Jonathan Gruber, a key figure in the development of the Affordable Care Act, acknowledged that the law's passage relied heavily on misleading the public. He indicated that if President Obama had been transparent about the nature of the noncompliance fee being a tax, the legislation would likely have failed. This admission highlights a strategic manipulation of information during the law's promotion, suggesting that voters were presumed to lack the understanding necessary to see through the deception.

Gruber's remarks reflect a concerning view of the public's intelligence, as he insinuated that the administration counted on what he termed "the stupidity of the American voter." This perspective raises ethical questions about the lengths to which political leaders might go to achieve their goals and the implications of such tactics on democratic engagement and trust in government. Ted Cruz's book argues for a return to truthfulness in political discourse, emphasizing the need for transparency in lawmaking.