Last Tuesday, Senator Ted Cruz took the Senate floor and spoke continuously for 21 hours.
This outpouring of emotion could not officially be considered a filibuster as it was not an attempt to stop a bill from passing; “tirade” is probably the best word for the incredible feat of verbal stamina.
Unfortunately, it appears that in many respects the Senator’s performance was for naught. The speech was not well received on either side of the political spectrum, but was condemned with particular asperity among Cruz’s fellow senate republicans. There are a great many reasons why certain members of the senate might have taken exception to the speech, after all Cruz covered everything from childrens’ books to Ashton Kutcher, but there are a few main issues that contribute to the unpopularity.
Cruz confused voters. By giving the impression that the Senate could effectively stand in the way of Obamacare through de-funding it, Cruz effected an impossible expectation among his supporters. This makes the republican stance on the issue seem obdurate and their action in the senate clumsy.
Cruz also weakened the unity of the GOP in relation to their opposition to Obamacare and the upcoming battles. In this way, he made the republican party seem responsible for the government shutdown which reflects extremely badly on all his colleagues.
Most importantly, Cruz wasted everyone’s time. In a selfish and immature ploy for attention, Cruz obstructed any chance of real progress being made on this issue. While politics is often alleged to be a ruse for individual gain, it is rarely so obvious or blatant.
Perhaps Cruz wished to gain publicity for an upcoming campaign to be president, if so, he certainly gained some notoriety.
