Missouri Democratic Party

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QUESTION FOR BLUNT: WOULD YOU GET RID OF MEDICARE IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE? Filed on August 18, 2009

For Immediate Release: August 6, 2009

Contact: Ryan Hobart (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125

QUESTION FOR BLUNT: WOULD YOU GET RID OF MEDICARE IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE?

In the Halls for Congress, He supports Medicare; On the Airwaves, Sings a Different Tune.

Jefferson City, Mo – Representative Blunt is speaking about health care this afternoon at the Springfield Chamber of Commerce. It should be interesting to hear what he has to say. Over the past few weeks, Rep. Blunt has been trashing government involvement in health care and the Medicare program in particular.

However, when he was presented with an amendment to end the Medicare program last Thursday in the U.S. House committee on Energy and Commerce, he voted with all the other members to keep the program. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTh-Yu9RfF0)

This is surprising because during the past few weeks, Congressman Blunt has been caught bashing Medicare:

“We've had Medicare since 1965 but, Medicare has never done anything to make people more healthy.” ( View YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3ah8oViQWA)

"You could certainly argue that government should have never gotten into the health care business, and that might have been the best argument of all to figure out how people could have had more access to the competitive marketplace," Blunt said. "The government did get into the health care business in a big way in 1965 with Medicare and later with Medicaid. And government already distorts the marketplace" [The Hill 07/10/09] http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2009/07/10/blunt-suggests-medicare-medicaid-were-mistakes/

The Missouri Democratic Party isn’t buying Rep. Blunt’s attempt at having it both ways:

“This is a perfect example of hypocrisy and Washington double-speak from Congressman Roy Blunt. On a conservative talk radio show he said maybe Medicare should have never been created, but he would not go on the record with a vote to end the program in the halls of Congress,” said Missouri Democratic Party Executive Director Brian Zuzenak. “As one of the designated Republican leaders on health care, it is important for Missourians to know where he really stands. To this point, the negative comments about Medicare are the only detailed ideas we have heard from Congressman Blunt. This is not the kind of leadership people want from a member of Congress or a United States Senator.”

Additionally, a recent Joplin Globe article pointed out that Blunt has received more money from the insurance, health care and pharmaceutical industries than any other member of Congress in Missouri, Kansas or Oklahoma. In fact, over the course of his career, he has taken over $2 million from health and insurance industry special interests. (http://www.joplinglobe.com/joplin_metro/local_story_217165454.html?start:int=0)

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