Ted Cruz RNC Speech
For much of human history government power has been the unavoidable constant in life. Government decrees and the people obey, but not here. We have no king or queen, we have no dictator, we the people constrain government.
Our nation is exceptional because it was built on the five most beautiful and powerful words in the English language, “I want to be free.”
Never has that message been more needed than today. We stand here tonight a nation divided. Partisan rancor, anger, even hatred are tearing America apart. And citizens are furious, rightly furious, at a political establishment that cynically breaks its promises, and that ignores the will of the people.
We have to do better. We owe our fallen heroes more than that.
Now, of course, Obama and Clinton will also tell you that they care about our children’s future, and I want to believe them but there is a profound difference about our two party’s vision for the future.
There’s is the part that thinks ISIS is a J.V. team, that responds to the death of Americans in Benghazi, “What difference does it make?” And, that thinks it’s possible to make a deal with Iran that celebrates its holidays, “Death to America Day,” and, “Death to Israel Day.”
My friends, this is madness. President Obama is a man who does everything backwards. He wants to close Guantanamo Bay, and open up our borders. He exports jobs, and imports terrorists. Enough is enough.
And, I am here to tell you there is a better vision for our future. A return to freedom.
On education your freedom to choose your child’s education, even if you aren’t as rich as Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama.
On healthcare, your freedom to choose your own doctor without Obamacare.
On taxes, your freedom to provide for your family without the IRS beating down your door.
The Internet? Keep it free from taxes, free from regulation and don’t give it away to Russia and China.
Freedom means free speech, not politically correct safe spaces.
Freedom means religious freedom, whether you are Christian, Jew, Muslim, or atheist.
Whether you are gay, or straight, the Bill of Rights protects the rights of all of us to live according to our conscience.
Freedom means the right to keep and bear arms, and to protect your family.
Freedom means that every human life is precious and must be protected.
Freedom means Supreme Court Justices who don’t dictate policy, but instead follow the Constitution.
And, freedom means recognizing that our Constitution allows states to choose policies that reflect local values. Colorado might decide something different than Texas. New York different than Iowa. That’s the way it’s supposed to be, diversity.
If not, what’s the point of having states to begin with?
Now, Hillary Clinton believes that government should make virtually every choice in your life. Education, health care, marriage, speech, all dictated out of Washington. But, something powerful is happening, we’ve seen it in both parties, we’ve seen it in the United Kingdom’s unprecedented Brexit vote to leave the European Union.
Voters are overwhelmingly rejecting the political establishment, and overwhelmingly rejecting big government.
That is a profound victory and it is one earned by each and every one of you. People are fed up with politicians who don’t listen to them. Fed up with a corrupt system that benefits the elites instead of working men and women.
We deserve an immigration system that puts America first, and yes, builds a wall to keep America safe.
A government that stops admitting ISIS terrorists as refugees. We deserve trade policies that put the interests of American farmers over the interests that are funding the lobbyists.
And, if we stand together and choose freedom, our future will be brighter. Freedom will bring back jobs and raise wages. Freedom will lift people out of dependency to the dignity of work.