TPMDC
Steele: Public Option Is Socialist
Eric Kleefeld | September 9, 2009, 9:59AM
Share
Send to a friend!
Michael Steele appeared this morning on CBS, and was asked by host Harry Smith whether he believes the public option is socialist. "Yes I do," he said. "And quite frankly I think a lot more people believing (sic) that there's more to this than meets the eye."
Steele explained: "And the reality of it is, you know, I just don't understand this idea that somehow people think that the federal government can enter into a marketplace and compete with private industry. That goes counter to everything that we know about how markets work and the role that the government plays in those markets."
Harry Smith asked Steele if he thinks that the public option is socialism, then what is Medicare? "Medicare is a government-run program that is not doing that well," Steele said, also adding: "how often do we have to do another reset on Medicare because it's in default or running out of money?"
Smith then asked about how people say they don't want the public option, but don't mess with my Medicare. Steele responded: "Yeah, I know that, and that's now a party of the system here"
Note that Steele continues to criticize Medicare for being a financial burden, without getting into a problem he's been confronted with before -- that Medicare's current problems come from the Republicans, who passed the very expensive Medicare prescription drug benefit in 2003, without raising any taxes or cutting other spending in order to pay for it.
Other Stories Featured at TPMDC
Join the Conversation!
Leave a comment
Follow us!
PollTracker
Most Popular
- How Clemmons Went From Prisoner To Alleged Cop Killer -- And Why It Matters For Mike Huckabee
- Another Huckabee Pardon
- Why Are Dem Voters Now Less Motivated Than Republicans?
- CBO: Health Care Reform Will Lower Out-Of-Pocket Burden For Most Consumers
- Bachmann: Just Over A Year Ago, The Private Economy Was 100% Private
- Rep. Hinchey: Bush Purposely Let Bin Laden Escape To Justify Iraq War
- Radio Host Bill Press: Glenn Beck Is A 'Ticking Time Bomb' Who Will 'Explode In The Face Of Roger Ailes'
- Family Guy Mocks Chris Matthews' Inflated Ego
- Latest High-Flying Accused Ponzi Schemer Has Ties To Indiana Guv
- Limbaugh: Obama Is 'Wimpy Little Man-Child'
- Obama Issues New Orders On Afghanistan
- Why Are Dem Voters Now Less Motivated Than Republicans?
- Dems Add Entitlement Reform To Packed Agenda Ahead of 2010 Elections
- Huckabee Cites System's 'Failures' In Response To Washington Police Killings
- Gibbs: Social Office Not Problem With Dinner Crashers
- How Clemmons Went From Prisoner To Alleged Cop Killer -- And Why It Matters For Mike Huckabee
- Rep. Hinchey: Bush Purposely Let Bin Laden Escape To Justify Iraq War
- Bachmann: Just Over A Year Ago, The Private Economy Was 100% Private
- Radio Host Bill Press: Glenn Beck Is A 'Ticking Time Bomb' Who Will 'Explode In The Face Of Roger Ailes'
- Why Have We Subjugated Ourselves?
- Why Have We Subjugated Ourselves?
- Obstructionism Trumps Transparency
- Progressives (and Obama) are Doing Better Than We Think -- and We Won't Know What We've Got 'Til It's Gone
- Jeff Goldberg Faults Obama For Suggesting Settlement Expansion Leads To Violence
- A Dime In My Pocket
- Great Moments in CNN Journalism
- Return to Sender: Feigning Indifference & Losing My Religion
- The Pivot
- Basic Investment Advice
- Authoritarianism and Polarization in American Politics
TPM Stories Now Surging on Digg.com
TPM Top News
© 2009 TPM Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
JohnAH
September 9, 2009 10:24 AM
Please media do what Rachel Maddow did with Dick Armey on MTP, extend the thought for the GOP that if they think the Public Option is socialist and therefore should be defeated, then Medicare is definitely socialist and should be canceled immediately! The GOP is trying to have it both ways on Medicare in this debate and they will succeed if it isn't pointed out clearly that you can be pro-medicare (which they obviously are not) and anti-public option at the same time based on an argument of socialism. It just has absolutely no logic at all what so ever and shows them to be the BS artists that they are.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Moose49
September 9, 2009 10:28 AM
Yet another lie from our "liberal" media. Polling shows that people do want a public option, that people on Medicare like it, and that people in the VA health system (the only truly socialist health care the U.S. provides) like it, too.
Guess we're all closet socialists and don't even know it.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
afisher
September 9, 2009 10:46 AM
What STEELE fails to say is that the current Health Insurance Model does not work...and no amount of nibbling at the corners or asking Private Insurance to reform is going to "fix it".
Reminder of a year ago, when the Big Banks were too big to fail and the market could take care of itself...how well did that work our for the average citizen?
The GOP should be called out for attempting to persuade the public that Private Insurance will self regulate and be better for the consumer...as it is only good for Private Insurance companies.
To say that it is "socialism" to force companies to compete, what have these private companies done to the Medicare Advantage plan...ration care! As the GOP don't have a plan, all they are doing is playing politics, not actually working on a reform policy....still the party of NO...and still disgusting as they show their disdain for the average citizen.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Dorn76
September 9, 2009 11:07 AM
It's hard to imagine someone with less substance than this guy.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Dan K
September 9, 2009 11:15 AM
So when is Steele going to tell seniors that Republicans are for ending Medicare?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
RedMolly
September 9, 2009 11:29 AM
Smith then asked about how people say they don't want the public option, but don't mess with my Medicare. Steele responded: "Yeah, I know that, and that's now a party of the system here"
What does that even mean, in English?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
ru4862
September 9, 2009 11:55 AM
Just A Thought: Does Michael Steele EVER think before he talks, ever?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
erichayes
September 9, 2009 2:14 PM
The shrieks emanating from the insurance industry about not being able to compete with the public option is a strong between-the-lines statement that it is not currently competing with itself. Strong competition from an outside source will, indeed, blow over their house of cards.
And they're scared as Hell over that happening.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?