Michael Steele: A Public Health Care Option Is "Socialist" (VIDEO)

With President Obama set to give a major speech on health care reform tonight to a joint session of Congress, Republicans have sought to push back against any inclusion of the public option, a top priority among Democrats and the progressive community.

RNC chairman Michael Steele appeared on CBS' "Early Show" and firmly told host Harry Smith that he believed a public option was "socialist." However, Smith pointed out that Medicare is a government program, and an extremely popular one, and if a public option is "socialist" then what does Steele consider Medicare to be. The RNC chairman dodged the question.

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Comments

[JohnSawyer]

07:37 AM on 09/25/2009

Next thing you now, "conservatives" will be saying that walking an old lady across the street is socialistic.

[33Greeper]

01:20 PM on 09/18/2009

The psychotic rantings of the once great Republican party continue to escalate. Hopefully they’ll nominate the dining room table for their Presidential candidate. The sad thing will be, some folks (23%) will vote it.

[tyger]

12:26 PM on 09/10/2009

For years the Presidents have taken monies from Medicaid and never replaced it. That is why they have to reset or repair the system from time to time. If they keep their hands off the money, no need to re-up system.

[centsable]

07:59 PM on 09/09/2009

Michael Steele is John Bhoner with a better tan!!

[morefromLA]

11:25 PM on 09/09/2009

Frankly, I've never seen them in the same room together.

[ObamAtomic]

07:40 PM on 09/09/2009

Michael Steele: A Public Health Care Option Is "Socialist"
We believe you are a *tool*

[WilliamProc]

07:30 PM on 09/09/2009

Here's your socialist argument:
When George Schultz and Caspar Weinberger landed in Moscow, they were able to report to Washington that communism was falling. Not because the people were revolting( insert Mel Brooks quote here) in the streets, but everywhere they looked, they could see that the Soviet infrastructure had collapsed. Moscow airport had huge potholes in it, building were crumbling, utility problems were rampant.

Why? Because they money that should have been used for the people was being used by the military and the government. Corruption on building projects was beyond the control of the police or any other organization. It wasn't that socialism wasn't working, the trains were on time and people had running water, but the funds that could have lifted the Russian people was used to line the pockets of others, not wasted, but diverted for personal gain. Because in a socialist society, you aren't allowed to question the motives of your leadership, you go along of get shipped off to the gulag.

Here, your roads are patched and airports reasonable safe, the trains run on time and your leader isn't sending you to gulag for spiting him

[gypsysailor]

07:20 PM on 09/09/2009

Steele, you really do need to sit down and shut up. You have nothing to offer other than the 'boogie man is in the graveyard' scare tactics. I suggest you go look up Matt 25:45 and you'll see that even Jesus leaned to the Socialist.

[mdbmama]

07:19 PM on 09/09/2009

I wonder if Michael thought it was socialist when it was being written into the Iraqi Constitution by Bush et al?

[CJWebber]

06:49 PM on 09/09/2009

How does one become chairman of the RNC? Does it involve bending at the knees?

[Opygollopy]

07:00 PM on 09/09/2009

Nope, it entails being dumber than a rock.

[StillweRise]

07:42 PM on 09/09/2009

(no offense to rocks, of course)...

[BannedFromCommenting]

06:01 PM on 09/09/2009

What is up with his makeup? He looks orange, one step away from Boehner. It always looks too smooth and even.

[Bongborg]

07:24 PM on 09/09/2009

Not makeup. He's doing the Official Michael Jackson bleaching regime.

[hippie chucker]

05:49 PM on 09/09/2009

Of course Medicare is socialist, along with Social Security and the rest of the New Deal spawn-Great Society, etc.

Progressives have already won the battle for the individual, now we are just arguing over price.

(my take would be that the vast majority of citizens could be trusted with keeping their own money that the govt takes by force their entire lives to fund their own retirements)

[DavidClaiborne]

06:15 PM on 09/09/2009

What an awesome retirement that would be, huh? Good old fashioned dirt roads with no police to stop the bandits from exercising their liberty to rob you, no pesky firemen telling you that you can't have uncontrolled leaf-burnings in your backyard or taking away your liberty to die in a housefire... no stupid traffic lights or "lanes" telling you when and how you can drive. It would be great!

Instead of spouting ignorant rhetoric, try reading a few books... understand that if it wasn't for New Deal/Great Society programs, you would be just another poor fool toiling away so the rich can get richer. There would be no "middle class" to speak of without these kinds of programs. Pretty much everything you've done in your short little life that you think was a triumph of your personal freedom and the free market was in fact made possible only by government subsidies that ensure that those of us who are not born into wealth have a decent chance in this world too.

[louiexiii]

05:49 PM on 09/09/2009

Black head of RNC is token

[mmgbizgirl]

05:40 PM on 09/09/2009

Michael's been drinking the Kool-Aid for a long time. Who abused you as a kid?

[Bongborg]

07:27 PM on 09/09/2009

Those white Republican adopted parents. They raised him conservative.

[E in Houston TX]

05:36 PM on 09/09/2009

"The RNC chairman dodged the question."
I have just two questions.
1. Why was Steel allowed to dodge such specific question, whether or not Medicare is socialist?
2. Why do they still ask this guy any questions on important issues when all he does is regurgitate idiotic nonsense each time he opens his mouth?

[rlkinny]

05:24 PM on 09/09/2009

I hope that in tonight's speech, President Obama calls on all members of Congress who believe that any government health care or health insurance program is socialism -- then they should reject their government provided health care and purchase their health insurance on the open market. Please, please do that. Make these hypocrites put their money where their mouth is. Please. Please.