At the start of his 21-hour anti-Obamacare stand from the Senate floor, Ted Cruz declared that he spoke for all Texans and all Americans: “I rise today in opposition to Obamacare. I rise today in an effort to speak for 26 million Texans and for 300 million Americans.”
But Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Texas Democrat, wants to know: what about the millions of uninsured Texans?
“It was really hard to hear Ted speak about representing 26 million Texans when he was giving that talk,” Castro said on Morning Joe Friday. “‘Cause there are millions and millions of Texans who are without healthcare coverage and disagree with this point of view and who also are looking forward to the chance to get healthcare coverage.”
More than 6.1 million Texans do not have health care coverage in Texas, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
“Twenty-five percent of people, 1 in 4 people, in Texas don’t have health care coverage. Thirty-eight percent of Hispanics, the fastest growing population in America, don’t have health care in Texas. This is gonna be a good thing. Already in San Antonio, we’re going to have 58 plans to choose from. People are already asking questions about how they can sign up,” Castro said on Friday’s Morning Joe.
As as for the voice du jour of opposition to Obamacare: his Texas colleague Cruz?
“He wanted to make a big splash and he certainly has, but he’s done something which is unusual, which is he’s made Washington worst. He’s made the polarization worse,” Castro said. “I think what became clear this week is he can’t become president and the reason is nobody will follow him. Even people within his own party won’t follow him.”
Jane Timm