Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , may be frustrated with the President 's anticipated executive action on immigration , but he 's not looking to shutdown the government again to stop him . `` There is no Republican -- not one -- who wants a government shutdown , '' Cruz said on Fox Wednesday . `` The only person on this planet who wants a shutdown is President Obama . '' Cruz , who voted in favor of shutting down the government last year over Obamacare , made the expected argument that the President would be violating the powers set by the Constitution by forcing executive action . But the former Harvard Law Review editor took the argument a step further Wednesday , saying that if the President acted , he would be forcing voters to take a plunge . `` I 'm sorry to say , the President is behaving in an unprecedented way , '' Cruz said . `` There is not in recent times any parallel for a President repudiated by the voters standing up and essentially telling the voters , 'Go jump in a lake ' . He 's going to force his powers . '' Earlier Wednesday , the first-term senator penned a Politico op-ed titled `` Obama Is Not A Monarch , '' where he slammed the President for threatening executive action . Once seen as an obstructionist -- for his 2013 government shutdown crusade -- the potential 2016 contender is changing his strategy this time around for defying the President . Wednesday evening , Cruz laid out a three-step plan for how the GOP should reign in a `` despotic executive . '' In the plan , Cruz told Fox News that incoming Senate Majority Leader-elect Mitch McConnell , R-Kentucky , should threaten to block any nominations by the President , with the exception of those for vital national security positions . He also said Congress should use the power of the purse to pass appropriation legislation that limits the power of both the Congress and the President to spend money on the President 's executive action , once all other necessary government agencies and functions are funded . While Cruz says legislative action is the best way to move forward to combat the President 's initiative , a few of his GOP colleagues -- and potential 2016 rivals -- said they felt a lawsuit would be more appropriate . Earlier Wednesday , Texas Gov . Rick Perry said there is a `` very real possibility '' Texas will sue Obama over his executive action . Wisconsin Gov . Scott Walker agreed , saying he would also go to the courts because he thinks `` there 's a pretty compelling argument . '' The President is expected to announce his executive action plan Thursday in a prime time address . Sources familiar with the plan tell CNN that it includes deferring deportation for the parents of U.S. citizens , a move that would affect up to 3.5 million people .
Ted Cruz : ` ` Only person ... who wants a shutdown is President Obama '' Texas senator said Congress should continue to veto Obama 's nominees . Congress should also provide funds to halt the executive branch , he said .