Tell me if you've heard this one before: Texas Senator Ted Cruz threatens a federal government shutdown if he doesn't get his way about something but lays claim that if the government should shut down due to this, it won't be his fault.
That's right, almost two years after he decided to play a big part in shutting down the federal government for a couple weeks due to the Affordable Care Act not getting defunded, Ted Cruz has taken a similar stance regarding Planned Parenthood. However, according to him, just as the first shutdown wasn't his fault, this potential shutdown won't be his doing either.
In a conference call with pastors last week, Cruz said he'd try to defund Planned Parenthood by tying it to an appropriations bill funding the federal government, adding:
"We can expect President Obama and many of the congressional Democrats to cry loudly that if Congress uses its authority, Congress will be quote 'shutting down the government.' That, of course, is nonsense."
I find it ironically humorous that Cruz, a member of the party which likes to claim they represent personal responsibility, himself seems to have issues with taking personal responsibility. In 2013, Cruz threatened a government shutdown if Obamacare wasn't defunded. It didn't get defunded, the government shut down as a result, yet Cruz had the gall to pull a Shaggy and say, "It wasn't me." Yes, it kind of was. Similarly, Cruz is threatening another government shutdown if Planned Parenthood doesn't get defunded. If the government shuts down again, and for this very reason, Cruz has already said he'll deny responsibility, and again, would be wrong in doing so. With that kind of mentality, the following scenario would make sense (only to Ted Cruz):
Setting: In the kitchen at the Cruz homestead
Ted Cruz: "If dinner isn't ready by 7:05, I'm going to shoot your best friend!"
Mrs. Cruz: "Wait, what? That's in just 5 minutes! It's not going to be ready by then!"
Ted Cruz: "Fine then..." :: shoots her best friend ::
Judge Drinkonthejob: "Did I seriously just hear that story correctly?"
Ted Cruz: "It wasn't my fault, your honor. I told the wife if she didn't have dinner ready by 7:05, I'd shoot her best friend. So, really, it's her fault for not having dinner ready by when I said."
Judge Drinkonthejob: "You've got to be (bleeping) kidding me! What the hell is wrong with you? Guilty!"
Also, let's get something straight here - while everyone is entitled to their opinion regarding the issue of abortion, it would make absolutely no sense to defund Planned Parenthood over the matter. In its annual report, it's documented that Planned Parenthood offered a total of 10,590,433 services, 327,653 of which were abortion procedures (3.1%), and 3,577,348 of which were regarding contraception (33.8%). Contraception decreases unwanted pregnancies, and with that, abortions. So if Ted Cruz and other "pro-life" Republicans want to see abortions decrease, they should do the direct opposite of what they're proposing and increase Planned Parenthood funding. To decrease it would be to decrease contraception, increase unwanted pregnancies, and increase abortions.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/08/25/ted-cruz-if-the-government-shuts-down-over-my-planned-parenthood-funding-fight-its-not-my-fault/
http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2015/aug/04/sandra-smith/fox-business-reporter-95-planned-parenthoods-pregn/
That's right, almost two years after he decided to play a big part in shutting down the federal government for a couple weeks due to the Affordable Care Act not getting defunded, Ted Cruz has taken a similar stance regarding Planned Parenthood. However, according to him, just as the first shutdown wasn't his fault, this potential shutdown won't be his doing either.
In a conference call with pastors last week, Cruz said he'd try to defund Planned Parenthood by tying it to an appropriations bill funding the federal government, adding:
"We can expect President Obama and many of the congressional Democrats to cry loudly that if Congress uses its authority, Congress will be quote 'shutting down the government.' That, of course, is nonsense."
I find it ironically humorous that Cruz, a member of the party which likes to claim they represent personal responsibility, himself seems to have issues with taking personal responsibility. In 2013, Cruz threatened a government shutdown if Obamacare wasn't defunded. It didn't get defunded, the government shut down as a result, yet Cruz had the gall to pull a Shaggy and say, "It wasn't me." Yes, it kind of was. Similarly, Cruz is threatening another government shutdown if Planned Parenthood doesn't get defunded. If the government shuts down again, and for this very reason, Cruz has already said he'll deny responsibility, and again, would be wrong in doing so. With that kind of mentality, the following scenario would make sense (only to Ted Cruz):
Setting: In the kitchen at the Cruz homestead
Ted Cruz: "If dinner isn't ready by 7:05, I'm going to shoot your best friend!"
Mrs. Cruz: "Wait, what? That's in just 5 minutes! It's not going to be ready by then!"
Ted Cruz: "Fine then..." :: shoots her best friend ::
Judge Drinkonthejob: "Did I seriously just hear that story correctly?"
Ted Cruz: "It wasn't my fault, your honor. I told the wife if she didn't have dinner ready by 7:05, I'd shoot her best friend. So, really, it's her fault for not having dinner ready by when I said."
Judge Drinkonthejob: "You've got to be (bleeping) kidding me! What the hell is wrong with you? Guilty!"
Also, let's get something straight here - while everyone is entitled to their opinion regarding the issue of abortion, it would make absolutely no sense to defund Planned Parenthood over the matter. In its annual report, it's documented that Planned Parenthood offered a total of 10,590,433 services, 327,653 of which were abortion procedures (3.1%), and 3,577,348 of which were regarding contraception (33.8%). Contraception decreases unwanted pregnancies, and with that, abortions. So if Ted Cruz and other "pro-life" Republicans want to see abortions decrease, they should do the direct opposite of what they're proposing and increase Planned Parenthood funding. To decrease it would be to decrease contraception, increase unwanted pregnancies, and increase abortions.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/08/25/ted-cruz-if-the-government-shuts-down-over-my-planned-parenthood-funding-fight-its-not-my-fault/
http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2015/aug/04/sandra-smith/fox-business-reporter-95-planned-parenthoods-pregn/
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