[StBernard] What They Are Saying: About Obama Cabinet Secretaries Health Care Townhall

[Westley Annis]

What They Are Saying
About Obama Cabinet Secretaries 
Health Care Townhall



Townhall Participant:  “Please carry a message to Mr. Obama that it will be a cold day in hell before he socializes my county.” (Michael Kunzelman, “Cabinet members tout Obama’s health care plans,” Associated Press, 7/20/09, Link <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=d17608545b&e=e293a5ac38> , Video <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=944088f2c1&e=e293a5ac38> )

Alton Landry, LaPlace: “Our government, to be quite candid, has not done a very superb job of operating Medicare, Social Security, and other similar type programs.  So what reason do we have to believe that they’ll do a better job operating a government operated health care plan.” (WVUE’s “Fox 8 News at 5,” 7/20/09, Video <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=c003aef0c1&e=e293a5ac38> )

Emile Hotard, Retired Navy Veteran: “I see people from Canada every year when I go to Florida, and they're not too sure that the health care they have is good. So why will ours in the United States be better?” (Michael Kunzelman, “Cabinet members tout Obama’s health care plans,” Associated Press, 7/20/09, Link <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=a3818590a2&e=e293a5ac38> )

Townhall Participant: Can we, the American people, have a reasonable time of about 5 to 7 days, to read the President’s health care plan before it is voted on? (Applause) (WGNO’s “ABC 26 News,” 7/20/09)

Sarah Chacko, The Advocate: “[R]esidents who spoke at a forum here said they were concerned about the misuse of government money, unequal coverage and the lack of health care resources.” (Sarah Chacko, “Obama’s health plan criticized in La meeting,” The Baton Rouge Advocate, 7/20/09, Link <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=838d93bf1a&e=e293a5ac38> )

•    Chacko:  “While the crowd of about 400 clapped for almost all questions and answers, criticisms of the Obama administration’s plan received louder applause.” (Sarah Chacko, “Obama’s health plan criticized in La meeting,” The Baton Rouge Advocate, 7/20/09, Link <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=2a32b6d382&e=e293a5ac38> )

•    Chacko: “Before the meeting, several people stood outside the meeting with signs that said ‘Abortion is not health care.’” (Sarah Chacko, “Obama’s health plan criticized in La meeting,” The Baton Rouge Advocate, 7/20/09, Link <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=858894fcc4&e=e293a5ac38> )

Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press:  “Skeptical audience members at Monday's forum in Reserve peppered the cabinet members with questions and critical remarks about health care legislation working its way through Congress.” (Michael Kunzelman, “Cabinet members tout Obama’s health care plans,” Associated Press, 7/20/09, Link <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=9651e812bd&e=e293a5ac38> )

•    Kunzelman:  “Some of the audience members in Reserve wore T-shirts that read, ‘Hands Off My Health Care,’ and the loudest cheers were reserved for people who criticized the Obama administration's health care plans.” (Michael Kunzelman, “Cabinet members tout Obama’s health care plans,” Associated Press, 7/20/09, Link <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=13a130e08d&e=e293a5ac38> )

Sandra Barbier, Times-Picayune: “A good part of the audience appeared critical of government efforts to reform health care, labeling it socialized medicine.” (Sandra Barbier, “Cabinet members hear rural health, economic concerns,” New Orleans Times-Picayune, 7/20/09, Link <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=82fc8bae1c&e=e293a5ac38> )

•    Barbier: About a dozen protesters at the front of the new center on Airline Highway objected to government-financed abortions. (Sandra Barbier, “Cabinet members hear rural health, economic concerns,” New Orleans Times-Picayune, 7/20/09, Link <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=940b6cf22f&e=e293a5ac38> )

Nancy Parker, WVUE: “Skeptical members of the standing room only crowd in St. John Parish fired questions at the panel - most were afraid the Obama Administration’s health care overhaul would negatively affect them.” (WVUE’s “Fox 8 News at 5,” 7/20/09)

Maya Rodriquez, WWL: “Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sibelius faced a skeptical crowd of several hundred people as she presented the case of healthcare reform.” (WWL’s “Eyewitness News,” 7/20/09)

Curt Sprang, WGNO: Four sitting members of a president’s cabinet in town for a health care forum although some maybe nursing wounds from verbal attacks. (WGNO’s “ABC 26 News,” 7/20/09)

Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA): It’s very important to understand rural care and to understand that we have a large population of Americans living in rural communities that currently are having trouble getting access to health care… I have deep concerns about the House bill that has come through… This bill doesn’t do enough to address some serious concerns in health care in rural America… Currently there really isn’t anything substantive that addresses rural healthcare in the bill and that’s a problem. (Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA), Press Conference Call On President Obama Officials’ “Rural Tour” In Louisiana, 7/20/09, Link <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=82d4272437&e=e293a5ac38> , Audio <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=3d68fc6339&e=e293a5ac38> )

Gov. Bobby Jindal: I know a little something about health care policy, and I can tell you exactly the game that is currently afoot. If the House Democrats’ plan were to become law, the president’s statement that “if you like your health care now, you can keep it” will not be true. This is not an opinion, this is a fact. (Governor Bobby Jindal, “'A trillion here, a trillion there',” Politico, 7/20/09, Link <http://lagop.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=81f80dfae08a15f3629eabdeb&id=b9a0f2fcac&e=e293a5ac38> )

Senator David Vitter (R-LA): “The plan doesn't seem to control costs at all.  It just seems to mushroom costs as the public sector and healthcare expands and how do you pay for it?” (WWL’s “Eyewitness News,” 7/20/09)

Rep. Steve Scalise, (R-LA): “The American people don't like the idea of government running their health care system. Government can't run car companies, shouldn't be running car companies or banks yet they are doing that and not doing a good job of it. I don't think we want government to run their health care system.” (WWL’s “Eyewitness News,” 7/20/09)