Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA): Against public option before he was for it
Posted by Clyde Middleton
on Oct 8 2009 Filed under Politics.
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In case you missed it, embattled Democrat Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) posted an op-ed on the liberal Huffington Post web site today outlining his support for a “robust public option plan” as the health care debate wages on in Washington. Of course, you might recall that just a few months ago, Senator Specter emphatically stated the exact opposite position on NBC’s “Meet the Press” – but that was before Congressman Joe Sestak entered the Democrat primary against Specter…
Take a moment to look at the background info below and consider the following statement from the NRSC:
“Pennsylvanians can always count on Arlen Specter to put his poll numbers over principles, and the pocketbooks of his constituents will always come second to his own political survival. As Arlen Specter and Joe Sestak attempt to outflank each other on the far left and press for a government-takeover of our nation’s healthcare system, they are increasingly out-of-step with the views and values of voters in the Keystone State. No matter who wins the Democrat primary in Pennsylvania next year, Specter and Sestak will be held accountable for the record spending and massive government expansions they are supporting in Washington today.” – Amber Wilkerson Marchand, NRSC spokeswoman
Specter Then…
NBC’s DAVID GREGORY: “Would you support health care reform that puts up a government-run public plan to compete with a private plan issued by a private insurance company?”
SEN. ARLEN SPECTER (D-PA): “No, and you misquote me, David – I did not say I would be a loyal Democrat.” (NBC’s “Meet The Press,” 5/3/09)
Specter Now…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-arlen-specter/supporting-a-robust-publi_b_313668.html
Supporting a Robust Public Option
Huffington Post
By Sen. Arlen Specter
Posted: October 8, 2009 09:13 AM
As debate continues on much needed health care reform, I urge my Senate colleagues to support a robust public option plan. It’s important that the President’s ideas on the public option be implemented to maintain a level playing field.
The public option will create competition in the marketplace and will help to provide affordable choices for American families. It will also allow us to greatly expand the number of Americans with health insurance, and that is an imperative.
When President Obama’s call for health care reform came under right wing attack this summer, as millions saw in my well-publicized Health Care Town Hall meetings, I pushed back at the critics in order to set the record straight about the direction of health care reform.
As competing bills come up for votes in the Senate, here’s the type of bill I’m for:
· I’m for a bill that provides for universal coverage.
· I’m for a bill which is deficit neutral.
· I’m for a bill which has specific savings, such as annual examinations to have early detection of diseases.
· I’m for a bill that does not deny coverage on the basis of preexisting conditions and bans annual and lifetime caps on coverage.
· I’m for a bill which will bring mandatory sentences for Medicare and Medicaid fraud because it will be a deterrent as opposed to fines.
· I’m for a bill which will further increase funding for the National Institutes of Health to prevent a lot of illnesses.
· I’m for a bill that does not erect a massive bureaucracy between the doctor and the patient.
The bottom line is that Americans have a right to be healthy and stay healthy. As I’ve done throughout my career, I will continue to push for better health care for all Americans.
Related Posts
- Senate Committee drives a stake through Public Option
- Arlen Specter: It’s Tough Being A Turncoat
- Reid: We don’t have the votes, but we are going with the public option anyway (UPDATED)
- House Dems signal public option will be dropped from final bill
- Pelosi backing off “public option,” but some House dems are not
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