Conservative group claims 1 million signatures on repeal petition

A conservative group critical of the Democrats' healthcare reform law has collected more than 1 million signatures calling for its repeal, the group announced Thursday.

Revere America, a Washington-based conservative group named after the Revolution-era hero, has posted its petition online, calling for "the repeal and replacement of this law with responsible reforms."

George Pataki, former GOP governor of New York and chairman of the repeal group, told reporters over the summer that he supports a more market-based system, including reforms allowing insurers to sell plans across state lines and limiting malpractice claims.

"The American people have made their concern known over this law, and they will deliver a clear message on Nov. 2,” Pataki said in a statement announcing the million-signature mark.  “Americans feel like they have been handed an unworkable system they neither trust nor understand."

Another Revere America repeal drive targeting Congress members and candidates hasn't been as successful. Despite House Minority Leader John Boehner's (R-Ohio) endorsement of a candidate-focused repeal petition, only two other GOP incumbents have signed on. (A total of 55 candidates from across the party spectrum have endorsed that measure.)

In the waning days of the campaign, Revere America plans to use direct mailing to 300,000 voters, focusing on the top 75 House races and the top five Senate contests, the group said. Democrats who opposed the healthcare bill will not be targeted. 

The full text of the group's petition appears after the jump.

Petition to Repeal the Healthcare Reform Bill

WHEREAS the health care bill recently passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Obama ignores the will of the majority of Americans who vigorously oppose government controlled national health care, and

WHEREAS this law includes an unprecedented overreach of the federal government into the lives of individuals and tramples on the Constitution, and

WHEREAS this law threatens the patient-physician relationship and the highest standards of medical care, and

WHEREAS this law mandates that citizens either purchase health insurance or pay a fine to the federal government for not doing so, and

WHEREAS this law significantly jeopardizes jobs, our economy and our children's futures by adding nearly one trillion dollars to the national deficit and substantially increasing taxes on families and businesses, and

WHEREAS in sum and total this law represents an arrogant disregard for the personal freedom of the people of the United States,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we the undersigned citizens of the United States of America support the repeal and replacement of this law with responsible reforms to our nation's health care system.

This post was updated at 10:38 a.m. Friday, Oct. 29, to reflect the true number of House races Revere America is targeting in the coming days.