Sen. Cruz on the GOP's new agenda

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He may have joined the club just four days ago but there is no mistaking that there is a new Texan in the senate from government spending to gun control.

This Tea Party Republican is ready to make his mark in a town that he has been none too shy to criticize.

Joining me now to talk about the future of his party and you stand on the issues the senator Ted -- welcome back to FOX News Sunday.

This time as a senator good morning John I'm very glad to be here you know one of the first orders of business for you will be to consider nominees for the president's second term cabinet among them expected to be.

Former Nebraska senator Chuck Hagel it's expected the president will make that announced in the next couple of days.

How -- you vote on -- It.

If -- is nominated it is very difficult to imagine a circumstance in which I could support his confirmation.

It's interesting the president seems bound and determined to proceed down this path despite the fact that -- record.

Is very very troubling elimination of Israel he has not been a friend to Israel in my view of the United States should stand unshakable -- with the nation of Israel.

And he is consistently.

Advocated weakness.

With respect to our enemies with that -- through with respect to the nation of Iran.

He has opposed sanctions over and over again and the job of the secretary of defense.

Is to be a serious credible strength.

And deterrence and and unfortunately.

I think weakness and -- secretary of defense invites conflict because because bullies don't respect -- what's what's your problem with -- on the issue of Israel.

Op with respect to the issue of Israel he has repeatedly.

Opposed Israel criticized Israel placed all the blame on Israel.

It in dispute after dispute after dispute and in fact he's publicly.

Said US policy is dependent on on what he calls Israel lobby which is a pejorative term.

That I think does not reflect the realities of the strong US national security interest in maintaining battle lines.

-- -- that statement that he made was to Aaron David Miller former US diplomat I was gonna say this for the panel but maybe we could we could bring it up now here's here's what he said to David Aaron Miller regarding Israel was quoted in his new book.

The much too promised land.

He said that the people on Capitol Hill on paraphrasing here as we try to get this up.

People on Capitol Hill are afraid of the Israel -- says well I'm I'm a US senator we go here.

The Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here on the United States senator I'm not an Israeli senator but in an article Foreign Policy Magazine back beginning December.

And David Miller said what what it was talking about there wasn't as dire as many people are making it out to -- He is opposed to some Israeli policies but he certainly not anti Israel is not anti submit it.

And this is the guy who we said it took so do you do by mr.

Miller's argument.

Look at -- I don't know I'm not I'm not gonna speak to mr.

-- heart -- but but what I am concerned about.

Is his record and his past policy positions and and he's previously expressed the -- that.

With respect to Iran with respect to Israel that -- that he doesn't want criticism from other nations of the world.

That's not the job of the defense secretaries not being nominated as secretary of state.

You want to talk about the most effective diplomacy this nation has seen in modern times.

I would suggest it was Ronald Reagan standing up and winning the Cold War without firing a shot.

And that was -- through strength not through if you're Iranian Moline right now and you're looking at a Chuck Hagel who who.

Who thinks sanctions are too harsh.

You've got to be laughing at the prospects of it of anything harsher than sanctions all of that said sitting do you think he will be -- You know I I don't know I do think it is interesting that the president seems hell bent.

On nominating him despite the fact that a number of prominent Republicans have criticized him.

And the democratic senators have been.

Surprisingly silent I think this is a president right now.

Who is drunk the tee off on election he is feeling very good about himself he is feeling like there can be no opposition to his position and so doesn't seem.

He doesn't seem terribly concerned that there's not a -- -- for technical -- big nomination coming forward for Treasury Secretary as well Tim Geithner expected plea perhaps before the debt ceiling debate takes place Jack -- Who's currently the chief of staff over the White House is the leading candidate how would you vote on -- You know I would have to.

Look at his record and listen to what he has to say I'll tell you in my view on any Treasury Secretary.

Would be that -- that that I would want to hear some real proposals for growth.

You know in this whole debate about the fiscal cliff -- -- talk about taxes we were talking about spending noticeably absent from this equation has been growth and.

The biggest economic problem of the last four years has been the dismal economic growth under Barack Obama.

Our economy has grown one point 5% a year for four years that is less than half the historical -- This gets in your whole idea of retooling the Republican Party under the heading of opportunity conservatives of which I'd like to get into a just a second but do you share the distaste of Jacqueline that a lot of Republican colleagues have.

Over the way that he conducted himself during the debt ceiling debate at 2011 -- people said he was arrogant.

Impossible to work with Richard.

Well I I will confess I wasn't up here during that debate so he wasn't -- -- -- but I'd I had not dealt with them so so I'll keep an open and not and with any Treasury Secretary nominee my view is going to be.

Looking to the substance and this is not supposed to be popularity -- -- This is about fixing the problems.

That are affecting millions of Americans -- -- people all over this country I don't think their interest in the political squabbles in the capital their interest in getting the economy going getting jobs back and and that's where our focus.

So we've got a debt ceiling debate this coming up again you probably heard Mitch McConnell or heard of Mitch McConnell saying this morning the revenue pieces done no new taxes.

Are you going to hold to that line that the president will not get any more revenue and the only thing the president has to deal with here spent.

I'm I'm gonna suggest a slight tweak to it I'm happy for there to be lots of new -- I'm not happy for there to be new taxes.

The best avenue for new revenue is economic growth.

If the economy is sputtering along at 1% one and a half percent 2% GDP growth.

Tax revenues plummet people -- people are -- jobs if we get the economy up.

To the historical levels since World War II the average has been 3.3 percent.

In the fourth year -- Reagan's presidency our economy grew seven point 2% if we don't get.

GDP growth up to 345%.

That will be dramatically more revenue.

To pay off the deficit and debt but the way to do it is through pro growth policies.

Not new and additional tax senator are you willing to risk default on our debts by taking -- debt ceiling.

Battle right to the -- No and let me be very clear about this I do not support default on the debt we should never default on the debt and the only.

Players in Washington who are threatening default on the debt.

Our president Barack Obama and Harry Reid.

This is an issue and earlier in the show you played the president threatening default.

In any given month federal tax revenues are approximately 200 billion.

Interest on the debt.

Is thirty to forty billion dollars a month there is plenty of revenue to service the debt and any responsible president would've stood at that podium.

And set under any circumstances whatever happens with the debt ceiling.

We will -- -- pay our debt we will never default on the debt and the reason the president is doing is he's trying to scare people he is trying.

-- to raise this Specter of a financial apocalypse.

A wanna get into a couple of other issues issues quickly because we are running short on time despite the fact we -- a lot of time on this program.

Gun control you probably heard the last segment we're talk about ten bills introduced in the House of Representatives regarding gun control.

Joseph Biden is leading the study group at the White House you are a fierce defender of Second Amendment Rights you -- in that 22 and given the NRA's freedom fund award.

Is there any new gun control that you would except.

The reason -- discuss this is because of the tragedy.

And and and every -- and my wife and I we've got two little girls age four and -- Every parent was horrified at what happened to see twenty children's six adults senselessly murdered -- it takes your breath -- But within minutes.

We saw politicians run out.

And try to exploit this tragedy try to push.

Their political agenda of gun control I do not support their gun control agenda for two reasons number one it's -- constitution but is there any that you -- I don't think the proposals being discussed now makes us look are there things we could do sure one of the things we could do as we can improve.

The quality of the federal database right now a lot of states a lot of local jurisdictions or not.

Reporting criminal conviction not reporting mental health.

Barriers to ownership and -- that the federal database is not nearly as good as it should that that would be a common sense improvement but.

That's not what -- is being proposed senator Dianne feinstein's bill would create a national gun registry.

-- think the federal government has any business having a list of law abiding citizens who choose to exercise their right.

Keep in borrowers in the time we have left senator what -- talk -- -- about the future of the rebel Republican Party is after what happened November a lot of people talk -- while what do we need to -- Some people are saying look at changing demographics in the country.

-- more minorities.

They traditionally vote democratic we've got to be more moderate you wrote an op Ed piece.

In the Washington Post the other day that -- you need to retrenched conservative values.

And he would develop opportunity conservatives and to try to help people live the American dream.

Is that really the right way to go when you look at the changing demographics in the country.

I think it's exactly the right -- ago that the reason I am a conservative.

Is because conservative policies work and they improve opportunities.

They are the avenue for climbing the economic -- and what I have been talking about for many years his opportunity conservatism that every policy.

Should focus like a laser on easing the means of a cent.

Up the economic ladder that we should be.

-- beating the 47%.

To take that now infamous comment but the great thing about Americans Americans don't want to be dependent on government.

Dependency saps the spirit it doesn't work.

Americans won't stand on their own two feet and the best way to -- that is have policies that allow entrepreneurs and small businesses to thrive.

And to create jobs and and.

Advance the American for senator you said famously a couple times we don't have time to play the actual sound but there's so many politicians get elected promising to go to Capitol Hill cut spending -- conservative values entered into spineless jellyfish.

What's to prevent you from becoming the spineless jellyfish here in the -- in Washington well you know.

The great thing about the election we just went through is that we saw.

Hundreds of thousands of grassroots activists across Texas and across the nation stand up against a mountain of money and mountains of -- we -- supposed to win this race.

And so I I feel like I'm coming into office surrounded.

By and lifted up by those grassroots conservatives.

Who I am happy to stand with over and over again but -- Mitch McConnell prove the other day.

Governing requires compromise particularly when you're in the minority in the senate a democratic president just get reelected for another four years -- How -- you know it's one thing to criticize Washington when your candidate but when you get here you've got to govern how do you do that.

Well I think the fiscal cliff deal.

Was a lousy.

But I think moving forward with the debt ceiling I think.

Those who believe in limited spending -- in solving the debt and not bankrupting our kids.

Have the advantage in the negotiation the debt ceiling if we can stand strong and insist on number one structural reforms to fix the problems.

And number two pro growth policies so we can grow the economy we can get jobs back -- get people back to work I think we can win that debate and win that argument.

I don't think what Washington needs is more compromised I think what Washington needs is more common sense and more principal.

Senator -- it's good to get to know you thanks so much for dropping by and and good luck well thank you thank you for having all right.

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Sen. Cruz on the GOP's new agenda

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