These are the words of Senator Ted Cruz, who spoke superbly at the rally against the Iran deal at the Capitol yesterday, a rally of some 10,000 energetic people who came out in brutal heat.
Credit: Getty
You can hear his entire speech here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIky9sFnznU&feature=youtu.be
Some highlights of his 12 minute talk (emphasis added):
“…Right now, today, 42 Senate democrats have come out in support of this deal. It is my hope and prayer that every one of those Senate Democrats reconsiders — that they go home, and they fall to their knees, and they pray tonight. I agree with former Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman that this vote is quite likely the most important vote that any member of Congress, any member of the Senate, will cast in their entire career.
“There was a time when there was a tradition of Scoop Jackson Democrats, of JFK Democrats, of Joe Lieberman Democrats, of Democrats who were willing to defend national security. Sadly, that is becoming rarer and rarer in today’s Congress. So to every Democratic senator, they are facing a choice: do you value the safety and security of the United States of America; do you value standing with our friend and ally, the nation of Israel; do you value the lives of millions of Americans; or do you value more party loyalty to the Obama White House. To every Democratic senator who’s said he or she will support this deal, I ask you to consider: how will you look in the eyes of the mothers and fathers of our soldiers, the hundreds of soldiers, American soldiers, who were murdered in Iraq with Iranian IEDs that came from General Soleimani. This deal lifts sanctions on General Soleimani. Tell me, if you’re a Democratic senator, how you look a mom in the eye and say, “I voted to lift sanctions on the man who murdered your son when he was defending this nation.”
“…I want to ask every Senate Democrat – how will you look in the eyes of every mother, or father, or sons or daughters, of those who are murdered by jihadists, those Americans who are blown up, those Americans who are shot, those Americans who are killed, those Israelis who are murdered? And let me be clear – if you vote to send billions of dollars to jihadists who have pledged to murder Americans, then you bear direct responsibility for the murders carried out with the dollars you have given them. You cannot wash your hands of that blood.
“And let me say to Republican leadership…There are two men in Washington, D.C. who can defeat this deal: their names are Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker John Boehner. Under the terms of the Corker-Cardin review legislation, the clock does not begin ticking until the President hands over the entire deal, and he has not handed over the side agreements. What that means is that all that has to happen is for Mitch McConnell and John Boehner to say, ‘The Congressional review period has not started, under federal law it is illegal for Obama to lift sanctions.’
“Now, this is a lawless President. So the odds are significant even if Congress did that, this President would ignore the law and try to lift sanctions. But I want in particular to speak to the CEO and the Board of Director and General Counsel of every financial institution, every bank that is holding frozen Iranian money. If this President behaves illegally and decrees you can hand that money over to Iran, that does not exempt you from the legal obligation to follow the law. And any bank that listens to this President and releases billions to an international terrorist like the Ayatollah Khamenei will face billions of dollars in civil liability and litigation. And there will come a President who is not named Barack Obama.
“…if Senate Democrats decide that party loyalty matters more than national security, and if Republican leadership decides that a show-vote is more important than stopping this deal, then the single most important issue in 2016 will be stopping Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
“…Let’s rise up and tell every elected official in Washington, no more talk, no more show votes, get it done: stop this deal.”
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That is it, my friends. This charge is for all of us. Even if you have contacted all your elected representatives in Congress before, do it again, today.
If you are dealing with Democrats who declared they would support the deal, or who have not declared yet – tell them “You cannot wash your hands of that blood!” This should go especially to the likes of Senator Cory Booker and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who pretend deep caring and vote for their careers. Let Senator Jerrold Nadler hear from you. As well as all those other phonies. Tell them this is their chance to redeem themselves, and that Heaven is watching.
If you are dealing with Republicans who are tepid in their responses, who have not spoken out strongly against the deal, tell them it is in their hands – they can stop the deal. Tell them that according to Federal law the clock for Congressional review has not begun ticking because the president has not handed over to Congress all the details of the deal, as required by the Corker Bill. Demand that they stand strong.
If you have elected representatives who have spoken out with courage, thank them and urge them to stay strong.
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As it happens, there is hope on the horizon. A procedural vote on the deal was scheduled for yesterday but was blocked by Republicans who say the president has to turn over the entire deal before there can be any vote.
That is why your phone calls – absolutely without delay – are so important.
If there is enough courage in the Congress, enough integrity, enough concern for country over party and career, this can be stopped. Important for those who are not courageous to be called on their stances.
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© Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by Arlene Kushner, functioning as an independent journalist. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
If it is reproduced and emphasis is added, the fact that it has been added must be noted.
