Health overhaul draws political support, fire in various campaigns

Aug 16 2011

It was a hot topic when Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination. It's also been a hot topic in town hall meetings and congressional campaigns.

Houston Chronicle: Perry Vows To 'Get America Working'
Perry said Obama has presided over an "economic disaster," with one in six work-eligible Americans unable to find a full-time job, and has stifled growth with over-regulation. He said it's time to limit and simplify taxes, put America's fiscal house in order by restricting spending, and repeal Obama's health care reforms (Fikac, 8/14).

The Fiscal Times: Texas Strong Rick Perry — Can He Win the Center?
Perry's opposition to same-sex marriage and his anti-abortion credentials will undoubtedly give him a leg up on former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who is considered the front runner. Romney is unpopular among many conservative Christian activist groups because of his onetime support for abortion rights and for the Massachusetts health care law, which requires all residents to carry health insurance (DePaul and Ross, 8/14).

The Texas Tribune: Under Scrutiny, Perry Walks Back HPV Decision
For years, Gov. Rick Perry has taken flak for his 2007 attempt to require girls to be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus, the most commonly sexually transmitted disease and the principal cause of cervical cancer. At the risk of angering fellow conservatives, Perry has always insisted he did the right thing. That unapologetic approach changed this weekend (Root, 8/15). 

And in congressional politics —

Los Angeles Times: Rep. Karen Bass Holds Health Care Town Hall In L.A.
The event was hosted by Rep. Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) as a forum on the implementation of President Obama's health care reform law and to right what Bass called misinformation about the act. Participants included California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones and the regional director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Herb Schultz. Bass also called on participants to rally opposition to changes, being proposed by many Congressional Republicans, to the national health care law. On Friday, a federal appeals court in Atlanta struck down a major piece of the law, ruling that Congress lacks authority to require that all Americans buy health insurance. Other appeals courts have upheld the law. Bass expressed disappointment at the latest ruling, calling it part of a "concerted effort" to repeal health care reform (Rivera, 8/15).

Roll Call: NRCC Buys Ads Hitting Walz On Health Care
The National Republican Congressional Committee will release a television ad Tuesday targeting Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) and his 2010 vote for the Democratic health care law. Roll Call obtained an early peek at the ad. "There's a cloud over our economy," a narrator intones as storm clouds sweep on screen. "Tim Walz's government takeover of health care," he says in a foreboding voice. "Fear and uncertainty prevents new hiring. Steep fines and new taxes on families and businesses" (Miller, 8/15).

Kaiser Health News also tracked related weekend health policy headlines, including more reports about Texas Gov. Rick Perry's announcement that he will seek the GOP presidential nomination and analysis of the Iowa straw poll results.