Friday, December 25, 2015

Christian Principles Matter


Christmas and the lead up to it has given me time to be contemplative about what has happened in my life over the last few 0months. I have found myself taking the high road in arguments more, perhaps reflecting the leadership of the Cruz campaign but also reflecting what I've learned from the pastor and members of Marion Avenue Baptist Church.

A bright light was shown before me the first Sunday I stepped foot in Marion Avenue Baptist Church. I've been going to church my whole life and knew that I was a Christian, but I didn't know how to actually be a Christian. I hope I don't lose you. I had slipped into thinking that Christianity was a works based faith rather that a faith based upon God's grace. The works come after the grace, not prior to. The work of a Christian is the work of trying, while all the time failing, to be more like Jesus. Perhaps the man that has had the greatest impact on my life in recent years has been Marlin Bontrager, just by asking me to come to church with him and his amazing family. Becky and Marlin have raised the most impressive bunch of children I've ever seen. I enjoy their company and I hope to call them friends for the rest of my life, no matter where God leads my life. Pastor Joseph Brown also must be commended for showing me that I can be both bold in my opinions and faithful to Jesus.

This has helped me to realize that I should not expect anything of anyone that I first wouldn't do myself. A great weight has been lifted off of my shoulders in realizing that faith only need be placed in God and not man. There is truth in knowing the peace that passes all understanding.

Christian principles are also the reason that I see the good in the campaign I've decided to invest my time and effort in. It has a trickle down effect. I see a noticeable difference in the way people that are backing this campaign deal with other people and the way people invested in other campaigns do. Those of us in the #CruzCrew will defend Ted and his family but we don't go out of our way to besmirch someone for being who they are unless they tell lies about Ted Cruz, his family or one of our many supporters. I will not hesitate to stand up for my friends and many involved with the campaign are my friends. Many other candidates' supporters, namely of the national Republican "front runner" see no need to have a foundation in moral or ethical principle. They only see the need to destroy the system. While I see the system as being fundamentally broken too, I also realize that there needs to be a principled plan to fix the system. Destroying something and hoping that someone has the right ideas to fix it just because you like the way that person talks to the people you hate(and hate is the right word) is a fool's errand. What someone says today must judged against what they have said in the past if they have shown no actual change of heart or conversion. If someone comes to God through Jesus, I truly believe they will change. If not, I see no real evidence of change.

Barrack Obama was elected on hopes and whims of people who saw him as a transformational figure with no evidence of him doing any of what he said. The current Donald Trump phenomenon is eerily similar in construct. A giant swell of support for someone just because "he fights" against the bogey man of political correctness in the same way that Barrack Obama fought against "corporate America" and for the "people". Political correctness is dispatched with the truth, not hot air and empty promises.

As a common saying goes, if I were put on trial for being a Christian, I would hope there would be enough evidence to convict me. I don't know if I'm there yet, but I'm trying. What is disappointing is the large number of people that spout conservative Christian views when running for office but show nothing of the sort once they are elected. We even see it with candidates that have had a modicum of success in years past that have now had the Ted Cruz light shown upon them. They are actually just big government social conservatives that are not interested in liberty or freedom. All they want is their world view to be imposed by government. As Christians, that type of thinking should terrify us. All we need is the freedom to worship and tell people of our faith though deeds and words. Having a President that believes in Jesus is important, even paramount, but I also think that same President should also know that government should be smaller and less intrusive. I think this is where the self centered big government social conservatives lose most voters. Ted Cruz is happy to take questions from atheist voters and will happily tell them they are free to worship, or not, of their own free will, but their free will stops at the point of someone else practicing their constitutionally protected rights. He will then tell them he hopes they choose to follow Jesus, but that must be their own decision and no one else's.


I have waited so long for a leader to actually turn us toward Constitutional government. Frankly, I think this election is more important that any of us actually knows. As Christians, we mustn't push our views by making the government do our biding, rather we must show people the way through being ambassadors for our faith in Jesus Christ and showing people His grace but we must also not be afraid to call out those who treat Christianity as a weapon for their own purposes. While we may have the armor of God, we can't force someone to believe. Belief comes through being born again in Christ, not the strong arm of the government. The government, when directed by just men, will allow His Church to regain its rightful place in American society through free will and Christian example.

All of this doesn't mean that we should slink away and not be involved in the process of electing our leaders. Quite the opposite is true. We must be quick to defend what we know is true and just as quick to call out wrong doing. We must be more discerning and less tolerant of injustice. We must elect leaders that will respect our faith, our churches and allow freedom and liberty to rule the land for all people. We can be both good Christians and advocates for smaller, less intrusive government.

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#CruzCrew #CruzCountry #Iowa #iacaucus #Hawkeyes #Cyclones

Saturday, December 5, 2015

A New Perspective

Today, a new perspective washed over me. I was talking to a former member of the Iowa State Republican Central Committee who had resigned in order to endorse Ted Cruz for President. As a State Central Committee member, he had to remain impartial until the nominee is named. He told me he could no longer sit on the sidelines after he had just held his 7 month old grand niece. He was afraid for her future. At that moment, I felt the tears well up in my eyes as I thought of my 17 month old nephew, Wyatt.

I want my nephew to grow up in a free and prosperous country where he can achieve anything with the only limitation being his own desire. I want him to grow up in a country that is secure from outside attack and free from those who may want to bring her down from the inside. I want him to be able to go to church and worship with no repercussions. I want him to be able to keep more of what he earns so that he can provide for his own family one day. I fear that is being lost. He is why I fight. My friends and family are why I fight. I have met so many great young people over the past few months of being a part of this campaign. They deserve better too.

I fight in the arena of ideas now. Ted Cruz has shown me how. Use other's words against them when needed. Show them the error of their ways without ever striking a physical blow. There is a better way and it can be done by following me, by following us. I urge every reader of this to get off their couch and be a leader, even if you are only leading one other person. Be a fisher of men, so to speak. Can you reach everyone? Nope. But those than can be reached need to know you are there and you aren't going away.

For so long, people have been following fads. Whether it be a fad diet, a fad workout, a fad style of dress or a fad in who to vote for. I am done following fads and celebrity. I'm here to follow an actual leader and in doing so, become a leader myself. Some are afraid to speak out. I don't really understand that fear but the time is now to stop being persuaded by a snake oil salesman or a person promising to give you everything for free. Now is the time to stand with someone that respects you as an individual. After all, the individual is the only minority that really matters. Join me in helping Ted Cruz become the next president of the United States. You might even learn something about yourself along the way.

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Thursday, December 3, 2015

An Update from Iowa

Senator Ted Cruz with Congressman Louie Gohmert in an Iowa gas station. 100 people showed up in a town of 600. Good thing the fire department didn't show up.
I feel the tide moving here in Iowa. I've been to multiple campaign events with Ted Cruz over the last few weeks and we are now looking for larger venues. My fellow members of the Cruz campaign here in Iowa keep impressing me with their dedication. Our county chairs, field directors and office staff are beyond dedicated. I've seen several put in multiple 14 or 15 hour days. Speaking for myself, I've been at campaign events until after midnight and then had to drive 4 hours through a blizzard to get home and I'd do it again.

Ted Cruz in Bettendorf, IA(The best campaign stop I've ever seen, by the way)

Politics is an odd thing. I've talked to reporters from the New York Times, Politico, 9News in Denver, the Cedar Rapids Gazette, the Des Moines Register and many local TV stations. I've done on camera work for a commercial. Much of this is quite odd for someone that is used to just being a voter when it comes time to vote every fourth November. Senator Ted Cruz and his family have inspired me to be involved and I don't see myself going back to the old, complacent way of approaching politics. 

We can all be involved. Maybe not to this level, but on some level. We all need to pay heed to what is being done in our names in Washington, DC, our State Houses and even our local politics. As Rush Limbaugh says, everything has a root in politics. I urge you all to stand and be counted.

I won't write too much more but the following needs to be said.

Daniel Bradshaw made these two pies(oven provided by the Bontrager Family of Kalona) for the Marion Ave Baptist Church Pie Auction to benefit the Live Animal Christmas Play. He brought in $150.

I want to thank Lyndsey Blagrave(Hardest working person I've met and she always has a word of encouragement to be shared.), Daniel Bradshaw(He made two Ted Cruz logo pecan pies for the Marion Ave Baptist Church Pie Auction and a he's True Patriot!), Blue Hybner(He thinks 32 degrees is cold. He ain't seen nothing yet.), Caleb Bryant Humphrey(He's little nutty about guns and the West Wing, but in a conservative way.) and Alex Seavey(She laughs at the start of a joke, not so much at the end.) for their absolute commitment to helping Senator Ted Cruz win here in Iowa. They are all young people that I've come to know through their efforts here in Iowa and they are all away from home. They are to be commended for their great personal sacrifice to drop everything and come to Iowa with no family, only to find a group of people ready to greet them with open arms. Any time I need something or have information to share, they are ready to help. I will miss every one of them once this experience is over after February 1st and we all have to go our separate ways. Bryan English needs to be commended too. He is the Iowa campaign director and is a good and honorable man. He isn't your typical slimy politico. He's a Christian family man who just happens to have a great passion for God, Iowa and our country.

I'll write more of an update after this Saturday's Rising Tide Summit in Cedar Rapids. It is going to be a big event and Ted Cruz will light the place on fire(figuratively, of course).




#CruzCrew #TedCruz #iacaucus #Iowa



Sunday, November 22, 2015

The Ted Cruz I Know

The most principled man to run for president in my lifetime

As a part of a the Ted Cruz Campaign in Iowa, I've had access to meetings and conferences and events that even most politically involved Iowans aren't privy to. I've also been to Iowa retail political meet and greets with Senator Cruz. I think there is a huge misconception nationally about the kind of man and the kind of candidate that Senator Cruz is. I'm here to set that record straight with information about my own experiences and what I hear from others that have had the distinct pleasure of meeting the most principled man to run for president in a generation.



This first time I saw Senator Ted Cruz was at a large event, the Iowa Rally for Religious Liberty, that his campaign put on. I met him briefly and saw him interact with others with a grace and humility rarely seen in any person and almost never seen in DC politico types. I filled out a commitment card that night. Shortly thereafter I received the call to be a part of a team that I have grown to respect and care for.

Meetings with Senator Cruz away from the media are light hearted and fun. He knows when to be serious but I think he takes the "spoonful of sugar" adage to heart. He uses humor to get his points across when appropriate. He also can be deadly serious. I appreciate someone who doesn't have to have a stage persona when he's in front of the camera. Ted Cruz is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. If you want a glimpse into the more light-hearted Senator Cruz is, watch below.



Conversely, when talking about his faith, you can tell that he is very well settled in who he is and that it isn't his will, but God's will that will reign. He knows that he is saved and he also knows that he isn't perfect. At the Presidential Family Forum in Des Moines on Friday, November 20th, Moderator Frank Luntz asked Ted a question that brought forth an answer that brought the room full of 1800 people to a hushed reverence. He was so honest that we were given a glimpse of his soul. He is a strong man of faith and for that, I am thankful.



The other part of Senator Cruz's character that shines through is his love for people. He is the only candidate that I've ever seen that must always be told that it is time to go. His "body man", Bruce Redden, can always be seen having to grab him by the shirt when they have to go to the next event. Ted would be happy taking questions from people and just greeting them for hours on end. He always takes photos with people and makes it a point to make children, being brought along by their parents to a political event, feel welcome. No other candidate does this with the comfort and total ease that Ted Cruz does.



I'm sure you've also heard the media quip about Ted Cruz being rehearsed. I've never heard him give the same exact stump speech twice. Now, he does have certain phrases that he uses to convey importance but he always changes it up. He is so comfortable speaking to a crowd that he can come off as rehearsed when in reality, he's just the smartest guy in the room on nearly any issue. An exchange with Frank Luntz at this same forum went something like this(I'm paraphrasing because I don't have an audiographic memory). "Ted, are those the exact words President Obama used?" Followed by an exact recitation of a quote Obama had made earlier in the week. He frames an argument better than any person I've ever met. Watch how Ted Cruz handles hecklers and people that don't agree with him.



Eli Stokols, of Politico, tweeted out this:


We had to open the room to the hallway. There were too many people that wanted to see Sen. Ted Cruz
A CNN reporter tweeted this:


I urge you to not just believe me, but to do your own research. You'll find that what I say here is not only true, but it is just a small portion of what there is to know about Ted Cruz. If he is in your town, do not miss the opportunity to hear him speak and meet him up close and in person. Your perception of what a leader can be will be changed. He is the first candidate that I have been truly honored to support. In my adult life, I've never been able to say that about any other presidential candidate.
Ted Cruz always involves children in his campaigning. He knows they are the future.



Every time I see Senator Cruz, he makes a point of coming up to me and thanking me for what I do for the campaign. He does this with all of his supporters. He remembers people and he knows who he is working for. He is beholden to those people that vote for him and those people that put their life on hold to help him in his campaign to break the Washington Cartel. Those of us that make up the affectionately named the #CruzCrew will crawl across broken glass with knives between our teeth, to borrow a phrase from Ted, to see he gets across the finish line with the Republican nomination and then wins the general election next November. We are over 100,000 strong nationwide.

If you aren't committed the cause of liberty yet and you aren't ready to support Ted Cruz for 2016, I urge you to do your due diligence and pray on it. I'm sure you will see that this man is worthy of your support. If you have already decided that Ted is your guy, join us and help him become the next President of the United States of America.

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Sunday, November 15, 2015

Dereliction of Duty


The more this campaign season marches toward caucus day, the more I see evidence of a brokenness in much of the electorate. I've now made hundreds of phone calls, sent thousands of emails and knocked on many doors. While I continue to be impressed with many of our volunteers and staff, I am also continually disappointed in the apathy I hear from voters that are not involved in a campaign or in politics in general. There is a general dereliction of duty when it comes to Americans and their civic responsibilities.

Case in point. I made a phone call the other day to a random voter through our calling application and was greeted with the phrase, "I don't get involved until the general election." I asked him if he cared to have a voice in who he voted for next November. His exact words were, "It doesn't matter." I bid him good day. I really wanted to ask him if he cared about our country and if he cared about the future. It does matter! Is it any surprise that those of us that aren't on the political left have been saddled with terrible presidential candidate after terrible presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan left office. Need I remind you that we nominated the man who inspired Obamacare four years ago.

I find many people who take a wait and see attitude with politics, like it won't have any effect on them. Especially in an early state like Iowa, nothing could be further from the truth. A candidate that finishes outside of the top three here on caucus night will likely be done in the race for president. A candidate that wins can use the victory as a springboard toward the greater goal of becoming the nominee. When can a group as small as 130,000 people make a difference in the way the country is steered? That time is now and the place is here.

Yesterday, the Ted Cruz 2016 campaign office in Urbandale, Iowa, made over four thousand phone calls to prospective voters. If you include those of us that don't live around the Des Moines area, that number approaches five thousand with the call at home application. That is nearly four percent of the likely caucus goers in one day of calling. Just think what we could do if ten more people in each county were on board as volunteers.

I don't say any of this to diminish the amazing work put in by the volunteers, but many volunteers are only there for association purposes or to pad a resume. That can't be the approach. That mustn't be the approach. The proper approach should be this: How am I going to contribute to liberty's gain by helping elect the best presidential candidate in generations? That should be the question every volunteer asks themselves.

Today, the pastor of the church I attend, Joseph Brown, preached a sermon about not wasting time that we could be using for the advancement of a cause greater than our own self interest. He quoted facts and figures from studies about TV and social media usage and tied them back to a passage in Ephesians. Some of us use social media for advertising and campaign purposes (namely, me) but some of us use that social media time to do nothing to advance the cause of liberty or to bring people toward the church. Why? If we, as free thinking people, put our time toward something that would help ensure liberty for our following generations, wouldn't that be a more noble goal for our media use than that of gossiping about some person who is famous for simply being famous? Pastor Brown didn't even tell the congregants that social media or TV were bad, but that we could use them for the right purposes. The message was timely.

There's an old business adage that twenty percent of the people do eighty percent of the work. I'm finding that to be entirely true, if not a little generous. The point I'm trying to make with all of this is everybody can do more. If you don't live in an early state, contact me and ask me how you can help make phone calls into Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina or Nevada. We have a mobile application that will do almost all of the work for you(it doesn't cost you anything either). If you live in a border state to one of these early states, contact me and ask me about setting up door knocking crews to go door to door in a city or town right across your state border. The door knocking is done by a smart phone app too. It takes almost no time to learn. Write letters to your local newspaper editor. Call into your local talk radio shows. Post messages on social media that will help our cause and highlight our campaign's strengths. All of this adds up and costs little to no money.

In closing, I'll refer back to Pastor Brown's sermon. He said that the only true currency we have is time. All of us have the same amount per each day we have on the earth. How are we going to spend our currency?

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Monday, November 9, 2015

A Call to Action

As I sit here late at night, I find myself pondering a vexing thought. Why do people not want to be involved in the future of their country? I talk to so many people that are content to go to work, go home and then do it all over again with no concern about how the government or society writ large confine them to a life of nothing more than indentured servitude to a failing system run by an ever growing state.
A small group of patriots can change the world.

That last sentence might sound harsh but I think it needs to be said. I see people, like a few of the volunteers and staffers I've met while working with the Cruz campaign. They are all in. They take their task seriously. I think they will be OK, no matter what happens because they see the problem. They are resourceful and smart. The people I refer to are many of the ones I call on a daily basis to see if they would be interested in helping out a campaign to save the Republic. Many say variations of these pathetic answers: "I might help if I thought I could make a difference but..." or "I don't have time" or "I don't like politics".

Let me address those points. First, everyone can make a difference. If you can get a few of your friends to go to the polls or, as is the case here in Iowa, the caucuses, you can make a difference in your area. You could get elected to the county convention. You could be elected to central committee for your party and help change a feckless social club into a group dedicated to actual reform. It takes little time and it can make a huge difference. Inject some younger and more principled blood into the party system. Push out those that have become fat and happy.
Don't be content to sit and go through the motions.

Secondly, if you don't have time to positively help the coming generations start to turn this place we call America around, make sure you aren't in the way when those of us that do push for change make our move. Frankly, I'm sick of people making excuses for why they don't have time to be involved. Take your children with you. Show them that they can be involved in the community. Perhaps, you are busy with church. Have you stopped to think that what you are doing with your church may someday be illegal or be forced underground? Why not step up and be a force in your community? If you don't do it, it may not get done.

I hear this so much. "I don't like politics." Frankly, that statement is a load of bovine excrement. Everything is politics. Period. How much your income is taxed. How much you pay to register your car every year. How you can protect your home and loved ones. How you practice your faith. How you can use your own property. How you raise your family. All of these can be jeopardized by not participating in politics and allowing those who would lord over you to remain in power. If you don't like politics, you don't like having a say in the way you live your life, free from government intervention. Think of politics as Hollywood for the ugly(as Ted Cruz says, I resemble that remark). Get out and start starring in your own production or be and extra with a big production, but for God's sake, don't sit at home and be content with just being a spectator.

One big reason conservatives have trouble mobilizing is we are our own people and we tend to shy away from group goals. Don't think of this campaign as a group goal. Think of it as a gift to your children. Get off your hind quarters and help us.  Help your children and your children's children.

Don't let the forces of collectivism keep marching toward their end goal of a totalitarian state. Don't let someone tell you what to say or what language you have to avoid, in the interest of political correctness. Don't let someone, for reasons I don't care about, tell you what to think. Stand up to political bullies. Be the squeaky wheel. Be the reason for reform. Don't shut up.

One caveat. If you are just getting involved to throw around your own power or you are just interested in telling others how good you are, change your attitude before getting involved. You need to be more concerned with others before you can truly have the heart of a servant that it what it takes to reach people. DO NOT be the guy that thinks he can be everything to everyone. If you get involved, don't take it lightly. Be steadfast in your commitment to the cause of Liberty. Don't be afraid to find the good when it is evident. Don't be afraid to call out sellouts and fakes. Be courageous.

The reason I got involved wasn't for my resume or career enhancement, outside of supporting someone that would reduce the government's roll in my life and pocket book. The reason I got involved is because of people like my little 16 month old nephew, Wyatt. I want to leave a better country to him. Ponder on this query. Do you want to leave a better country to the next generation? Or not?

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PS: Thank you to a few young people I've met over the past few months that have revived my faith in humanity. Daniel, Blue, Lyndsey and Alex are great examples of why I work to help reignite the fires of liberty in this great nation. They deserve better than what we have right now and I'm determined to do my part.

#CruzCrew #TrusTed #Cruz2016

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Governing (Said An Octave Lower)

Senator Ted Cruz(R-TX) speaking before Iowa voters


As I've said before, being involved with a campaign has been quite educational, to say the least. I've attended Republican Party events, both around Iowa City and Johnson County and across Iowa. There is a marked difference in the type of people that are Ted Cruz supporters, staff and volunteers and the run of the mill Republican party types. Our people are ready to run through walls and crawl over broken glass to help Ted Cruz because they see him as someone who will not back down when the going gets rough and he will be committed to the principles he holds. In meeting with him away from the media, I can confirm that to be true. That is what I find so refreshing about Ted Cruz. He is who he is and it doesn't change when a camera or prospective voters are in front of him.

Contrast this to your typical Republican party apparatchik. This kind of person is concerned with keeping the Party in power, no matter who the candidate is. I used to agree with this "party over person" mantra. After seeing Washington, DC up close and being around members of the party at local and state levels, I can no longer do this. The party needs to start being committed to something other than just doing a better job of managing the decline of this great nation. I guess the best way to describe why I'm a party member is this: I am a Republican because it is a means to achieve a goal, not the goal itself.

Local Republican leaders in many counties are just involved so they can say they are involved. Frankly, their lack of principle is appalling. All they are interested in is being in charge. Nothing more. Reform is not something that falls into their lexicon. Many are content to manage the decline of a great nation, so long as they are in power. This makes my head hurt with the power of thousand migraines.

I live in a state now that is mainly led by corporatists. Many of the Democrat and Republican elected officials are just fine with wasting huge amounts of money, all while protecting certain hand-picked businesses and causes. They put the weight of government behind lobbied interests, all in the name of "governing". I've had it. Either come out of the closet as a big government progressive that wants to control people and business or find a backbone and stand up to these evil ways of doing government business as usual. I want to use another reference about a bathroom but I will refrain because kids may read this.

I will remain a member of the Republican party but I will only support candidates that I think are the embodiment of what I hold true. Limited government, low taxes, religious liberty, a strong national defense and foreign policy and reformed(preferably shuttered) regulatory agencies at the federal level. I encourage you to support, either by volunteering or monetarily, only candidates that share your values. Give nothing to a party that doesn't share your values until they see the error of their ways.

Only one person running has shown that he has the backbone to get this done. His strength is contagious, as you saw in the last debate when, with one unprepared answer, he won the debate while standing up for the other people on stage with him. That man is Ted Cruz. I urge you to support Ted Cruz. His support base in Iowa is growing exponentially, as it is across the nation. The people backing him come from all walks of life, unlike some supposedly preordained candidates that can only manage 4 volunteers out of 70,000 phone calls. I average 1 volunteer for about 35 phone calls. The other ratio is 1 in 17,500. The difference is quite telling. People are getting to know Ted Cruz for the person he is rather than the person the establishment has labeled a whacko bird. Count me as a whacko bird if you want but don't count on my support if you run squishy candidates that campaign as conservatives, yet once in office, GOVERN(imagine this said in a baritone voice) as progressives.





Read about the #CruzFlatTax plan.

Ted Cruz's father, Rafael Cruz and me at an event in Iowa.

Monday, October 26, 2015

This Presidential Campaign Has Been Educational


Senator Ted Cruz in Waterloo, IA

As many of you know, I am a part of the Cruz for President campaign here in Iowa. In Iowa, people treat politics like many people in Texas treat football, as Senator Cruz has so often said. There is a popular notion here that if a candidate won't come and talk to the average, everyday voter, they don't deserve the support of the average, everyday voter. I don't think people in Iowa truly know how good they have it. I think this will be Donald Trump's undoing here. He holds huge(yuge, in Trumpese) rallies and doesn't actually speak to individual caucus goers. While to many, Iowans may seem entitled to be the first in the nation to weigh in on the election, they do take it seriously. Senator Cruz is at home in front of huge crowds, tiny little coffee shops or the lobby of the Dutch Country Inn in Kalona, IA.(Shameless plug for a friend of mine that owns the place)

I have had a chance to be around many of the Republican candidates, aside from Senator Cruz, and doing so has only strengthened my resolve in helping Ted win the nomination and then be elected President of the United States. I've met Rick Santorum(nice man), Bobby Jindal(very good guy), Mike Huckabee(spent too much time on TV, probably should have stayed there), Rand Paul(different?) and Carly Fiorina(sort of contrived). I've seen Jeb Bush(stilted and has no business seeking this nomination) speak in person. With all of that as a preface, Ted Cruz is unlike any other politician or public figure I've ever met. He is comfortable in his own skin. Many of these people would make a decent president. To be fair, a can of PBR would be better a better president than what we have now.

But I digress. Ted Cruz has shown himself to be the most highly educated man to ever seek office, yet he is also incredibly down to earth. He is never uninformed about a question asked by a random event attendee. I can vouch and say that no one that comes to Ted's events are there because they were planned plants to ask questions that he had already prepared answers for. Those of us involved with the campaign specifically stay out of the way when he speaks so that people that aren't as familiar with him get a chance to ask anything they like.

I've also had the chance to sit with Senator Cruz in a small group setting of just staff and volunteers. He doesn't change when the media isn't around. He treats everyone with respect and asks that we speak freely and with no filter. He listens and then speaks with an authority on the issues that I have never seen. His answers aren't focus grouped to death. His answers are sincere because they are based upon principle.
Ted Cruz talking to a group of staff and volunteers.

To illustrate this more completely, I was at the Iowa Grassroots Coalition Honest Assessment Forum this past Saturday. Ted Cruz was the headliner at the event(even if it wasn't billed that way). Bobby Jindal and Mike Huckabee also attended. Ted Cruz arrived early so that he could speak to the attendees before going on stage. Once on stage, he owned the room. The format was such that most of the time was reserved for questions of candidates. All three candidates answered the questions with little hesitation but only Ted was able to stir the room to standing ovations and sustained applause. After he spoke, he jumped down (literally) off the stage and headed back to talk to the people in attendance. Frankly, I felt bad for the two that had to follow him. Many left after Ted spoke.

I was amazed by the way that people that I know from Twitter and Facebook that were tacit supporters of Ted Cruz but had never seen him away from the Senate or a more formal setting reacted when his townhall event in Council Bluffs, IA was broadcast on CSPAN last Friday night. He also took open phone calls. People all across the country were able to see what I saw the first time I met Senator Cruz. He doesn't change. He doesn't have a private or guarded persona that changes when he is in front of the public or media. He is also a huge movie buff. He loves to quote movies and has held true to Reagan's use of humor when he is campaigning too. He often remarks that we should be happy warriors for liberty because we know that our cause is just. I can't agree more.

Another opportunity being involved with this campaign has afforded me is being able to meet people that I would not have had a reason to meet before. At a meeting recently with Iowa and nationally known talk radio host/columnist Steve Deace, I was not only fortunate enough to meet the aforementioned Deace but I also ran into Marlin Bontrager and his son Josh. I had seen them and the rest of their family perform at a religious liberty rally that Senator Cruz held in Des Moines back in August. Marlin and I talked and found out that I lived only ten minutes north of them and that I was looking for a church to attend during my time in Iowa. He invited me to church at Marion Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, Iowa. I took him up on his invitation. I was blown away. The church is the most alive church I've ever been to. I'm hooked. I can't see attending any other church. The welcome I received was unconditional and overwhelming. At the end of that first service, I was invited to come to dinner at the home of Marlin and his wife Becky. Oh, they have 10 children, 5 of voting age. A better group of children, I've never met. I had an amazing Sunday dinner and a great few hours of fellowship. The family travels the country and sings gospel music when they aren't farming just north of Kalona, IA. They are all huge supporters of Senator Cruz, by the way. If Senator Cruz wins Iowa by 7 votes, we'll know who made the difference.

With Senator Cruz's steady rise in the polls and his amazing group of staff, volunteers and donors behind him, I can feel the momentum building behind this campaign. I encourage all liberty minded folks to join the effort.

My involvement in this campaign has solidified my thoughts on remaining politically active for the rest of my life. I may not be cut out to hold office but I think, by supporting good and virtuous leaders and then holding their feet to the fire once they are in office, I can help in my own little way. I encourage all of you to do the same.

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Sunday, October 18, 2015

My Morning in Iowa with Ted Cruz


I've had the great pleasure of being a part of the Ted Cruz campaign organization for several months. I've had grassroots meetings with the Senator and have now had the chance to meet his wife, Heidi too. I've also made new friends. It is easy to make new friends when you are working toward a common goal and have similar ideologies. Liberty is a great rally point.

Wednesday morning, at a small hotel in Kalona, IA, I had the chance to see the loyal support that Senator Cruz has developed. This little place was packed with over 100 people and a gaggle of local and national media types(I didn't want to confuse them with the actual people). We were well over the stated capacity of this place yet no one complained (a few people from the local volunteer fire department were there). The fresh cinnamon rolls were a hit. The hosts of the event were as impressive as the candidate himself. Marlin and Becky Bontrager and their family (ten children, 5 of voting age) are huge supporters of Senator Cruz. I can speak to this family because I've had a chance to attend church with them and I also spent a Sunday afternoon at their house for a home cooked dinner and an afternoon of discussing faith and politics. The Cruz campaign couldn't have a better group of advocates.

I've also had the pleasure of getting to know the Iowa Campaign Manager, Bryan English and several of the other staff members that work out of the office in Urbandale, IA. They are great people. I also need to say hello to Lyndsey and Blue (yes, that's his given name) at the office. These two young people from Texas are great team members and great assets for the campaign. I do look forward to them enduring an Iowa winter. Blue is already wearing a coat all the time and it has only been below freezing once.

I guess what I'm trying to say is this campaign is a labor of love for everyone involved. The support continues to grow. As the Senator was leaving Kalona, an elderly woman approached me because I was wearing a campaign T-shirt and asked where she could send her campaign donation. She said that she hadn't donated to a campaign since 1984. I gave her the address in Houston and found an envelope for her. This is just one anecdotal piece of evidence that I've seen for the momentum being gathered by this campaign.

I've seen the way that the Senator interacts with the people at his campaign stops. He is incredibly sincere in his concern for the individual voters. He doesn't pander to identity groups. He speaks to ideas and principles. I challenge you find a more consistent candidate that hasn't just become a conservative since declaring their candidacy for president. He does make it known that he is working to bring together a coalition of disaffected voters that have been cast aside by the Republican party. There are over 54 million Evangelical Christians in the country and many have not voted for several election cycles at the national level because of the disdain showed to them by the Republican establishment and the Democrat party en masse. These voters are being awakened. I was announced as a guest of the Bontrager family when I attended church at the Marion Avenue Baptist Church in Washington, Iowa and the pastor specifically said that I was working with one the of the presidential campaigns and that if I were asked about it, the folks there would find I was with the right guy. Amen!

Ted has also made huge strides by bringing in many of the former Ron Paul voters in the early states. Many of Ron Paul's liberty-minded supporters in Iowa and across the nation have joined with Senator Cruz because they see a man that will do what he says he will do once elected.

I urge all of you to support the Cruz campaign. A better man has not run for this office in years. The contrasts in our current president and Senator Cruz are marked. The difference between Ted and his fellow Republican challengers are also quite stark. He has the most money of all the Republican challengers outside of the self funded (somewhat speciously) guy with bad hair, yet he is an incredibly good steward of the funds he has been blessed with. He flies coach, stays in inexpensive hotels and would rather spend those funds meeting the people that will help elect him instead of paying political leeches that would lead him astray. Let's all help elect a good man that will help reignite the fires of liberty that have been tamped out by overbearing and overarching government.

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Monday, October 12, 2015

Are You a Closet Statist?

After a so-called conservative, liberty minded Republican snapped at me today for calling out a squishy establishment moderate for what he was, I had to write, lest I let my temper get the better of me. A certain "Republican" in the presidential race said he would provide bibles to those running that were actively opposing the giant cluster (insert your favorite pejorative here) that is the Affordable Care Act/Medicaid Expansion (known as Obamacare for the remainder of this post) because Jesus would want those of us that see this law for the steaming pile of excrement that it is to see it from another point of view because it helped poor people. Frankly, I was offended by what this squishy moderate that stands for nothing said. He is using a charitable man, who was the Son of God, and asked people to give freely of themselves to go along with government coercion that ends up hurting actual charity.

Over the past few days, it has become clear to me that many people, even on my supposed side, prefer statism to liberty. Obamacare is the epitome of statist policy. Many College Republicans I've spoken to see no issue in government creating new "solutions". "Government solutions" are euphemisms for growing government and usurping liberty. Frankly, if a candidate doesn't want to take a chainsaw to the federal government, I would never support that candidate. I'm done with party politics. I'm in this to support one candidate. I want to see baseline budgets go the way of the Dodo bird. I want to see actual cuts in federal budgets, not just reductions in the rate of growth that are screamed about as if they are actual cuts by the bureaucrats.

Be very aware of the way that statists pervert language, on either side of the aisle, to fit their explicit or implicit goals. If you seen a politician use the word "sensible", that actually means draconian. If you see a politician use the word "investment", that is used as a means to grow government by spending more money. If you see a politician use the word "comprehensive", that means make government larger by writing a bill so big that it can't be read in a month of continuous study. A politician that uses the word "sustainable" generally means that he wants to find a way to limit choice and force you to pay more for goods and services. If a politician uses the word "fairness", that means redistribution of what others have earned or will earn in the future. If a politician says "bipartisanship", that means conservatives must fold and anything that is not palatable to the DC establishment is deemed as "partisan bickering".  Be wary of Washington Cartel speak and call it out where ever and when ever you see it.

Why, in what still is by most polling results a center right country, are conservatives seen as the political outliers? If these polls are to be believed, because that's what politicians do is believe polls, why are the radical leftists like Obama not ostracized? Maybe this is a reason to not believe the polls instead of a case study on the political persuasion of the citizens of this country. In either case, all that is really needed for a revolution is about 10% if the population to see the need to reignite the fires of liberty that used to burn so brightly and caused this great land to be deemed the "shining city on a hill".

A few bright spots can be seen. Senator Ted Cruz announced great fundraising numbers for the previous quarter and an even better start to this quarter. What this means is people are opening their checkbooks to fund a candidate they see as someone who can help correct the giant leftward list that has taken place over the past 7 years. All of this is being done with little news coverage from a media that is deathly afraid to cover the one candidate that will not play into their hands.

In closing, if you see a candidate that the leftist media loves and seems to be accepted in the DC social circles, run away and hide. That candidate will not be the agent of change needed in Washington, DC. For those of you that yearn for change for the better, for a return to Constitutional government and for a return to liberty, I urge you to stop supporting statists, either overt ones or those who are more covert, and support Senator Ted Cruz for President of the United States.

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By the way, if you support a Bernie Sanders, please feel free to move to Cuba, China, or North Korea and experience the fruits of total socialist policy.




Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Do Not Back Down

Senator Cruz with a bolt action pen I presented to him. The pen was made by my step father, CPO Bill Belitz.

I watched a hero stand and deliver on the U.S. Senate floor on Monday, September 28th. He called out members of his own party and used his own political capital to pull back the curtain on the Washington Cartel. Needless to say that the Cartel members were not pleased. That's too darn bad. When Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decided not to fight for a bill to fund the government with exceptions for the felonious Planned Parenthood and the catastrophic Iranian nuclear deal and instead brought up a "clean"(actually quite dirty) continuing resolution bill, he threw in with a president bent on diminishing the United States of America's position abroad and "fundamentally changing it" here at home. This hero has given the American people a voice in the Senate.

The electorate threw out the members of current regime's political party thinking that the supposed opposition party would start to change things in Congress. With the largest Republican majority in the House in decades and an eight seat majority in the Senate, the leaders of the supposed opposition decided that correcting things would be hard to do and since those hard things required actual work, they would rather not do them. Speaker of the House John Boehner has chosen to commit political seppuku instead of acting as an actual leader. On his way out the door, he showed himself to be the sophomoric loser that he is. He took pot shots, once again, at the man he sees as his foil. Sadly, his counterpart in the Senate is still entrenched in his seat of power lording over the "world's most deliberative body". Frankly, Mitch McConnell has been no better than the previous leader, "Dingy" Harry Reid. At least Harry Reid was fighting for his leftist principles he ran on. Leader McConnell is fighting against the ideas he campaigned on in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Sadly, the junior Senator from that same state has also thrown in with McConnell. There is a reason the hash tag, #DitchMitch has become popular on conservative social media.

I, for one, see only one man standing for the people that elected him. He also is standing up for the rest of us that believe in the greatness that was the USA. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas named names of the feckless establishment in the Senate after the dirty CR was rammed through. He calmly, yet quite forcefully, laid out the nature of the Republican party in Washington, DC and it wasn't pretty. Congress critters campaign as conservatives and when the get to DC, whether through planned deception or leadership coercion, they become turncoats. They say one thing in their home states and districts and do the complete opposite in Washington, DC. I, for one, am tired of it.

With all of the venom coming from "my side" of the aisle, I feel that it is imperative that we support those men and women in Washington, DC that stand with us and follow their campaign promises. In addition to Senator Cruz, Senator Mike Lee of Utah needs to be held up. Senator Lee has proved to be a quiet warrior for the Constitution and has been a great ally in the fight to save the soul of the Republic. The Freedom Caucus in the House can also be counted with those two great Senators as defenders of good governance. Outside of these 40 or so members of the Senate and House, the whole lot is a corrupt bunch of self serving politicians bent on staying in power and milking donor dollars from the udders of K Street lobbyists. This cabal of ruling class politicians needs to be broken up. One man has the will to do it.

With all this being said, my decision to support Senator Ted Cruz has become a mission. I will do everything I can to help his campaign for the White House. It is time to return the People's House to a leader that respects the office and the country that he would represent. Barack Obama has been a conduit for destructive change and it will take a great leader to start to undo the catastrophic damage done to the Republic by Comrade Obama and his band of Senators and Representatives that have given everything he really wanted. The time is now to support a leader that respects the people. The time is now for a leader that respects the nobleness of the founding of this country. The world needs a strong United States. Ted Cruz has shown himself to be ready to lead on day one. I urge you to look at all of the candidates running and evaluate them. Look at their resumes. Judge them by their fruits, as Senator Cruz says. I urge you to support Senator Cruz after doing that research. I think you'll find him uniquely qualified to lead this country in a very turbulent time. This is not the time to entrust the store to someone that doesn't have the best interest of said store at heart. Support someone that is in DC to not back down. As Senator Cruz says, if a candidate is supported by the establishment in DC, run the other direction.


Find out more about Senator Cruz here. Here too.

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Senator Cruz talking with the #CruzCrew


Friday, September 25, 2015

One Down...

My demand that John Boehner and Mitch McConnell be removed from their positions of leadership is now half way to the goal. John Boehner is done.(cue the angelic music) Conservatives are cheering for good reason. Sadly, it looks like John Boehner has stabbed the conservatives in the back on his way out the door by making a back room deal with Nancy Pelosi to pass a "clean" continuing resolution bill to fund the government through the election next year. I guess that's par for the course for John Boehner. This shows the need to make sure you let your representative know who you support to be the next Speaker. Call (202) 224-3121 and let your representative know that you don't want another moderate squish that will stand for nothing as the Speaker of the House. Kevin McCarthy is the current name being floated. He is a Boehner protege. Urge a no vote on McCarthy.

Besides the petty parting shot by Boenher, what this whole episode shows is the power of conservatives, when speaking with a loud and clear voice, to change the status quo in Washington, DC. This is just the first battle in the war for the soul of the country. This also shows the power of a true leader that speaks for us in the US Congress. Senator Ted Cruz is the only reason that a light has been shown on the Washington Cartel. He is not afraid to stand against either party to expose corrupt Washington kleptocrats. The government has been reminded, now in no small way, that it works for the people. Not the other way around.

I want to do my small part to bring light to the darkness. I will keep writing in favor of Senator Cruz. I will make phone calls. I will send tweets and post to Facebook. I've seen his presidential campaign up close. It is filled with good, upstanding people that believe in the Senator's mission. I'm glad to be counted amongst this great group of people.

I urge you to continue your research. You will never find a more honorable man to run for political office. Senator Cruz has made a career of fighting for the rights and liberties we hold dear. Below you'll find the Senator's proven record:


Ted Cruz: A Proven Record 
Standing up for what’s right isn’t always easy. But after spending a lifetime fighting for conservative principles, Ted Cruz has proven that he will defend the values that have made America the greatest nation on Earth.
Politicians all too often promise one thing on the campaign trail, only to break those promises once elected. We should ask every candidate to prove it:
“You say you believe in these principles. Show me. When have you fought for conservative principles and what have you accomplished?”
Ted Cruz has proven he will keep his word. Whether it’s leading the charge to repeal Obamacare; fighting to finally secure the border and stop the President’s illegal and unconstitutional amnesty; introducing legislation to allow businesses and entrepreneurs to create unprecedented jobs, growth and prosperity; or fighting to defend our Second Amendment rights as enshrined in the Constitution – Ted Cruz has consistently shown that he can be trusted to do what he said.
Our Standard: The Constitution
Ted Cruz has spent a lifetime fighting to defend the Constitution — our nation’s founding document and the supreme law of the land — which was crafted by our founding fathers to act as chains to bind the mischief of government and to protect the liberties endowed to us by our Creator.
Religious Liberty
Second Amendment
  • Played a crucial role in preventing federal legislation to restrict the Second Amendment rights of Americans.
  • Authored legislation to strengthen the Second Amendment rights of Americans by allowing interstate firearms sales.
  • Led 31 states in District of Columbia v. Heller where the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a ban on firearms in a 5-4 landmark decision.
  • Argued against unreasonable and burdensome gun restrictions before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
  • Recognized by NRA executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre who observed, "Ted Cruz is one of our nation's leading defenders of the Second Amendment. For over a decade, Ted has fought tirelessly to defend our constitutional right to keep and bear arms, and his leadership was absolutely critical to our major victories before the U.S. Supreme Court."
U.S. Sovereignty
  • Fought and won a landmark ruling for U.S. sovereignty in Medellin v. Texas at the U.S. Supreme Court against 90 foreign nations and the President to ensure the supremacy of U.S. legal system against encroachment by international treaties and rulings of the “World Court.”
  • Cosponsored a resolution urging the president not to sign the UN Arms Treaty, which would have subordinated the Second Amendments rights of American citizens to global interests.
Government Overreach
  • Called for a special prosecutor to investigate the targeting of conservatives by the IRS.
Stronger, Safer America
A safer, stronger America safeguards freedom at home and across the globe. That’s why Ted Cruz has fought tirelessly to defend our nation’s servicemen and women, to restore America’s leadership in the world, and to secure our border and streamline our legal immigration system.
  • Opposed the Obama Administration's dangerous deal with Iran that would allow Iran to pursue nuclear weapons. 
  • Spearheaded legislation passed unanimously by Congress and signed by the President to prevent known terrorists from entering the United States as ambassadors to the United Nations. 
  • Successfully pressured the Obama Administration to lift its unprecedented FAA ban on flights to Israel after exposing the move as, in essence, an economic boycott of our strongest ally in the Middle East. The ban was lifted within 36 hours of the Senator's actions
  • Championed the Expatriate Terrorist Act to prevent Americans who join ISIS from returning to the United States to commit acts of terror at home. 
  • Introduced legislation passed by the Senate to provide rewards for information leading to the arrest of Hamas terrorists responsible for the murder of American and Israeli teenagers. 
  • Led the charge on a bipartisan resolution passed by the Senate to condemn Hamas' use of civilians as human shields. 
  • Authored legislation to allow victims of the Fort Hood terrorist attack to be awarded the Purple Heart and appropriate benefits. 
  • Joined Texas and 25 other states in a lawsuit to stop President Obama's illegal executive amnesty.
  • Authored legislation to triple the size of the U.S. Border Patrol. 
  • Authored legislation to streamline and simplify our legal immigration system by consolidating segmented visas, creating real and transparent caps, eliminating the diversity visa lottery, and treating all immigrants equally by eliminating the per-country caps. 
  • Urged the strictest enforcement of laws punishing those with prior felony convictions who entered the country illegally in a U.S. Supreme Court Brief in Lopez v. Gonzales.
  • Authored legislation to ensure that members of our military deployed to combat the spread of Ebola is entitled to the same tax benefits as those serving in a combat zone. 
  • Promoted the strengthening of existing law to prevent discrimination or retaliation against military service members who appropriately express their religious faith. 
  • Represented more than 3 million veterans before the U.S. Supreme Court in Salazar v. Buono, defending the constitutionality of the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial. Along with co-counsel Kelly Shackelford of the Liberty Institute, then-Solicitor General Cruz fought for The American Legion, The Veterans of Foreign Wars, The Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the American Ex-Prisoners of War. In April 2010, the Supreme Court handed down a 5-4 decision in favor of the veterans. 
  • Defended the constitutionality of the federal Solomon Amendment, which requires universities receiving federal funds to grant U.S. military recruiters equal access to campuses, notwithstanding the universities’ opposition to the military’s policies concerning sexual orientation.
  • Authored legislation to close a loophole in the federal “Motor Voter” law that preempts states from enforcing requirements that would ensure those registered to vote are U.S. citizens. 
Life, Marriage, and Family
Without life, there is no liberty. And ensuring every child is born into a home with a loving family provides the best chance for that child to achieve anything. That is why Ted Cruz has been on the front lines defending life and standing up for marriage when it has come under assault from activist judges.
  • Led the charge on behalf of 13 states to successfully defend, before the U.S. Supreme Court, a federal law that bans one form of late-term abortion, the Partial Birth Abortion Act.
  • Advocated for an investigation into abortion practices in the U.S. to prevent the atrocities witnessed in Kermit Gosnell’s facility from ever happening again.
  • Joined 18 states in successfully defending the New Hampshire parental-notification law before the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • Successfully defended in federal court Texas's Rider 8, which prohibits state funds for groups that provide abortions.
  • Fought for the right of states to define marriage, without intrusion by unelected federal judges, by drafting the State Marriage Defense Act.
  • Defended Texas’s marriage laws when a renegade state court attempted to grant a divorce to a same-sex couple that had obtained a civil union in Vermont.
Jobs and Opportunity
The American Dream — the idea that anyone, through hard work and determination, can achieve anything — is under assault like never before. Obamacare, an overreaching federal government, and out of control spending threaten the ability of small businesses and entrepreneurs to create jobs and innovate. This has to stop and Ted Cruz has led the way to bring back jobs, growth, and opportunity to America.

  • Authored the Obamacare Repeal Act as his first piece legislation. 
    • Led the fight to defund Obamacare -- the largest regulatory challenge facing our nation that has resulted in killing jobs, cutting workers' hours, and causing millions of Americans to lose their doctors or health care. 
  • Authored legislation to end taxpayer dollars subsidizing corporate fat cats, including the Ex-Im Bank. 
  • Opposed the Renewable Fuel Standard ethanol subsidy.
  • Co-sponsored the Enhancing Educational Opportunities for All Act to expand school choice and make a quality K-12 education more accessible and affordable to low-income parents and students. 
  • Authored legislation to expedite liquefied natural gas to support jobs, economic growth, and to stand united alongside our friends and allies in the face of Russian aggression. 
  • Led the fight against regulating the Internet as a public utility because it threatens the Internet as a haven for entrepreneurial freedom and unlimited opportunity. 
  • Set an early, high standard for meaningful Republican opposition to increasing the debt ceiling.    
    • Demanded a 60-vote threshold vote on a clean debt-ceiling increase in February 2013, when Republican leadership wanted to allow the Democrats to raise the limit with a simple majority vote.   
    • Insisted on a commitment from Democrats and Republicans in the Senate that the debt ceiling would not be increased as part of a deal to pass the budget .
  • Introduced the American Energy Renaissance Act to spur economic growth by harnessing our nation's energy resources and removing federal impediments to energy exploration, development and trade and empowering the private sector to create good-paying, American jobs. 
  • Sued the federal government to strike down portions of the Medicare Prescription Drug program as an unconstitutional intrusion in the sovereign authority of the States.
  • Opposed the Obama Administration’s Interior Department's moratorium on offshore exploration in the Gulf of Mexico.
  • Urged the U.S. Supreme Court to hear a case and reverse a decision of the D.C. Circuit upholding congressional authority to halt commercial development of private property because of the presence of a purely intrastate species of Arroyo toads. 

As the campaign truly kicks into gear, I urge you to continue your research and if you feel as strongly as I do, to donate or volunteer for the #CruzCrew, a name we've taken to calling the large grassroots group that supports the Cruz campaign. If you have any questions regarding volunteering, please leave a comment at the bottom of this blog or send me a tweet on Twitter.