White House spokesman Robert Gibbs attacked Rick personally and accused him of helping "manufacture" anger at the town hall meetings across the country. Here is Rick's response:
When 86% of Americans are happy with their current health care and they feel that it is threatened by a massive government takeover, no one needs to 'manufacture' anger or concern. It is a shame that Mr. Gibbs chooses to dismiss these Americans and their very real concerns instead opting to level personal attacks. The simple fact is that the more Americans learn about the President's public option plan, the more they realize it is a massive government takeover that will mean higher taxes, bigger deficits and interfere with their current coverage resulting in delayed or denied medical care for them and their families. That is why support for his plan is plummeting like a rock. Americans want lower health care costs, not a government-run system. And there are several reforms we can do immediately to lower costs that won't cost a dime like allowing insurers to compete across state lines, requiring doctors and hospitals to post their rates and results to allow consumers to shop around and creating one standardized re-imbursement form for all insurers.
When 86% of Americans are happy with their current health care and they feel that it is threatened by a massive government takeover, no one needs to 'manufacture' anger or concern. It is a shame that Mr. Gibbs chooses to dismiss these Americans and their very real concerns instead opting to level personal attacks. The simple fact is that the more Americans learn about the President's public option plan, the more they realize it is a massive government takeover that will mean higher taxes, bigger deficits and interfere with their current coverage resulting in delayed or denied medical care for them and their families. That is why support for his plan is plummeting like a rock. Americans want lower health care costs, not a government-run system. And there are several reforms we can do immediately to lower costs that won't cost a dime like allowing insurers to compete across state lines, requiring doctors and hospitals to post their rates and results to allow consumers to shop around and creating one standardized re-imbursement form for all insurers.