congressman declares
public option “too good”

Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), newly appointed as ranking minority member of the House Education and Labor Committee, is giving Rep. Michelle Bachmann a run-for-her-money as the looniest representative from the land of 10,000 lakes.

Interviewed on Minnesota Public Radio, Kline says as far as he’s concerned, a  health reform bill with a public option is a no-go. His reasoning is that it would be … too successful.

Private plan too good

“Because it is cheaper and designed to save money, (a) government run program has some clear advantages,” Kline says, adding that he fears that it could drive private insurance companies out of business and lead to an eventual single payer plan.

Kline prefers tax dollars forever?

Kline further complains that the public plan might be subsidized for three years while it gets up-and-running – but in the same breath strongly endorses the government giving money to low income families so they can purchase insurance … presumably forever?

So … he doesn’t want to give working people access to less expensive health insurance so they have to keep buying from private insurance companies. And he wants to keep poor people on the dole presumably forever so they can purchase insurance from … private health insurance companies.

Is there a disturbing pattern emerging here?

Check this Congressman’s bank account

Looking at the last election cycle, Kline received more than $100,000 for his campaign and his Leadership PAC from insurance interests, pharmaceutical companies and health professionals.

By the way, these Leadership PACs can be a mechanism to shift industry money around to fellow partisans while obscuring the source. Heads of Leadership PACs can also use them to ensure loyalty from their peers while climbing the leadership ladder. Or for votes.

How much funding does your Representative or Senator receive from anti-health care reform interests? You can began your investigation at opensecrets.org. Remember, it may be difficult to determine as money shifts and slips and slides through various Leadership PACs and similar mechanisms.

We thought our elected officials represented people – not corporations – but we could be wrong.

Tags: 400224, 412216, Congress, health reform, public plan

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