budget surplus. When was that last time the US had a budget surplus and which president/ party was at the helm? In which direction is the surplus/ deficit going since Obama took office because that is the only this that matters unless you are a Fox News watcher.

In the financial world such activity is called paying the bill.... the bill Bush ran up. You can't pay off a bill without incurring debt unless you have a budget surplus. When was that last time the US had a budget surplus and which president/ party was at the helm? In which direction is the surplus/ deficit going since Obama took office because that is the only this that matters unless you are a Fox News watcher.

This has already been discussed on this thread. In fact it has been discussed on this page.

Use your little mouse thingy and scroll up to the top of this page and start reading. Your questions have been answered.

Seek and ye shall find.

In the financial world such activity is called paying the bill.... the bill Bush ran up. You can't pay off a bill without incurring debt unless you have a budget surplus. When was that last time the US had a budget surplus and which president/ party was at the helm? In which direction is the surplus/ deficit going since Obama took office because that is the only this that matters unless you are a Fox News watcher.

This has already been discussed on this thread. In fact it has been discussed on this page.

Use your little mouse thingy and scroll up to the top of this page and start reading. Your questions have been answered.

Seek and ye shall find.

I already know but was positing a question to another member.

More on Cruz.

I fear that if 2016 elections produces another liberal democrat in the White House the country will become another lost European empire. I have boots on the ground in the USA and never in my life have I wittnessed the socio-economic divide that exist today and I am a child of the 50,s when the KKK was marching and burning crosses. Obama has led the cool aide drinkers and the country down a dark hole of dependence rather than independence.

I fear that if 2016 elections produces another liberal democrat in the White House the country will become another lost European empire. I have boots on the ground in the USA and never in my life have I wittnessed the socio-economic divide that exist today and I am a child of the 50,s when the KKK was marching and burning crosses. Obama has led the cool aide drinkers and the country down a dark hole of dependence rather than independence.

A prototypical http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=dumb+<deleted>

Point proven typical leftist reaction when they get called out for being gullible