Chuck Grassley: “the best thing we can do for health care reform is to let the marketplace operate to a greater extent in the delivery of…”

“the best thing we can do for health care reform is to let the marketplace operate to a greater extent in the delivery of health care. This issue is the most important one that faces us today. You know how strong our argument is from the weakness of the argument made by those on the other side of this question. The other side's argument is that we should leave this medical savings account provision out of this bill because it happens to be controversial. Well, that is the strength of their argument: it is controversial in Washington, DC; that is, inside the beltway. Well, Mr. President, medical savings accounts are not controversial outside of Washington, DC. The people who oppose this amendment are some of the same people who believe that Washington knows best, that Washington knows how to dictate the delivery of health care better than the people themselves do, particularly people at the grassroots. It seems to me a weak argument when the strongest argument against this legislation is that it is controversial. Since when is giving people more choice in health care controversial? That is what people want. That is what people know will work better. This is the usual big Government argument against any changes. It is the argument in favor of big government versus letting the free marketplace work. It is the old in favor of big government making decisions for people, as opposed to letting people themselves make decisions.”