SENATOR INSULT: Ted Cruz moans about how student debt relief will help “slackers”

SENATOR INSULT: Ted Cruz moans about how student debt relief will help "slackers"

Yesterday, Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) confirmed something that we already knew – that he doesn’t care about everyday Americans. On an episode of his online podcast, Verdict with Ted Cruz, the winter-storm-fleeing lawmaker says the quiet parts out loud, mainly that President Joe Biden’s student debt forgiveness poses a “real risk.”

And by risk, he means increased voter turnout for Democrats, something that’s not a real risk to anyone but Cruz and his fellow Republicans.

Using baristas as an example, Cruz referred to the hard-working coffee makers as “slackers,” accusing them of having “wasted seven years in college studying completely useless things,” and saying that his imaginary barista “now has loans and can’t get a job.

“If you are that slacker barista who wasted seven years in college studying completely useless things, now has loans and can’t get a job—Joe Biden just gave you 20 grand. Like, holy cow! 20 grand. You know, maybe you weren’t gonna vote in November. And suddenly you just got 20 grand.”

The condescending senator conveniently leaves out the part where being a barista is a job.

Starbucks, the coffee of choice for Karens nationwide, employs over 138,000 people – and almost half of the company’s 33,833 stores are located in the U.S. Part of a $5 billion industry made up of…well, primarily baristas.

Cruz’s comments are indicative of right-wing talking points that downgrade and downplay the importance of workers in the service field, denigrating these workers’ contribution to society and to the profit margins of their corporate overlords. Throughout the pandemic, employees – baristas included – were considered “essential” workers.

But apparently to the senator from Texas, they don’t count – or at least their votes shouldn’t. According to Cruz, they should just “get off the bong.”

He harps on the $20,000 relief – $10,000 for those who haven’t received a Pell Grant – over predatory schools and lenders who sold a bill of phony goods to those simply wanting a better life.

The backlash was swift and delicious. Twitter denizens wasted no time criticizing Cruz’s comments.

The same senator who left his constituents during the worst winter storm that Texas had seen in a decade, now feels compelled to criticize those who, unlike him, show up to their job.

Thanks, but no thanks, Cancun Cruz. Your words are no good here.

Follow Ty Ross on Twitter @cooltxchick

Ty Ross

News journalist for Washington Press and Occupy Democrats.