CPAC 2014 Ted Cruz Says Conservatives Need “Bold and Positive Agenda” to Win Elections
“God bless CPAC. I do have to start w/a bit of bad news…tomorrow morning each of you is going to be audited by the IRS,” Cruz said.
“You are here because you understand America is at a crisis point…what I want to talk to you this morning is how we win. We can either choose to keep our heads down, not rock vote, or we can stand for principles. The Washington way is to not stand for anything—that is a false dichotomy. You want to lose elections, don’t stand for anything. “
Sen. Cruz talked about the 2010 elections, saying that the GOP “drew line in sand” and won a “historic tidal wave” of elections. “When you don’t draw a clear distinction, Democrats celebrate”, he said.
Regarding how to win elections he said, “I want to offer a radical agenda—hope and change.” He said the Ukraine situation, continually turning our backs on Israel, the dismal job front has caused young people to lose hope. “Real change is changing the corrupted system that is in Washington DC” Cruz said to cheers.
Next he discussed how to win back the youth vote, mentioning Ronald Reagan and Ron Paul. “So the key is being named Ron,” he said to laughter, adding that neither Reagan nor Paul were young but they had vision. After the “massive wealth transfer” that is Obamacare, Cruz asked “Who pays for that? The Obama agenda has been horrible for young people but when was the last time a Republican said that?”
“We need to tell the truth. The truth is, Washington is corrupt. There is a corrupt and interlocking system of lobbyists and lawyers and consultants that are suckling off Washington..” Sen. Cruz said, “These people are making money in Washington and on Wall Street. So how do we win elections? In the contrast between Washington and the American people, we stand with the American people.”
Sen. Cruz then listed 10 items of a “bold and positive agenda”:
#1. “Defend the Constitution—all of it.” He discussed all of the amendments but received the largest applause when he said we need to “stand for the 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms.” He then asked everyone to turn on their call phones. “I want to make sure Obama hears everything I have to say.”
#2. “We need to abolish the IRS. We need to create simple flat tax every American can fill out on postcard.”
#3. “We need to expand energy in America.
#4. “Expand school choice…every child deserves a chance at the American dream.”
#5. “Repeal Dodd-Frank…Talk about a bill you don’t need to read further than the title…”
#6. “Audit the Federal Reserve.” (Cheers)
#7. “Pass a strong balanced budget…We aren’t going to do this to the next generation, we’re going to turn this around.”
#8. “We need to repeal every word of Obamaacare. (Biggest cheer of his speech.) “When millions of Americans said stop this train wreck the Democrats said, the mainstream media said (although I repeat myself) this is hopeless, just move on, just accept it—you can’t do anything to stop this.” Someone in audience said ‘Yes we can!’ to cheers. “YES we can!” Cruz repeated.
#9. “Stop the lawlessness. Obamacare is lawless and unconstitutional…If you have a President who is picking and choosing which laws to accept and which to ignore, you no longer have a president.”
#10. “End corporate welfare and crony capitalism…We need to pass a strong constitutional amendment for term limits.” (Cheers)
Sen. Cruz ended by saying, “You win elections by standing on principles and inspiring people that there is a better way…These solutions won’t come from Washington but from the American people.” He encouraged people to text the word GROWTH to the number 33733 and to tweet #MakeDCListen.
“I have never been more inspired than I am right now…I’m inspired because across the country people are waking up…we need to turn this country around….”
