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DCCC: TRICK OR TREAT - Representative Latham: Where’s your health reform bill?
10/30/2009



It’s been more than four months since the House Republican leadership broke their promise to release a health reform alternative, and Representative Tom Latham has yet to offer a meaningful alternative. Acknowledging the fact that House Republicans have no actual solutions, in what can only be described as a Halloween trick, today the Republican Party of ‘No Health Reform’ circulated a memo on how to kill health insurance reform without “making the Republican Party look bad.”

“As a Member of Congress who doesn’t have to worry about the taxpayer-funded health insurance for themselves or their family, it’s easy for Representative Latham to just say ‘no’ to health insurance reform and play tricks on his constituents while continuing to put big health insurance companies first,” said Ryan Rudominer, spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “But, the people of Representative Latham’s District deserve more than his offering how-to guides for killing health insurance reform ‘without making the Republican Party look bad,’ they deserve actual solutions to spiraling health insurance costs.”

Background

* On Oct 30: Politico reports, “GOP strategist Frank Luntz briefed Republican lawmakers this week ‘on his new plan for undermining Democrats' health-reform without making the GOP look bad.’” [Politico, 10/30/2009]

* On Oct 27: The Hill reported, “Some House Republicans are growing frustrated that their leaders have not yet introduced a healthcare reform alternative. For months, the message from House GOP leaders on a healthcare bill has been similar to ads for yet-to-be-released movies: Coming soon.” [The Hill, 10/27/2009]

* On July 23: House Minority Leader John Boehner said there is a Republican health care bill but refused to say whether it will ever be released. [The Washington Post’s Plum Line, 7/23/09]

* On June 17: Congressman Roy Blunt, the man charged by Minority Leader Boehner with coming up with the Republicans’ alternative health care bill, stated, “I guarantee you we will provide you with a bill.” – Congressman Roy Blunt, the man charged by Minority Leader Boehner with the Republicans’ alternative health reform bill [Politico, 6/17/09]

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