Although Democrat majorities in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have muscled through congressional approval of disastrous trillion-dollar-plus socialized medicine ObamaCare legislation, the American people need to be aware of sound warnings from some of our outstanding political leaders. Here are a few samples:
Rep. Zach Wamp, a Chattanooga Republican congressman and candidate for governor, said: “As a Tennessean, I’m gravely concerned about what this will do to our state. It will force hundreds of thousands of people onto TennCare, our state’s Medicaid program. It is a multi-billion-dollar mandate on Tennessee and we do not have the money to pay for it.
“We will not raise taxes. We will not have a state income tax and we will not go into debt because of this mandate. That’s why Tennessee’s Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen has called it the ‘mother of all unfunded mandates.’ “
Sen. Lamar Alexander, a Tennessee Republican, declared: “This is an historic mistake. And unlike Social Security, Medicare and civil rights legislation, the only thing bipartisan about it is the opposition to it.
“The mistake is to expand a health care delivery system that is already too expensive instead of reducing its cost so more Americans can afford health insurance.
“This taxes jobs creation in the middle of a recession. It means Medicare cuts and premium increases for millions of Americans. When you include the cost of paying doctors who serve Medicare patients, it will increase the national debt.
“It will force governors to cut higher education funding, and raise taxes and tuition to pay for new Medicaid costs.
“In Tennessee, the governor says the cost will be $1.1 billion or more over five years.”
Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, said the plan approved in Congress is a “huge unfunded mandate.” With his term of office expiring before full ObamaCare effects will hit the people of Tennessee and the nation as a whole, Gov. Bredesen said “it’s going to take us a decade to really work our way out of the hole we’re in.”
Chuck Fleischman, a Tennessee Republican candidate for Congress for the 3rd District, said: “Under the cover of darkness, the liberal leadership in Washington has decided that government should be responsible for one-sixth of our economy. They are now in charge of mortgages, the auto industry, student loans, and health care. Enough is enough. In a little over a year we have seen the Obama Administration grow the size of the government in unimaginable ways.
“Gov. Bredesen told us several months ago that the Senate Health Care Bill would add $1 billion in costs to TennCare over five years. Now TennCare officials estimate that another $200 million will be added by virtue of the House changes that will now add physician reimbursement fees, bringing the latest estimate of total cost to about $1.5 billion.”
Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, a Republican candidate for governor of Tennessee, said: “The health care legislation … is a disaster for Tennessee citizens and our constitutional requirement to maintain a balanced budget.
“It will raise taxes on Tennessee citizens while stripping away the right to control one’s own medical decisions. …
“I am calling on Attorney General (Robert F.) Cooper to join the 11 state attorneys general already planning to challenge the constitutionality of this bill.
“Individual states must challenge this legislation immediately to halt its implementation. … Washington has forced this problem on us. It is now up to our state leaders to stop this unfunded mandate from breaking state budgets across the country.”
Robin Smith, a Republican candidate for Congress for the 3rd District of Tennessee, said: “Few Americans would ever believe their government would take action to seize one-sixth of our nation’s economy, let alone do so by cutting backroom deals with money directed into districts as payoffs for votes. In corporate America, it would be called bribery and extortion. In Washington, it’s called business as usual for the Pelosi-led Congress. …
“Until (U.S. House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi is gone, this out-of-touch and arrogant Congress will continue to trample the liberties we hold dear.”
Tim Gobble, a Republican candidate for Congress for the 3rd District of Tennessee, said: “This bill will severely compound our out-of-control debt. I’ve always said that raising taxes cannot cover this problem; instead we must reduce spending. Our national debt is the most significant issue of our time because it impacts everything from economic growth to national security.”
U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., said: “The American people have spoken out against this health care bill and it’s unfortunate that the president and Democrats have chosen to ignore their concerns and force passage.
“Cuts in Medicare, tax increases and special deals do not represent meaningful reform. This bill is a political victory that will only make health care more expensive.”
But the Democrat majorities in both houses of Congress and President Barack Obama have spoken — and prevailed. They are threatening disastrous financial and medical effects yet to come.
What will American voters do?