By There’s a new scandal taking the media by storm. Texas senator Ted Cruz caused an uproar late last week when he was seen flying to Cancun, Mexico with his family as millions of Texans were left without heat and power in the middle of a snowstorm. Dangerously low temperatures and freezing pipes pummeled the state’s infrastructure, leading to rolling power outages. Residents were trapped inside their homes, forced to burn furniture in fireplaces to stay warm.
While out-of-state representatives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and unelected officials like Beto O’Rourke were helping people on the ground, Cruz took a lot of heat for his decision to get out of town during a public health crisis. He quickly changed plans and rebooked a return ticket back to the U.S. A day later, he was seen outside handing off water to Texans affected by the storm. The move was quickly labeled as a PR stunt, while health experts shamed Cruz for not quarantining after his flight.
The storm left at least 58 dead in the state of Texas alone. Many residents and local officials were simply caught off guard in a state that’s known for its moderate climate.
We decided to check in with our community of nurses on our Facebook Page “Funny Nurses” to see how healthcare providers were reacting to the scandal. Here’s what they had to say:
Ashlie Sallee:
“I want to know what people actually think he could do about the situation. Should he have canceled his plans just to freeze with the rest of us? What skills in his wheelhouse would have changed a thing? Nothing. If I could afford it, I would have had my happy ass in Cancun too.”
Adam Sestak:
“It still blows my mind that Texans don’t use insulation in their houses. I understand it rarely gets cold, but insulation also keeps your house cool in the summer. Just seems really odd to me.”
Amber Pitts-Nelson:
“Really?!? I think it was fine. What’s he going to do? Summon the weather to change? Fix the power equipment himself? Milk the cows for people to have milk? Bake bread? Good for him, he was able to get away from this weather!!!”
Chris Battaglia:
“People were told that if you could leave, to leave. It’s not like he has any part in the emergency response or power grid.”
Carol Nielson:
“Lame!!! He is about to get the Stacey Abram Special. Beto was busting ass this week.”
Stacey Abrams recently launched a massive effort to rally Democratic voters in Georgia, handing the state’s two Senate seats to Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossof. Beto O’Rourke recently ran a close campaign against Ted Cruz and may be looking for a rematch in the years to come.
Neilson went on to say:
“And nearly all of the responses on this page show the lack of humanity people have left. He is an elected leader for our state. He pretty much showed what he would have done as POTUS. Done like Trump…nothing. He needs to just retire himself to a law office and skulk out of the public eye.”
Valerie Ross:
“I am not American but really an elected official should be setting a good example and NOT travelling internationally for vacation. Highly selfish and irresponsible.”
Judy Hart Gullen:
“He is a complete asshole. Not only did he leave, he threw his daughters under the bus. Blaming them because he said they were freezing. Guess what? Most of us Texans were and still are. I have no power or water! I’ve been blessed enough to be with a sibling who said come over. Took my dog and I in for the duration.”
Jenny Picazo:
“So many people keep saying that Ted Cruz couldn’t have done anything. Then what the heck is the point of having him represent your state? If he is that useless, get him out. Beto and AOC both are not elected officials in your state yet have done more than he has. Stop with the argument that he couldn’t do anything because you’re just cementing the point of how useless he is. His own party doesn’t even like him in Congress. Maybe voters (from Texas) should reconsider why you voted for him. ??♀️”
Nalleli Zamarripa:
“People really said there was nothing he could do. People are in denial as a mf! His job is literally TEXAS and he walked out during a state of emergency. Since this is a nursing page, imagine yourself walking out from a code blue on your pt….”
Paula Smith Barton:
“Texans took care of themselves and their neighbors who needed help. Cruz was gone a day, and any help he could give could be done via smart phone. Not every event/catastrophe is a political story, I’ve read story after story of people helping each other, not relying on the government to solve their problem. That’s what our country is about.”
Senator Cruz’s actions seem to have divided a lot of folks in Texas. Some don’t mind that he left, while others are adamant about holding his feet to the fire.
Regardless of how you feel about the scandal, we hope you’re safe and warm during this difficult time.
