Cruz: Dems Refuse to Compromise on Obamacare

On Meet the Press on Sunday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) emphasized that Democrats have not compromised on Obamacare, are essentially holding the military hostage, and would be responsible if the government shuts down because they refused to budge from their “absolutist” positions on funding Obamacare. 

Cruz, who spoke on the Senate floor for 21 hours last week in support of defunding Obamacare and has been leading the defunding efforts along with Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), said the House “responded to millions of Americans hurting under Obamacare” when it voted on Saturday to delay Obamacare for a year as part of a short-term resolution to fund the government. 

He said the “Senate needs to act” and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “needs to call the Senate back in today.” Cruz said there is “no reason” the “Senate should be home on vacation” and mentioned he is in Washington even though he would rather be home in Houston playing with his two daughters. 

“You and all the voices of Washington keep saying we need compromise,” Cruz said. “Twice now, the Republicans have compromised. And twice, Harry Reid says we won’t even have a compromise.”

Cruz said Reid has essentially said he wants to “fund it all,” “stick it on the American people,” and ensure “American families don’t get treated as well as giant corporations.”

Cruz emphasized that his position was defunding Obmacare and not repealing it and mentioned that the vote to delay Obamacare for a  year is a “step removed from defunding.” 

“On the other side, what have the Democrats compromised on?” Cruz asked. “Zero. Their position is no.”

He said Reid and Obama are also “essentially holding the military hostage” by “threatening” their paychecks by not compromising on Obamacare and emphasized Reid has to “move off of his absolutist positions” to prevent the government from shutting down.

Cruz pointed out that businesses like UPS and Sea World are not providing insurance to spouses and reducing hours for employees, respectively, and emphasized that Americans do not like Obamacare because of the devastating impact it is having on jobs. 

“The best way to get health insurance is to get job,” Cruz said. “There is nothing that can give you better health insurance than having a vibrant economy where you can get a job.”