How a legislator should be judged

If a person is a member of the legislative branch of government and they aspire to higher office, then is it reasonable that they have demonstrated some leadership quality that makes then more worthy than their peers to run for higher office? I think this proposition is a reasonable one.

As a legislator, I would expect this person to:
• Sponsor legislation featuring innovative solutions
• Ideas that may not actually be law yet but would be in writing for all to see
• Respected by folks on both sides of the politic aisle
• Be an effective communicator of his ideas
• Have a reputation of virtue and charity
• Campaign ethically and treat opponents with respect
• Stand for what is right as opposed to politically expedient

When a legislator has no track record but his rhetoric, and little experience in his office then voters should be concerned about the qualifications of this candidate. In recent years this is especially true of junior United States Senators. Three names immediately come to mind.

Barack Obama-most known for voting “Present” in the Illinois Senate and one speech at the Democrat National Convention
Hillary Clinton-most known for sleeping with the President and killing people in Benghazi. The only Bill she ever sponsored was her husband.
Ted Cruz-a lawyer born in Texas who disrupted the U.S. Senate for a few hours many years ago and admits to going to a protestant church

All three people are trying to ride their thin legislative resumes to the White House. One did and look how that turned out. The old saying about “fool me once…” comes to mind.

I think eight years of junior Senators in the White House is enough.

So what do I expect?

I expect a series of legislative proposals (bills) that the candidate has introduced and defended in various committees. He is committed to his principles enough to put in writing what he hopes to accomplish to make his county/state/country better. His legislation and his rhetoric are in agreement and proven in the crucible of the legislative process. I’m not saying that his ideas are signed into law, but they are understood and clearly delineated.

His campaign for the Executive level is based upon two things, here are my legislative ideas and a track record of principle and perseverance working to make them a reality, and secondly, here are the legislators or candidates for legislative office that will help my ideas become law. When it comes to state or federal elections, the candidate will have a Contract with America type idea that unifies his campaign and should he prevail in the election, give a clear mandate for his ideas.

None of the three mentioned above (Obama, Clinton, or Cruz) has such a record. Neither does Rubio.

If you want an effective President, picking a junior Senator has proven to be a terrible option.

Where’s the Beef?

Many years ago, Wendy’s did an advertising campaign centered on the question, “Where’s the beef?”

A similar question was running thru my mind today after reading a blast email from my church’s Google group. It was sent by a person that is a hardcore supporter of Ted Cruz. The guy is a CPA and figured that since today was tax day, he would blast it out to us. I’m sure it’s based on an email from Cruz’s campaign.

I’m including a link from the Tax Foundation that gives an analysis of Cruz’s tax reform plan, but here is a summary:

Ted Cruz’s tax reform plan is brilliant:

—> A 10% flat tax on individuals and families (on all income);

—> Eliminate itemized deductions, except charitable contributions and the home mortgage deduction;

—> Eliminate all individual tax credits, except the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (for poor people) by 20%;

—> Eliminate the first $36,000 of income from tax (people making less than $36,000 per year would not pay any tax at all);

—> Eliminate the estate tax;

—> ELIMINATE THE CORPORATE INCOME TAX! (YES!);

Replace the corporate income tax with a flat 16% consumption tax – YES! (This would cause corporations to pay taxes on what they consume (pay for) in the U.S. (like salaries, rent, goods, services, etc.) and would eliminate all the game playing corporations do to off-shore their profits – what the government calls “inversion”.) – It is the RIGHT thing to do!

—> ELIMINATE ALL CORPORATE TAX LOOPHOLES! (YES!).

 

I wrote a reply that was not forwarded to the mail list so I’m putting it on my blog just to I can be on the record.

Thanks for the Cruz plug but I respectfully dissent.

1. If this tax plan is so great then where is the legislation?

Cruz is in his second term in the US Senate and this is the first that I’m hearing all this. If this economic proposal is his heartfelt belief and is so great for the country where is the bill package? Who are his co-authors?

Cruz has been campaigning for President since he took part in the filibuster many years ago. He has given the run for President much thought and planning.

2. After New York votes tomorrow, he is mathematically eliminated from an outright win. (I’m getting told this by people involved in the Cruz campaign.)

3. The biggest practical problem in changing the tax code is how do we get from where we are to something new without ending up with both. The Federal Income Tax was a temporary tax to pay for World War I and we still have it.

What Ted Cruz says and what he does are frequently different. This is just another example.

These ideas may have some merit over the current system but I see no path for Cruz to get to the White House except possibly in the Vice Presidential slot.

I’m getting really tired of being told that I have to vote for Cruz because of his religion. I thought we are supposed to look at the content of a person’s character. Cruz’s faith has no impact on how he conducts his political life so why should I let it influence my vote?