At a town-hall event in his home district the other day, Rep. Rob Woodall (R) of Georgia argued with surprising candor that Medicare shouldn’t exist. The new question is, why does Woodall want taxpayer-subsidized health care for himself, but not for his constituents?
“I have a question about taking care of you. You have government subsidized health care, but you are not obligated to take that if you don’t want to. Why aren’t you going out on the free market in the state where you’re a resident and buy your own health care? Be an example,” said a constituent in the new video.
“Your question is,” Woodall responded, “my government’s willing to give me lots and lots of stuff for free and why don’t I take it?” …
But his constituent presses him further. “Answer the question: Why haven’t you gone out and got it?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought I did. It’s because it’s free. It’s because it’s free,” he said. “The same reason I went out to Walgreen’s and bought ActivOn and I don’t have any arthritis pain: Because it’s free. Folks, if you give people things for free, don’t blame them for taking them.”
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/taxpayer_financed_health_care029825.php