Pence Calls Pelosi "Un-American" Comment Offensive
AUGUST 10, 2009
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, responded today, on Fox News' America's Newsroom, to Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-CA) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's (D-MD) op-ed in USA Today in which they described opposition to a government takeover of health care as "un-American:" Excerpts below: Fox News Anchor Megyn Kelly: Thank you. He is literally pulled over, that is how important he is treating this issue, on his way to his own town hall to speak with us about this. The House Speaker and the House Majority Leader are not sparing any words, not mincing words here Congressman. This is what they say: "An ugly campaign is underway, not merely to misrepresent health-care legislation, but to disrupt public meetings and prevent members of congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue." And then she goes on to say that these disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views but of the facts themselves. "Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American." Your response, sir? Congressman Mike Pence: Well, I think I, like most Americans, would find that kind of characterization of citizens exercising their First Amendment rights to be offensive. There is nothing more American than letting your elected representatives know how you feel about important issues facing the nation. Let me also say Megyn, that the thing that is most offensive to me is the ongoing suggestion by Democrat leadership and this Administration that there is some sort of a campaign under way to generate turnout at these town hall meetings. I expect there are some organizations that are encouraging people on both sides of the aisle. But the truth is, that even though the media and the national press continue to seemingly just focus on Democrat town hall meetings, as I told you all last week, we have had hundreds of people turned out at our town hall meetings here in the Hoosier state. Republicans and special interests are not turning out people to come to my town hall meetings. These are Hoosiers, these are average Americans that are concerned about this long litany of borrowing and spending and bailouts and government takeover of one industry after another. This government takeover of health is just the last straw for many Americans. *** Congressman Pence: The American people are rejecting a government takeover of health care and I think Democrats from the White House to the Congress are desperate. They are trying to change the subject. Frankly, this kind of attitude about Americans exercising their First Amendment right I think is going to have the opposite effect. Again, I think suggesting that it is "un-American" to express your opinion to your elected official, there is nothing more American than that Megyn. *** Congressman Pence: There is nothing more precious to all of us and our families than their health care and their well-being. The fact that this Administration and this Congress continue to push through what will amount to a government takeover of health care, despite the strong objections of a growing number of Americans, is regrettable. I do believe that at the end of the day, it is going to become very obvious, even to many Democrats in Congress, that this is not some campaign, it is not some "un-American" effort. The American people want us to lower the cost of health care, they want to lower the cost of health insurance, but they don't want us to throw out the fundamental foundation of our private health insurance system to do it and they don't want a government takeover. My hope and prayer is that that message will get through and when we come back in September we will find a bipartisan way to go forward without a government takeover.
Note: To watch the full interview, click here.
Related Documents
August 18, 2009
Even as President Obama campaigned on a platform of change and transparency, recent dealings between the pharmaceutical industry and the...
August 17, 2009
WASHINGTON, DC-U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, issued the following statement today regarding the six month...
August 10, 2009
If you are an anti-war protestor...According to the San Francisco Chronicle, after meeting with a group of anti-war protestors, Speaker...
August 06, 2009
The House Republican Conference released a new web video today in response to a recent White House video on "DISINFORMATION"...
August 06, 2009
In order to assist Members, staff, and interested parties seeking to read and review the health "reform" legislation (H.R. 3200)...
July 31, 2009
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following statement today after last...
July 28, 2009
Participants:- Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH)- Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA)- Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN)- Republican Conference Vice...
July 23, 2009
"I'm always in favor of Congress sticking around long enough to get the right thing done but if the Democrats...
July 22, 2009
"The President of the United States may 'mean it' when he says a government takeover of health care won't add...
July 22, 2009
To view this clip, click here.Transcript below: [Clip of Hoyer on the House floor] MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Wow, ok then. Here with us...
July 21, 2009
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following statement on the House...
July 17, 2009
During the worst recession in a generation Democrats propose a government takeover of health care that will lead to fewer...
July 14, 2009
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, made the following statement today after House...
July 08, 2009
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference appeared on FOXNEWS this morning to react...
June 23, 2009
The Republican Conference has compiled a list of important numbers relevant to the House Democrats’ 1,018-page “America’s Affordable Health Choices...
June 22, 2009
BackgroundOn June 19, 2009, the Chairmen of the three House Committees with jurisdiction over health care legislation—Education and Labor Chairman...
May 21, 2009
Former DNC chair's government-run insurance program is sure to backfire. Just ask his wife the doctorBy Phil Gingrey, M.D.Posted May...
May 15, 2009
by Robert Pear, The New York TimesWASHINGTON - Hospitals and insurance companies said Thursday that President Obama had substantially overstated...
May 11, 2009
As the American people struggle to make ends meet, too many also live with the challenge of affording basic health...
May 06, 2009
*This post originally appeared on Net Right Nation.by Rep. John Shadegg (AZ)Are you ready for health care rationing? Are you...
May 01, 2009
http://www.breitbart.tv/html/330913.htmlRep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL): "And next to me was a guy from the insurance company, who then argued against the...
April 03, 2009
"The real problem with our long-term deficit actually has to do with our entitlement obligations...The big problem is Medicare, which...
March 23, 2009
Rep. Jeff Flake (AZ) gets a few words in at the American Spectator this morning, offering insight from the mind...
March 09, 2009
"What it's supposed to do for people doesn't get done in reality."The speaker criticizing this government program wasn't talking about...
March 05, 2009
President Obama said government-run health care was “extreme” and “wrong” but…Then-Candidate Obama said government- run health care was “extreme” and...
March 04, 2009
President Obama's budget proposal includes nearly $1 trillion in new health care spending-a $634 billion reserve fund as a "down...
February 26, 2009
President Obama's budget includes nearly $1 trillion in new health spending-a $634 billion reserve fund as a "down payment" for...
February 23, 2009
"We shouldn't have to do that, because they should know better."So said President Obama in explaining why the Treasury-quite rightly-forced...
February 10, 2009
In light of the inclusion of $1.1 billion in the Democrat "stimulus" legislation for the Agency for Healthcare Research and...
February 04, 2009
In anticipation of a potential vote to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the Republican Conference...
January 14, 2009
Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN), Chairman of the House Republican Conference, issued the following statement today regarding House consideration of a...
|
|