Beware of Ted Cruz
Remember when tea-party folks used to tease President Obama about his Hawaiian birth certificate? They even implied that he wasn’t an American citizen. Now, Ted Cruz is applying for Obama’s job. Cruz was born in Canada to a Cuban father and an American mother of Irish-Italian ancestry … what’s more American than that?
Cruz is highly intelligent. He graduated with honors from the socially elite and liberal Princeton University Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. (President Wilson is recognized for creating the League of Nations and the Federal Reserve.)
Cruz’s father, Rafael Bienvenido Cruz, was a Cuban alien when he fled to Texas at age 18. Speaking no English and with only $100 in his pocket, the elder Cruz was typical of the millions of poor Latino immigrants who seek a better life in America.
His first job was “dishwasher”; he earned 50 cents an hour. According to Ted Cruz, had the minimum wage back then been raised to say, $2 per hour, his dad would have been fired. This is why Ted Cruz is adamantly opposed to ever raising the minimum wage, because poor folks might lose their meager jobs. The younger Cruz is very sensitive.
Lacking Cruz’s elite education, I argue that we should increase the minimum wage to a living wage and simply require employers to hire only American citizens. Silly me. I must remember, if it hadn’t been for poor immigrant Rafael Cruz, we wouldn’t have wealthy, presidential candidate Ted Cruz.
Republicans have been complaining for years that Obama is unwilling to cooperate. Following the devastating 2013 federal government shutdown championed by Ted Cruz, a majority of Republicans in Congress decided that Cruz was also unwilling to cooperate with them. If he fails to compromise with Republicans now, it’s unlikely he will change if he’s given executive power.
Beware of Ted Cruz.
Peter Nelson
Support candidates who support clean energy
In fewer than 20 days, Iowans will have the unique opportunity to make their voices heard as the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses occur Feb. 1. As a young voter, I am excited to participate in the caucuses and show my support for a candidate who advocates for the issues I care about.
My top issue this caucus season is climate change and how we can combat it through investing in clean energy. Iowa is a clean-energy success story. Iowa’s wind industry provides more than 6,000 jobs and more than 25 percent of the state’s electrical needs — which is projected to grow to 40 percent in the next five years. Wind is just the beginning.
Solar energy is also booming across the state. In 2014, $36 million was invested in solar installations, and more and more homes, farms, and commercial buildings are using solar energy to lower costs and help move Iowa’s clean-energy economy forward.
Iowa is proving a successful clean-energy economy is achievable. As the Iowa caucuses quickly approach, it’s time for the presidential candidates to recognize Iowa’s clean-energy success and lay out plans to build upon this success across America with more than 50 percent clean energy by 2030.
I can’t wait to caucus for 50by30 on Feb. 1, and I urge my fellow young voters to join me by caucusing for a candidate who supports a transition to a clean-energy economy.
Leigha Meredith
Clinton/Sanders ticket
Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks to me and many Americans. He understands the economy and suffering of the poor and middle class. He would transform the American economy to be fairer and more equitable. Although I believe that Sanders would be the strongest president on domestic issues since LBJ, I am concerned on how Sanders would handle an international crisis.
Sanders’s foreign-policy experience does not compare with Hillary Clinton’s. Clinton knows the international players and was involved in promoting Obama’s foreign policy. She also has a good handle on domestic issues. We need a president who will be strong on domestic and foreign policy as well as have the respect of foreign leaders. Clinton is that person. The recent Iranian situation illustrates the importance of diplomatic relationships and having a president experienced in foreign affairs. Sanders would make a wonderful VP, but we need Clinton at the top of the ticket.
David Bonner