Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) faced backlash online on Sunday after he suggested restaurant servers are grifting government money instead of working during the coronavirus pandemic.
Cruz made the remarks during an appearance on the CBS program Face the Nation.
“I’ve spoken to small business owners all over the state of Texas who are trying to reopen,” the senator said, “and they are calling their waiters and waitresses, they are calling their bus boys and they won’t come back.”
Cruz added: “And of course they won’t come back because the federal government is paying them in some instances twice as much money to stay home.”
Restaurant servers and their families immediately lashed out at Cruz on Twitter.
Many argued that Cruz should focus his attention on getting wages up instead of attacking wait staff. Others warned Cruz to think twice before eating out next time.
Read some of the comments below.
Hey @tedcruz, perhaps all those people across Texas don't want to go back to work because there's a major outbreak in your state, not because you're giving them too much money. Try looking out for the little guy for once.
— Advice for Dodos (@advicefordodos) July 26, 2020
Ted Cruz on F the N talking about how waitstaff should not get $600.00 week unemployment because they do not make much. My daughter makes $1000.00 a week when she works with a check of 100.00 a week. Another clueless Repug pissing off a lrg segment of voters
— Donna 🌏👩🏻⚕️🙀🇺🇸 (@dsoginer1) July 26, 2020
Ted Cruz does not get it.
He refuses to help the 40 million Americans out of work !
He needs to know how it feels to wonder how you are going to feed your family and keep a roof over their head.
Americans i hope remember during election time those who have turned their backs .— JohnCo (@JohnCo90010252) July 26, 2020
That’s right @tedcruz punish those w/ few resources & opportunities, just getting by w/o a job. Punish “busboys” who “refuse” work since they “make more money from unemployment.” I hope they all live in TX & vote to remove your smarmy mug from public life. #facethenation
— Carol Plemons (@RealRealGone) July 26, 2020
OMG
Ted Cruz on @FaceTheNation, says the House plan to continue the $600 supplement is just "shoveling trillions out the door" to "her friends".
I guess you guys are drinking beer and playing video games all day? 🤦— Chris (@321HelloWorld) July 26, 2020
Did anyone watch Ted Cruz on Face the Nation? Ted harped a lot about getting back to work, opening schools. He doesn’t want people to receive the extra$600 for unemployment. There are no jobs, Texas is a hot spot,He is delusional and a Piece of shit.🤬
— LMelendez #Biden 2020 (@TXLinMelendez) July 26, 2020
Someone spit in Cruz's dinner plate..Ted Cruz spews disgust at ‘waiters and waitresses’ who he says don’t deserve $600 unemployment checks
— DrinkitPlain (@DavidPfdle) July 26, 2020
Ted Cruz in Sunday’s Face the Nation. He needs a reality check, his GOP cronies gave millions relief money to businesses including Trumps. He is clueless. Blaming Dems for wanting to actually help the normal Americans not the big businesses. @tedcruz #GOPComplicit #JoeBiden2020
— Sandra E. (@elfgail1) July 26, 2020
Let me tell you @tedcruz, my sis owns a huge salon in LA County, she is trying to survive. No stimulus money to her cuz Trump gave it to the wealthy. She had a vibrant business, the Rep brought her down, now everyone is afraid to come back to work, why?The virus the Reps ignore
— CjoMolly (@CjoMolly) July 26, 2020
Ted Cruz says waiters and waitresses don't deserve $600 checks. I would like to see him work one shift as a waiter. It galls me that he pretends to be a Christian !
— Kathmandu1214 (@Kathmandu1214) July 26, 2020
Dear @tedcruz,
Waiters and waitresses vote. You may want to remember who you work for.— Myonlinealias 🆘❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 (@Myonlinealias1) July 26, 2020
Hey Ted Cruz,
FUCK YOU If I refuse to go back to work I LOSE my Ue. So your talking point is bs. So sic of you repugs telling me I am lazy and don't want to work. Losing my job to a pandemic that could have been mitigated in Jan. IS trumps, yours &the repugs fault. #voteblue— Helen Meerschaert (@HMeer2010) July 26, 2020
Wow. @tedcruz on @FaceTheNation
says their are 2 crises in America: the pandemic and the economic collapse and that a payroll tax cut is the answer. No mention of fascist military police in American cities or police brutality. #blm— Elizabeth (@_lazypants) July 26, 2020
Ted Cruz, if you what Nancy Pelosi is recommending for lower paid people then maybe you should try doing the job they do, even just for a day. You'll realize that what they do is much harder than just running their mouth like you do. SHAME on you
— Pixie-Dawn 🍁💙🌊🌈👱♀️🧑🏿🦽🍁 (@PixieDawn1) July 26, 2020
#TedCruz your an idiot, how do you expect people to go back to work with a killer virus, your Texas is on the brink of total destruction and soon chaos. You and your republicans buddies but wake up. Your the reasons trump is going to lose. Moron nobody is asking you to pay
— Jacob Darrah (@JacobDarrah5) July 26, 2020
My son was a waiter at a high-end NYC restaurant, and pompous POS @tedcruz wouldn't even make it through the training period.
— Suburban Guerrilla Ω (@SusieMadrak) July 26, 2020
I think if we all band together and work really hard, we might be able to get @tedcruz on unemployment.
Maybe then he will understand how wrong his POV is on the situation. #CARESAct2 #Helpyourpeople #payattentionplease— El Roacho (@jonlindsay999) July 26, 2020
Let's work on getting Ted Cruz to resign or to step down immediately he is out of touch with the people. He's got millions in the bank just like all politicians they forget where they came from.
— Rudedogg (@Rudedog97303634) July 26, 2020
Waitpersons should not vote for Ted Cruz. He holds you in contempt for some reason.
— Paul Cogan (@PaulCogan) July 26, 2020
When senators like @tedcruz and @senatemajldr mention that the additional $600 people are getting in unemployment is preventing them from going back to jobs that pay them less than that, doesn’t that point to a larger economic disparity issue?#unemploymentextension #money #up
— Jesse Poppick (@jpopp) July 26, 2020
The real problem is too many Americans aren't making enough money to survive. The extra 600$ a week goes to show that. We have trillions for endless war and military, but when it comes to the American people, @tedcruz and @realDonaldTrump don't think we deserve it. Fuck off.
— Connor J. Kennedy (@connorboco) July 26, 2020
Hey @tedcruz! Good luck eating out, servers & bartenders are hurting more than you think. But I'm not the guy that lost to @realDonaldTrump.
— John Romard (@BostonAttitude) (@BobbyNaples) July 26, 2020
