Ted Cruz in CNN "State of the Union" interviews during 2017

On Government Reform: Government is corrupt; so don't give them more power

CRUZ: In the course of the campaign last year, I would talk with a lot of young people who supported Bernie. And I'd say to them, "You know what? I agree with Bernie." And they sort of look at me, startled. I'd say, "Bernie talks about how Washington is corrupt, how both parties are in bed with big business and big money and it is a corrupt system benefitting special interests. I agree absolutely and entirely." And what I tell folks is where I disagree is in his solution. If the problem is government is corrupt, why on earth would you want more power in Washington? I want to take power out of Washington and empower the people. When it comes to taxes, what I want a simple flat tax of 10 percent for everyone and abolish the IRS. That ends the power of lobbyists. It ends the power of Washington. That's a solution empowers the people.

SANDERS: In the midst of massive unprecedented income and wealth inequality, Ted's plan, according to "Wall Street Journal" would give incredible tax breaks to top 1%.

Source: CNN 2017 Town Hall debates: Ted Cruz vs. Bernie Sanders Feb 7, 2017

On Health Care: I trust you & your doctors to control your health care

Q: What should happen with health care in America?

CRUZ: Health care is personal in a way that is different from most other political issues. Health care affects our families. It's our moms. Health care is our kids. It's the future. It can quite literally be whether we live or die. 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're 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. Six years ago, when ObamaCare was being adopted, it's possible that reasonable minds could have differed on whether this was a good idea. But six years into it, we've seen the results.

SANDERS: The American people have caught on that the absolute repeal of ObamaCare without a plan to make it better, would be an absolute disaster.

Source: CNN 2017 Town Hall debates: Ted Cruz vs. Bernie Sanders Feb 7, 2017

On Health Care: Reform FDA to approve foreign drugs faster

CRUZ: Bernie, I would love for us to work together going after big pharma, and in particular taking on the FDA. Right now, it takes $2 billion to approve a new drug. Now, I've introduced legislation to reform the FDA process so that we can be curing diseases and we can be helping people.

SANDERS: I'm willing to look at it, if you are willing to look at legislation to allow Americans to buy less expensive medicine in Canada and other countries.

CRUZ: Just a couple of weeks ago, I voted with you in support of allowing drug re-importation. But a much bigger barrier than that is the fact that, in the last 20 years, the FDA has approved only three child cancer drugs? In 20 years, because the burdens are so great. I introduced legislation that said if a drug is approved in another major country, if it's approved in Europe or Japan, that the FDA has got 30 days to approve it here. We shouldn't be telling people with life-threatening diseases you can't do everything you can to save your lives.

Source: CNN 2017 Town Hall debates: Ted Cruz vs. Bernie Sanders Feb 7, 2017

The above quotations are from CNN "State of the Union" interviews during 2017 (Jake Tapper and Dana Bash interviewing candidates for 2017-18 races). Click here for other excerpts from CNN "State of the Union" interviews during 2017 (Jake Tapper and Dana Bash interviewing candidates for 2017-18 races). Click here for other excerpts by Ted Cruz. Click here for a profile of Ted Cruz.
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Page last updated: Jan 06, 2019