Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas) debunked Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I., Vt.) "Robin Hood" analogy during a Wednesday night debate on tax reform, telling the Vermont senator he "fundamentally misunderstood" the story.
The town hall debate between Cruz and Sanders was hosted by CNN and moderated by CNN anchor Jake Tapper and political correspondent Dana Bash.
Cruz responded to Sanders' frequently used argument where he says Republicans are guilty of a "reverse Robin Hood," stealing from the poor to give to the rich.
"Bernie invoked Robin Hood," Cruz said. "And I’ve got to say, Bernie fundamentally misunderstood that story."
Cruz explained in the historical story of Robin Hood, the hero was robbing the rich individuals in power, the tax collectors, because they were collecting too much taxes from the men and women working hard every day.
"In Bernie’s analogy, it is the Democrats who are King John and the Sheriff of Nottingham. And Robin Hood is saying, ‘tax collectors, stop hammering people who are struggling, who are laboring in the fields, who are working, stop taking it to the castle to give out to your buddies," Cruz said while pointing toward Sanders, who was smiling.
Cruz then said Sanders was going to tell the audience about all of the free things he was going to give out. He said that while Democrats love railing on the big insurance companies, when "you have Washington giving out goodies, the big guys do great."
"It’s the little people who hurt, it’s the young people, it’s the entrepreneurs," Cruz said.