Richard K. Armey: “One of the things I think we should remember, today in America right now 70 percent of our seniors have already gone…”

“One of the things I think we should remember, today in America right now 70 percent of our seniors have already gone into the private markets and purchased prescription drug coverage. They have shopped around. They have checked out what is available. They decided and they chose coverage that they are happy with. They do not want to lose it. They are content. They understand it. They appreciate it. They want to keep it. A year ago, President Clinton offered a plan that would be mandatory. ``Go into my plan, forsake yours''; and the seniors rejected it. Now, my friends on the left, the liberals, Vice President Gore and others who want the government-run plan, will say about the seniors: well, we cannot leave them to their own devices to go in the marketplace and buy for themselves, because they cannot understand those plans. Yet 70 percent of them are happy with what they decided for themselves and do not want to be forced out of their plans. But I should say this to Vice President Gore, if he is concerned that today's seniors cannot understand what is available to them now, how then would he expect them to understand this nightmare, this bureaucratic nightmare?”