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[–]Nemacolin[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

What a strange man.

Will convicted felons be eligible for $1,400 per person stimulus payments? What about everyone who is in the country illegally?

Sen. Ted Cruz raised objections on both counts as the Senate debated the $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan likely to become law in the next few days – blasting the plan for extending federal largesse to murderers, which is true, and to all 11 million or so residents living in the United States without permission, which is not true.

Democrats shot down amendments Cruz pushed on Saturday that would keep both groups from getting stimulus checks, and he spent the next few days feuding with Democrats and fact-checkers over his claim about payments to undocumented immigrants.

Cruz labeled it “irresponsible” to send payments to anyone behind bars, adding afterward that “the mismanaged priorities in this bill are detrimental to America, and I was proud to join my colleagues in trying to close this egregious loophole.”

But in two previous stimulus rounds – massive packages enacted in March and December, when Republicans controlled the Senate and Donald Trump was president – Cruz aired no such concerns.

Cruz and his aides did not explain the newfound ardor for blocking payments to inmates and illegal immigrants.

Detractors see grandstanding and selective outrage now that Democrats are in charge.

“He didn’t share the same concern when the Republicans passed their stimulus bill last year,” noted Gilberto Hinojosa, chair of the Texas Democratic Party. “Ted Cruz is taking a page out of the GOP playbook by trying to scare the American public into believing the American Rescue Plan is bad. But the fact remains: This bill is massively popular and will help millions of Americans.”

Cruz did reiterate his new concerns about stimulus eligibility.

“Not only does this COVID bill fail to address the real needs of the American people who are suffering, but it hands out billions in taxpayer dollars to illegal immigrants. That is wrong. We need to stand for the American people, get our kids back to school, and reopen our small businesses,” he said Tuesday through an aide.

On Saturday morning, 25 hours into the prolonged Senate debate, Cruz took to the floor and blasted Democrats for rejecting an amendment he had offered with Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana to bar stimulus payments for inmates.

“The Democrats in this chamber just voted to send $1,400 stimulus checks to murderers, to rapists and child molesters incarcerated in prison,” he said.

[–][deleted]  (2 children)

[removed]

    [–]Nemacolin[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

    I wonder why Donald Trump did it.

    [–]Druullus 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

    compromise?