Cruz a 'hell no' on spending bill

The Hill ^ | December 17, 2015 | Jordain Carney

[Isara]

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) slammed a 2,009-page spending bill on Thursday, saying he will oppose the measure.

"Typically in the Senate you have two votes, you can vote either yes or no. On this particular matter, my vote I intend to be hell no," Cruz, who is running for president, told the John Fredericks show. "This is what's wrong with the Washington Cartel."

The comments come as the Senate is scheduled to vote Friday on the end-of-the-year legislation as well as a separate tax package after leadership got unanimous consent-which requires agreement from every senator-to speed up the votes.

Cruz is the latest Republican to say that he will oppose the spending bill. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who has been locked in a battle with Cruz over the Republican presidential nomination, also said Thursday that he opposes the spending bill.

Republican Sens. Mike Lee (Utah), Jeff Sessions (Ala.), Richard Shelby (Ala.) and John McCain (Ariz.) have also publicly said they will vote against the legislation.

Cruz took a swing at congressional Republican leadership over concessions made on ObamaCare, the Iran nuclear deal, Planned Parenthood and immigration as part of the omnibus legislation.

"Republican leadership has proven to be the most Democratic leaders we have ever seen," he said on Thursday. "[This] does not honor the promises we made to the men and women who elected us."

Cruz's anti-Washington narrative has been at the heart of his presidential campaign, including raising eyebrows when he called Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) a liar from the Senate floor earlier this year.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Trump and Cruz the only guys showing any principled leadership at all out there.

[JoSixChip]

You obviously have not been paying attention to Cruz and his tea party voting track record

So TPA and the corker bill were Tea Party supported bills? Not sure I agree with that.

[Blood of Tyrants]

The RINOs in Congress won’t even remove the funding for the baby-murdering Planned Parenthood. They continue to fund it year after year while giving lip service to the pro-life people.

[RginTN]

You mean the same Trump who criticized Cruz for not getting along with the Establishment?

Cruz is showing leadership instead of doing what Trump suggested, getting along and making deals to pass this spending bill

[RginTN]

Alright, if you wanna hold that against Cruz then you won’t mind that Trump’s support of the bailout, single payer & clinton donation his held against him

[Mr Rogers]

“So TPA and the corker bill were Tea Party supported bills? Not sure I agree with that.”

So Trump is a small government, free enterprise, Tea Party kind of guy? Not sure I’d agree with that!

[SharpRightTurn]

“John McCain (Ariz.) [has] also publicly said [he] will vote against the legislation”

Anyone who accuses McCainiac of voting against this turkey just because he’s up for reelection next year is just being cynical. Just like they were being cynical for lambasting him 6 years ago when he said “why don’t we just build the danged fence?” These conservative stances just prior to reelections are just coincidental.

[JoSixChip]

Trump's support of the bailout, single payer & clinton donation

I havent looked at Trump's support of the Bailout, but that is water under the bridge. You are flat out wrong about Trump's support for single payer and can search my posting history for Trumps exact position and a link to it. As for clinton donations, Trump has been very upfront about how, why and what he has supported. Honesty is so rear in this campaign. Now compare these trivial things you bring-up against Trump with the damage the Iran deal and TPA can and will do. That is not the Tea Party that I know.

[RginTN]

You’re dismissing Trump’s big govt stances while judging Cruz...that doesn’t help Trump move to the Right if elected.

[FourPeas]

It's sickening that more Republicans aren't willing to stand up. They have a majority in the House and Senate and they're still not willing to take a stand for the principles they're supposed to hold.

[FourPeas]

[JoSixChip]

You're dismissing Trump’s big govt stances while judging Cruz

Your comparing petty nothing burgers to a steaming mountain of dung. Trump has made very clear what his intentions are and despite selected sound bite taken out of context, Trump has been consistent in his books going back to the early 80s.

[RginTN]

Trump’s big govt ideas are as important as the one issue you have with Cruz.
If Trump decides to do a bailout, wealth tax and single payer as president he’d be worse than obama/bush

[JoSixChip]

If Trump decides to do a bailout, wealth tax and single payer as president he'd be worse than obama/bush

I hope your kidding and actually understand a president cannot do any one of those thing. Trump is not a big government guy. His books have been that of a clear conservative from the early 80s. The sound bites you are basing your opinions on do not represent Trump. That is the problem with America today, people like you can only pay attention for 3 seconds. anything beyond that is too complicated to grasp. Make something of yourself, read Trumps books.

[RginTN]

Trump has supported all those I mentioned. That makes him a big govt guy.

[Theodore R.]

On a little scale, the same is true in both the TX and LA legislatures with RINO infiltration there.

[JoSixChip]

Trump has supported all those I mentioned. That makes him a big govt guy.

Maybe at some point in his life, but clearly he does not support them now. And he has more than made that clear. Add to that he has never lied about his positions then or now. Given that, I think it is disingenuous of you to say Trump is a big govt guy.

[RginTN]

No, I’m treating Trump like his supporters treat Cruz.

[Duchess47]

Flat out lying is okay if it’s in support of your guy?

I haven’t see Trump supporters lie about Cruz here.

[RginTN]

Since Cruz hasn’t lied you must be referring to Rubio