An Open Letter to Ted Cruz

Fifth and final in the series, coming close to the end…first open letter went to Bernie Sanders, second to Hillary Clinton, third to Donald Trump, fourth to John Kasich, and finally this one, to Ted Cruz.

ted cruz 1Dear Ted,

I don’t know if there has ever been, or ever will be, an election in which a single candidate will represent the voice of any person on every issue. When it comes to the domestic versus international needs of a country, I usually find the greatest divide. In the United States, I would be considered more liberal on many social issues, centrist on national issues and extremely conservative on international issues. In Israel, I would be considered solid right-wing (conservative) on most issue, extremely right-wing on security-related issues, and a bit centrist on social ones.

I think most people can be categorized the same way – so what is the chance, when many of us aren’t even consistent within our own views, to find a candidate that will speak to us and for us on everything? Probably damn near impossible and so it is left to us to prioritize and find the best compromise and hope there are enough others who feel similarly to get “our” candidate in.

I’d like to see a woman elected as President of the United States but desperately pray that this is not the election given the only woman running is Hillary Clinton. I’d like to see an African-American man elected to erase the damage caused by Barack Hussein Obama. I hope the next one that steps up will work hard to ease racial tensions, rather than fan them.

I have many hopes and dreams for the United States; a land that offered my grandfather refuge, opened its doors to my husband’s parents and gave them a home in which to raise their children; a land where I was born, even if it isn’t the land in which I choose to live and die (God willing not for many, many years).

I chose to write to you last, Ted, because in this election, there is no single candidate that calls out to me and says that he/she will be my voice. Instead, I seek one that will do the least harm to the US and to Israel and I find that infinitely sad.

You say that you will build a wall to stop illegal immigration but I think that you speak as a Texan about those seeking to come from Mexico and the liberal part in me cries for those who wish to come to America to make better lives for themselves. They would come not to harm others, but to raise their children and offer them greater hope, better medical care and education. That’s what America is about and while I understand why you can’t absorb all Mexican, Cuban, South and Central American citizens who seek to take advantage of conditions in the States, a wall seems so permanent, so tall, so impenetrable.

The security wall Israel has built (which actually is a fence in over 90% of the areas it covers) was put in place to prevent terrorism. Thousands of Palestinians seek (and receive) medical care, shop and more. The wall was never intended to stop this, and it doesn’t. Instead of closing the border with Mexico, why not offer enough aid to turn Mexico into heaven? Okay, I don’t know enough about the situation so I leave that to you and others to solve. Perhaps, though, if you are elected President and you go about building that wall, you’ll point out to others that if a nation has to build a wall to keep out economic refugees, how much more so it has to build one to keep out terrorists.

I don’t much agree with you on the issue of abortion either. I think abortion is an issue between a man, a woman, her doctor, and her God. I detest reading that a woman has an abortion because she was so “easy” with her favors that she isn’t even sure who the father is…that is not what love is about and yes, I am old-fashioned enough to still believe having sex should be more than scratching an itch. But who are those nine people in the Supreme Court, and who are you to tell me what I have to believe and what I have to do? If the single most important issue in this election were abortion, you would not get my vote. Make no mistake, I am anti-abortion but I believe every woman is. It’s up there with domestic violence, terrorism, etc. – no one is pro-abortion. They are either pro-life or pro-choice because even the people who are pro-choice recognize that abortion is an agonizing decision (at least for most…and if not now at this moment, then at some point in the future when they realize the possibilities they ended).

So, on to what I do like. First, you are 45 years old – I love that. Bernie Sanders is 75 years old – someone votes for him, they have to take a really close look at his vice president because there’s a really good chance Sanders would not outlive his presidency. Trump is 70. Clinton is 69. Kasich will be 65 by the time he would take office, if elected.

Eight presidents have died in office. Four by assassination. The other four are William Harrison (died at age 68); Zachary Taylor (died at age 65); Warren Harding (died at age 57); and Franklin D. Roosevelt (died at age 63). I love the idea of a 45-year-old taking office. John F. Kennedy was 43 when he took office. Don’t tell them tell you a young man can’t be president!

Your tax plan? Who knows? I’m not an accountant but it seems to me so many plans have been tried and failed, while yours has potential. I don’t care how much taxes the wealthy pay. If they have more money and spend it, that’s great. I do care how much taxes the poor pay, and your plan addresses that. Can the government survive and continue to function without increasing the deficit with your plan? I don’t know but like abortion, it isn’t my major issue and doubt it is for most Americans. The deficit, that is, not the economy. Without question, America has not done well economically under eight years of Obama, while Israel has weathered the economic hardships of the last eight years, and even prospered. Time for a chance – and again, Bernie and Hillary do not represent change in this area.

And finally Israel. Of all the issues, I am most comfortable putting the future of Israel-US relations in your hands. I believe you have a deep respect of Israel, its right to defend itself, and more, its need to defend itself. You are like many deeply religious Christians who believe that the future of the world rests on the in-gathering of the Jews into their homeland. I don’t believe that such a return to Israel will herald the return of Jesus Christ as you probably do, but no matter – we both agree that Israel needs to be strong and has a right to determine its future without endless American preconditions dictated to them on the side by the Palestinians.

More, I think you understand the dangers of radical Islam while being able to temper the need to paint all Muslims as radical. You have correctly identified the danger, and that is entirely unique among the candidates running for President. I feel you know Israel and in that sense, there is great hope for my country if you were elected. Once again, Israel and America could stand together as allies. Gone would be the absurd attempt to punish Israel and treat us as children because we don’t accept a misguided US vision of how the world should be, or is.

And we agree on Iran as well. We both know that Iran poses one of the greatest threats to the world and will not go nuclear…with our sons’ lives, Israel has made this promise and it is one that brings us to our knees at times. As the mother of a soldier…three soldiers in total…five counting the two we have lovingly adopted…six counting the one who has married into our family…I will crumble if I have to think about what war means but war it will be, if we have no choice.

Israel has had nuclear weapons for decades – something our so-called ally Barack Obama’s administration divulged to the world and yes, it was probably the worst-kept secret in the world but no matter, a “secret”, an unspoken truth it remained until Obama’s betrayal. In all those years, we have never confirmed it, never mind used them as a threat. Iran doesn’t even have nuclear weapons (yet) and still threatens us. You alone are the one credible candidate to make America stand strong.

And so, my choice for the president of the United States, with reservations which would be inevitable no matter which candidate would be elected, I would choose you. You believe in life and we were commanded long ago to choose life.

I will hope and pray that in addition to choosing life, you will choose tolerance and acceptance and not enforce your will on others. A leader must be strong, and you are. A leader should be strong enough to lead his people into battle, and you are. A leader must be just and know right from wrong, and I believe you do. A leader must know that ultimately, there is a Greater Leader, and you do. And finally, a leader must be compassionate and remember that there are those who are weaker who must be protected; those in need that must be seen to, assisted, loved, and accepted. This will be your greatest challenge, Ted. Love the people of America and accept them. Now, before it is too late, tell them that you will accept them for what they are; that women have nothing to fear in having you elected.

Israel has little chance of finding a better candidate in this election. Your job is to convince America of the same.

8 thoughts on “An Open Letter to Ted Cruz”

  1. Norman_In_New_York

    The only issue I have here is on immigration. When my grandparents came to America, the U.S. did not have a welfare state. Any social services immigrants could avail themselves of were provided by private charities and not by tax dollars. There wasn’t much of an income tax to speak of, and no payroll taxes or other wealth redistribution schemes disguised as public finance. Immigrants had to swim on their own or sink, but there was much demand for additional labor that did not involve displacing already secure employees in favor of cheaper wage payments or workers “off the books” by which employers could evade taxes and regulations. This is why controlling immigration is necessary in this day and age and Sen. Cruz well understands these issues.

        1. ahad_ha_amoratsim

          Amen. Though I still think Kasich would have a better chance. Not to mention that he’s a Pennsylvania boy.

          By the way, how far is Kasich’ s home town of McKee’s Rocks from the thriving Jewish metropolis of McKeesport/White Oak, home of Gemilas Chesed Synagogue and the late R. Yitzchak Chinn zt”l?

    1. Paula R. Stern

      I don’t so much have a problem with controlling immigration as I do having the world condemn Israel for building a “wall” to stop terrorism while not saying anything while others build a wall simply to stop illegal immigration. I would hope that there is a way to curb immigration while not stopping those truly in need but this is, overall, a minor issue for me and certainly one that has to be solved in the best interests of US citizens.

      1. ahad_ha_amoratsim

        The same people who are outraged about Israel’s anti-terror “wall” (or for that matter anything Israel does to prevent attacks) are outraged about Cruz’s proposed wall, and for that matter anything to control illegal infiltration — excuse me, undocumented non-citizens.

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