Posted on 09/05/2006 1:16:11 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Tuesday that he will veto a universal health care bill that is headed for his desk, claiming the measure would set up a "vast new bureaucracy" that would be too expensive.
The Republican governor said the single-payer system proposed by Sen. Sheila Kuehl would "cost the state billions and lead to significant new taxes on individuals and businesses, without solving the critical issue of affordability.
"I won't jeopardize the economy of our state for such a purpose," the governor said in a statement.
Kuehl, D-Santa Monica, said Schwarzenegger's comments indicated he "has not read the bill, doesn't understand the bill or is being completely misdirected by his handlers." She said the measure would save money.
"Where there are no cost controls at all now, and enormous administrative overhead and profit for insurance companies, there would have been a transparent system that actually would succeed in making health care coverage affordable in California," she said in a statement issued Tuesday.
The bill would provide every California resident with health insurance through a system controlled by a new entity called the California Health Insurance Agency. It would be under the control of a health insurance commissioner appointed by the governor.
The legislation also would establish a state commission to recommend to the governor and Legislature how much to charge patients and businesses in premiums to help pay for the system.
Kuehl said the premiums would have "taken the place of all premiums, copays and deductibles we now pay, saving every person who now pays for health care significant money."
The bill was approved by lawmakers last week as they wrapped up their 2006 session, but it has not reached Schwarzenegger yet, aides said Tuesday.
Schwarzenegger's Democratic opponent, state Treasurer Phil Angelides, also opposed the measure.
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On the Net:
Read the bill, SB840, at http://www.senate.ca.gov
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But he will jeopardize it for Global Warming.
I wish the bill would pass. Maybe if California manages to bankrupt itself and hemhorrages voters to the rest of the country seeking better health care, the rest of the country would take heed and shut the hell up about this universal health care nonsense.
You beat me to it.
Good news.
This is nothing but Dem whipping up a sensitive issue during a election year, Angelides campaign looks stuck and needed a issue to grab on. Arnold is a smart politician and wised up to these political games.
Global warming, bond financing, stem cell research, illegal immigration--yes. Universal healthcare: No.
Finally, some sign of conservatism from the guy.
In effect, this plan, like all others before it, takes negotiated and earned benefits payable to certain wage earners and redirect them to others who have not paid, nor worked for those benefits.
a side note, Villaraigosa endorsed Angelides today.
Do you think the Gub will now endorse DiFi to counteract it?
The Deutsch boy giving the finger to the dyke? (No offense, Zelda.)
This is really the Roulette Governor .... one good decision and then a string of duds....
This is just too, too unpredictable.... but that creep Angelides is so far off the deep end that I don't think I could hold my nose long enough to vote for him.
What to do!
Apparently she has never heard of Kaiser Permanaente.
I dont see Arnie doing it, especially endorsing Difi over Mountjoy would piss off the Republican voters and is not a good election strategy.
The article says Angelides opposed it too.
thats nice, now Angelides base must be upset at his opposition to it :). Arnie has even more reasons to confident at the election.
The fact he hasn't endorsed Mountjoy is doing just that, ironically enough. Welcome to FR, btw. :-)
one good decision and then a string of duds....
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sounds like his movie career. ;-)
But he couldn't find the courage to veto the pro-homsexual education bills. What a shame. This is what passes for conservative nowadays?!
Yes, it is.
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