Written by David Starr   

If "U.S. President" Ted Cruz had his way, the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution would be altered to deny citizenship to those born in the U.S. of illegal immigrants. It's quite ironic what the Canadian-born Cruz is proposing. (Where are the birthers now? I haven't seen any signs saying, "Cruz, Go Back to Canada!")

The 14th Amendment, Section 1, is as follows: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States." (There is more, but this is the jist of it.)

The 14th Amendment clearly states the obvious about birthright citizenship.

Cruz and his fellow exceptionalists make illegal immigrants and their U.S.-born children scapegoats for a problem that has been exacerbated by economic policies imposed by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and U.S. foreign policy. The problem is poverty in other countries, and anyone desperate enough would want to escape it somehow. If Cruz were on the level, he'd realize that the real cause of illegal immigration is poverty and that austerity measures are at the root of it. This is what Cruz should be opposing.

But Cruz (and other politicians) will stay oblivious to this problem. He doesn't want to alienate his base and his donors as he contends for the Republican nomination for president. But more tragic, Cruz doesn't seem to sympathize with the powerless. His and the GOP's xenophobic attitude toward illegal immigration pushes them to step on those with no institutional power, illegals and citizens.

What about deportation? There are 11 million illegals in the U.S. How could this be done? A mass deportation of millions of people, legal and illegal, as a final solution to the problem? A gradual deportation? Either way, it sounds impossible. For one thing, there are simply too many to begin with. What about citizenship for illegals? Would that be a better, and fairer, solution?

The GOP, the party of the rich (with Democrats sharing that distinction), feed, and feed off of, the current world order of capitalist chaos. So, why should someone like Cruz pay attention to its consequences, like perpetuating poverty? No, the Canadian-born Cruz will carry on, acting like a "True American," i.e., an ultra-nationalist patriot (which perverts the idea of patriotism).

Fortunately, the odds of Ted Cruz actually winning the presidency are remote. (No candidate on the Republican side is qualified to take on a job like the presidency.)

His proposal for denying citizens of their birthright is an unfair and intolerable solution, given the circumstances. Stop the austerity measures, eliminate (or greatly curb) the poverty, and you will stop illegal immigration. If not, it will continue.

David Starr writes on various issues, both national and international