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Boehner: Public health option as unpopular as a 'garlic milkshake'

By Molly Hooper - 10/01/09 11:24 AM ET

The public option is “about as unpopular as a garlic milkshake,” House GOP Leader John Boehner (Ohio) said Thursday.

Boehner inadvertently invited the public to lobby him in support of the government-run healthcare plan endorsed by the Democratic leadership.

“I’m still trying to find the first American to talk to who’s in favor of the public option, other than a member of Congress or the administration. I’ve not talked to one, and I get to a lot of places and I’ve not had anyone come up to me — I know I’m inviting it — and lobby for the public option,” Boehner said.

“This thing (the public option) is about as unpopular as a garlic milkshake,” Boehner added, noting that he had not consumed such a milkshake.

Source:
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/61141-boehner-public-option-as-unpopular-as-garlic-milkshake
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Comments (18)

Hey Boner, I guessed you missed the protest a few minutes ago in front of the health care finance committee in which doctors stood up and declared that 80% of them are IN FAVOR OF SINGLE PAYER, let alone public option.And I guess you don't read any polls.Can you be fired for being deaf, dumb and blind by choice?You are about as popular as an exploding toilet.BY tropicgirl on 10/01/2009 at 13:10
Huh. Call me up, Mr. Boehner. I'll give you a list of all the people I know, including myself, who are in favor of a public option. Of course, all of these people are more intelligent that your average constituent because they none of them fell for your lies and scare tactics.BY annie s on 10/01/2009 at 13:14
I am one of John's constituents and I don't want a public option because I like my insurance and would probably lose it if there were a public option. The drs in this area are NOT for a public option and the hospitals aren't either. If drs in your area support a public option, why aren't they taking Medicaid patients? Keep standing up for us! Boehner 2012!BY Alice Martin on 10/01/2009 at 13:28
Hi, Little Mr. Boner. I'm another American, one of millions actually, who's in favor of a Public Option. Perhaps if you actually listened to Americans, instead of trying to run another scam on us, you'd see that the majority of us see that other countries have fixed the health care problem. Unfortunately, you Republicans can't get past your partisan attitudes, failed policies, rampant corruption, and astronomical bungling. Lead, follow, or get out of our way… but then, you've already proved how incompetent your party is at leading, so kindly shut up and get out of the way.BY Minnesotan on 10/01/2009 at 13:37
Yea for Alice, why would you have to lose your insurance if there is a public option? You can keep it and when the premiums keep going up and the co-pays keep going up, just keep it and shut up.BY ANOTHER MINNESOTAN on 10/01/2009 at 14:06
This is a statement that I know is not true as I've seen him have conversations with people (constituents) who strongly support a public option. He's trying to overstate his point of view as so many politicians doBY Ron Perkins on 10/01/2009 at 14:20
Same old stuff… if someone says something three times it must be true, and the gop have said it three times.BY commander on 10/01/2009 at 14:39
What, Ron? Boehner? Spit vitriol based solely on politics? What?BY Honest Abe on 10/01/2009 at 14:45
mmmm… garlic milkshake…BY anon on 10/01/2009 at 15:05
Senator Boehner,Thank you for your efforts on behalf of the citizens of the USA, including me. I respect your right to your own opinion but I disagree with you about Health Care/Insurance Reform. I strongly support a “public option”.Congress is creating a market of 20 million new customers under the age of 65 for private insurance companies. Taxpayer money will go to the uninsured (many of whom work in full-time jobs, that pay the minimum wage but not a living wage) in the form of tax credits (subsidies) to make purchases from (give to) health insurance companies.In any plan for national health care/insurance reform, without a public option to compete in a proposed “health insurance exchange” consisting only of private insurers, what are the incentives to reduce health care costs and thereby possibly keep premiums affordable? What are your suggestions to ensure that tax credit payments to insurance companies (in the billions of dollars) are used for medical care not to supplement insurance companies’ profits and executives’ bonus packages?Are we looking at another example of corporate welfare?BY Helen Northmore on 10/01/2009 at 15:30

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