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| | ==Early life== | | ==Early life== |
| − | Cruz's father, [[Rafael Bienvenido Cruz]] fought alongside [[Fidel Castro]] during the [[Cuban Revolution]] and was imprisoned three years later for his political activities. In 1957, he escaped to the [[United States]]. Today he is a pastor in [[Dallas]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Cruz, Ted|url=http://www.frontpagemag.com/2013/frontpagemag-com/senator-ted-cruz-confronting-the-threat-of-radical-islam/ |title=Senator Ted Cruz: Confronting the threat of radical Islam |work=FrontPage Magazine |date=May 20, 2013 }} See [[FrontPage Magazine]]</ref> Cruz's mother is an American. After Cruz's birth in [[Alberta]], Canada, the family moved to Texas. | + | Cruz's father, [[Rafael Bienvenido Cruz]], fought alongside [[Fidel Castro]] during the [[Cuban Revolution]] and was imprisoned three years later for his political activities. In 1957, he escaped to the [[United States]]. Today he is a pastor in [[Dallas]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Cruz, Ted|url=http://www.frontpagemag.com/2013/frontpagemag-com/senator-ted-cruz-confronting-the-threat-of-radical-islam/ |title=Senator Ted Cruz: Confronting the threat of radical Islam |work=FrontPage Magazine |date=May 20, 2013 }} See [[FrontPage Magazine]]</ref> Cruz's mother is an American. After Cruz's birth in [[Alberta]], Canada, the family moved to Texas. |
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| | Cruz attended [[Princeton]], at which he authored a senior thesis on the [[9th Amendment|9th]] and [[10th Amendment|10th]] Amendments to the [[United States Constitution]], titled "Clipping the Wings of Angels".<ref>[https://archive.org/details/480888-cruz-thesis Ted Cruz's 1992 Princeton Undergrad Thesis], "Clipping the Wings of Angels"</ref> | | Cruz attended [[Princeton]], at which he authored a senior thesis on the [[9th Amendment|9th]] and [[10th Amendment|10th]] Amendments to the [[United States Constitution]], titled "Clipping the Wings of Angels".<ref>[https://archive.org/details/480888-cruz-thesis Ted Cruz's 1992 Princeton Undergrad Thesis], "Clipping the Wings of Angels"</ref> |
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| | ====Eligibility==== | | ====Eligibility==== |
| − | Similar to criticisms of Obama's claim to citizenship, some have questioned Cruz's eligibility for president in light of his Canadian birthplace. Cruz's mother was an American citizen (even though she voted in Canadian elections), which defenders of Cruz assert guarantees him American citizenship regardless of the country he was born in. But others point out that procedural requirements applied in order to obtain citizenship under these circumstances.There are important differences in Obama/Cruz birth certificate controversies. Cruz released his immediately after it was requested. Obama held onto his for years, spending nearly $4 million in legal fees.{{fact}} Cruz renounced his Canadian citizenship on May 14, 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/08/19/cruz-will-renounce-canadian-citizenship/?wprss=rss_homepage|title=Cruz Will Renounce Canadian Citizenship|last=Blake|first=Aaron|date=August 19, 2013|work=[[The Washington Post]]|accessdate=February 6, 2016}}</ref> | + | Similar to criticisms of Obama's claim to citizenship, some have questioned Cruz's eligibility for president in light of his Canadian birthplace. Cruz's mother was an American citizen (even though she voted in Canadian elections), which defenders of Cruz assert guarantees him American citizenship regardless of the country he was born in. But others point out that procedural requirements apply in order to obtain citizenship under these circumstances.There are important differences in Obama/Cruz birth certificate controversies. Cruz released his immediately after it was requested. Obama held onto his for years, spending nearly $4 million in legal fees.{{fact}} Cruz renounced his Canadian citizenship on May 14, 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/08/19/cruz-will-renounce-canadian-citizenship/?wprss=rss_homepage|title=Cruz Will Renounce Canadian Citizenship|last=Blake|first=Aaron|date=August 19, 2013|work=[[The Washington Post]]|accessdate=February 6, 2016}}</ref> |
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| | ==Political positions== | | ==Political positions== |
| − | Cruz opposes [[illegal immigration]],<ref>[http://www.ontheissues.org/international/Ted_Cruz_Immigration.htm "Ted Cruz on immigration"] (January 20, 2015). On the Issues website.</ref> [[gun control]] and [[homosexuality]]. He is [[pro-life]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Bair |first=Andrew |url=https://www.lifenews.com/2013/06/05/pro-life-senator-ted-cruz-to-address-national-right-to-life-convention/ |title=Pro-life Senator Ted Cruz to address National Right to Life Convention |publisher=LifeNews.com|date= June 5, 2013 }} See [[LifeNews.com]]</ref> and supports the [[death penalty]]<ref>[http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Ted_Cruz.htm#Crime "Ted Cruz on the issues/Ted Cruz on crime"] (February 2015). On the Issues website.</ref> and believes that the [[USA]] should not get involved in the [[Syrian Civil War]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Tomasky |first=Michael |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/09/marco-rubio-ted-cruz-and-their-craven-and-brazen-hypocrisy-on-syria.html |title=Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and their craven and brazen hypocrisy on Syria|work=The Daily Beast |date=September 9, 2013 }} See [[The Daily Beast]]</ref> | + | Cruz opposes [[illegal immigration]],<ref>[http://www.ontheissues.org/international/Ted_Cruz_Immigration.htm "Ted Cruz on immigration"] (January 20, 2015). On the Issues website.</ref> [[gun control]] and [[homosexuality]]. He is [[pro-life]],<ref>{{cite web |last=Bair |first=Andrew |url=https://www.lifenews.com/2013/06/05/pro-life-senator-ted-cruz-to-address-national-right-to-life-convention/ |title=Pro-life Senator Ted Cruz to address National Right to Life Convention |publisher=LifeNews.com|date= June 5, 2013 }} ''See'' [[LifeNews.com]].</ref> and supports the [[death penalty]]<ref>[http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Ted_Cruz.htm#Crime "Ted Cruz on the issues/Ted Cruz on crime"] (February 2015). On the Issues website.</ref> and believes that the [[USA]] should not get involved in the [[Syrian Civil War]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Tomasky |first=Michael |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/09/09/marco-rubio-ted-cruz-and-their-craven-and-brazen-hypocrisy-on-syria.html |title=Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and their craven and brazen hypocrisy on Syria|work=The Daily Beast |date=September 9, 2013 }} See [[The Daily Beast]]</ref> |
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| | Cruz has criticized [[RINOs]], calling them "squishes."<ref>{{cite web |last=Weiner |first=Rachel |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/04/29/ted-cruz-mocks-squishes-in-republican-party/ |title=Ted Cruz mocks Senate Republican ‘squishes’|work=Washington Post|date=April 29, 2013 }} See [[Washington Post]]</ref> Others on the right argue that Cruz himself is a RINO,<ref>https://themoderatevoice.com/speaking-of-trickery-ted-cruz-is-a-rino/amp/</ref> while the left has admitted he would have been "worse than Trump" as president, due to his [[establishment]] conservatism.<ref>https://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-president-cruz-20160309-story.html</ref><ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/30/opinion/the-one-thing-worse-than-trump.html</ref><ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-cruz-is-more-dangerous-than-trump/2015/12/15/00a425fa-a360-11e5-9c4e-be37f66848bb_story.html</ref> | | Cruz has criticized [[RINOs]], calling them "squishes."<ref>{{cite web |last=Weiner |first=Rachel |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/04/29/ted-cruz-mocks-squishes-in-republican-party/ |title=Ted Cruz mocks Senate Republican ‘squishes’|work=Washington Post|date=April 29, 2013 }} See [[Washington Post]]</ref> Others on the right argue that Cruz himself is a RINO,<ref>https://themoderatevoice.com/speaking-of-trickery-ted-cruz-is-a-rino/amp/</ref> while the left has admitted he would have been "worse than Trump" as president, due to his [[establishment]] conservatism.<ref>https://www.latimes.com/opinion/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-president-cruz-20160309-story.html</ref><ref>https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/30/opinion/the-one-thing-worse-than-trump.html</ref><ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/how-cruz-is-more-dangerous-than-trump/2015/12/15/00a425fa-a360-11e5-9c4e-be37f66848bb_story.html</ref> |