Ted Cruz Punches Down at ‘Slacker’ Baristas: ‘Get off the Bong for a Minute’

Podcaster and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) took aim at “slacker” baristas who “wasted seven years in college” in the latest episode of his podcast, The Verdict with Ted Cruz.

Cruz was addressing President Joe Biden’s partial debt cancelation for student borrowers this week. Those with student debt held by the government who are making less than $125,000 a year will have $10,000 in debt wiped out. Those with Pell grants are eligible to receive up to $20,000 in relief.

Biden’s forgiveness plan will largely benefit middle-class Americans, though conservatives have tried to portray it as a giveaway to the well-off.

In response to Biden’s announcement, Cruz attacked baristas – those nice people who serve coffee to strangers. That includes U.S. senators, it should be added.

Here’s what Cruz said in a clip flagged by The Recount on Twitter.

There is a real risk 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, that 20 grand, you know, maybe you weren’t gonna vote in November and suddenly, you just got 20 grand.

And you know, if you can get off the bong for a minute and head down to the voting station, or just send in your mail-in ballot that the Democrats have helpfully sent you, it could drive up turnout, particularly among young people.

Critics on Twitter have cast Cruz’s words as out of touch, if not mean. His remarks even caught the attention of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who tweeted, “This is what a leading Republican thinks of young “slacker” Americans who took out loans to go to college.”

Watch above via The Verdict with Ted Cruz.