CPAC 2013: Ted Cruz Delivers Keynote Speech

Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) delivered the closing address to the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Cruz opened his remarks by mocking those who attempted to incite panic at the recently imposed sequestration cuts. The senator remarked, “In honor of the sequester, all those of you who ate dinner last night, your meals were reduced by 2.4%. And I can see the looks of hunger and famine in your eyes. I don’t see how you’re able to stand on 97.6% of your dinner.”

The freshman senator from Texas took aim at Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), who recently referred to Cruz and Senator Rand Paul as “wacko birds.” Cruz said, “When Rand and I first heard that, we thought it was a new kind of drone. But if standing for liberty and standing for the Constitution makes you a wacko bird, then count me a proud wacko bird.”

Cruz also leveled criticism against the established Republican politicians in Washington, DC. The senator bemoaned that his biggest surprise upon arriving to the Senate was “the defeatist attitude amongst so many Republicans who have been Washington a long time … It is utterly maddening.”

Cruz emphatically told the audience that “for the last three weeks conservatives have been winning.” The recent filibuster, sequestration implementation, and Cruz’ amendment to repeal funding for Obamacare were the three examples provided by Cruz in defense of his premise.

Cruz said the filibuster was about standing for liberty, the Constitution, and limits on Executive power. Regarding Attorney General Holder, Cruz stated, “No, we don’t trust you … And we don’t trust the next guy or the next guy, whether he’s Democrat or Republican.”

On sequestration, Cruz incredulously exclaimed, “Washington, D.C., is the only place on Earth where the phrase ‘draconian 2% cuts’ can be uttered…”

According to Cruz, the sequester is the “first small step in reigning in our spending and debt.”

Cruz also listed the unity of all Republican senators to vote in support of his amendment to repeal funding of Obamacare as cause for encouragement. Cruz proclaimed, “We’re winning right now!”

In order to keep winning, Senator Cruz said (1) we must defend the Constitution and (2) champion growth and liberty. Not only did the senator remark the Second Amendment is under assault. He stressed that the repeated efforts to restrict campaign finance are an attack on the First Amendment. Cruz reminded the crowd that “every elected official hates what the people dare criticize.”

He also drew attention to the Tenth Amendment, Due Process of the Fifth Amendment, and the Fourth Amendment. Cruz outright called for repeal of the National Defense Authorization Act, stating, “the federal government does not have the authority to indefinitely detain a US citizen on US soil without due process of law.”

Cruz also stated we must “champion growth and opportunity.” He listed auditing the Federal Reserve, ending quantitative easing, and abolishing the Department of Education as desired actions. Cruz stated that “opportunity conservatism” should be promoted in effort to ease the “ascent up the economic ladder.”

The crowd received the Texas senator’s remarks with overwhelming enthusiasm and thunderous applause. This strong voice for constitutionalism continues to invigorate activists dedicated to liberty.