Ted Cruz to millions losing unemployment benefits: ‘Um, get a job?’

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) reacted to news of millions of Americans losing their unemployment benefits over the weekend by suggesting out-of-work people should “get a job.” 

In a tweet sent late Monday night, Cruz shared with his followers a headline from The Associated Press reading “Jobless Americans have few options as benefits expire.” 

“Um, get a job?” Cruz commented. “There are millions of vacancies, and small businesses across the Nation are desperate for workers.” 

Um, get a job?

There are millions of vacancies, and small businesses across the Nation are desperate for workers. https://t.co/0ejI45Ja6I

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 7, 2021

The emergency federal jobless benefits ended on Labor Day, while another 3 million people will lose their additional $300 boost to state unemployment benefits barring government intervention, The Hill previously reported. 

The AP reported there are currently no plans from the White House to extend unemployment benefits. And no states appear inclined to take action either, The Washington Post reported. 

Weekly applications for jobless benefits also hit a new post-lockdown low in the week ending Aug. 28, with the seasonally adjusted total of initial claims for unemployment insurance totaled 340,000, falling by 14,000 from the previous week’s revised level. 

Cruz’s tweet drew the ire of several critics on Twitter. 

I wish someone would take yours

— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) September 7, 2021

Says the guy who never works (except trolling on Twitter) and gets a paycheck & free healthcare from the government every month?

— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) September 7, 2021

If only there was some kind of job that paid $174k to tweet and fly to Cancun when your state was in crisis

— Celeste (@MyDearAuntSally) September 7, 2021