Recognizing Americans' misgivings about the healthcare reform law, several Democratic candidates are asking voters to give them a chance to fix it instead of repealing it, according to a report by Politico.
Three new Democratic Senate candidates who were not part of the vote in favor of the reform law have called for fixing it: Joe Manchin in West Virginia, Jack Conway in Kentucky and Alexi Giannoulias, running for President Obama’s old seat in Illinois. "I want to reform it and fix it and make sure that it works for small businesses and their families," Mr. Giannoulias said of the law.
Even many Democrats who did take part in the vote are suggesting it needs fixing: Rep. Brad Ellsworth, running for the U.S. Senate in Indiana, and incumbents Rep. Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota and Rep. Lois Capps of California. "We have three years to make it better before it fully goes into effect," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer in Maryland, referring to 2014, when much of the law will be implemented.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, however, is not happy with these sentiments. "The part that I most don't like is 'fixing what's bad about "Obamacare,'" he said. A Democratic leadership aide added: "Democrats need to be a little more careful in terms of the language messaging they’re using around it. There’s no sense in espousing what Republicans are saying about repeal."
Read the Politico report on healthcare reform.
Read more coverage on repealing healthcare reform:
- Boehner Signs Pledge to Repeal Reform Law
- Federal Judge Clears Way for Challenge to Reform Law, Focusing on Coverage Mandate
Three new Democratic Senate candidates who were not part of the vote in favor of the reform law have called for fixing it: Joe Manchin in West Virginia, Jack Conway in Kentucky and Alexi Giannoulias, running for President Obama’s old seat in Illinois. "I want to reform it and fix it and make sure that it works for small businesses and their families," Mr. Giannoulias said of the law.
Even many Democrats who did take part in the vote are suggesting it needs fixing: Rep. Brad Ellsworth, running for the U.S. Senate in Indiana, and incumbents Rep. Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota and Rep. Lois Capps of California. "We have three years to make it better before it fully goes into effect," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer in Maryland, referring to 2014, when much of the law will be implemented.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, however, is not happy with these sentiments. "The part that I most don't like is 'fixing what's bad about "Obamacare,'" he said. A Democratic leadership aide added: "Democrats need to be a little more careful in terms of the language messaging they’re using around it. There’s no sense in espousing what Republicans are saying about repeal."
Read the Politico report on healthcare reform.
Read more coverage on repealing healthcare reform:
- Boehner Signs Pledge to Repeal Reform Law
- Federal Judge Clears Way for Challenge to Reform Law, Focusing on Coverage Mandate