Sen. Ted Cruz once supported free trade and agreements that made trade freer. As recently as June 15, 2015, he supported Trade Promotion Authority for the president so as to enable Congress to pass such agreements.

When protectionist demagogues railed against trade promotion authority, often referred to as “Fast Track” for trade deals, Cruz pointed out that their criticisms were “not accurate.” He wrote an op-ed about it last April, and on talk radio he calmly and carefully argued that “history has demonstrated, the only way to get a trade agreement adopted is with ‘Fast Track.'” He tried to educate voters on the issue, arguing as an Obama critic that “Fast Track” was not “Obamatrade” and was “not giving President Obama more power.”