Steele Calls Obama Health Plan "Socialism"

Republican Party Chairman Accuses Democrats of Conducting a "Risky Experiment"

(AP)  The chairman of the Republican Party on Monday called President Barack Obama's plan to overhaul health care "socialism," accusing the president of conducting a risky experiment that will hurt the economy and force millions to drop their current coverage.

Michael Steele, in remarks at the National Press Club, also said the president, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and key congressional committee chairmen are part of a "cabal" that wants to implement government-run health care.

"Obama-Pelosi want to start building a colossal, closed health care system where Washington decides. Republicans want and support an open health care system where patients and doctors make the decisions," Steele said.

Asked if Mr. Obama's health care plan represented socialism, Steele responded: "Yes. Next question."

Mr. Obama has repeatedly said he does not favor a government-run health care system. Legislation taking shape in the House envisions private insurance companies selling coverage in competition with the government.

Even so, numerous Republicans in Congress continue to level the accusation at Mr. Obama and congressional Democrats, and Steele did so in sharply critical terms.

"Many Democrats outside of the Obama-Pelosi-Reid-Waxman cabal know that voters won't stand for these kinds of foolish prescriptions for our health care. We do too. That's why Republicans will stop at nothing to remind voters about the risky experimentation going on in Washington," the party chairman said. Harry Reid, D-Nev., is Senate majority leader; Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., is chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Republican officials said they were supplementing Steele's speech with a round of television advertising designed to oppose government-run health care. The 30-second commercial, titled "Grand Experiment," criticizes recent government aid to the auto industry and banks as "the biggest spending spree in our history" and warns similarly of "a risky experiment with our health care."

The GOP ads show children who presumably would be burdened as adult taxpayers with the cost of the health care overhaul. The commercials are being broadcast in Nevada, home of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, as well Arkansas and North Dakota, states represented in the Senate by moderate Democrats. The ad is also being posted on the Internet, in coordination with a grass-roots campaign.

Separately, the insurance industry, which challenged President Bill Clinton's health care effort in the early 1990s, launched its first TV ads of this year's health care fight. The multimillion-dollar campaign, being aired nationally on cable stations, restates the industry's support for an overhaul that provides universal coverage and its offer to cover people who are already sick. The ad campaign does not mention the insurers' strong opposition to creating a government-run insurance option.

In his speech, Steele broadened his attack beyond health care to question Mr. Obama's truthfulness.

The president "tells us he doesn't want to spend more than we have, he doesn't want the deficit to go up, he doesn't want to live off borrowed money. But he also told us he didn't want to run an auto company. President Obama justifies this spending by saying the devil made him do it. He doesn't want to spend trillions we can't afford, but he says he just can't help it," Steele said in the prepared excerpts.

The Republican chairman is making his speech at a time when Mr. Obama is struggling to advance his trademark health care proposal after a period of evident progress. Two of three House committees have approved their portions of the bill, while one of two Senate panels have acted.

But conservative Democrats have raised objections to some elements of the legislation, and efforts in the Senate to reach a bipartisan agreement have yet to bear fruit. Mr. Obama's attempt to impose an early August deadline on both the House and Senate for passage of legislation is in jeopardy.

White House officials spent Sunday defending Mr. Obama's health care proposals and stressing that Congress has not yet written the final draft of legislation that would dramatically reshape how Americans receive health care. Instead, they said, Republicans - and even some Democrats - should wait until a final bill takes form.

Getting it done by August, though, appeared to be pushed back. Administration officials said they still have a goal for the Senate and the House to pass separate bills before an August recess, leaving reconciliation of their differences for September or later. But they slid away from a once-firm do-it-this-summer demand.

"We think we can make that. We're working towards that," White House budget director Peter Orszag said. "And we have to remember, there are some who are advocating the delay simply because they don't have anything to put on the table. ... There are those who are advocating delay just as a desperation move to try to kill this."

Time would appear to be on the Republicans' side, however. A Washington Post-ABC News survey released Monday shows approval of Obama's handling of health care reform slipping below 50 percent for the first time. The poll had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

[kayhatessocialism]

obama is the worst president america has ever seen! america home of the FREE and land of the BRAVE! free is the key word there free market economy freedom to chose which health care u want. everyone has choices if u are to lazy to get ur ass up and get a fulltime job well sucks for you. there are are ready plenty of lazy fat ***** who are on welfare which i am paying for. now im going to have my taxes raised so these ****** bums can sit in a doctors office for free heat in the winter. HELLO! doesnt anyone see the problem there. america wake up. we can't save everyone and if we try then all we are going to do is bring everyone down with the poor. sorry to say it but its the truth. we as americans decide where we end up in our lives its the land of opportunity(if your not white ofcourse)

[obamasucks666]

SEND THE COMMUNIST BACK TO KENYA, THE SHE DEVIL BACK TO HADES, AND PUT AMERICANS IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

[kayhatessocialism]

absolutely! how the hell did the american people vote a black muslim to be president when they are blowing our troops up. but we are the ignorant ones. yeah ****** right.

[kq_patriot]

A question for the blog, why haven?t I read just one thing about the issues behind this bill instead of simply bashing Steele? Steele is 100% RIGHT. Why is this on Obama?s schedule? Not a political move, I beg to differ. Do you not think this is an important enough issue of mass proportion for our country and is too important NOT to get right the first time! If Obama had it HIS way this health care bill would be passed already. He doesn?t care that anyone from BOTH houses and the American people haven?t had time to ?see? what is exactly inside this bill. Looks to me you blogging this are hiding behind the fact you don?t know the issues and resort to easy abuse. Whatever happened to Obama?s promise of transparany and inclusion in government and governing in Washington? Yes, it seems it?s out the window like so many of his other ?promises? he failed to keep, like taxes. If someone asked you to jump off a bridge would you do it? You out there wanted ?change?, well the only ?change? you will have in the end after Obama is through with this country is the small amount of ?change? in your pocket, if that. Big Obama-government means less choice, socialized state that stunts free enterprise and places the tax burden to pay for its programs on the head and shoulders of tax payers living today, and their grandchildren tomorrow.

[noloyalisti]

The poor dumb idiot Steele doesn't even know that we have socialism NOW. What does he think the Bush bank bailout was? Or the corporate welfare we have given major corporations for years so they can offshore the jobs to Asia and their hide their profits in the Caymans?

[noloyalisti]

This country is a lot more like Cuba than many people will admit. I believe their health care system is rated right about what ours is. There are large amounts of poor people in both countries. I think America wins out on the large number of corporation loving self hating right wingers.

[kayhatessocialism]

i guess im a winner

[HGOODGUY]

MAYBE SOMEDAY MICHAEL STEELE WILL REALIZE TAT TE REPUBLICAN PARTYT IS USING HIM AS AN "UNCLE TOM" FRONTMAN SO THEY CAN SAY "LOOK-WE'VE GOT ONE TOO"
I BELIVE THAT THEIR REAL THOUGHTS ARE THAT "BLACK PEOPLE ARE GREAT--EVERYONE SHOULD OWN ONE!!!!"

GET SMART MR STEELE--THE ONLY ONES THAT STAND FOR, AND HAVE ALWAYS STOOD FOR,HUMAN RIGTS ARE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

WHAT DID THE REPUBLICANS EVER DO FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING--EMMETT TILL--MEDGER EVERS OR ANY OTHER BLACK PERSON????

[noloyalisti]

I am SOOOOO tired of these Republican obstructionists. They could care less about the American people.

Let's see France spends 10th most and has the best health care system. Canada spends 18th most and has the 30th best system. The US? Spends the most and has the 37th best system. Oh no, Socialism. Idiots!

[noloyalisti]

Oh no, socialism. The S word for the frightened, greedy, white wing Republicons. Oh no, the Russians are coming, the Russians are coming.

[noloyalisti]

Yeah, let's just keep it the McSame, Steele jerk. Keep the rich, greedy corporate CEOs standing between you and quality health care. Smart.

[debinok1]

First, the Government needs to put regulations on Insurance companies, like they cannot deny coverage for pre-existing conditions, cannot drop coverage when someone gets sick, and a cap on the price of coverage. Then there needs to be a cap on what pharma can charge for meds. Next the hospitals need a list of SET prices for procedures and hospital stays. If they would only put these regulations in place BEFORE they do anything else, then chances are, that most people that want coverage could get it and those that don't want it could still afford their medical expenses. If at that point insurance is still out of the price range for lower and middle income families then a fund can be set up to assist them.

[DrRobertO]

It's not socialism in Karl Marx's sense--but it is part of a welfare state, such as most European countries have. Social Security, Medicare, Medi-Cal, food stamps and a number of other 'entitlements' are in the same boat. Which shall we eliminate? But whatever we keep we had better tax for. If we tax the users, particularly those with large families, that the world doesn't need, a value added tax on food, goods and services (as in Europe) is called for. If we want more large families for the soldiers they provide to defend the property of the rich--then we should tax the rich.

[fer60us]

And do you know anything about history? Or geopraphy? Do you know that this system is working on so many other countries first and third world ones; their statistics are much better than ours in average and cost 10 times less; why should anybody profit with my health?

[fer60us]

LOL oh DaVicrap, this is really funny, is not placenta you moron, is placebo!!

But you Neocons use the word "socialism" as boogey-man figure; no one should profit with our health!! That's why universal health care is goint to be a reality. Kiss goodbye your profits from my medical bills.

[fer60us]

Finally DaVicrap, one that we agree on. Greed is the cause of at least the melt down we are going through, but only Capitalism gives the opportunity for this to happen, mostly with the premise of free market. Why health care shouldn't be socialized and avoid companies or individuals to profit (and get greedy) with our health? We won't be the first first wold country to do so and I bet we won't be the last. Even third wold countries have this and I don't see their statistics worse than ours but we pay 10 times more; most of which goes to the pockets of intermediaries.

[fer60us]

Ah DaVicrap, another one of your ... well crappy comments. Again, you show your stupidity when you don't have arguments to argue a good question.

[fer60us]

Hey DaVicrap, I guess you got mum with these arguments, didn't you? I guess your brains don't go that far, do they? LOL

[fer60us]

This sounded more like a BJ from speakinut to DaVicrap!! But what could you expect from Neocons looking for partnerts at airport's bathrooms.

[fer60us]

No DaVicrap is called be a leach and suck everything you can from your neighbor then when anybody theatens to avoid that and make the field even to everybody call it socialism, the boogey man of the 60's and 70's. I doubt it's going to work now and you can kiss goodbye to the health care coming from a good job; soon eveybody is going to be entitled to the same health care not matter if they landed an average job or a good one.

Say also good bye to any earnings you may be getting from my medical bills payment; let's see you leach where you get the money to keep you good private health care while we the socialist enjoy universal health care.

[fer60us]

That's the whole point you DaVicap, while should somebody profit with my illnesses? Why should somebody profit with my medical bills? You may call universal health care socialism like using boogy man to make people fear but the elite should be kissing profiting from our health good bye. If you are not part of that elite then you can keep sending them your check, I guess they are not going to argee with stupidity.

[fer60us]

And why is that bad for me DaVicat? I don't want companies profitting with my health; get over it, you 3% elitist are going to lose this one and the rest of us is getting affordable healt care. You are not going to get proffits from my medical bills.