Ted Cruz Filibuster Transcript

Ted Cruz Filibuster Transcript: A Deep Dive into the 21-Hour Speech

Introduction:

In 2013, Senator Ted Cruz embarked on a remarkable 21-hour filibuster aimed at delaying a vote on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), then known as Obamacare. This event captivated the nation, sparking intense debate and leaving a lasting impact on American politics. This blog post offers a comprehensive look at the Ted Cruz filibuster transcript, providing context, key arguments, and analysis of its impact. We'll delve into the speech itself, examining its rhetorical strategies, the political landscape at the time, and the lasting consequences of this dramatic event. Forget snippets and summaries; this is your complete guide to understanding the entirety of this pivotal moment in recent political history. We will explore not just the transcript's content, but also its strategic implications and its continued relevance in contemporary political discourse.

I. The Context: Setting the Stage for the Filibuster

Before diving into the transcript itself, understanding the political climate of 2013 is crucial. The Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, was a highly divisive piece of legislation. Republicans, led by figures like Ted Cruz, vehemently opposed the law, arguing it was an overreach of government power, harmful to the economy, and an infringement on personal liberty. The 2012 election had solidified the Democratic control of the Senate, strengthening the possibility of the ACA's implementation, fueling Republican opposition. Cruz's filibuster was part of a broader Republican strategy to delay or even derail the ACA's implementation through legislative maneuvers. This included attempts to defund or repeal parts of the act, and the filibuster represented a high-profile, dramatic escalation of this effort. The atmosphere in Washington was highly charged, with deep partisan divisions and a climate of intense political maneuvering.

II. Key Themes and Arguments in the Ted Cruz Filibuster Transcript

The transcript itself is a lengthy document, but several key themes emerge repeatedly. Cruz focused heavily on the economic consequences of the ACA, arguing it would stifle job growth, raise costs for consumers, and ultimately harm the American economy. He repeatedly emphasized the individual mandate, a core component of the ACA requiring individuals to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty, portraying it as a government overreach into personal freedom. He also attacked the law's impact on religious freedom, citing instances where religious institutions faced mandates they found morally objectionable. His speech employed a combination of legal arguments, economic analyses (often contested), and emotional appeals aimed at resonating with his political base and the broader public. He liberally quoted Founding Fathers, invoking principles of limited government and individual liberty to frame his opposition to the ACA.

III. Rhetorical Strategies and Effectiveness

Cruz's filibuster was not just about the content of his arguments; it was a masterful display of political theater. He employed various rhetorical strategies to maximize its impact. He strategically utilized lengthy quotes, slowing the pace of the debate and making it difficult for Democrats to interrupt. He invited guests to speak, further stretching the event and garnering media attention. He also employed emotional appeals, connecting the ACA to broader anxieties about government overreach and economic insecurity. The effectiveness of his strategy is debatable. While it garnered significant media attention and energized his political base, it ultimately failed to stop the ACA's implementation. However, it significantly elevated Cruz's national profile, establishing him as a leading figure within the conservative movement.

IV. The Aftermath: Impact and Legacy of the Filibuster

The Ted Cruz filibuster, despite its failure to block the ACA, had significant long-term consequences. It solidified his position as a prominent conservative voice, helping propel him towards a presidential run in 2016. It also fueled the ongoing debate about the role of the filibuster in the Senate, raising questions about its effectiveness and potential abuse. The event highlighted the deep partisan divides within American politics, showcasing the lengths to which politicians would go to achieve their objectives. The filibuster itself became a symbol of political gridlock and the challenges of legislative compromise in a highly polarized environment. The event's impact on public opinion is complex and multifaceted; while some viewed it as a principled stand against government overreach, others saw it as a cynical political tactic designed to obstruct progress.

V. Accessing the Ted Cruz Filibuster Transcript

Finding a complete, readily accessible transcript of Cruz's 21-hour speech can be challenging. While complete transcripts are not consistently available online through a single, easily accessible source, portions of the speech, key excerpts, and news coverage offering summaries are readily searchable. Utilizing advanced search terms, such as "Ted Cruz filibuster transcript excerpts" or "Ted Cruz Obamacare filibuster key arguments," can yield significant results and allow for a piecing together of the core content. Furthermore, searching through archives of major news outlets which covered the event extensively offers an indirect means of accessing significant parts of the speech.

Article Outline: "Ted Cruz Filibuster Transcript: A Deep Dive"

Introduction: Hook, overview of the blog post's content.
Chapter 1: The Political Context of 2013: Background on the ACA and the political climate leading up to the filibuster.
Chapter 2: Key Themes and Arguments: Analysis of Cruz's main points, including economic arguments, concerns about religious freedom, and appeals to limited government.
Chapter 3: Rhetorical Strategies and Effectiveness: Examination of Cruz's communication techniques and the impact of his speech.
Chapter 4: The Aftermath and Legacy: Long-term consequences of the filibuster on Cruz's career, Senate procedures, and public opinion.
Chapter 5: Accessing the Transcript: Practical advice on locating available resources and excerpts.
Conclusion: Summary of the main findings and the lasting significance of the event.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Where can I find the full transcript of Ted Cruz's filibuster? A complete, single-source transcript is not readily available online. However, significant portions and key excerpts are discoverable via various search strategies.
2. What were Cruz's main arguments against the Affordable Care Act? He primarily argued against the economic impact, the individual mandate, and potential infringements on religious freedom.
3. How long did the filibuster last? The filibuster lasted approximately 21 hours.
4. Did the filibuster succeed in stopping the ACA? No, the ACA ultimately passed.
5. What was the impact of the filibuster on Ted Cruz's career? It significantly increased his national profile and contributed to his rise as a prominent conservative figure.
6. What rhetorical techniques did Cruz employ? He utilized lengthy quotes, emotional appeals, and invited guests to speak.
7. What are some criticisms of Cruz's filibuster? Critics argued it was a cynical political tactic designed to obstruct progress.
8. How did the media cover the event? The media extensively covered the event, providing live updates and detailed analysis.
9. What is the lasting significance of the filibuster? It highlighted partisan division, raised questions about the filibuster itself, and contributed to the ongoing debate about the ACA.

1. The Affordable Care Act: A Comprehensive Overview: Details the history, provisions, and ongoing debates surrounding the ACA.
2. The Role of the Filibuster in the US Senate: Explores the history and function of the filibuster and its impact on legislative processes.
3. Ted Cruz's Political Career: A Timeline: Traces Cruz's political journey from his early career to his current position.
4. The 2013 Government Shutdown: Examines the government shutdown that occurred around the same time as the filibuster.
5. Analysis of Ted Cruz's Rhetorical Style: A closer look at his communication techniques and their effectiveness.
6. The Impact of Partisan Politics on American Healthcare: Examines the role of political polarization in healthcare debates.
7. Public Opinion on the Affordable Care Act: Summarizes public attitudes towards the ACA over time.
8. The Future of Healthcare in the United States: Discusses potential changes and challenges facing the US healthcare system.
9. Landmark Supreme Court Cases Related to the ACA: Explores key Supreme Court decisions concerning the ACA's constitutionality.

ted cruz filibuster transcript: Green Eggs and Ham Dr. Seuss, 2013-09-24 Join in the fun with Sam-I-Am in this iconic Dr. Seuss classic about the joy of trying new things. And don’t miss the Netflix series adaptation! I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-am. With unforgettable characters and signature rhymes, Dr. Seuss’s beloved favorite has cemented its place as a children’s classic. Kids will love the terrific tongue twisters as the list of places to enjoy green eggs and ham gets longer and longer...and they might even find themselves craving something new! Beginner Books are fun, funny, and easy to read! Launched by Dr. Seuss in 1957 with the publication of The Cat in the Hat, this beloved early reader series motivates children to read on their own by using simple words with illustrations that give clues to their meaning. Featuring a combination of kid appeal, supportive vocabulary, and bright, cheerful art, Beginner Books will encourage a love of reading in children ages 3–7.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Oracles, Heroes or Villains George E. Shambaugh, 2019-09-19 Economic Policymakers, National Politicians and the Power to Shape Markets--
ted cruz filibuster transcript: The 2016 US Presidential Campaign Robert E. Denton Jr, 2017-07-21 This volume focuses on the 2016 Presidential campaign from a communication perspective, with each chapter considering a specific area of political campaign communication and practice. The first section includes chapters on the early candidate nomination campaigns, the nominating conventions, the debates, political advertising and new media technologies. The second section provides studies of critical topics and issues of the campaign to include chapters on candidate persona, issues of gender, wedge issues and scandal. The final section provides an overview of the election with chapters focusing on explaining the vote and impact of new campaign finance laws and regulations in the 2016 election. All the contributors are accomplished scholars in their areas of analysis. Students, scholars and general readers will find the volume offers a comprehensive overview of the historic 2016 presidential campaign.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Justice on Trial Mollie Hemingway, Carrie Severino, 2019-07-09 #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER! Justice Anthony Kennedy slipped out of the Supreme Court building on June 27, 2018, and traveled incognito to the White House to inform President Donald Trump that he was retiring, setting in motion a political process that his successor, Brett Kavanaugh, would denounce three months later as a “national disgrace” and a “circus.” Justice on Trial, the definitive insider’s account of Kavanaugh’s appointment to the Supreme Court, is based on extraordinary access to more than one hundred key figures—including the president, justices, and senators—in that ferocious political drama. The Trump presidency opened with the appointment of Neil Gorsuch to succeed the late Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. But the following year, when Trump drew from the same list of candidates for his nomination of Brett Kavanaugh, the justice being replaced was the swing vote on abortion, and all hell broke loose. The judicial confirmation process, on the point of breakdown for thirty years, now proved utterly dysfunctional. Unverified accusations of sexual assault became weapons in a ruthless campaign of personal destruction, culminating in the melodramatic hearings in which Kavanaugh’s impassioned defense resuscitated a nomination that seemed beyond saving. The Supreme Court has become the arbiter of our nation’s most vexing and divisive disputes. With the stakes of each vacancy incalculably high, the incentive to destroy a nominee is nearly irresistible. The next time a nomination promises to change the balance of the Court, Hemingway and Severino warn, the confirmation fight will be even uglier than Kavanaugh’s. A good person might accept that nomination in the naïve belief that what happened to Kavanaugh won’t happen to him because he is a good person. But it can happen, it does happen, and it just happened. The question is whether America will let it happen again.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: The State of the Parties John C. Green, Daniel J. Coffey, David B. Cohen, 2014-08-21 Continuing a three-decade tradition, The State of the Parties 7th edition brings together leading experts to evaluate change and continuity in American electoral politics. Political parties in America have never been more contentious and divided than they are right now. Even splits within the parties themselves have the power to elevate relatively unknown candidates to power and topple established incumbents. With sections devoted to polarization and the electorate, polarization and political elites, tea party politics, super PACS, and partisan resources and partisan activities, the contributors survey the American political landscape. They pay special attention to polarization between and within the parties in the aftermath of the 2012 election, demographic changes to America’s political parties, the effects of new media and campaign finance laws on national and local electoral results, the Tea Party’s rise and, as always, the implications of all these factors on future policymaking and electoral prospects. The State of the Parties 7th edition offers an indispensable guide to American politics for scholars, students, and practitioners. Contributions by: Alan Abramowitz, Paul A. Beck, Michael John Burton, Edward G. Carmines, Daniel J. Coffey, William F. Connelly, Jr., Meredith Dost, Diana Dwyre, Michael J. Ensley, Peter L. Francia, Erik Heidemann,,Shannon Jenkins, Caitlin E. Jewitt, David C. Kimball, Robin Kolodny, Thad Kousser, David B. Magleby, Seth Masket, William G. Mayer, Eric McGhee, William J. Miller, Jonathan S. Morris, Ronald Rapoport, Douglas D. Roscoe, Dante Scala, Daniel M. Shea, Boris Shor, Walter Stone, Jeffrey M. Stonecash, Eric C. Vorst, Michael W. Wagner
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Unraveled Josh Blackman, 2016-09-26 Six years after its enactment, Obamacare remains one of the most controversial, divisive, and enduring political issues in America. In this much-anticipated follow-up to his critically acclaimed Unprecedented: The Constitutional Challenge to Obamacare (2013), Josh Blackman argues that, to implement the law, President Obama has broken promises about cancelled insurance policies, exceeded the traditional bounds of executive power, and infringed on religious liberty. At the same time, conservative opponents have stopped at nothing to unravel Obamacare, including a three-week government shutdown, four Supreme Court cases, and fifty repeal votes. This legal thriller provides the definitive account of the battle to stop Obamacare from being 'woven into the fabric of America'. Unraveled is essential reading to understand the future of the Affordable Care Act in America's gridlocked government in 2016, and beyond.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Crackup Samuel L. Popkin, 2021 In 2016, a businessman so discredited that he could no longer get a casino license or borrow money from an American bank was elected President of the United States of America. How did this happen? It is easy to mock and ridicule Donald Trump as if he is the problem. In fact, he is a symptom of a much larger issue that has been bedeviling the GOP for nearly two decades: an intraparty crackup of massive proportions. By crackup, I mean a breakdown of the fragile alliances between coalitions within a party that prevents its leaders from developing goals they can deliver on when they control the White House and majorities in the House and Senate. This introductory chapter explains why party crackups are inevitable in a federal system with national money and local primaries. But this is the first time -- for either party - that no group within the party could create a synthesis of old orthodoxies and new realities that altered the party's direction enough to build a new consensus--
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Kill Switch: The Rise of the Modern Senate and the Crippling of American Democracy Adam Jentleson, 2021-01-12 With a new epilogue on filibuster battles under the Biden administration THE CASE FOR ENDING THE FILIBUSTER A truly excellent book… blistering and persuasive.” —Ezra Klein, New York Times An insider’s account of how politicians representing a radical white minority of Americans have used “the world’s greatest deliberative body” to hijack our democracy. Our democracy is under assault from homegrown authoritarians, with most observers blaming Donald Trump and the Republican Party that submitted to him. Yet as Adam Jentleson shows, the problem not only goes back to the nineteenth century, but is less about the presidency than it is about our nation’s most venerated institution: the United States Senate. A revelatory history of minority rule in America as expressed through the Senate filibuster, Kill Switch shows that white conservatives have long relied on the filibuster—which is not featured in the Constitution, and which, as Jentleson demonstrates, the Framers would have opposed—to shut down attempts to create a multiracial democracy. Featuring a new epilogue on filibuster battles under the Biden administration, Kill Switch will remain an essential warning about the costs of empowering this nation’s right-wing minority. • “Jentleson understands the inner workings of the institution, down to the most granular details, showing precisely how arcane procedural rules can be leveraged to dramatic effect.” —Jennifer Szalai, New York Times • “Careful and thorough and exacting.” —Michael Tomasky, New York Review of Books • “[An] excellent, surprising new book.” —Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Tip and the Gipper Chris Matthews, 2013-10-01 The New York Times bestseller about the historic dealings between Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill—“A superb tribute to the neglected art of compromise” (Daily News (New York)). Tip and the Gipper is an “entertaining and insightful” (The Wall Street Journal) history of a time when two great political opponents served together for the benefit of the country. Chris Matthews was an eyewitness to this story as top aide to Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill, who waged a principled war of political ideals with President Ronald Reagan from 1980 to 1986. Together, the two men became one of history’s most celebrated political pairings—the epitome of how ideological opposites can get things done. When Reagan was elected to the presidency in a landslide victory over Jimmy Carter, Speaker O’Neill was thrust into the national spotlight as the highest-ranking leader of the Democratic Party—the most visible and respected challenger to President Reagan’s agenda of cutting the size of government programs and lowering tax rates. Together, the two leaders fought over the major issues of the day—welfare, taxes, covert military operations, and social security—but found their way to agreements that reformed taxes, saved Social Security, and, their common cause, set a course toward peace in Northern Ireland. Through it all they maintained respect for each other’s positions and worked to advance the country rather than obstruct progress. At the time of congressional gridlock, Tip and the Gipper stands as model behavior worthy of study by journalists, academics, and students of the political process for years to come. “This book is an invitation to join Tip and the Gipper in tall tales about how grand it was in the old country” (The Washington Post).
ted cruz filibuster transcript: A Time for Truth Ted Cruz, 2015-06-30 Since his election in 2012, Ted Cruz has refused to go along with the established way of doing business in Washington, becoming a voice for millions of Americans frustrated with governmental corruption and gridlock. In this, his first book, Cruz reveals how Americans can take back their country, and start moving forward.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Al Franken, Giant of the Senate Al Franken, 2017-05-30 From Senator Al Franken - #1 bestselling author and beloved SNL alum -- comes the story of an award-winning comedian who decided to run for office and then discovered why award-winning comedians tend not to do that. Flips the classic born-in-a-shack rise to political office tale on its head. I skipped meals to read this book - also unusual - because every page was funny. It made me deliriously happy. -- Louise Erdrich, The New York Times This is a book about an unlikely campaign that had an even more improbable ending: the closest outcome in history and an unprecedented eight-month recount saga, which is pretty funny in retrospect. It's a book about what happens when the nation's foremost progressive satirist gets a chance to serve in the United States Senate and, defying the low expectations of the pundit class, actually turns out to be good at it. It's a book about our deeply polarized, frequently depressing, occasionally inspiring political culture, written from inside the belly of the beast. In this candid personal memoir, the honorable gentleman from Minnesota takes his army of loyal fans along with him from Saturday Night Live to the campaign trail, inside the halls of Congress, and behind the scenes of some of the most dramatic and/or hilarious moments of his new career in politics. Has Al Franken become a true Giant of the Senate? Franken asks readers to decide for themselves.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: The Politics Industry Katherine M. Gehl, Michael E. Porter, 2020-06-23 Leading political innovation activist Katherine Gehl and world-renowned business strategist Michael Porter bring fresh perspective, deep scholarship, and a real and actionable solution, Final Five Voting, to the grand challenge of our broken political and democratic system. Final Five Voting has already been adopted in Alaska and is being advanced in states across the country. The truth is, the American political system is working exactly how it is designed to work, and it isn't designed or optimized today to work for us—for ordinary citizens. Most people believe that our political system is a public institution with high-minded principles and impartial rules derived from the Constitution. In reality, it has become a private industry dominated by a textbook duopoly—the Democrats and the Republicans—and plagued and perverted by unhealthy competition between the players. Tragically, it has therefore become incapable of delivering solutions to America's key economic and social challenges. In fact, there's virtually no connection between our political leaders solving problems and getting reelected. In The Politics Industry, business leader and path-breaking political innovator Katherine Gehl and world-renowned business strategist Michael Porter take a radical new approach. They ingeniously apply the tools of business analysis—and Porter's distinctive Five Forces framework—to show how the political system functions just as every other competitive industry does, and how the duopoly has led to the devastating outcomes we see today. Using this competition lens, Gehl and Porter identify the most powerful lever for change—a strategy comprised of a clear set of choices in two key areas: how our elections work and how we make our laws. Their bracing assessment and practical recommendations cut through the endless debate about various proposed fixes, such as term limits and campaign finance reform. The result: true political innovation. The Politics Industry is an original and completely nonpartisan guide that will open your eyes to the true dynamics and profound challenges of the American political system and provide real solutions for reshaping the system for the benefit of all. THE INSTITUTE FOR POLITICAL INNOVATION The authors will donate all royalties from the sale of this book to the Institute for Political Innovation.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Historic Documents of 2021 Heather Kerrigan, River Horse Communications, LLC, 2022-10-19 The Historic Documents of 2021 makes primary source research easy by presenting excerpts from documents on the important events of the United States and the World. The Historic Documents of 2021 pairs 60 to 70 original background narratives with well over 100 documents to chronicle the major events of the year, from official reports and surveys to speeches from leaders and opinion makers, to court cases, legislation, testimony, and much more. Historic Documents is renowned for the well-written and informative background, history, and context it provides for each document. Organized chronologically, it covers the same wide range of topics: business, the economy and labor; energy, environment, science, technology, and transportation; government and politics; health and social services; international affairs; national security and terrorism; and rights and justice.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Three War Stories David Mamet, 2020-04-07 Spanning centuries and continents, Mamet uses war and its players to explore, among other themes, redemption and forgiveness as they unfold in the context of conflict in the form of three novellas. In The Redwing, the first of the three novellas, a 19th-century Secret Service naval officer turned prisoner, then novelist, and finally memoirist recounts his own transformations during the course of his service and imprisonment. The protagonist in Notes on Plain Warfare examines religion through the prism of the American Indian wars. Finally, The Handle and the Hold is a vivid, dialogue-driven tale of two ex-military men who steal a plane in the month before the Israeli War of Independence.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Gonzo Governance David L. Altheide, 2022-10-24 Drawing on social science and communications theory, Gonzo Governance offers a new interpretation of presidential power that shifts focus to the media dynamics that surrounded Donald Trump. The former president’s unhinged behavior and skilled media and digital manipulations changed the nature and process of significant governance at the federal and state levels, including denying election results and restricting voting opportunities. He went Gonzo – promoting himself without regard for conventional norms and practices – and blasted ideological fault lines into explosive political fragments, resulting in so much dissensus that numerous legislators would not recognize the newly elected President Biden, nor would they agree to take a potential life-saving vaccine because it had been associated with a politicized virus, COVID-19. Nurtured by media logic and a communications ecology that has wedded people to digital technologies and formats that govern the structure, grammar, form, expectations, and meanings of messages that can entertain, enlighten, and disinform, this form of governance alters the fundamental way that information is communicated. David L. Altheide emphasizes how these changes informed Donald Trump’s electoral strategies as well as the insurrection attempt on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Politics Is for Power Eitan Hersh, 2020-01-14 A brilliant condemnation of political hobbyism—treating politics like entertainment—and a call to arms for well-meaning, well-informed citizens who consume political news, but do not take political action. Who is to blame for our broken politics? The uncomfortable answer to this question starts with ordinary citizens with good intentions. We vote (sometimes) and occasionally sign a petition or attend a rally. But we mainly “engage” by consuming politics as if it’s a sport or a hobby. We soak in daily political gossip and eat up statistics about who’s up and who’s down. We tweet and post and share. We crave outrage. The hours we spend on politics are used mainly as pastime. Instead, we should be spending the same number of hours building political organizations, implementing a long-term vision for our city or town, and getting to know our neighbors, whose votes will be needed for solving hard problems. We could be accumulating power so that when there are opportunities to make a difference—to lobby, to advocate, to mobilize—we will be ready. But most of us who are spending time on politics today are focused inward, choosing roles and activities designed for our short-term pleasure. We are repelled by the slow-and-steady activities that characterize service to the common good. In Politics Is for Power, pioneering and brilliant data analyst Eitan Hersh shows us a way toward more effective political participation. Aided by political theory, history, cutting-edge social science, as well as remarkable stories of ordinary citizens who got off their couches and took political power seriously, this book shows us how to channel our energy away from political hobbyism and toward empowering our values.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: The Speech Bernie Sanders, 2015-12-22 On Friday, December 10, 2010, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders walked on to the floor of the United States Senate and began speaking. It turned out to be a very long speech, lasting over eight and a half hours. And it hit a nerve. Millions followed the speech online until the traffic crashed the Senate server. A huge, positive grassroots response tied up the phones in the senator's offices in Vermont and Washington. President Obama reportedly held an impromptu press conference with former President Clinton to deflect media attention away from Sanders' speech. Editorials and news coverage appeared throughout the world. In his speech, Sanders blasted the agreement that President Obama struck with Republicans, which extended the Bush tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, lowered estate tax rates for the very, very rich, and set a terrible precedent by establishing a payroll tax holiday diverting revenue away from the Social Security Trust Fund, threatening the fund's very future. But the speech was more than a critique of a particular piece of legislation. It was a dissection of the collapse of the American middle class and a well-researched attack on corporate greed and on public policy which, over the last several decades, has led to a huge growth in millionaires even as the United States has the highest rate of childhood poverty in the industrialized world. It was a plea for a fundamental change in national priorities, for government policy that reflects the needs of working families, and not just the wealthy and their lobbyists. Finally, Sanders' speech-published here in its entirety with a new introduction by the senator-is a call for action. It is a passionate statement informing us that the only people who will save the middle class of this country is the middle class itself, but only if it is informed, organized, and prepared to take on the enormously powerful special interests dominating Washington.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Unfair Advantage Lance A. Compa, 2000 New York City Apparel Shops
ted cruz filibuster transcript: The Audacity to Win David Plouffe, 2010 The forty-fourth president's campaign manager reveals the strategies that he credits with Obama's successful primary and general elections, explaining how a combination of technology and grassroots organization is revolutionizing politics.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Filibuster Gregory J. Wawro, Eric Schickler, 2013-10-24 Parliamentary obstruction, popularly known as the filibuster, has been a defining feature of the U.S. Senate throughout its history. In this book, Gregory J. Wawro and Eric Schickler explain how the Senate managed to satisfy its lawmaking role during the nineteenth and early twentieth century, when it lacked seemingly essential formal rules for governing debate. What prevented the Senate from self-destructing during this time? The authors argue that in a system where filibusters played out as wars of attrition, the threat of rule changes prevented the institution from devolving into parliamentary chaos. They show that institutional patterns of behavior induced by inherited rules did not render Senate rules immune from fundamental changes. The authors' theoretical arguments are supported through a combination of extensive quantitative and case-study analysis, which spans a broad swath of history. They consider how changes in the larger institutional and political context--such as the expansion of the country and the move to direct election of senators--led to changes in the Senate regarding debate rules. They further investigate the impact these changes had on the functioning of the Senate. The book concludes with a discussion relating battles over obstruction in the Senate's past to recent conflicts over judicial nominations.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: It's Even Worse Than It Looks Thomas E. Mann, Norman J. Ornstein, 2016-04-05 Acrimony and hyperpartisanship have seeped into every part of the political process. Congress is deadlocked and its approval ratings are at record lows. America's two main political parties have given up their traditions of compromise, endangering our very system of constitutional democracy. And one of these parties has taken on the role of insurgent outlier; the Republicans have become ideologically extreme, scornful of compromise, and ardently opposed to the established social and economic policy regime.In It's Even Worse Than It Looks, congressional scholars Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein identify two overriding problems that have led Congress -- and the United States -- to the brink of institutional collapse. The first is the serious mismatch between our political parties, which have become as vehemently adversarial as parliamentary parties, and a governing system that, unlike a parliamentary democracy, makes it extremely difficult for majorities to act. Second, while both parties participate in tribal warfare, both sides are not equally culpable. The political system faces what the authors call &asymmetric polarization, with the Republican Party implacably refusing to allow anything that might help the Democrats politically, no matter the cost.With dysfunction rooted in long-term political trends, a coarsened political culture and a new partisan media, the authors conclude that there is no &silver bullet; reform that can solve everything. But they offer a panoply of useful ideas and reforms, endorsing some solutions, like greater public participation and institutional restructuring of the House and Senate, while debunking others, like independent or third-party candidates. Above all, they call on the media as well as the public at large to focus on the true causes of dysfunction rather than just throwing the bums out every election cycle. Until voters learn to act strategically to reward problem solving and punish obstruction, American democracy will remain in serious danger.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Congress and the Nation 2013-2016, Volume XIV David Hosansky, 2019-10-29 Chronicling the polarized partisan environment during the President Barack Obama’s second term, Congress and the Nation 2013-2016, Vol. XIV is the most authoritative reference on congressional lawmaking and trends during the 113th and 114th Congresses. The newest edition in this award-winning series documents the most fiercely debated issues during this period, including: The unprecedented federal government shutdown, The strike down of the Defense of Marriage Act as unconstitutional, End of the filibuster for most executive and judicial branch nominees, Changes to the Dodd–Frank Act, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Pope Francis address joint sessions, Sexual Assault Survivors′ Rights Act passed, overhauling rape kit processing and establishment of victim bill of rights, SPACE Act passed, allowing commercial exploration of space. No other source guides readers seamlessly through the policy output of the national legislature with the breadth, depth, and authority of Congress and the Nation. This is a landmark series is a must-have reference for all academic libraries and meets the needs of the full spectrum of users, from lower-level undergraduates through researchers and faculty.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Run for Something Amanda Litman, 2017-10-03 From the e-mail marketing director of Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and the co-founder of Run for Something; comes an essential and inspiring guide that encourages and educates young progressives to run for local office, complete with contributions from elected officials and political operatives.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Prelude to a Kiss Craig Lucas, 2010 THE STORY: At Peter and Rita's wedding, a mysterious old man insists on kissing the bride. While honeymooning, Peter gradually realizes that the woman by his side is not his wife. The wedding kiss caused Rita's soul and the old man's to change plac
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Constitutionalism and Dictatorship Robert Barros, 2002-07-04 It is widely believed that autocratic regimes cannot limit their power through institutions of their own making. This book presents a surprising challenge to this view. It demonstrates that the Chilean armed forces were constrained by institutions of their own design. Based on extensive documentation of military decision-making, much of it long classified and unavailable, this book reconstructs the politics of institutions within the recent Chilean dictatorship (1973–1990). It examines the structuring of institutions at the apex of the military junta, the relationship of military rule with the prior constitution, the intra-military conflicts that led to the promulgation of the 1980 constitution, the logic of institutions contained in the new constitution, and how the constitution constrained the military junta after it went into force in 1981. This provocative account reveals the standard account of the dictatorship as a personalist regime with power concentrated in Pinochet to be grossly inaccurate.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Identity Crisis John Sides, Michael Tesler, Lynn Vavreck, 2019-08-13 A gripping in-depth look at the presidential election that stunned the world Donald Trump's election victory resulted in one of the most unexpected presidencies in history. Identity Crisis provides the definitive account of the campaign that seemed to break all the political rules—but in fact didn't. Featuring a new afterword by the authors that discusses the 2018 midterms and today's emerging political trends, this compelling book describes how Trump's victory was foreshadowed by changes in the Democratic and Republican coalitions that were driven by people's racial and ethnic identities, and how the Trump campaign exacerbated these divisions by hammering away on race, immigration, and religion. The result was an epic battle not just for the White House but about what America should be.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: The New Case Against Immigration Mark Krikorian, 2008-07-03 New research reveals why America can no longer afford mass immigration Mark Krikorian has studied the trends and concluded that America must permanently reduce immigration— both legal and illegal—or face enormous problems in the near future. His argument is based on facts, not fear. Wherever they come from, today’s immigrants are actually very similar to those who arrived a century ago. But they are coming to a very different America—one where changes in the economy, society, and government create different incentives for newcomers. Before the upheavals of the 1960s, the U.S. expected its immigrants—from Italy to India—to earn a living, learn English, and become patriotic Americans. But the rise of identity politics, political correctness, and Great Society programs means we no longer make these demands. In short, the problem isn’t them, it’s us. Even positive developments such as technological progress hinder the assimilation of immigrants. It’s easy now for newcomers to live “transnational” lives. Immigration will be in the headlines through Election Day and beyond, and this controversial book will help drive the debate.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Rising Fascism in America Anthony R. DiMaggio, 2021-12-30 Rising Fascism in America: It Can Happen Here explores how rising fascism has infiltrated U.S. politics—and how the media and academia failed to spot its earlier rise. Anthony R. DiMaggio spotlights the development of rightwing polarization of the media, Trump’s political ascendance, and the prominence of extremist activists, including in Congress. Fascism has long bubbled under the surface until the coup attempt of January 6th, 2021. This book offers tactics to combat fascism, exploring social movements such as Antifa and Black Lives Matter in mobilizing the public. When so little scholarship engages the question of fascism, Anthony R. DiMaggio combines the rigor of academic analysis with an accessible style that appeals to student and general readers.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: A Time to Build Yuval Levin, 2020-01-21 A leading conservative intellectual argues that to renew America we must recommit to our institutions Americans are living through a social crisis. Our politics is polarized and bitterly divided. Culture wars rage on campus, in the media, social media, and other arenas of our common life. And for too many Americans, alienation can descend into despair, weakening families and communities and even driving an explosion of opioid abuse. Left and right alike have responded with populist anger at our institutions, and use only metaphors of destruction to describe the path forward: cleaning house, draining swamps. But, as Yuval Levin argues, this is a misguided prescription, rooted in a defective diagnosis. The social crisis we confront is defined not by an oppressive presence but by a debilitating absence of the forces that unite us and militate against alienation. As Levin argues, now is not a time to tear down, but rather to build and rebuild by committing ourselves to the institutions around us. From the military to churches, from families to schools, these institutions provide the forms and structures we need to be free. By taking concrete steps to help them be more trustworthy, we can renew the ties that bind Americans to one another.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Handbook for translators of Spanish historical documents Juan Villasana Haggard, 1969
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Grand New Party Ross Douthat, Reihan Salam, 2009-06-02 In a provocative challenge to Republican conventional wisdom, two of the Right's rising young thinkers call upon the GOP to focus on the interests and needs of working-class voters.Grand New Party lays bare the failures of the conservative revolution and presents a detailed blueprint for building the next Republican majority. Blending history, analysis, and fresh, often controversial recommendations, Ross Douthat and Reihan Salam argue that it is time to move beyond the Reagan legacy and the current Republican power structure. With specific proposals covering such hot-button topics as immigration, health care, and taxes, Grand New Party shakes up the Right, challenges the Left, and confronts the changing political landscape.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Is Satire Saving Our Nation? S. McClennen, R. Maisel, 2016-04-30 The book studies the intersections between satirical comedy and national politics in order to show that one of the strongest supports for our democracy today comes from those of us who are seriously joking. This book shows how we got to this place and why satire may be the only way we can save our democracy and strengthen our nation.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Brown Is the New White Steve Phillips, 2018-03-06 The New York Times and Washington Post bestseller that sparked a national conversation about America's new progressive, multiracial majority, updated to include data from the 2016 election With a new preface and afterword by the author When it first appeared in the lead-up to the 2016 election, Brown Is the New White helped spark a national discussion of race and electoral politics and the often-misdirected spending priorities of the Democratic party. This slim yet jam-packed call to action (Booklist) contained a detailed, data-driven illustration of the rapidly increasing number of racial minorities in America (NBC News) and their significance in shaping our political future. Completely revised and updated to address the aftermath of the 2016 election, this first paperback edition of Brown Is the New White doubles down on its original insights. Attacking the myth of the white swing voter head-on, Steve Phillips, named one of America's Top 50 Influencers by Campaigns & Elections, closely examines 2016 election results against a long backdrop of shifts in the electoral map over the past generation—arguing that, now more than ever, hope for a more progressive political future lies not with increased advertising to middle-of-the-road white voters, but with cultivating America's growing, diverse majority. Emerging as a respected and clear-headed commentator on American politics at a time of pessimism and confusion among Democrats, Phillips offers a stirring answer to anyone who thinks the immediate future holds nothing but Trump and Republican majorities.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Our Lost Declaration Mike Lee, 2019-04-23 New York Times bestselling author and committed constitutional conservative Senator Mike Lee reveals the little-known stories behind the Founder's takedown of a tyrannical king and the forgotten document that created America. There is perhaps no more powerful sentence in human history, written in Philadelphia in the oppressively hot summer of 1776: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Despite the earth-shattering power of Jefferson's simple sentence and the document in which it is found, many Americans today don't understand or appreciate the Declaration's gravity. As a result, we have lost touch with much of what makes our country so special: the distinctly American belief in the dignity of every human soul. Our nation was born in an act of rebellion against an all-powerful government. In Our Lost Declaration, Senator Mike Lee tells the dramatic, little-known stories of the offenses committed by the British crown against its own subjects. From London's attempts to shut down colonial legislatures to hauling John Hancock before a court without a jury, the abuses of a strong central government were felt far and wide. They spurred our Founders to risk their lives in defense of their rights, and their efforts established a vision of political freedom that would change the course of history. Lee shares new insights into the personalities who shaped that vision, such as: Thomas Paine, a populist radical who nearly died making his voyage from Great Britain to the colonies before writing his revolutionary pamphlet, Common Sense. Edmund Randolph, who defied his Loyalist family and served in the Virginia convention that voted for independence Thomas Jefferson, who persevered through a debilitating health crisis to pen the document that would officially begin the American experiment. Senator Lee makes vividly clear how many abuses of federal power today are rooted in neglect of the Declaration, including federal overreach that corrupts state legislatures, the judicial system, and even international trade. By rediscovering the Declaration, we can remind our leaders in Washington D.C. that they serve us--not the other way around.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Guide to the Presidency SET Michael Nelson, 2007-07-02 Guide to the Presidency is the leading reference source on the persons who have occupied the White House and on the institution of the presidency itself. Readers turn to this guide for its vast array of factual information about the institution and the presidents, as well as for its analytical chapters that explain the structure and operations of the office and the president's relationship to co-equal branches of government, Congress and the Supreme Court. This new edition is updated to include: A new chapter on presidential power Coverage of the expansion of presidential power under President George W. Bush
ted cruz filibuster transcript: History of American Presidential Elections, 1789-2008 Gil Troy, Arthur Meier Schlesinger, Fred L. Israel, 2012 Becomethe definitive reference on the subject.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Shoot to Win Chris Cheng, 2018-05-01 A surprising journey from tech support to professional marksman in front of the cameras. Chris Cheng won the title of “Top Shot,” a $100,000 cash prize, and a professional marksman contract with the show sponsor, Bass Pro Shops. How did a tech support guy who didn’t shoot a lot of guns beat out seventeen other competitors—including seasoned military veterans, law enforcement officers, and pro marksmen—in History Channel’s Top Shot season 4? An excellent guide for beginning shooters, Cheng focuses on the basics and ammunition of pistols, rifles, and shotguns, marksmanship fundamentals, and buying a firearm. Other chapters include: Dry Fire Practice Firearm Accessories Safely Storing Your Firearm Cleaning and Maintaining Your Guns And much more! Additionally, Cheng covers his approach to staying calm under pressure, teamwork, sportsmanship, and leadership. These traits contributed to his coming out on top and staying above the fray. With a foreword written by Top Shot season 3 champion Dustin Ellermann and an afterword written by the original Top Shot champion Iain Harrison, Shoot to Win is sure to please shooters of all stripes, but especially fans of History Channel’s program Top Shot. Skyhorse Publishing is proud to publish a broad range of books for hunters and firearms enthusiasts. We publish books about shotguns, rifles, handguns, target shooting, gun collecting, self-defense, archery, ammunition, knives, gunsmithing, gun repair, and wilderness survival. We publish books on deer hunting, big game hunting, small game hunting, wing shooting, turkey hunting, deer stands, duck blinds, bowhunting, wing shooting, hunting dogs, and more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Never Trump Robert P. Saldin, Steven Michael Teles, 2020 In early 2016, as it became increasingly apparent that Donald Trump might actually become the Republican nominee, a movement within conservatism formed to stop him: Never Trump. Comprised primarily of Republican policy elites and conservative intellectuals, the Never Trumpers saw Trump's stated views as a repudiation of longstanding Republican foreign and domestic policy goals. Just as importantly, they saw him as erratic, mendacious, and unfit--the sort of person the founders warned about and someone who would bring everlasting shame to the Republican Party. Over the coming months, many well-known and previously influential figures signed on to the Never Trump movement. Of course, their efforts failed, and Trump now dominates the Republican Party like a warlord. As Robert P. Saldin and Steven M. Teles argue in Never Trump, however, the influence of the movement turned out to be much larger than its disappointing impact on the election. For one, it has had an enormous impact on the actual composition of the Trump administration. There has never been a party in the Western World that was elected and sought to govern with such a wide range of intra-party opposition. As Trump supporter Pat Buchanan observed after the election, the Never Trumpers essentially gifted Trump with a readymade enemies list-a list that those in charge of appointments paid close attention to. Trump's picks for a wide range of positions, especially in the area of foreign policy, look vastly different than they would have in any other Republican administration, in large part because so many potential office-holders had declared themselves implacably opposed to Trump. Even more profoundly, the administration found it very difficult--and in many cases impossible--to fill a wide range of positions because all of the plausible candidates for jobs that required technocratic as well as ideological credentials had signed on to Never Trump. Never Trump examines the reasons for this widespread and unprecedented intra-party opposition to Trump, why it took the form it did, and its longer-term consequences.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: Why We're Polarized Ezra Klein, 2020-01-28 ONE OF BARACK OBAMA’S FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2022 One of Bill Gates’s “5 books to read this summer,” this New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller shows us that America’s political system isn’t broken. The truth is scarier: it’s working exactly as designed. In this “superbly researched” (The Washington Post) and timely book, journalist Ezra Klein reveals how that system is polarizing us—and how we are polarizing it—with disastrous results. “The American political system—which includes everyone from voters to journalists to the president—is full of rational actors making rational decisions given the incentives they face,” writes political analyst Ezra Klein. “We are a collection of functional parts whose efforts combine into a dysfunctional whole.” “A thoughtful, clear and persuasive analysis” (The New York Times Book Review), Why We’re Polarized reveals the structural and psychological forces behind America’s descent into division and dysfunction. Neither a polemic nor a lament, this book offers a clear framework for understanding everything from Trump’s rise to the Democratic Party’s leftward shift to the politicization of everyday culture. America is polarized, first and foremost, by identity. Everyone engaged in American politics is engaged, at some level, in identity politics. Over the past fifty years in America, our partisan identities have merged with our racial, religious, geographic, ideological, and cultural identities. These merged identities have attained a weight that is breaking much in our politics and tearing at the bonds that hold this country together. Klein shows how and why American politics polarized around identity in the 20th century, and what that polarization did to the way we see the world and one another. And he traces the feedback loops between polarized political identities and polarized political institutions that are driving our system toward crisis. “Well worth reading” (New York magazine), this is an “eye-opening” (O, The Oprah Magazine) book that will change how you look at politics—and perhaps at yourself.
ted cruz filibuster transcript: The Candidate's 7 Deadly Sins Dr Peter a Wish, 2020-03-10 If you ask candidates and campaign strategists for the keys to a successful campaign, they say logistics like fundraising, poll numbers, and grassroots. These answers aren't wrong, but they overlook an equally important ingredient to victory: making an emotional connection with voters. If voters don't connect with you, they won't vote for you. Our brains are hardwired to bond with others through stories and nonverbal cues. Yet, when many candidates hit the campaign trail, they too often emphasize data and policy, which leaves voters unmoved. In The Candidate's 7 Deadly Sins, Dr. Peter A. Wish teaches tested strategies that gain candidates the critical advantage over their opponents. He outlines the sins to avoid--being pessimistic, canned, tentative, reactive, cerebral, partisan, and arrogant--and provides a road map for turning each sin into a winning virtue. Dr. Wish draws on past and current case studies of political winners and losers, cutting-edge neuroscience, and his experience working with candidates and campaign teams. Wish found that candidates who connect emotionally with voters don't just win their hearts and minds--they win elections.

Ted Cruz Filibuster Transcript