Cruz: Let's repeal ‘every bloody word' of Obamacare
July 29th, 2014
05:23 PM ET
9 years ago

Cruz: Let's repeal ‘every bloody word' of Obamacare

Washington (CNN) – Sen. Ted Cruz on Tuesday forcefully argued that Obamacare is not here to stay and pledged that he would continue working to dismantle the health care law in 2014 and 2016.

“I think those elections should be about many, many things,” the Texas Republican said, listing jobs and growth as examples. “But they should be about repealing every bloody word of Obamacare.”

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His remarks came in an address at a Washington conference hosted by the conservative group, Young America's Foundation.

Cruz was a key player in last year’s fight against the law and pushed his colleagues in Congress to try to defund Obamacare ahead of a looming spending deadline. The debate between Republicans and Democrats on the issue eventually resulted in a 16-day government shutdown.

Obamacare continued to roll out on January 1 of this year, despite some major hiccups with its website and some of its key provisions being delayed.

Cruz, who’s considering a presidential campaign, said the opposition he helped lead last year set in motion an effort that will eventually bring the law down.

“Some battles you can win with one clean rifle shot; other battles take time, take building that foundation,” he said. “I’m convinced that fight has laid the foundation.”

A CNN/ORC International Poll released last week indicated that more than half the public believes Obamacare has helped either their families or others across the country, although less than one in five Americans say they have personally benefited from the Affordable Care Act.

Cruz stressed that he’s “working very, very hard to win Senate seats and retire Harry Reid.”

He told the audience that it’s also up to the public to express their discontent with the law.

“If we’re going to repeal Obamacare and I’m convinced we’re going to…it’s going to come from the people saying ‘this thing isn’t working’,” he said.


Filed under: Obamacare • Ted Cruz
soundoff (454 Responses)
  1. lshaffer77

    I don't think personal criticism is going to further any one's position. However I think Cruz and company could not be more wrong. By the time the '14 and '16 elections roll around people will have seen the benefit of the Affordable Care Act. Besides, what criticism has the GOP been able to level against it other than "it was sponsored by a Democrat therefore it must be bad. My own view is that Congress and the Administration was wrong to bow to the insurance lobby in the first place.THAT is the cause of all the problems now. Medicare has worked great for years. The seniors like it. Just expand it to everyone else.

    July 29, 2014 10:15 pm at 10:15 pm |
  2. S. B. Stein

    What does Cruz plan on replacing it with? If he thinks that people will take it lightly that they will all of a sudden denied coverage because of the repeal, then he'll lose and be tarred and feathered.

    July 29, 2014 10:18 pm at 10:18 pm |
  3. JohnnyKay

    The only difference between Ted Cruz and Joe McCarthy is a half gallon.

    July 29, 2014 10:23 pm at 10:23 pm |
  4. Mark

    What sickening hypocrites the tea party Republicans are on this and so many other issues. They go to church on Sunday, and make all these ape noises about "Jesus" and and being "Christians". Then they work *religiously* to take health care away from the poor and sick.

    I think Jesus was a pretty forgiving and gentle man, but if he were alive today he would trash the Republican National Convention worse than he did the moneychangers table in that temple. He would tear creeps like "Cruz" (which as if to rub salt in Jesus's wounds, means "cross" in Spanish) a new one so fast it would make your head spin.

    Then they want to dump a bunch of kids back at the border like so much trash. Oh, but they're "Christians", you see. They'll tell you all about their faith and "moral values". As they root for war, give the wealthy more tax cuts, and trash "God's green earth".

    And what is their "religion" all about these days? Why, two issues that JESUS NEVER ONCE MENTIONED, of course: homosexuality and abortion. Those are the only things their faith means anymore.

    There is the slightest shred of anything "Christian" about these people. The average liberal secular humanist lives more in line with the teachings of Jesus than any KonservaKristian does these days.

    How do they get away with calling themselves by the name? Why aren't people on them night and day for their cartoonish, absurd hypocrisy? It's both sickening and obvious, for anyone with even the slightest knowledge of the Bible.

    Mystifying.

    July 29, 2014 10:23 pm at 10:23 pm |
  5. tonyb

    This idiot is still news? Why?

    July 29, 2014 10:28 pm at 10:28 pm |
  6. John

    tom cruz, you are such a donkey !

    July 29, 2014 10:28 pm at 10:28 pm |
  7. tonyb

    Canadians rejoicing nationwide that he has renounced his Canadian citizenship.... now if we can just work on the US citizenship part....

    July 29, 2014 10:29 pm at 10:29 pm |
  8. Xannieh

    Okay he dismantles it, great then what? What IS the Plan for healthcare reform? I keep hearing a lot of blaming and finger pointing, but what I have NOT heard is the GOPs plan. Do they even have a plan? What HAVE they been working on? I never liked Obamacare because I didn't think it's what we needed. It was a start though, now how about just going in there and tweeking it. What works and what doesn't work...In other words Do your jobs.

    July 29, 2014 10:29 pm at 10:29 pm |
  9. dmf

    The right wing extremists neocons , war mongers , birthers including Cruz , Bachman and other Obama haters in Congress blinded by their emotions . Notably , have failed in 55th attempt to repeal Affordable Care Act Congress . Their emotions are getting hyper , and losing their senses and focus on their day jobs , with 2014 Mid tern elections few months away . These AWO – work – performance , for which they draw salary and benefits from tax payers , are biting the hands that feeds them and their family ? The voters are watching the worst " do nothing Congress " in history !

    July 29, 2014 10:30 pm at 10:30 pm |
  10. John

    Cruz should be repealed , what a jerk
    is Taxas this stupid to elect a moran like Cruz???/

    July 29, 2014 10:30 pm at 10:30 pm |
  11. DC in DE

    Cruz is undeniably on the far right. I have read every previous comment and all that is being offered as a counterpoint is left or far left talking points. Regardless of ones viewpoint, compromise is the only way government works. Neither would have succeeded in the early days of the founding of OUR country.

    July 29, 2014 10:30 pm at 10:30 pm |
  12. cnaxw0

    I LOVE THIS GUY! The only one in Washington with STEEL BALLS.

    July 29, 2014 10:36 pm at 10:36 pm |
  13. Gammar

    This is why Cruz will never be President.

    July 29, 2014 10:36 pm at 10:36 pm |
  14. Joe P

    Just got a Teabagger robo call. Could not believe the lies and total BS coming from none other than their Fox Noise robot, Hannity. Too bad they wasted the call on this household? Vote out all GOPers!

    July 29, 2014 10:37 pm at 10:37 pm |
  15. lizzy10

    "Let's not address any other issue facing America". Vote these guys out, before our country goes bust!

    July 29, 2014 10:39 pm at 10:39 pm |
  16. Bill Davis

    This guy has been in the Senate for 18 months and he has done nothing but whine, complain and lie. Let's remove this Canadian Cuban from our Senate.

    July 29, 2014 10:40 pm at 10:40 pm |
  17. thaddeus Kozubal

    Can we give Texas back to Mexico if they promise to take Vericous Cruz in the bargain?
    How did he ever get elected? I bet the Latinos in Texas didn't know he was from Canada.

    July 29, 2014 10:42 pm at 10:42 pm |
  18. maestromkey

    Am i the only one who thinks this guy is a joke? This article had me rolling on the floor.

    July 29, 2014 10:44 pm at 10:44 pm |
  19. ja

    Cruz should pull his head out of the sand, it is law according to the not so Supeeme Court, we talk about Hamas, Al Qaeda and the Taliban, we'll they exist in America, but under the guise of pin stripe suits, stiff starch shirts, and name such as Cruz, the word since Obama's first term is we want our country back, there is no accounting for our original involvement in Iraq, and Afgan, wmds, and the hunt for bin laden, America is not short of extremists, a sad time in American politics

    July 29, 2014 10:45 pm at 10:45 pm |
  20. Big Ben

    Cruz is sick. Let's deport him back to Canada and his father back to Cuba.

    July 29, 2014 10:45 pm at 10:45 pm |
  21. Repeal?

    Lets repeal Cruz and the others like him. send them all home. Change the law that gives them health care for life. Make the pensions for congressmen/women and the senate limited to the years they served...not for life. Then maybe they get with the program.

    July 29, 2014 10:45 pm at 10:45 pm |
  22. GonzoinHouston

    Way to go, Ted! keep on demanding the repeal of a law that is growing more popular by the day. I'm sure all the folks who were able to get health insurance under ACA would be happy to support you!

    July 29, 2014 10:46 pm at 10:46 pm |
  23. dotofoz

    Ok, repeal the bill. How many 18-26 year olds will get dumped from their parent's insurance? How many of those with pre-existing conditions will get dumped? How many people finally getting some health care will be without again? How many medicare seniors who need drugs will have to go back to paying through the doughnut that Bush created? But Cruz could care less. He has his insurance, too bad for you. I suggest he and everyone else start reading that bill. There is more to it than the insurance mandate. But how can we expect him to read the bill. He's too busy truing to bring down the president and looking for his sound bites. No more ACA and a whole lot of people are going to die without health care. Go ahead and do it, but make sure you take credit for it.

    July 29, 2014 10:48 pm at 10:48 pm |
  24. John

    I love the part where it's rapidly coming up on renewal times for those who got Obamacare policies and the system is not set up to allow for renewals if there are any changes in coverage, deductibles, income-related subsidies, etc. Once again, a faulty law with plenty of flaws that nobody was given time to even read let alone critique prior to it becoming law.

    July 29, 2014 10:52 pm at 10:52 pm |
  25. BLUE

    This is a man with mental issues. How in the world did he get this crazy? I listened to his Father, and decided he is just a chip off of the old block. We need to run as fast as we can from this man and his beliefs.

    July 29, 2014 10:54 pm at 10:54 pm |
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