Cruz, Paul, Rubio Battle over Whether Economy, or Security Comes First

RUSH TRANSCRIPT:
you get to write it off taxes. If you invest in your children, in the future of America and strengthening your family, we're not going to recognize that in the tax code. The family is the most important institution. 
>> How is it conservative? 
>> I know that Rand is a committed isolationist. I'm not. I believe the world is a stronger and a better place, and the United States is the strongest military power in the world. 
>> Marco! Marco! How is it conservative, how is it conservative to add a trillion dollar expenditure for the federal government that you're not paying for? How is it conservative? How is it conservative to add a trillion dollars in military expenditures? You cannot be a conservative if you're going to keep promoting new programs you're not going to pay for. 
>> May I respond? Moderator: Quickly. 
>> We can't even have an economy if we're not safe. There are radical jihadists in the Middle East beheading people and crucifying Christians. The Chinese taking over the south China sea. Yes, I believe the world is a safer -- no, I don't believe, I know the world is a safer and better place when America is the strongest military power in the world. [ Applause ] 
>> Marco, I don't think we're any safer. I do not think we are any safer from bankruptcy court. As we go further and further into debt, we become less and less safe. This is the most important thing we're going to talk about tonight. Can you be a conservative and be liberal on military spending? Can you be for unlimited military spending and say I'm going to make the country safe? We need a safe country, but we spend more on our military than the next ten countries combined? I want a strong national defense. But I don't want us bankrupt. . [ Bell ringing ] . 
>> There is a middle ground that brings both together. There is a middle ground that brings both of these together. The middle ground is this, it is exactly right we have to defend this nation. You think defending this nation is expensive, try not defending it? That's a lot more expensive. But can you do that and pay for it. You can do that and also be fiscally responsible. You know I mentioned the 25 programs they put out today they would eliminate them. Among them are corporate welfare like sugar subsidies. Take that as an example. Sugar subsidies. Sugar farmers farm on roughly 0.2% of the farmland in America and give 40% of the lobbying money, that sort of corporate welfare is why we're bankrupting our kids and grandkids, I would end the subsidies to pay for defending this nation. Moderator: Gentlemen, this is why -- 
>> This is why we must combine, actually, zero based budgeting with tax reform. Because unless we can examine and cut and move every single dollar of discretionary spending in the federal government, we cannot reform taxes and reduce spending at the same time. Ask yourself this question, how is it possible that the federal government gets more money each and every year, which the federal government has been doing, receiving more money, every year for 50 years under Republicans and Democrats alike, and yet, never has enough money to do the important things? The answer? All the money is always spoken for. All the money is spoken for. So we have to go to zero based budgeting, which is a simple idea. By the way, there's been a bill for zero based budgeting. It exists, it can be voted on. Every dollar must be examined. Any dollar can be cut. Any dollar can be moved. We have to go to a three page tax code. You lower every rate, you close every loophole. Why? Because the government use the tax code to decide winners and losers. You have to strip the corruption out of the tax code to pay for it. You have to know where every single dollar is being spent.