Is Ted Cruz a hypocrite for wanting to repeal obamacare and then turning around

1. 65

   cat on a soapboxposted 10 years ago

   Is Ted Cruz a hypocrite for wanting to repeal obamacare and then turning around to sign up for it?
   
   Ted Cruz, in his presidential bid, has stated that his first goal will be to repeal the Affordable Health care Act aka Obamacare.  Funny that he is now in the federal exchange since his wife no longer carries coverage. What are your thoughts?

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2. 59

   Superkevposted 10 years ago

   He's following the law as written (Something Obama made sure to exempt himself and his family from if you want to talk about hypocrisy).
   
   The law says he has to have healthcare insurance and purchase it from an exchange, he is obeying the law, even though he disagrees with it.
   
   Problem with that would be?

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   1. 72

      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The law says he has to have healthcare insurance.
      It does not say he has to use Obamacare. He can  seek out private insurance through something like Blue Cross Blue Shield or even get Cobra. Ted Cruz has the means to go private if he wanted to.

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   2. 59

      Superkevposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Yet he chooses to use the same exchanges that the rest of us are forced to use. But as a gov't employee, he has no choice but the exchange. Either way, there is zero hypocrisy in it.
      
      http://tinyurl.com/nvoplv7

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   3. 65

      cat on a soapboxposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Ted Cruz voted FOR the Grassley Amendment which called for the abandonment of the Federal Employee Benefit Health Plan and forced members of Congress to get insurance through the exchanges like the rest of Americans.

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   4. 72

      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Superkev, Even those in congress have the option to get health insurance through their spouse's employer's plan.

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   5. 65

      cat on a soapboxposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Sen. Cruz's other option would be to go outside the Federal Employee Benefit Health Plan and get private insurance, but he would lose the subsidy available to him.

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3. 72

   dashingscorpioposted 10 years ago

   Yes and no. Clearly Ted Cruz does have the means to seek out private insurance if he so desired. On the other hand if you were against something that became legal there is nothing wrong with taking advantage of it. Obamacare is less expensive than most private insurance or Cobra.
   Some people voted against Social Security in the 1930s but I'm fairly sure they wouldn't return their checks after retirement.
   Today Social Security is a sacred cow.
   I suspect 20 years from now people will get upset with anyone who threatens to take away their healthcare insurance especially those with pre-existing aliments.

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   1. 65

      cat on a soapboxposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Due to the Grassley Amendment, members of Congress must go through the exchange for insurance unless they are covered by a spouse's plan. Sen. Cruz supported this Republican bill.

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   2. 72

      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I see it was Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) who proposed an amendment forcing all members of Congress and all of their staffs to enter the exchanges. I'm still of the belief they can find private insurance or as you said go through their spouse.

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4. 76

   wabash annieposted 10 years ago

   The Federal Government pays 75% of the congress members' premiums, so poor Ted!!  He just loves the camera as many politicians do.  We all must look behind their words.

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   1. 59

      Superkevposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The democrats wrote it that way, not Sen. Cruz. To try to fault him for it is the height of hypocrisy and demagoguery.

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   2. 65

      cat on a soapboxposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      The President and First Family have always received medical care through the military. Obama is no different. He did, however, sign up for and has renewed a tiered Bronze Plan thru the exchange to show his support of the ACA.

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   3. 59

      Superkevposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Well now, wasn't that just extra special sweet of him? So nice to see that he will at least fake giving a tinkers damn about us little people huh? Aren't we just blessed. Sure hope it didn't cut in to his golf time.

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   4. 72

      dashingscorpioposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) wrote the Grassley Amendment requiring congress to use the exchanges. It was not the Democrats. Many believe he expected congress to vote against it but instead they passed his bill

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   5. 59

      Superkevposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      And they, as well as POTUS SHOULD be required to, so good on the Republican majority for passing it. The Dems DID write that congress would still get the subsidized premiums, and that's what I was referring to, Cruz is simply using the law as written

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   6. 65

      cat on a soapboxposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Grassley had NOT intended for Congressional lawmakers/staff to lose subsidies in his bill. They were reinstated by the Office of Personnel Mgmt. NOT the democrats.

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   7. 59

      Superkevposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      But the subsidies were already in the original law written by......Democrats. That's my point. Either way, still NO hypocrisy on Senator Cruz's part, nice try though.

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5. 72

   Luke M Simmonsposted 10 years ago

   Yes.  If you are going to make a public statement condemning something, you are, by definition, a hypocrite if you promptly turn around and benefit from this exact thing.

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