McConnell: Health Plan 'Not Good' for US

Republican leader says nation already has quality care

By Wesley Oliver, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 19, 2009 11:16 AM CDT

(Newser) – The fight over health care got even testier today when Mitch McConnell said Republicans wouldn’t support President Obama’s reform plan. “It’s not good for the country,” the Senate minority leader told Meet the Press. “We have quality health care now. We do not have a quality problem.” Elsewhere on the Sunday dial:

Trying to allay concerns on State of the Union and Fox News Sunday, Obama budget guru Peter Orszag vowed the health bill wouldn’t add to the nation’s ballooning deficit. Orszag, who also said the economy is starting to improve, called charges that Obama’s plan would lead to health care rationing “the biggest canard.”
On Fox News Sunday, Judd Gregg challenged Orszag’s assessment, calling the Congressional Budget Office’s critical analysis of the Obama plan “pretty damning.”
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Meet the Press defended the proposed tax on the wealthy to pay for the reform as “legitimate.”

[Images (3)]

[Videos (2)]

Peter Orszag, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, says President Obama's health care plan will be deficit neutral. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., gestures during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, May 25, 2007. (AP Photo/Dennis Cook)

In this photo provided by ABC News, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., appears for an interview with George Stephanopolous on ABC's This Week, in Washington, Sunday, May 20, 2007. (AP Photo/ABC News, Lauren Victoria Burke)

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Sen. Mitch McConnell tells NBC's "Meet the Press" President Obama's health care reform plan is too drastic. (msnbc)

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius talks about how President Obama plans to pay for health care reform. (msnbc)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 11 comments

deaneusaf

Jul 21, 2009 2:33 AM CDT

McConnell is a jerk. Of course he thinks changing health care is not good for US--he must be afraid he will lose his FREE health care as a member of Congress. He needs to go back to KY and stay there.

Newser001

Jul 20, 2009 4:37 AM CDT

And he gets that government healthcare for life - no strings attached.

JonmarkP

Jul 19, 2009 8:26 AM CDT

Someone on McConnell's staff-please tell him that the word "quality" is a noun, and requires a modifier. We have "high quality healthcare" or "poor quality healthcare." Think of a similar word, integrity. "Senator McConnell says the US already has integrity health care." Jesus, he's a US Senator; this is basic fuckin' English!

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McConnell: Health Plan 'Not Good' for US