What does Ted Cruz prez bid mean for healthcare?

Health News

Ted Cruz, junior United States Senator from Texas, announced today his intention to run for the presidential office in 2016. “I’m running for President and I hope to earn your support!” Cruz tweeted. The first-term senator has sponsored 25 bills of his own, most notably S.177 to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the health-care related provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. In fact, Cruz has been very critical of the ACA, saying “Obamacare is a disaster. You have the well-publicized problems with the website. It just isn’t working,” and urging Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to step down from her post.

The Texan senator’s opposition to the health reform reached a pivotal moment when Cruz channeled his inner Jimmy Stewart and delivered a 21-hour speech on the Senate floor in the midst of the 17-day government shut down (Señor Cruz goes to Washington, anybody? That’s a license to print money right there). “It’s a time for truth, a time to rise to the challenge just as Americans have always done,” Cruz said in the 30-second video accompanying his announcement (only 30 seconds? That just doesn’t seem right). “It’s going to take a new generation of courageous conservatives to help make America great again. And I’m ready to stand with you to lead the fight.”

The 44 year old Cruz is the first Republican to announce his intention to run for the White House – even electing not to form an exploratory committee – but will hardly be the last or the only one. Over a dozen other notorious Republicans expected to run as well, including but not limited to Jeb Bush and Scott Walker. But Cruz is certainly aware of this and has encouraged voters to challenge the words and deeds of other candidates. “It’s easy for candidates to give an answer,” he said recently. “The proof is in the pudding. What I’ve urged Republicans to ask of every candidate is: Have you walked the walk? Show me your record.”

Speaking of records, Cruz will more than likely have his experience – or lack thereof – questioned, as will surely be the case of the two other first-term senators expected to run, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio. Ironically, Cruz’s nemesis Barack Obama established a precedent, as he was himself a first-term senator when he was elected President in 2008. Cruz just wrapped up an early-voting state tour to Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire, and is expected to make an in-person declaration at Virginia’s Liberty University. Moreover, he’s slated to speak at a brunch in Rockingham County in New Hampshire on Saturday. Knowing him, it’ll be lunch on Sunday by the time he finishes.

Related Read:

- Ted Cruz: ‘I’m running for President’

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