The News with Sen. Cruz - January 24, 2014
One question is on the mind of all Americans: can we trust the Obama administration to keep its promises, protect individuals’ rights, and uphold the law?
The lack of accountability in Washington is creating a crisis of confidence in this country, and under this President, trust in government is approaching record lows.
President Obama has an opportunity to address people’s concerns in his State of the Union address Tuesday. Please keep reading below for the full list of five questions I am asking the President to address and for an update on the latest in Washington.
All the best,
Ted Cruz
Five Questions: The President Should Hold His Administration Accountable to the American People
This week, Sen. Cruz presented five questions Americans deserve to have answered by President Obama in next week’s State of the Union address.
“Americans all over the nation are asking questions about the economy, Obamacare, the IRS, Benghazi, and the NSA that aren’t being answered. However, as the President prepares his State of the Union address, he has signaled he has no intention of clearing the air,” Sen. Cruz said. “The lack of accountability in Washington is creating a crisis of confidence in this country, and under President Obama, trust in government is approaching record lows. It no longer seems like Washington is protecting America. Washington is protecting Washington. These are the questions I hear when I’m home in Texas, and these are the questions the President should answer in order to restore credibility with the people. The State of the Union will be stronger for it.”
Over the next several days, Sen. Cruz will focus on each of the following questions and the importance of why the President should answer them in his State of the Union address:
1. Will the President allow the Department of Justice to appoint a special prosecutor to fully investigate the IRS’s illegal targeting of conservatives? The President should be eager to prove he has clean hands on this issue. He professed to be angry and outraged by the IRS abuse. Will he pledge to stop new IRS rules that restrict the free speech of non-profit groups? Sen. Cruz wrote a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder asking him to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the IRS’s illegal targeting of conservative groups.
2. Will the President act to ensure that the privacy of law-abiding citizens is protected from unjustifiable violations by arms of the federal government such as the NSA, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Internal Revenue Service, and Department of Health and Human Services?
3. Will the President recognize that his economic policies have failed to create the millions of jobs that he promised and have, instead, reduced the labor force participation rate to its lowest level in decades? Will he commit to commonsense, job-creating policies such as the immediate authorization of the Keystone Pipeline, a moratorium on new regulations, and fundamental tax reform for every American?
4. Will the President call on Congress to form a Joint Select Committee to finally discover the truth of why four Americans perished in a preventable terrorist attack in Benghazi 16 months ago?
5. Will the President finally recognize that it was a mistake to ram through Obamacare on a party-line vote and that it is -- right now -- hurting millions of Americans? Will he take real responsibility for misleading the American people when he falsely promised “if you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan” and “if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor”? Will he acknowledge that he doesn’t have the power to unilaterally rewrite the health law for powerful favored interests such as big business and Congress? And will he finally work with Congress to repeal Obamacare and start over, adopting instead reforms that will make healthcare more personal, portable, and affordable?
Sen. Cruz Speaks with Mark Davis on the Obama Administration’s Accountability
On Thursday, Sen. Cruz spoke with Mark Davis on keeping Washington accountable and investigating the IRS. Here are a few highlights:
“This week I sent a letter to Eric Holder pointing out that it’s been eight months since the IRS scandal broke…. Eight months later nobody’s been indicted. Eight months later it’s been publicly reported the FBI doesn’t intend to bring any indictments against anybody. Eight months later Louis Learner who was leading the unit that was doing this has gone before Congress and has pleaded the Fifth. And eight months later we have discovered that the investigation at the Department of Justice is being led by a partisan Democrat who’s given over six thousand dollars to President Obama and the Democrats. And at the end of the day, the current state of affairs is unacceptable.
“One of the real pillars upholding rule of law in this country is that we have had fair and impartial enforcement of the law. And when it’s corrupted and turned partisan it undermines it.
“There’s a lot of common ground when it comes to immigration. The two areas with widest agreement among the citizenry are one, we need to get serious on securing our boarders, and we need to solve the problem of illegal immigration. That’s got overwhelming bipartisan agreement outside of Washington. Number two is that we need to improve and streamline legal immigration, make the system work better.”
Roe Anniversary Reminds Us of the Tragic Loss of Over 56 Million Unborn Lives
On the 41st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Sen. Cruz released the following statement remembering the fateful day:
“Today, thousands of people march to the Supreme Court with heavy hearts. It is a solemn ritual, one that reminds us of the tragic loss of over 56 million unborn lives.
"Fifty-six million boys and girls who never drew a breath of air. Poets and inventors, doctors and athletes, explorers and musicians, the world is far the poorer for their loss.
"Every human life is a precious gift from God, and our law should protect innocent human life. Yet 41 years ago, the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision overturned the Texas law that prohibited abortion on demand.
“As we mourn the loss of millions of souls, we also commemorate the good work that citizens continue to do to fervently defend life. Beyond the thousands of marchers in Washington today, countless individuals are devoted to affirming life, to promoting adoption and to helping provide comfort and aid to new mothers in distress. Their efforts have continued to make significant steps towards valuing the dignity of each human life.
“This past year, we saw the horror of late-term abortionist Kermit Gosnell, who was convicted of deliberately killing babies already born. The tragedy of that case can never be undone, but the fact that he was found guilty by a jury of his peers in Philadelphia is a small step towards basic human decency.
“In time, we can all hope that we can come together and create a culture of life, where every human life is protected, cherished, and respected."
A Few Words of Tribute for Tom Coburn, Who Announced He is Retiring at the End of This Year
Upon hearing of Sen. Coburn’s early retirement, Sen. Cruz expressed his gratitude for his courageous service to the people of Oklahoma and all Americans:
“Tom Coburn changed Washington. Elected to represent the great state of Oklahoma, Dr. Coburn became a voice for millions of Americans inspired by his fearless leadership and "no more business as usual" approach to legislating.
“His tireless efforts to make DC listen to growing consternation over our nation's fiscal crisis forced Washington to acknowledge the problem. His willingness to scrutinize every bill and to decipher a bureaucratic tangle of government programs imposed badly needed accountability.
“Tom Coburn has proven that you do not have to sacrifice principle for results, or civility for conviction—even in Washington. He has demonstrated that unwavering commitment and tireless effort can change even the most entrenched practices. He has proven, with humility, that one member can force the Senate to operate as the 'cooling saucer' the Founders designed.
“Most admirable, 'Dr. No' has fought these hard battles and challenged the most powerful interests in Washington while earning a reputation for character, compassion, reason, candor, honesty, and fairness. Even his most ardent political opponents describe him as a trusted friend.
“Dr. Coburn has made a difference in the lives of many—from the more than 4,000 babies he delivered, to the countless patients he counseled and treated, to his constituents back home, to current and future generations of Americans who owe him a debt of gratitude for his service. He has undoubtedly influenced the future of our Republic, forging a path toward renewed fidelity to the Constitution, fiscal discipline, and economic stability.
“The true impact Dr. Coburn will leave on Congress is immeasurable, and I hope his legacy will permeate this place for generations to come.
“I thank my friend for his selfless service, and I pray God's most abundant blessings on his future. When I ran for the Senate, he was one of my very first supporters. For that, and everything else, I am deeply grateful. I look forward to working with and continuing to learn from him in the coming year.
“Washington has not been the same since Tom Coburn arrived, and it certainly will not be the same when he leaves.”
