Ted Cruz Slams Republican House Votes To Defund ObamaCare As Empty Symbolic Gestures

"The House has voted what 39, 40, 41 times I can't keep track to repeal ObamaCare. Those votes were by and large empty symbolic votes they had zero chance of passing."

buzzfeed.com

Texas Senator Ted Cruz slammed House Republicans votes to defund ObamaCare as largely empty symbolic gestures with zero chance of ending the law. Cruz was speaking at the Heritage Foundation's "Bloggers Briefing" on why he's putting pressure on congressional Republicans to vote to defund ObamaCare in the upcoming vote to fund the government.

"There are a lot of politicians in Washington who love empty symbolic votes. It's been one of my biggest surprises in the Senate, I guess I wasn't cynical enough when I arrived here," Cruz said. "I didn't realize how many Republicans love to have a fig leaf vote where they can go and tell their constituents, 'see I voted to do the right thing.' The House has voted what 39, 40, 41 times I can't keep track to repeal ObamaCare. Those votes were by and large empty symbolic votes they had zero chance of passing."

Cruz continued, saying Republican votes in the House were politically opportunistic because they allowed members to tell their constituents they voted to defund ObamaCare while at the same time allowed them to not give support to what Cruz said were real tough opportunities to actually defund the law.

"On the C.R. that's where the rubber meets the road that's were the real fight happens and I think constituents, I think the grassroots are a lot more sophisticated than Washington gives the American people credit for," Cruz said. "I think people understand the difference between casting a symbolic and standing up on the fight that matters."

Cruz added any Republican who votes for a resolution to fund the government without voting to defund ObamaCare was effectively supporting the law.

"I will say this, any elected official who casts a vote for this continuing resolution that funds ObamaCare is affirmatively voting to fund ObamaCare."

Skip to footer