Political Quotes

Bill Clinton: What I'm saying is I don't think it will come to my desk for the simple reason that if you look at what the bill does…

On the recordJune 20, 1994
What I'm saying is I don't think it will come to my desk for the simple reason that if you look at what the bill does, the bill that covers 91 percent of Americans, the proposal would cost middle class taxpayers more tax money, essentially subsidize low-income people, and leave middle class workers either without health insurance or at risk of losing it because of all the problems we have in the system today. So I really don't believe it is a solution. I know that there had been tens of millions of dollars in special interest money spent to convince the American people that our plan is wrong. I know that we needed to make some changes in our plan. But I also know that the right thing for America is to do what every other advanced country has done in guaranteeing middle class working people health care that can't be taken away. When Harry Truman stopped by the ``Today'' show 40 years ago and looked in at Dave Garroway--who, by the way, was the first fellow I ever saw that wore a bow tie, so I remember this very well--he knew that. And they beat him to pieces over health care. And they drove the popularity of his proposal down. And he was never able to pass it. But Harry Truman was right then, and we're right now. The right thing for America's values, for work, for family, is to provide health care for all Americans. It doesn't have to be done tomorrow. It ought to be phased in over a period of just a few years. But we ought not to walk away without a bill that provides health care to all Americans. Haiti
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Bill Clinton
Democratic · Arkansas

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