Corker Reflects On Last Night’s Elections

By Kleinheider Posted on November 4, 2009 at 7:33 pm

From the Chattanoogan:

“I think that much of what the country is in some degree of upheaval about are the policies we are discussing here on the Senate floor and moving through committees,” said Senator Corker. “Obviously the major issue of the day is health care reform. I think there has been a message sent to this body by the recent elections that have taken place. I think people across this country are very concerned about the policies that this health care bill would put forth.

“If Republicans had put forth a bill that had the exact same building blocks as the bill that’s being put together in the Senate (by merging the Senate Finance Committee bill with the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee bill), I do not believe there would be a single Democratic vote for that bill. If Republicans had put forth a health care bill that took $400-500 billion out of Medicare to leverage another program, that created an unfunded mandate for states by making states raise their Medicaid levels, that would raise premiums by 60 percent over the next five years, there would not be a single Democratic vote for the bill.

“I’m one of those Republicans that would like to see health care reform. I campaigned on that when I ran for the United States Senate. I’d like to see us do the right thing. I’d like to see us have a policy that will stand the test of time. I would ask my friends on the other side of the aisle to stop what we’re doing right now. Let’s throw this bill aside. You wouldn’t vote for this bill if we offered it. You shouldn’t vote for it just because your leadership and your president want to see it happen. Let’s step back, and let’s do something again that will stand the test of time.”

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