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Saturday, March 20, 2010

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Conservative Action Network 8/3/2009

Edwin Meese, former Attorney General

Tevi Troy, former Deputy Secretary, Department of Health & Human Services

Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council

Grover Norquist, President, Americans for Tax Reform

Wendy Wright, President, Concerned Women for America

Tom Schatz, President, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste

Kenneth Blackwell, former Treasurer, State of Ohio

William Wilson, President, Americans for Limited Government

Jim Martin, President, 60 Plus Association

Alfred Regnery, Publisher, American Spectator

Richard Viguerie, Chairman, ConservativeHQ.com

Brent Bozell, President, Media Research Center

David McIntosh, former U.S. Representative, Indiana

MEMO FOR THE MOVEMENT

RE: The Pelosi-Reid Democrats' efforts to rename the “Public Option” proposal a “CO-OP,” is a stalking horse for a government run health care system and could cost taxpayers over $1 trillion.

ACTION:
We urge citizens to attend Congressional Town Halls and meetings held by members of Congress over the August recess and tell their representatives that they oppose the Public Option/Co-op plan, which could serve as a first step toward a federal government takeover of the healthcare system.

ISSUE IN BRIEF:
The co-op is a non-profit, government-supported health insurance plan designed to compete against private insurance companies. Right now, the details remain vague, but the concept contains a number of dangers for our health care system:

the current plan requires $6 billion up-front in start-up money from the federal government.

the government would appoint the co-op’s officers and direct the role the government would play in setting them up and overseeing their operations.

the government may exempt co-ops from the taxes that private insurers pay, which average about 1.2% of premiums. This would let co-ops offer lower prices and crowd out private alternatives.

the co-ops could be health-care versions of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which Congress created because there was supposedly no secondary mortgage market. The duo proceeded to use their government subsidy to dominate the market and drive out private competitors, and helped cause the mortgage banking crisis.

liberals will inundate co-ops with coverage mandates that could lead to rationing of health care decisions and taxpayer-funded abortions.

the co-op could just end up being a public, government-run plan under a different name. According to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: “We’re going to have some type of public option, call it ‘co-op,’ call it what you want.”