Isquith reports: "Asked by Matthews why some conservatives 'want to kill their own people,' Reagan (who is a liberal, despite his pedigree) agreed that Ted Cruz's strategy was 'the big question here.'"

Ted Cruz during his filibuster last year. (photo: CSPAN)

Reagan's 'Liberal' Son Takes on Ted Cruz

By Elias Isquith, Salon

14 February 14

�

Cruz continues to be a totally destabilizing force within the GOP

ppearing on MSNBC's "Hardball With Chris Matthews," one of former president and right-wing deity Ronald Reagan's sons lambasted Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for his decision to filibuster the recent vote on raising the debt ceiling and, consequently, force some of his fellow Republican senators to cast a necessary but politically toxic affirmative vote.

Asked by Matthews why some conservatives "want to kill their own people," Ron Reagan (who is a liberal, despite his pedigree) agreed that Ted Cruz's strategy was "the big question here."

"What exactly was on Ted Cruz's mind?" Reagan said. "What was he thinking of in terms of his Senate colleagues? They could have all voted against the debt limit increase, they could have all gone home to their constituents in Tennessee or Kentucky or wherever, and they could have said, 'We didn't vote for this thing!' But no, Ted Cruz put his own people in this impossible, untenable situation. Many of them are facing primaries, many of them may face Tea Party people who are way over to their right, and he forced them to do this!"

Responding in part to Salon's Joan Walsh's assertion that the GOP was on the verge of falling into outright civil war, Reagan went on to say that Cruz "apparently thinks that somebody has got to rise out of the smoking ruins that is the Republican Party, and apparently he feels that somebody can be him."

"He first has to create the smoking ruins, of course," Reagan added, "and he's doing a pretty good job of that."

Watch Reagan, Walsh and Matthews try to figure out WTF Ted Cruz is thinking below, via MSNBC:

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+26 # swimdoc 2017-05-19 18:05

Go for it, Iowans! Demand Improved and Expanded Medicare for All! Don't prematurely "compromise" by accepting the promise of a public option before you even get started. Insist that your elected members of Congress sign on to HR 676 while still opposing dismantling of the ACA. It's time to move beyond the ACA to real national health coverage for everyone living in the U.S.

+3 # JCM 2017-05-19 18:56

+10 # Charles3000 2017-05-19 19:27

I wish everyone could learn that Medicare is NOT single payer; it is either two or three payers involved. We need "single payer" NOT Medicare for All!"

+13 # Scott Galindez 2017-05-19 22:18

You are right Charles...Medic are for All is a slogan but Conyers bill and Bernie's that is coming expand Medicaid to a single payer system. Medicare is popular with the American people so we are using that to sell universal healthcare.

+18 # diamondmarge7 2017-05-19 19:32

This is SUCH exciting news! I had heard of NY & CA moving towards single psayer; I have also contributed & fotwarded emails to contacts regarding the heavy efforts in CO. How fabulous that IA is moving in this marvelous direction, too. Mebbe we "exxceptional" Americans might finally join the rest of the industrial world & stop being gouged and screwed by for-profit
BigMed and BigPharma. I AM SO THRILLED.

+3 # elkingo 2017-05-19 23:07

Socialized Medicine Goddammit!

+15 # lamancha 2017-05-20 00:28

I find it almost criminal that the network pundits - CNN, MSNBC and others - are not taking up the cause of single payer. Even the so-called liberal network hosts & pundits ( no progressives in sight ), are not taking up the cause. All they report on is what the Republicans are proposing. What a waste!

0 # RNLDaWy 2017-05-20 10:28

Correct they make their money on whining about losing the election and mislead you with that. Also elected officials who work for our government have the best healthcare and salaries and guaranteed income of any person in the country same as high earners in the private sector. They don't want you to know the facts Medicare is not single payer .. at least a two tier system would be better .. Medicare for All .. unless you are a high earner then you can choose your plan .. because not a problem for those with the dough .. or WORKING IN GOVERNMENT .. wink wink wink!

+5 # virtualaudio 2017-05-20 16:45

Kudos to Bernie for planting the seed of Single Payer in the minds of most Americans. Though I'd prefer he had won the election, this profound shift of public sentiment justifies the time & money I put into his primary bid. If only the Dems in Congress and the 'progressive' news & opinion outlets would take up the cause.. Before the presidential race, I'd occasionally hear people like Chris Hayes talk about single payer. He also did a lot of segments on climate change. Since the election season started, I haven't heard a peep about these issues from him or others. There seems to be a an attitude of disdain toward Bernie from these guys.. During the primary, Maddow interviewed Sanders & Clinton on the same day, while Matthews did Trump; Trump made a stupid comment about punishing women for getting abortions, which Maddow used to ambush Sanders.. when asked, Sanders reiterated his commitment to women's rights, then dismissed Trumps comment as more B.S. Maddow then tracked down Clinton and told her only the 2nd half of what Sanders said, which gave Clinton the opportunity to slam Sanders for not being sufficiently pro-choice. Maddow had this smirk on her face when she talked to Clinton, like a little kid who knew they were doing something bad and getting away with it. What's wrong with these people? If you want the public's trust, be consistent! Otherwise Trump's assault on the media will continue to resonate. (sorry to digress, but it is annoying)

0 # futhark 2017-05-20 10:12

The government has no more business in providing medical insurance than it does providing fire protection and police services, educational opportunities for minors, roads and highways, or protection from foreign invasion. It seems that an increasing number of people are waking up to the fact that there is little justification to have any of these without the others.

+7 # Wise woman 2017-05-20 10:41

State by state looks like the only way single payer will be accomplished. If that's the way it has to happen, so be it. All the more reason we have to get on top of our elected officials to do the right thing for America. Here in CT, where I live, big med and big pharma rule. Blumenthal and Murphy have to get on the ball and change that. That and legalizing mj which is presently under the control of the state and the price gaugers as well as the criminal element.

-3 # Rain17 2017-05-21 20:00

The biggest obstacle to single-payer:

"I don't want my tax dollars going to pay for other people's healthcare ( i.e. illegal immigrants, minorities on welfare, or any other umpopular group) at my expense."

Too many Americans maintain that position. Until artitudes toward socisl programs chanfe for the better single-payer will remain politically a nonstarter in this country.

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