Sam's Club Republican, by J. A. McClure: on Health Care


Tim Pawlenty: 2004: started state website to import Rx drugs from Canada

Pawlenty continually fought Congress, the FDA, and the pharmaceutical industry in an attempt to lower prescription drug costs. His administration set up a prescription drug website in 2004 to help Minnesotans access Canadian drugs. The FDA publicly scolded Pawlenty and demanded he shut down the website, smearing it as unsafe and "breaking both American and Canadian law." Pawlenty was defiant. He refused to shut down the site, delivered a speech in Washington, DC justifying his decision, and ultimately was joined by other governors who set up similar sites for their constituents. In July 2006, Pawlenty sent a letter to congressional leaders asking for a 2-year moratorium on advertising by drug companies, calling their ads "ridiculous and reckless." At the end of his first term, he said the pharmaceutical industry had "a power that would frighten most citizens."
Source: Sam's Club Republican, by J.A. McClure, p. 35-36 May 10, 2010

Tim Pawlenty: 2009 bill will break the bank, but not cut costs

Pawlenty strongly opposed the Democrats' health care legislation of 2009 and 2010. He cited philosophical and financial reasons for his opposition, that the bill would "break the bank." He said spending more money would not cut costs: "That's like you're saying you're going to balance the checkbook by writing more checks."

Pawlenty likewise opposed unfunded health care proposals in Minnesota. In 1994, he argued the Legislature should start over on health reform and pay better attention to costs.

Source: Sam's Club Republican, by J.A. McClure, p. 58 May 10, 2010

Tim Pawlenty: Start toward universal coverage by covering all kids

As governor, Pawlenty proposed allowing Minnesotans to buy health insurance products from companies in other states, thus increasing competition in the health insurance market. He also advocated the establishment of an Interstate Health Insurance Compact that "would allow states to join and share common regulatory standards to facilitate the purchase of health insurance across state lines."

Pawlenty rejected the notion that government was going to provide helpful "competition" against private sector health insurance. He does, however, support some government involvement in the health care system. Upon re-election, he called universal coverage an admiral goal and said government could play a role by starting to insure all children: "We all, I think, can chart a path toward universal coverage. We're going to have to move in stages, We should start with covering all kids."

Source: Sam's Club Republican, by J.A. McClure, p. 59-60 May 10, 2010

  • The above quotations are from Governor Tim Pawlenty:
    The Sam's Club Republican    ,
    by J. A. McClure.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Health Care.
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  • Click here for more quotes by Tim Pawlenty on Health Care.
  • Click here for more quotes by Jesse Ventura 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: Feb 22, 2019