Bill Clinton: Blame Me For Health Care

(AP)  Former President Clinton said Thursday that he is to blame for his administration's failed health care plan, not his wife, who spearheaded the effort.

Clinton was asked about the plan during a campaign event, where he spoke to about 600 people crowded into a YMCA gymnasium. The health care effort was led by then-first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, now a New York senator and candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination.

"She has taken the rap for some of the problems we had with health care the last time that were far more my fault than hers," the former president said.

He said part of the problem was a lack of money to finance the health care expansion. Money could be available this time to pay for expanded health care, such as the universal health care plan Hillary Clinton has proposed.

"This time, when you let the tax cuts for upper-income people expire, it'll create a pool of money that wasn't there last time," Bill Clinton said. "We told her she had to get to universal coverage and there would be no new money. She had to figure out how to do it."

Clinton added that his wife's plan faced opposition in Congress, in part, because they had an attitude of "just say no to Bill Clinton."

When asked by a reporter about the former president's comments, Sen. Barack Obama, a rival for the presidential nomination, said Hillary Clinton shouldn't tout her experience and then not take responsibility for the failures.

"If part of your basis for experience is the work you did on health care, then presumably when it didn't work out, that's part of the experience as well," Obama said during a brief stop outside a convenience store and gas station in Albia.

"We're focused on trying to deliver a message of the kind of president I would be and why I think I would be the best nominee for the Democratic Party," Obama said. "My understanding is that President Clinton is not on the ballot."

[trueprophet]

DR RON PAUL UNDERSTANDS HEALTH CARE
Dr. Ron Paul., an OB/GYN physician, has been the national leader in preserving our Health Freedom. He feels that Americans are justifiably concerned over the government''s escalating intervention into their freedom to choose what they eat and how they take care of their health. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in order to comply with standards dictated by supra-national organizations such as the UN''s World Food Code (CODEX), NAFTA, and CAFTA, has been assuming greater control over nutrients, vitamins and natural health care providers to restrict your right to choose the manner in which you manage your health and nutritional needs. He introduced the Health Freedom Protection Act, HR 2117, to ensure Americans can receive truthful health information about supplements and natural remedies. He supports the Access to Medical Treatment Act, H.R. 2717, which expands the ability of Americans to use alternative medicine and new treatments. He opposes legislation that increases the FDA''s legal powers. The FDA has consistently failed to protect the public from dangerous drugs, genetically modified foods, dangerous pesticides and other chemicals in the food supply. Meanwhile, they waste public funds attacking safe, healthy foods and dietary supplements. He also opposed the Homeland Security Bill, which, in section 304, authorizes the forced vaccination of American citizens. The government should never have that kind of power. Vote YES for Dr. No.

[trueprophet]

RON PAUL FIGHTS BIG PHARMA
People have gotten wise to the fact that vaccines are contaminated with DNA fragments, viruses, fungus, mercury, and a cocktail of other poisonous toxins. Fleets of reputable studies have been published globally detailing the wide swaths of destruction caused by vaccines, including autism. So, now the establishment is on the offensive, attempting to bully us into submission. Big Pharma is one of the biggest businesses in the world. It is among the top three purchasers of advertisement in print, TV and radio. Thay have major pull. President Bush recently vetoed a Bill which would have forced Big Pharma to remove mercury from vaccines. If that''s not bad enough, parts of the so-called Patriot Act contains provisions that essentialy removes the spectre of civil liability against Big Pharma with respect to vaccines. This was done under the quise of protecting Big Pharma in case they had to quickly develop a vaccine to combat some form of biological terrorism. No other candidate understands health issues as well as Ron Paul does. He not only supported the Bill which would have removed mercury from our vaccines, he voted against the Patriot Act as well. Dr. Paul., an OB/GYN physician, who has delivered over 4,000 babies, has been the national leader in preserving our Health Freedom. He feels that Americans are justifiably concerned over the government''s escalating intervention into our freedom to choose what we eat and how we take care of our health.

[rowdytexan2]

"Who was blocking him he was the president? Also if you remember their were several large attacks in his administration including an attempt to blow up the twin towers."

Yes, he was president, but he didn''t deem himself as king. And he needed support to go get him from home and abroad. And he didn''t get it from the CIA and FBI, nor the republican congress. So he had no basis to go to the UN and seek support.

And you can argue till the cows come home, but it won''t change the fact of where this country''s been taken under republican leadership. All the stones you want to throw at the Clintons won''t change that one whit. Not one thing in the last 15 years can you lay at anybody elses door.

[rowdytexan2]

So when it''s bad, Bill did it, and when it''s good the republicans did it.

Makes a lot of sense to me. Uh huh!

[alanrobisch]

Also, read up...Mr. Clinton had a plan to get Osama and Al Queda...somebody kept blocking his attempts to get the CIA and FBI to act so he could justify getting landing privileges to send a team in to get him. And, sir, he fought to get it until the end of his term. And he handed over the information to Mr. Bush who sat on it for 9 months and let it happen!

Who was blocking him he was the president? Also if you remember their were several large attacks in his administration including an attempt to blow up the twin towers.

[alanrobisch]

They cut programs down to bare bones. Hell, the IRS didn''''t even have enuff people to audit their *** business taxes, we lost control of our borders so business can hire illegals instead of citizens, we lost control of what''''s being imported, we''''ve lost jobs to outsourcing.

I would agree that we need enough people to audit tax returns and and feel hiring more would actually help raise revenues, but once again what you are blaming republicans for was done with bill''s approval so you can tar them both with that critique

[alanrobisch]

Unpopular to whom? And I''''ll check out your story about lost seats...I''''m not at all confident in your statistics.

I am very good at numbers. His popularity ratings were in the low 40''s during his first two yesrs in office. He got through a tax increase with the help of a local congresswomen. She was newly elected. She was defeated in the 1994. He was felt to be lacking in strength and many were disenchanted by his failure to pass a health care bill.

While I am patting the republicans on the back, Clinton you remember the president we were talking about had to approve them.

This included a welfare reform bill that restricted the length of time a person could be on public assistance unless unemployable and also restricted eligibility of legally admitted permanent resident aliens for public assistance which brought squeals of anger from the liberals but which actually prevented people from bringing their aged parents into the USA and get them on the dole immediately.

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by alanrobisch2 at 07:24 PM : Nov 11, 2007

Unpopular to whom? And I''ll check out your story about lost seats...I''m not at all confident in your statistics.

Also, read up...Mr. Clinton had a plan to get Osama and Al Queda...somebody kept blocking his attempts to get the CIA and FBI to act so he could justify getting landing privileges to send a team in to get him. And, sir, he fought to get it until the end of his term. And he handed over the information to Mr. Bush who sat on it for 9 months and let it happen!

So, if your republican led congress presented so many wonderful plans while they were in office, then give me some excuses why we''re in the shape we''re in right now? And yes the budget was balanced and we''d lost all ability to regulate big business in the process. They cut programs down to bare bones. Hell, the IRS didn''t even have enuff people to audit their *** business taxes, we lost control of our borders so business can hire illegals instead of citizens, we lost control of what''s being imported, we''ve lost jobs to outsourcing.

So just tell me, sir, what did the wonderful republicans do for the people of this country except give themselves the ability to steal from us?

No, I didn''t exempt or excuse what he did. I was very expressly stating my objection to it. The fact that I stepped on a few tender male toes while I did it, and said a few home truths offended you. Get over it!

[alanrobisch]

Again, if nothing I say applies to you, then be secure in that I''''m talking to those that it certainly applies to.


Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 04:31 PM : Nov 11, 2007

You used sexist stereotypes to justify behavior by him and excuse it. truth be he was a mediocre president who failed to nip in the bud the beginnings of terorism by al quaeda. He had no major accomplishments. He was lucky enough to be president during the dot.com bubble that brought huge revenues into the govt. He also was so unpopular at the beginning of his term in office that when the 2004 election came along the republicans used his face in their attack ads resulting in the takeover of congress by the republicans. they won 46 seats in the house that were previously held by democrats. It was Newt gingrich''s hubris that helped lead to his re-election as well as an exceptional good economy. And it was a combination of republican attempt to control spending, increased taxes and the strong economy that led to a balanced budget.

[speakinup]

Birds of a feather flock together. He''s a liar, she''s liar, their both a liar too !

I see CBS was real quick to jump on the planted question by Hillary.

And, just why shouldn''t Hillary get the blame, bill ?

She''s the one that said she was going to do the job!