Posted on 08/30/2011 11:14:19 AM PDT by martosko
Texas Governor Rick Perry has been among the most vocal critics of President Obama’s health care reform initiative, and of Mitt Romney’s preceding health care program in Massachusetts. But in 1993, while serving as Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Perry praised the efforts of then-first lady Hillary Clinton to reform health care, a precursor to Obama’s health care reform efforts.
In a letter to Clinton, who is now U.S. Secretary of State, Perry wrote: “I think your efforts in trying to reform the nation’s health care system are most commendable.”
“I would like to request that the task force give particular consideration to the needs of the nation’s farmers, ranchers, and agriculture workers, and other members of rural communities,” Perry continued, noting his administration’s focus on economic development for rural Texans. “Rural populations have a high proportion of uninsured people, rising health care costs, and often experience lack of services.”
“Again, your efforts are worthy,” Perry concluded, ”and I hope you will remember this constituency as the task force progresses.”
(Excerpt) Read more at thedc.com ...
He is running out of things to like or defend.
There were no liberal Democrats in 1993? Um, you’re kidding, right? Surely, ye jest....I know you’re smarter than that.
Yea, there was a time when I thought Perry was conservative too..... Palin is wrong on this. What else you want us to say? See? We’re not afraid to say a candidate that we favor is wrong on something. Which proves we aren’t the “purists” you all scream about.
Notice how I defend her or make excuses for what she said. Perrypushers could learn a little about not pushing the “autodefend” button everytime they’re spooked.
So since someone TOLD you something, you just believe it enough to let it affect your vote w/out finding out for yourself? Nice. Palin is wrong on this and I promise you, she has learned more about him since that statement and she would probably even change her tune about him now....but, it remains to be seen. I don’t follow anyone’s orders blindly about who to vote for. That’s being a “sheeple”... I’ll decide for myself, thank you.
“She is likely to endorse him”
You make stuff up all the time or just tonight?
Ok, LOL, I knew there was more to it.... thanks for clearing it up....
I reckon I now have to choose between ObamaCare or PerryCare or RomneyCare....
So how do I say thanks for nothin in TEXAN?
Let me thank you for that levelheadedness.
Just yesterday I was reading another Perry hit piece, this time on immigration. The National Review piece described his prior support for a limited guest worker program as "amnesty."
Not one time have I seen the Palin "supporters" trolling Perry threads admit that she also advocates a guest worker program for those already here illegally. She said so just last year on O'Reilly when unemployment was 9.6%.
However, unlike Perry, she is on the record as supporting McCain's "pathway to citizenship" amnesty whereas Perry has written, even back in 2006, a guest worker program should be done without citizenship.
Those trolling ostensibly in defense of a Palin candidacy, would do well to heed Matthew 7:5: "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."
As for this "bombshell" that Perry "praised" HillaryCare? It's bogus. I've read the letter. Everyone should. It's dated April 6, 1993, two months after Clinton took office. That's 6 months before Hillary's congressional testimony and 8 months before the bill reached congress.
The letter applauds Hillary for interest in the healthcare cost and availability issue and asks her task force to keep in mind the challenges to rural communities, farmers and ranchers like those Perry had been elected to serve as Texas Agriculture Commissioner.
This is no "gotcha" moment except to those deranged against Perry and lacking all perspective.
I didn't read the letter. I was making a comment based on other things I've read about him.
I agree that we need to do something about healthcare. The costs are rising about 4% faster than salaries. I don't fault anyone who is looking for solutions.
A lot of people liked the idea of healthcare reform both this time and back then, until they saw the bill.
This is a nonstory.
If a Freeper writes a letter to a Congressman who is an obvious liberal, does it make them a RINO too?
My father, who normally makes Reagan look like Kucinich in comparison, was supportive of the general idea until the details of Hillarycare came out.
No it’s not.
Bridge to nowhere - does that ring a bell?
You mean, like Palin supporters do?
Never did he use phrases like “universal coverage” or anything like that.
Yeppers. Even if he was a staunch supporter of HillaryCare, there is not one word in his letter that would even suggest that. And as others have pointed out, when you apply the letter to events contemporanious to its creation, there is simply no “there” there. He was doing his job.
Reagan won Texas in ‘80 and ‘84 - and TX was largely Democrat by registration. I’m sure an overwhelming number of Democrat Texans voted for Reagan both times.
Global Warming? REALLY???
There are legit problems with Perry’s record, but the fact that 75% or more of the crap you and a few others spout are outright fabrications, or, at best WILD assumptions based on no facts whatsoever, makes you as bad as the left.
Bullshit.
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