Ted Cruz: Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate

Quotes 

• Self - Host : Let me ask you about Reagan for a second

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : Yes

  Self - Host : Democrats and you know republicans have had reasons why they like Ronald Reagan but would today's modern Republican Party reflect some of the things Reagan did? Reagan raised taxes ok? Reagan actually had a amnesty program for illegal immigrants. Neither of those would allow Reagan to be nominated today. So, to what level can you truly emulate Ronald Reagan? Isn't that from a period of time when he was willing to work with Tip O'Neill to get stuff done? Isn't that what people want more than anything else? It's not just principles but action

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : Well, I'll tell you number one I've traveled the country. I haven't seen anyone say "The thing we want for Republican is to give in more to Barack Obama and the direction we're going." I don't hear that across the country

  Self - Host : But are those aspects of Reagan something you could agree with? Raising taxes and amnesty for illegal immigrants. Could you agree with Reagan on those two things?

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : No, of course not

  Self - Host : Alright

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : But Ronald Reagan also signed the largest tax cut in history. He reduced government regulation for Washington

  Self - Host : He did

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : And economic growth exploded, you know when Reagan came in from nineteen seventy-eight to nineteen eighty-two, economic growth averaged less than one percent a year. There's only one other four year period where that's true. That's true for two thousand eight to two thousand twelve. What Reagan did was he cut taxes, he cut regulation, he unchained small businesses and economic growth boomed. Millions of people were lifted up from poverty

  Self - Host : But when conditions changed in the country he reversed his world's largest tax cut and raised taxes when revenues did not match the expectation so it's a matter of compromising. Will you be willing to compromise to the other side? Because I would say it's possible. It's entirely possible that your plan might be the right one. If it turns out to be the right one, would you be willing to compromise with the other side? Change your mind and do something that the other side wants and not feel like you capitulated with "the devil"?

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : So, my attitude...

  Self - Host : [interrupts him]  Is it possible? Because your a religious man right?And I "dabble." Look, would you believe that's important not to call the other side "the devil"?

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : Absolutely. There's nothing diabolical about you

  Self - Host : What about your opponents? Are they diabolical?

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : Of course not and in fact my response in politics is when others throw rocks as insults, I don't respond in kind and in fact...

  Self - Host : [Interrupts him]  that's true you haven't

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : And that's true of both Republicans or Democrats when others attack me, I make a point of keeping the focus on substance. Keeping the focus on how do we turn this country around? People are fed up and what they want are jobs, economic growth, and you know you mention before "Cruz your a very conservative guy", what I'm fighting for are simple principles: live within our means, stop bankrupting our kids and grand kids, and follow the Constitution

  Self - Host : And no gay marriage

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : No, actually let's be precise: under the Constitution

  Self - Host : Yes

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : Marriage is a question for the states. If you want to change laws...

  Self - Host : [Interrupts him]  It doesn't mention marriage in the Constitution

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : We have had a country for over two hundred years

  Self - Host : So, you may be right, but it doesn't mention marriage in the Constitution

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : And that's exactly why it's a question for the states because the tenth Amendment says if it doesn't mention it, it's a question for the states. That's in the Bill of Rights. Everything that is not mentioned is left for the states so if you want to change the marriage laws...

  Self - Host : [Interrupts him]  I'm asking what you want

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : [Repeating himself to emphasize his point]  I believe in democracy. I believe in democracy and I don't think we should trust...

  Self - Host : [to the audience]  guys, however you feel his my guest, please don't boo him

  Self - 2016 GOP Presidential Candidate : I don't think we entrust governing our society to five un-elected lawyers in Washington. Why would you possibly hand over the rights of three hundred and twenty million Americans to five lawyers in Washington to say "We're going to decide the rules that will govern you? If you want to win an issue, go to the ballot box and win at the ballot box. That's the way the Constitution was designed