Cruz destroys his own argument against vaccine and mask mandates

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz steadfastly argued Thursday morning against vaccine mandates and mask mandates, then compared the unvaccinated to smokers – totally destroying his own argument.

"You know what? Smokers when they light up a cigarette, they're increasing their chances they're gonna get lung cancer," Cruz told CNBC. "That may not be a wise decision to do, but in America we get people the freedom to make decisions about their own own health, even if we don't approve of the decisions they may end."

The far right Republican whose home state of Texas along with Florida now account for one-third of new coronavirus cases also said that "if somebody doesn't take the vaccine, they pose relatively little threat to me, they pose relatively little threat to someone who has chosen to take the vaccine."

Cruz's arguments are dead wrong. Literally.

Even vaccinated people can spread COVID-19, which is why CDC guidance recommends masks for both the vaccinated and unvaccinated in high-transmission areas.

Not only does smoking cigarettes cause cancer and death, second hand cigarette smoke has caused millions of deaths of non-smokers, the CDC reports, warning: "There is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke." That's why smoking is banned in nearly every space open to the public.

93% of COVID infections are from the delta variant. There is now proof even outside exposure to delta by vaccinated people can cause them to contract COVID-19, yet Cruz says: "My view is we should have no COVID mandates. What does that mean? That means no mask mandates, no vaccine mandates, that means no vaccine passports. We shouldn't step into a regime where the government says, 'show us your papers' if you want to do the basic activities of life."

The government has been mandating vaccines since at least George Washington's time. There are now well over a dozen vaccines children are required to take before starting school.