Ted Cruz wants lawmakers to get security escorts through America’s airports

MicroWave@lemmy.world to News@lemmy.world – 387 points – Ted Cruz wants lawmakers to get security escorts through America’s airports
politico.com

Cruz told POLITICO that his amendment is about ensuring that political VIPs aren’t endangered as they pass through public spaces in airports.

Viral photos of politicians jetting off to a tropical hideaway during a deadly cold wave might become a lot rarer under legislation being pushed by Sen. Ted Cruz.

The Texas Republican — infamously photographed by a gawker while en route to Cancún in 2021 — is proposing a bill amendment that would offer lawmakers a dedicated security escort at airports, along with expedited screening outside of public view. That could make it much less likely that the politicians’ comings and goings would become fodder for embarrassing news reports and late-night comedy mockery.

The measure would also provide the same special treatment to federal judges and Cabinet members, as well as a limited number of their family and staff. Cruz is trying to attach the amendment to a major aviation policy bill, S. 1939, that is expected to be marked up in the Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday.

86

Ted, listen. Maybe if you weren’t a horrible legislator, and an even worse excuse for a human, people would not feel the need to slightly inconvenience you at the airport.

STOP calling him TED! His BIRTHNAME is RAFAEL!

He should have to use the name he was assigned at birth!

Yeah Ted, work on being just a little less punchable. I think this is a you problem.

"I would like an act of law shield me from the consequences of my actions and accountability to my constituency." -Ted Cruz probably

“I would also like this paid for by taxpayers or any other form of Socialism for us fat tax wasting leeches…”

—Rafael Cruz

"While also being a pussy that needs a security escort when I flee a disaster area I am responsible for" Ted "Tough As Texas" Cruz

His constituency is already refusing to hold him accountable, so...

When elected officials need to be segregated from the people they serve, they should be removed from their post. You are here to represent the people, not rule over us.

When hillbillies are breaking into homes and killing government reps' familes, something is wrong.

The fact that Republicans have weaponized this particular brand of stupid is immaterial aside from the conspiracy charges.

There is a shortfall here that will create a chilling effect for potential lawmakers to stand up to y'all Qaeda .

Even worse, they’re not even domestic extremists necessarily. Republicans are endorsing Canadian extremists given the recent attack on Paul Pelosi. A Canadian terrorist was the perpetrator there.

There are a lot of psychos out there that want to kill AOC, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, etc.

So are you saying they should be removed from their posts?

That's an interesting thought when you considers that these psychos only think this way because of what the lawmakers across the isle are telling them + fox news

Almost like stochastic terrorism should be fought like regular terrorism instead of given protection under the first amendment.

The cause of it doesn't change the the fact that it's happening. People have a lack of respect for democracy and are willing to do crazy things that no one would've considered before.

Idk if I would agree with that, murder has existed as long as people have. I mean, two of the most significant events in American history were the murders of political figures

So the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and JFK were good events? I'm not sure what you're saying here.

Can you truly represent the people if you hide from them, Ted? Weren't you elected to represent?

Does he get nervous when he’s on his way to Cancun?

Maybe he's worried that his dad wasn't satisfied with killing JFK and needs to kill again.

Wat

Is the coward suddenly afraid of the general public? What reason might people have that they would dislike him?

Maybe he's tired of wiping other people's spit off his clothes and face

Hmm, what would cause people doing such vile deeds? /s

I can't figure it out. I mean everyone down in Cancun loves him!

Yea, but he was talking about airports, which implies leaving Cancun.

Absolutely not.

If you want to act like a dipshit you need to be held accountable for your dipshittery.

Can't risk interacting with the peasants, their poverty might be contagious. That's how that works, right?

Yes just like the mega church pastor who has a private jet so he "doesn't have to fly with the demons."

Kenneth Copeland. The URL for this is a little unwieldy since it was archived with a bunch of parameters but here's the video where he says it. Little after 2:50 if you want to skip to that part, first few minutes have some interesting weirdness too though.

There's also this interview about the quote where he does a pretty good reenactment of the Fellowship of the Rings movie scene where Bilbo lunges at the ring around Frodo's neck (timestamp 4:15).

I saw this rat faced fuck at IAH back in October. Not a single person was trying to interact with him and he already had a state trooper escort with a wide buffer zone around him. He had that smarmy, stupid smile on that stupid dumb face of his. It ruined my whole day.

And what's not been mentioned yet here is that one has to be checked by TSA before being in this area. Aside from his snowflake feelies, what's he worried bout?

He scared of something happening to his punk ass.

hes scared of being jumped the next time he tries to abandon his constituents (and dog) to a frozen death.

"Lucifer in the flesh"--Ted's fellow Republican John Boehner. As Cruz’s former college roommate, Craig Mazin, once put it, “One thing Ted Cruz is really good at: uniting people who otherwise disagree about everything else in a total hatred of Ted Cruz.” George W. Bush: “I just don’t like the guy.” Bob Dole: “I don’t know how he’s going to deal with Congress. Nobody likes him.” John Boehner: “I have Democrat friends and Republican friends. I get along with almost everyone, but I have never worked with a more miserable son of a bitch in my life.” Lindsey Graham: “If you killed Ted Cruz on the floor of the Senate, and the trial was in the Senate, nobody would convict you.”

Ted Cruz is a big tough manly man. Just look at that beard! He ain't 'fraid of nuthin exceptin' them there pesky constituents.

I would MUCH rather my Tax Dollars be used for that then to feed STARVING AMERICAN CHILDREN!

Dipshit is a prime example of the faction in his party rallying voters to do the things he's so afraid of. What a cowardly, two-faced, dirtbag.

These fucking fascists are scared, they know they are HATED by the majority of Americans.

Even if only 5% of people hated me, it would be pretty scary knowing 5% of people hate me.

Good. It's bad enough that at this point, they deserve to fear for their lives as theyre making decisions to make life specifically worse for thousands of people

Ted Cruz wants to intimidate people so he doesn’t have to listen to them calling him an idiot in public places.

Shut up you neckbeard twat snot. What about the judges and jury you and your people are sending your goons after, do they get private security off of tax payers money?

Unfortunately this is probably needed. Just Ted Cruz is the worst person to propose it given the whole Cancun debacle.

Imagine if someone like AOC (or whoever is your favourite politician) said the exact same thing? There are a lot of psychos out there and a lot shit on the propaganda egging people on to do crazy shit.

Swatting politicians (on both sides of the aisle) is becoming commonplace. Harassing elected officials in public is becoming commonplace too. And then there was that guy that broke into Nancy Pelosi's house and attacked her husband.

People are more and more thinking that doing an end-run around democracy to remove elected officials by taking matters into their own hands.

I want Ted Cruz gone, but I want him gone because of a humiliating election loss. Not from some psycho hanging around airports.

So instead of addressing the problems underpinning increased violence, you think the right solution is to have the population pay (via taxes) provide protection to the political elite that most of the population can't afford to provide for themselves?

But what weapons are they coming at him with in an airport?

A stale baguette from a sandwich shop?

My main argument against this is ROI. These people provide no real value to the government. They choose to be on an extreme side in order to get elected. No one wants to harass the moderates. So let them hire thier own security to fly with them.
Also since the airport is a secured setting, their presence is unpredictable and everyone else needs a ticket, it is safe from targeted interactions with psychos. And mostly safe from unplanned as well.

It doesn't bother me that they are yelled at in public. Half those shits aren't even elected by us. Did you vote for the Supreme Court? Did you vote for the Federal Reserve chairperson?

If they are going to break women's body autonomy and wreck the middle class then maybe they shouldn't have a nice dinner. Maybe they should face a bit of anger.

A man much smarter than I once said "violence is the language of the unheard"

This "solution" is just another con to allow your lawmakers to ignore you in more ways.

I love that he feels uncomfortable in airports. I love the suggestion that he's being constantly berated and accosted. It's such rare good news.

If I thought the job were that important I would agree.

But it’s not, and if you’re so hated by the people you represent that you feel like you should be treated differently than everyone else maybe you’re in the wrong job.

They aren’t royalty.

Mr. Weasley voice, my friend. If you were a good human being, you wouldn't have worried about this. Kindly, go get fucked.

Turns out populism pitchforks are pointy on both ends of the crowd.

Just strike the word security from the title and enjoy the implication.

This makes me uneasy. The Cancun thing makes me want to be opposed to this as well, in a general “Internet wants you to feel things” way.

But these people aren’t idiots. (Sure they victimize and weaponize useful idiots, but they themselves are very clever.) Are they planning to have politicians taken out by useful terrorists, and want to avoid passing of reasonable legislation - so they strategically propose unreasonable legislation to poison the whole idea?

It’s never as simple as a few paragraphs make it sound. I think a wait-and-form-opinions-later approach is a reasonable one.

Absolutely fcuk these righties continually trying to separate themselves from the "bourgeoisie" they hate so much.

🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕

Better idea: It should be illegal for politicians to hire bodyguards or be protected by police or military.

So I'm supposed to pay for this man's private security cuz he's scared of actually facing his constituents?