Video: Pawlenty accuses Obama of “scamming” people on health care
posted at 12:58 pm on July 24, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Consider this Tim Pawlenty’s entree into the 2012 sweepstakes. Freed of having to walk a fine line in Minnesota, Pawlenty has aggressively attacked not just Barack Obama’s health-care plan, but also the Massachusetts plan installed during Mitt Romney’s tenure as governor. Pawlenty notes that costs have tripled in Massachusetts, but saves the big guns for Obama:
“This whole health care proposal by president Obama is really quite a joke on a number of levels,” Pawlenty told Neil Cavuto. “I think he is scamming the American people. Even if you believe that it is only going to tax people over $1 million, what is known to happen is that is only going to cover about 25% of the total cost. the rest will be paid for by saving waste, fraud, and abuse. If you believe that, then I’ve got some January tee time in northern Minnesota.” …
He also took a shot at the Massachusetts model.
“The cost of that thing has nearly tripled in just 36 months and they’re looking for an additional federal bailout,” he said. “It has not been successful in containing costs.”
Minnesotans know that Pawlenty has some toughness hiding behind that Sam’s Club Republican persona. He’d be a dark horse for 2012, but don’t count him out, especially if he continues to hit Obama hard.
Update: Rick Perry goes 10th Amendment on ObamaCare (via the comments):
Gov. Rick Perry, raising the specter of a showdown with the Obama administration, suggested Thursday that he would consider invoking states’ rights protections under the 10th Amendment to resist the president’s healthcare plan, which he said would be “disastrous” for Texas.
Interviewed by conservative talk show host Mark Davis of Dallas’ WBAP/820 AM, Perry said his first hope is that Congress will defeat the plan, which both Perry and Davis described as “Obama Care.” But should it pass, Perry predicted that Texas and a “number” of states might resist the federal health mandate.
“I think you’ll hear states and governors standing up and saying ‘no’ to this type of encroachment on the states with their healthcare,” Perry said. “So my hope is that we never have to have that stand-up. But I’m certainly willing and ready for the fight if this administration continues to try to force their very expansive government philosophy down our collective throats.”
That sounds like it would be a fascinating political story, if it gets that far. I’m hoping that we can stop ObamaCare from happening first.
Blowback
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eh, maybe I’m being a little pessemistic today.
Texas74 on July 24, 2009 at 2:39 PM
Minnesotans don’t know squat about any politician. I’d trust Californians more regarding politicians and Californians are total morons.
Jeff from WI on July 24, 2009 at 2:40 PM
Watch your back Mr. Pawlenty.
Senator Al Franken may try to hit you in the face with a pie
after he’s done watching an old episode of Perry Mason.
elderberry on July 24, 2009 at 2:47 PM
As a proud Texan, I would love to see the juxtaposition between the care the federal government provides and the care Texas provides–if such a thing were to occur.
thedudesblog on July 24, 2009 at 2:48 PM
Didn’t Pawlenty use to be an advocate for Cap & Tax?
Sorry, just can’t get excited about this guy. Too Barry Manilow w/o the charisma. Not to mention questionable conservative creds.
Norwegian on July 24, 2009 at 2:49 PM
Pawlenty is one of the good guys.
el gordo on July 24, 2009 at 3:22 PM
Wasn’t part of the reason Gov. Perry turned down the ‘welfare’ from Obama because he didn’t feel it was fair for all citizens to pay for it? A loan must be paid back. I respect that. OTOH, I’ve bashed Perry for his flipflopping on keeping the Mexican border secure. Not even close to what I’ve said about Cornyn and Kay Baily though.
Don’t know much about Pawlenty, so you’re critique helps.
24K lady on July 24, 2009 at 3:37 PM
Considering the mess he presides over in Minnesota I think Pawlenty is DOA. (Although I admit that has a lot more to do with the dregs of humanity who vote for feather boa wearing professional wrestelers, islamist pricks and Stewart Smalley.)
Boxy_Brown on July 24, 2009 at 3:50 PM
Pawlenty is still a high priest in Al Gore’s global warming religion. Tim was so afraid that the feds might not act or not act fast enough, he was championing his own regional Cap & Trade (Ration & Tax) energy plan.
I can’t support or vote for Pawlenty until he loudly repudiates his Governor Green Jeans stances and then actually does something to prove he’s not just whispering sweet nothings in conservatives ears.
RJL on July 24, 2009 at 4:39 PM
If Obama taxes people with million dollar yearly incomes at 100% there is no way that will be enough to pay health care for 47 million people.
Obama’s government health care is going to be a huge tax on the middle class.
RJL on July 24, 2009 at 4:44 PM
That’s what I thought….
Pawlenty is not the one
Norwegian on July 24, 2009 at 4:51 PM
“Minnesotans know that Pawlenty has some toughness hiding behind that Sam’s Club Republican persona. He’d be a dark horse for 2012, but don’t count him out, especially if he continues to hit Obama hard.”
‘Minnesota toughness?’ Like the kind that led the Vikings to all those Super Bowl victories?
Kidding aside, Minnesota Nice is not going to work against Chicago Thugs.
Lou Budvis on July 24, 2009 at 5:02 PM
How is that no one can understand that the veto-proof MA legislature wanted to pass state run universal coverage?
Romney care was not sold as a cost saving measure to what already existed. It was a universal coverage alternative that avoided state run care. He deserves an award for reigning in the legislature, not criticism that the plan didn’t save money (duh!)
Resolute on July 24, 2009 at 5:24 PM
You’ve got it backwards. The point that was made is that the blue pill is cheaper… thus, it’s cheaper to go on with the fantasy (and stay in the Matrix) than it is to learn the truth (by taking the more-expensive red pill) and have to actually deal with it.
VekTor on July 24, 2009 at 5:34 PM
Thanks for the slam, Jeff from WI. There are plenty of us hard core conservatives here in MN. Not one of us voted for any of the liberal freaks that “represent” us in D.C.
Besides, you may want to take a look at the liberal freaks good ol’ cheeseheads have sent East.
13Girl on July 24, 2009 at 7:11 PM
This guy governs a state that elected Jesse Ventura and Al “The Clown” Franken. How could you take him seriously?
Dr Bob on July 24, 2009 at 7:13 PM
Actually, I think it is long past time for the States to stand up for their rights. For far too long the federal government has treated the States as little more than administrative districts. They are not, and it is time to let the federal body know it.
A serious challenge to the extension of federal power will stop Obama in his tracks; this would be nothing that he has any clue of how to deal with it. One assertion of State’s rights on this would lead to others. How else to curb the ever-encroaching federal reach? This is not secessionist; this is the living, breathing Constitution. The federal government has no existence outside of that document.
Yessh.
ss396 on July 24, 2009 at 10:35 PM
Again, I say, the trouble with all of this is that Congress has no business regulating health care under Article I. The Tenth Amendment is more or less a broad restatement of the limitations set forth in the constitutional text as originally ratified–its passage more a testament to worries that the Bill of Rights might encourage the feds to encroach more.
What we really need to do is start impeaching SCOTUS members who are constitutionally illiterate, because they obviously can’t uphold the constitution if they can’t read it.
cackcon on July 25, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Romney smiling ear to ear surrounded by equally pleased Mass. Democrats as he signed RomneyCare into law would start to explain your/our confusion. Very recently I read of Romney stating that RomneyCare is what he’s most proud of doing as Governor is another piece to that puzzle.
RJL on July 25, 2009 at 4:31 PM
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