GOPromiseBreakers: Will Walker, Kleefisch, RoJo, Duffy, Ribble Take Government-Subsidized Health Care?

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s leading anti-healthcare reform advocates, including Scott Walker, Rebecca Kleefisch and Ron Johnson all have the opportunity to refuse government-subsidized health care, and One Wisconsin Now is calling for them to publicly announce whether or not they will be taking advantage of government-subsidized health care in their newly-elected positions.

“Scott Walker, Rebecca Kleefisch, Ron Johnson, Sean Duffy and Reid Ribble all criticized government-subsidized health care during their campaigns,” said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. “As these Republicans take office, they all owe Wisconsin an answer whether they will hypocritically take government-subsidized health care, or whether they will stick to their campaign ‘principles’.”

One Wisconsin Now noted the various statements made by the quintet in their recent electoral campaigns, including:

• Gov.-elect Scott Walker: I will support and sign legislation outlining Wisconsin’s intent to opt out if possible, support candidates for federal office who will vote to repeal this federal mandate, and review all other legal options to put the brakes on this legislation. [Walker Blog, 8/2/10]
• U.S. Senator-elect Ron Johnson: For me, the final straw was when they passed the health care bill…I recognized that it is the single greatest assault on our freedom in my lifetime. It is absolutely designed to lead to a government takeover of our health care system. And we don’t have to theorize what that is going to result in. It’s going to result in rationed care, particularly for the elderly, particularly for the very ill. [Washington Examiner, 11/4/10,]
• Lt. Gov.-elect Rebecca Kleefisch: I have private health care insurance, which is paid partially by my husband’s employer. That is very different from government-run health care… We’re talking about HillaryCare and ObamaCare, things that haven’t been implemented in the United States yet. We’re still paying the taxes for them, but they haven’t been implemented yet. [WISC-TV, 10/22/10]
• U.S. Rep.-elect Sean Duffy: The recent passage of health care legislation will come not only at a significant cost to taxpayers’ finances, but to our freedom. [Duffy Website]
• U.S. Rep.-elect Reid Ribble: I lost my health insurance and doctor because of Obamacare. …If I am elected to Congress, I will go to Washington to make sure no one else loses their doctor because of Obamacare. [Ribble Release, 10/12/10]

“Now is where the rubber meets the road for these anti-health care champions,” said Ross. “Are they against government-subsidized health care for themselves, or just against it for the rest of us?”

Earlier today it was reported that a notorious anti-health reform member of the Republican House Class of 2011 angrily denounced that his government-subsidized health care would not go into effect for 28 days after his inauguration. That story can be found at: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/45181.html