New TV Ad: Why Do the GOP Want to ‘Slow Down’ Health Care Reform? Easier to Kill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: July 27, 2009
New TV Ad: Why Does the Republican Party of NO Want to ‘Slow Down' Health Care Reform? Easier to Kill It Dead in Its Tracks
Click Here to View ‘Snail'
Download a Broadcast Quality Version Here
Washington D.C. - As critical work continues in Congress this month to move forward the President's proposal for comprehensive, long-overdue health insurance reform, Americans United for Change launched a new television ad this week called ‘Snail' that exposes Congressional Republicans' real motives behind insisting that Congress ‘slow it down.' See script below for ‘Snail,' which is airing on cable in the Washington D.C. market this week.
Tom McMahon, Acting Executive Director, Americans United for Change: "Make no mistake: when Congressional Republicans belly ache that health care reform is moving too fast, it is nothing but a concerted effort to kill it dead in its tracks and perpetuate the status quo for another 15 years at the behest of the big insurance companies - just like they did in 1993. 15 more years of exploding premiums. 15 more years of big insurance companies denying millions of Americans coverage because of "pre-existing" conditions. And millions more Americans joining the ranks of the 47 million without any coverage at all. We understand Congressional Republicans' can afford to ‘slow down' reform for another 15 years with the best coverage that taxpayer money can provide -- but there's no shortage of Americans that can't afford to wait a minute longer. No wonder more and Americans view the Republican Party as the Party of NO."
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"Snail" | |
SCRIPT | FACTS |
| ANNCR: The Republicans claim the health insurance reform debate has been moving at lightning speed.
CG: 1993
| RNC Memo: "The Republican National Committee will engage in every activity we can to slow down this mad rush while promoting sensible alternatives that address health care costs and preserve quality.... The reckless speed with which they are attempting to jam through this experiment is a grave threat to America's health care, and America's health." [Huffington Post, 7/21/09] RNC Chairman Michael Steele: "The Barack Obama experiment with America is a risk our country cannot afford...It's too much, too fast, too soon." [Politico, 7/20/09]
Health Care Reform Went Down in Flames in 1993. "In 1993, we had a new president elected on a promise of providing access to high-quality affordable health care to all Americans. In 1994, that promise went down in flames." [Matt Yglesias, Thinkprogress.org, 7/19/09] |
| ANNCR: In fact for 15 years, it's hardly moved at all.
CG: 2001
| "By whatever name ("health care reform," "health system reform," "national health reform," etc.) an overhaul of our national system of providing and paying for health care, health services, and health products/devices is underway by the policymakers in Washington, D.C. Not since 1993-1994, during former President Clinton's first term in office, has there been such focus and commitment to this issue [health care reform]." [American College Health Association] |
| ANNCR: Meanwhile premiums have gone up 3 times faster than wages, health insurance profits have soared and 14,000 Americans lose their health insurance everyday.
CG: 2005
| Premiums Skyrockets, While Wages Barely Move. "Employer-sponsored health insurance premiums have nearly doubled since 2000, a rate three times faster than wages." [Department of Health and Human Services, June 2009] Health Care Profits Soar: "Profits at 10 of the country's largest publicly traded health insurance companies in 2007 rose 428 percent from 2000 to 2007, from $2.4 billion to $12.9 billion, according to U.S." [Health Care for America Now Report, 7/15/09] Thousands Losing Health Care Each Day. "...the Center for American Progress released a report estimating that, because of the spiraling unemployment in the United States, approximately 14,000 workers lost their health insurance every day in December and January." [Center for American Progress, February 2009] |
| ANNCR: Now the Republicans say Congress should slow down?
CG: 2009 |
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| ANNCR: That's because when something goes slow enough it's easy to kill it dead in its tracks.
Tell Congress you want health insurance reform NOW.
CG: Tell Congress you want health insurance reform NOW.
Call your representative at (202) 225-3121.
Paid for by Americans United for Change.
| Republican consultant Alex Castellanos Urges the GOP to Slow Down the Process to Defeat It. In a memo to Republicans, Castellanos writes, "If we slow this sausage-making process down, we can defeat it." [Roll Call, 7/13/09] Bill Kristol Urges Republicans to "Go for the Kill." "With Obamacare on the ropes, there will be a temptation for opponents to let up on their criticism, and to try to appear constructive, or at least responsible. There will be a tendency to want to let the Democrats' plans sink of their own weight, to emphasize that the critics have been pushing sound reform ideas all along and suggest it's not too late for a bipartisan compromise over the next couple of weeks or months. My advice, for what it's worth: Resist the temptation. This is no time to pull punches. Go for the kill." [Weekly Standard, 7/20/09]
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