When Rick Perry Praised HillaryCare (1993)

The Atlantic ^ | Conor Friedersdorf

[Tempest]

So what does a complete review of Perry's record reveal? As it turns out, he sent a letter during his tenure as Texas Agricultural Commissioner that praised Hillary Clinton's 1993 health care reform efforts. "I think your efforts in trying to reform the nation's health care system are most commendable," he wrote. "I would like to request that the task force give particular consideration to the needs of the nation's farmers... Rural populations have a high proportion of uninsured people, rising health care costs, and often experience lack of services." He concluded by noting, "your efforts are worthy, and I hope you will remember this constituency as the task force progresses. Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any assistance."

Dan Amira at New York magazine dismisses the story and mocks the Daily Caller for publishing it. "He didn't even say anything about the substance of Clinton's health-care reform plan," Amira writes, "just that it was 'commendable' to try to reform the system in some way, which is hardly controversial."

I disagree.

Clinton's efforts were widely criticized by Republicans at the time, and the substance of her reforms obviously constituted a substantial federal intervention into health care, the very thing Perry now claims is obviously unconstitutional and ruinous to liberty. (And yes, Clinton's plan did call for both an employer mandate to provide health care and an individual mandate to be covered.)

[RoosterRedux]

This is not good for Perry.

Moochelle...is that you?

[Tempest]

because he has nice hair.

[Fred]

Sorry ,give it up on the Palin lover crap, little perrito.

This is about ISSUES...and Ricardo stinks on the issues that are critical to resolving the gigantic problems in this country...

[South40]

Perry was for universal healthcare (aka, Hillary’s socialized medicine) before he was against it (Obamacare).

[RoosterRedux]

This is about ISSUES...and Ricardo stinks on the issues that are critical to resolving the gigantic problems in this country...

Oh Noes...this little perrito bows to your superior knowledge of such critical issues.

You vote for Obama (or stay home...same thing), I'll vote for Perry to win!

[Tempest]

WOOOAAAHHHHH When was that letter written. I'd really like to know the context.

[Falcon28]

Ricardo Perry is also an open-border RINO who spoke at a LaRaza convention. But the Perrybots don't care.

[Tempest]

It’s now apparent that Rick Perry has a history of supporting or imposing government health care mandates.

[cripplecreek]

We allocated an additional $4 billion to the Medicaid program, and more than $900 million to the Children’s Health Insurance Program. I urged legislators to pass a telemedicine pilot program that will enable, through technology, a sick border resident of limited financial means to receive care from a specialist hundreds of miles away. But the effort to combat disease and illness requires greater cooperative efforts between our two nations. It is a simple truth that disease knows no boundaries. An outbreak of drug-resistant tuberculosis, for example, endangers citizens of both our nations.

Legislation authored by border legislators Pat Haggerty and Eddie Lucio establishes an important study that will look at the feasibility of bi-national health insurance. This study recognizes that the Mexican and U.S. sides of the border compose one region, and we must address health care problems throughout that region. That’s why I am also excited that Texas Secretary of State Henry Cuellar is working on an initiative that could extend the benefits of telemedicine to individuals living on the Mexican side of the border.

Gov. Rick Perry's Remarks to the Border Summit

[Freedom56v2]

Stuff just keeps bubbling up. He really needs to explain his past record :(

[volunbeer]

I am sick of Tempest attacking Perry.

---

Me too. There is no candidate including Obama with a more extensive record in this campaign than Perry. Nobody. He has to find a letter from 1993?

How about tempest talks with some doctors in Texas to find out why healthcare is so much better in Texas. I am sure it has nothing to do with the Governor... afterall, there was that horrid letter in 1993 he wrote to Hillary.

Pathetic.

[Falcon28]

Ricardo signs Halal law:

[Tempest]

The guy is a cheap suit.

[Falcon28]

Ricardo and Acorn:

[Tex-Con-Man]

That same mentality is why he took billions in stimulus money after trying to convince everyone he was opposed to it.

And just where do you think that money came from...the IRS fairy?

[Fred]

Ole saw, if it is not Palin then it is Obama....I am not a big sissy like you and I know that our conservatives can and will beat Obama....

Why not run over to the dems and rollover and expose your throat like a good rino...

Yawn on the Obama Palin Obama Palin Obama Palin....

Now who is next...mister I am afraid of my own shadow???

[Freedom56v2]

After thot, I hated Hillarycare and was very busy lobbying against it in 1990s. I know it was a long time ago, but how in the world could a conservative EVER have supported Nationaol Healthcare in any way??? Even way back when there used to be conservative Blue Dog Dems, they opposed it.

[RoosterRedux]

Even worse, he's responsible for the flash mobs in Chicago and Philadelphia. And I have a letter to prove it.

He's even in one of the videos...he's the large cowboy stealing the big bag of Cheetos cheese snacks.

Got on boots with a pistol strapped to his hip.

[Fred]

Ok, so Perry wants to be ruler of the universe...Clue, he has to make it thru the primaries first..