Should You Be in Charge, or the Government? Cruz and Sanders Clash
Sen. Ted Cruz and Sen. Bernie Sanders went head to head Tuesday night over Republican plans to repeal and replace Obamacare.
The two senators were the 2016 presidential runners-up for the Republicans and Democrats, and their CNN clash was a bit like a flashback to what might have been.
Cruz argued that good health care should allow people to choose their own doctor and health care, while Sanders continued to stand behind Obamacare, consistent with their health care messages during the 2016 campaign.
Sanders says repealing Obamacare would mean that 20 million people who received health care on Obama's plan will be left in the dust.
"The repeal of the ACA means that if you are one of ten million senior citizens, who today is struggling with the outrageous cost of prescription drugs, your prescription drug costs are gonna go up on average about 2,000 dollars," Sanders said.
Cruz, then challenged Sanders' stance.
"Bernie and the Democrats want government to control health care. I trust you and I trust your doctors. I think health care works better when you are in charge of your family's health care decisions, when you can sit down with your doctor and decide the care that's best for your family without government setting rules, without government rationing, without wait periods," Cruz said.
Watch full debate here:
Cruz later tweeted a core part of his message during the debate regarding the rise in cost of health care.
It’s time for Republicans and Democrats to deliver on the promises made to the American people. https://t.co/IeWvSy6rQG #CNNDebateNight pic.twitter.com/cFHdC2JwcO
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 8, 2017
When @tedcruz talks about dismantling Obamacare, here’s what he’s really telling you. pic.twitter.com/IYDrA5puvp
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) February 8, 2017
President Trump agrees with Senator Cruz on the repeal of Obamacare and said in a recent CNN interview that he hopes to see that law replaced by the end of 2017 or early 2018.
