Reply #7: Dean, Medicare, and Gephardt

[justinb3]

http://www.dickfacts.com/ pokes fun at Gephardt, and exposes his tactics. It's not very informative about Dean, though, and is mostly reactionary.

I'd say that http://www.liberaloasis.com/archives/092103.htm#092603 is a good place to start. Sample :

Vermont's Democratic governor, Howard Dean, said the GOP budget cuts "absolutely stick it to the states" and could strip away the safety net for the poor in some states.

"It will just totally cripple our ability to manage," he said, "and it will essentially force a tax increase in most states. And Minnesota and Vermont are two of them."…

…"What they're interested in is cutting the budget and making sure that somebody else gets the blame," he said.

...

On health insurance, he was critical of Newt, in a 7/11//95 W. Post piece:

has implemented state reforms including the extension of Medicaid coverage to a broader range of poor children.

Dean has urged House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) to sacrifice $5 billion of the proposed GOP tax cut to implement a similar plan nationally.

"As you control costs you must expand coverage. We have expanded individuals covered as we have worked hard to restrain costs," Dean said.

"That is where the congressional plan falls apart.

"It helps to balance the budget but does nothing to move toward universal coverage in the private system. . . . The Republicans are missing a wonderful opportunity to expand coverage, not reduce it."


-justinb