Why Ted Cruz has My Vote

“Because power corrupts, society’s demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases.” – John Adams, Founding Father & 2nd US President, 1735-1826

If you have spent any time on Wolf & Iron you certainly know that I am a fan of history. I love to study the lives of men who have gone before us, and have a passion for U.S. Presidents in particular. As free as I feel I can be in discussing the many presidents of different ages, there is a strange pressure to not get involved in current political affairs through the voice of Wolf & Iron. I think this comes partly from a desire to keep on task and partly from a desire to not wear people out with yet more talk on a subject they are no doubt hearing plenty about. There is also the notion of putting your credibility on the line when you stand behind someone; if they fall then you go down with them. I don’t believe that is true, but I do believe other people believe it and thus many bloggers in the sphere of manliness will not use their space to openly voice the guy they are getting behind or where they stand on a particular issue.

As I wrestled with whether or not to write this article I could only come to the conclusion that these kinds of open thoughts and discussions are exactly what men need. The idea that our political stances should be relegated to only our personal lives and small network of friends is ridiculous. Other men need to know where respectable men stand on issues of the day, and why they lean the way they do. Thus, I am writing this article in support for Ted Cruz, whom I endorse as the next US President, but also to share some thoughts I have on Donald Trump. As always, I’m open to discussion and disagreement in the comments below or on Facebook.

Donald Trump Should Not be President

I am a constitutional, libertarian-leaning conservative (conservatarian?) and for many years I was a registered Republican. Several years ago I switched to Independent as I grew more and more disgusted with the Republican status quo. I am still not a fan of Republicans at large and maintain a tremendous amount of skepticism for politicians as a whole. Like many, I am glad Trump in this race. His strong personality has brought a refreshing change to the way these presidential races go. His, “I’m not owned by anybody” attitude is awesome and I wish more politicians had the kind of steadfast gumption he displays. He trusts in voters to be smarter than most politicians would and exudes a confidence — which borderlines arrogance, saved only by his silly persona — which a leader needs to have. That being said, he should not be president.

Likable and refreshing as he may be, Donald Trump should not be given the highest office in the world. At the end of the day, I believe, he is a power-hungry, ruthless businessman. I don’t believe his character is one that can be trusted to high office. I am reminded of Theodore Roosevelt, who in so many ways was Trump’s opposite except in their controlling personalities. Roosevelt was an incredible man with many incredible accomplishments in his life. He was an exciting figure and hero in the minds of the American people and abroad. Likely, there was no man alive who was more revered and respected during his day. In contrast to Trump, he was terrible fiscally but had an excellent command of military knowledge. It would seem that he would make an excellent president, but this did not turn out to be the case. The majority of his failings came after his presidency, and we are experiencing the effect of them now. He expanded the oversight and might of the government greater than any president before him and enacted laws — chiefly the Meat Inspection Act and Pure Food and Drug Act from where we get the FDA — which, although well-intentioned and perhaps necessary for the time, grew over the years into yet another agency with more government in the lives of Americans. Here is the tie in with Trump: he did these things because he only knew how to lead when he was in charge. When the time came to trust the American people to work out their issues he couldn’t simply allow that to happen. He had an insatiable desire to be in the center of the ring, the limited powers granted to the government in the Constitution be damned. I believe Trump has this same character about him. Successful in his own way, ambitious and irreverent towards the political and media establishment, but unable to trust the American people with their future. He wants to fix, rather than restore America to the vision of our Founders.

Trump: “[Ted Cruz] is a nasty guy.”

This statement by Trump is probably the best endorsement he can give for Ted Cruz:

“Look, the truth is, he’s a nasty guy,” Trump said on ABC’s “This Week.” “Nobody likes him. Nobody in Congress likes him. Nobody likes him anywhere once they get to know him. He’s a very — he’s got an edge that’s not good. You can’t make deals with people like that and it’s not a good thing. It’s not a good thing for the country. Very nasty guy.” – Donald Trump on Ted Cruz

So, no one in Congress likes Ted Cruz? You mean the same Congress that has the worst approval ratings on record? You mean the same Congress that passed Obamacare, has fixed absolutely nothing (on either side), and passed the $16 trillion bailout? That is the Congress that doesn’t like Cruz and can’t work with him? Sounds to me like Cruz is the guy for the job! If he truly isn’t liked by anyone in Congress, then he won’t owe anyone anything when he’s elected.

My Vote is for Ted Cruz

“We should shrink the size and power of the federal government by every and any means possible. What does that mean? That means eliminating unnecessary or unconstitutional agencies.” – Senator Ted Cruz

I had heard of Cruz prior to the debates but had not given much attention to him until afterwards. I have watched every debate since and have steadily been drawn to his side more and more. Like Rand Paul, Cruz is a strict Constitutionalist. Unlike Paul, he has a certain strength and calm which a nation expects from her president. If you aren’t up on what he’s all about, you can see for yourself here. If you believe in the vision the Founding Fathers had for this nation, you will be pleased.

Like Trump, Cruz isn’t afraid to blaze his own trail. He’s not carrying the torch of typical Washington politics. He’s a well-spoken, tell-it-like-it-is kind of guy with good ideas and a long history of keeping the flame of freedom burning.

In the last debate with Trump, Cruz brought up that Trump stands for “New York Values” which led Trump to feign offense and set off something of a media firestorm. Cruz was only quoting Trump (which can be seen here) and stating what is obviously true: New Yorkers, by in large, vote differently and have policies that reflect values that are different from what a conservative would stand for. When asked to apologize, this was Cruz’s response:

Character Should Always be the Greatest Quality of a Leader

We spend a lot of time talking about “the issues”. It’s interesting, if you go back and listen to Reagan’s 1964 speech for Barry Goldwater he goes through the same issues we are dealing with today. The only difference is the number have gotten larger. There is a chance that the system is so entrenched that no matter the leader it will not be changed until it is reset. However, there will still be a legacy of American presidents, and the people we elect to that office will be a reminder of the values of our generation. This is why the character of a man, the character of a leader, is paramount in our decision making.

I’m eager to know your thoughts. These are exciting times!

Oh, one more thing. For those concerned about issues regarding his meeting the ‘Natural Born’ clause of the Constitution, have a read here. There were a number of precedences in England (prior to our Constitution) which use this phrase with very clear meaning. Any child born to a US citizen on foreign land is considered both a US citizen and “natural born”.