Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) calls health care “a privilege”

Thursday afternoon, Obama began meeting with others to push hard for his universal health care plan.

Obama is convening a summit this afternoon with about 150 elected officials and representatives of groups that have much at stake in the outcome — and that helped kill the last attempt at an overhaul during the Clinton administration 16 years ago.

“The Forum will bring together the people who have a stake in our health care system and the people who have the ability to change it; those who worked to pass health care reform a decade ago and those who worked to defeat it,” the White House says in a background paper.

To counter Obama’s plans, Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) appeared on MSNBC to reiterate that Republican claims that a national health insurance plan is “…a fast march towards socialism…”

But he went further.

“Listen, health care a privilege…For some people it’s a right, but for everyone, frankly, it’s not necessarily a right…”

No kidding.

Let’s look at some of Rep. Zach Wamp’s claims:

“Half the people that are uninsured today choose to remain uninsured. Half of them don’t have any choice, but half of them choose to, what’s called, ‘Go naked.’ And just take a risk of getting sick. They end up in the emergency room, costing you and me a whole lot more money. How many illegal immigrants are in this country today, getting our health care? Gobs of ‘em.”

Let’s say for the sake of argument that Wamp is correct (even though he refused to back this up with anything at all) that would still leave half, that by his own admission, “don’t have any choice”. They are just screwed.

As for the ones that do choose to go without, it is generally because they are so poor that the choice is between health insurance…or eating. It’s pretty understandable why some would choose to go without. Which is why the government should provide health insurance for all.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) was quite astute with his reaction:

“Well my reaction is that it was said by somebody who has a really good health [insurance] plan as a member of the House of Representatives.”

Indeed. Members of Congress need only serve for five years to be fully vested in the Federal programs. Once vested, they receive lifetime retirement and health benefits. Yep. Wamp has served since 1995 so he is fully vested. He has health benefits forever. Yet he wants to stand in the way of others getting health benefits.

If there is anyone at least twenty-five years old in the 3rd Congressional district of Tennessee that is without health insurance…just run against this asshole. If you beat him, you will have nice Federal health insurance. Just like Wamp.

Contrary to what Wamp claims, health insurance is not a privilege. It is a human right. For everyone. Not just Congressmen.