2012 Nebraska Senate Debates: on Health Care


Deb Fischer: I won't steal $700 billion from Medicare

KERREY: The question is not: Are we going to keep our commitments? But the question is: Are we going to do the right thing for our future?

FISCHER: Well, I wasn't in government when those commitments were made. But I can tell you, as a state senator for eight years, I took my job very seriously. And when I made a commitment that meant I was going to keep it. That meant that I was hoping the people that came after me and served in the Legislature would keep that commitment also. I can tell you what I won't do, though. I will not cut benefits, I will not raise taxes, and I won't steal $700 billion from Medicare.

KERREY: We've got a commitment we can't fund.

Source: 2012 Nebraska Senate debate excerpts Sep 28, 2012

Deb Fischer: Replace ObamaCare with free market reforms & competition

Fischer said, "Today's Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of ObamaCare means the responsibility of repealing ObamaCare has been placed solely on the shoulders of Congress. ObamaCare is an attempted government takeover of our healthcare system that is burdening American families and small businesses with crushing taxes and regulations. I support the full repeal of ObamaCare. More government and bureaucracy is not the solution, it is the problem. We can reduce health care costs in America by promoting more competition between insurance companies, enacting medical malpractice reform, updating information technology, and embracing preventive care. In the Senate, I will work across party lines to implement free market reforms that will lower health care costs and improve accessibility for the uninsured.
Source: KCAU-TV9 Eyewitness News on 2012 Nebraska Senate debate Jun 28, 2012

Bob Kerrey: Supports ObamaCare even though he knows it's unpopular

Kerrey said he supports the federal health care reform enacted in 2010 and knows it is unpopular with many Nebraskans. He said those people should vote for Fischer.

Fischer spoke about possible changes to Social Security, while noting many lawmakers won't take a stand on the topic. "We need to look at means testing. We need to look at (raising) the eligibility age," she said.

Source: Sioux City Journal on 2012 Nebraska Senate debate May 17, 2012

Deb Fischer: Repeal ObamaCare health overhaul

Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning, state Treasurer Don Stenberg and state Sen. Deb Fischer answered questions Tuesday night during a debate sponsored by The Omaha World-Herald, with all calling for reducing federal spending and the national deficit and repealing President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law.
Source: AP in The Republic on 2012 Nebraska Senate debates May 1, 2012

Jon Bruning: Signed lawsuit opposing ObamaCare

Stenberg continued to question Bruning's conservative credentials by noting that Bruning requested an earmark from U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., to fund a drug-war program. He made the line of attack after Bruning condemned the growth of "nanny government."

"The fact is that a couple of years ago, he invited nanny government into the Attorney General's Office," Stenberg told the crowd.

Source: Omaha World Herald on 2012 Nebraska Senate debate Apr 5, 2012

  • The above quotations are from 2012 Nebraska Senate Debate.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Health Care.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Jon Bruning on Health Care.
  • Click here for more quotes by Bob Kerrey on Health Care.
Candidates and political leaders on Health Care:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018