In Denver, Pelosi promises no deficit spending for health care

Face The State Staff Report

Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, was in Denver Thursday to tout congressional Democrats' health care and economic stimulus policies. Flanked by U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, and Jared Polis, D-Boulder, Pelosi argued for prompt passage of a universal health care plan when the Congress reconvenes next month.

Pelosi, at podiumFTS Staff Photo

Pelosi promised any federal health care legislation would not add to the federal deficit, but also said that under a government-sponsored plan there would be no limit to the benefits paid out to any individual.

"Under this legislation, your premiums will be capped, but your benefits will not," Pelosi said. "Don't be afraid of the facts."

In a statement, Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Aurora, questioned the financial feasibility of the proposed new entitlement. "Mrs. Pelosi and her Democrat colleagues yet again failed to explain how they plan to pay for their trillion dollar government takeover of our health care system," he said.

State GOP chairman Dick Wadhams said Pelosi's visit demonstrated Democrats' increasing difficulty to sell the plan to constituents as members of Congress return to their home districts this week. “She is coming to Colorado at a time when she and her colleagues, along with Pres. Obama, is promoting what we consider to be a failed health care reform plan."

“This health care plan - among other issues are taking their toll on Pres. Obama and Speaker Pelosi," Wadhams said. "It increases the debt and it will have a public option that will destroy private health insurance."

A new poll by Quinnipiac University shows President Barack Obama’s numbers have fallen steeply in the last month. Just half of those polled, 50 percent, approve of the job the president is doing while 42 percent disapprove. Fifty-two percent said they disapprove of the way Obama is handling the health care issue while only 39 percent approve.

Conversely, Pelosi cited a poll from an unnamed source which she says found that 62 percent of Americans support a "public option" government health plan.

Responding to a reporter's question, Pelosi rejected the notion her caucus was in any way divided over the health care issue. "That's not true at all," she said. "No, there is not a rift within the party. Our party has great diversity within it."

DeGette, a chief deputy whip in the House Democrat caucus, echoed Pelosi's statement. "Many of our new members in swing districts said to us as they went out [on August recess], we need more time to talk to our constituents about this bill." Acknowledging that some Democrats have voted against health care reform bills in committee, DeGette said she believes the concerns of more conservative "Blue Dog" caucus members have been addressed.

"Make no mistake, everyone wants to have universal, quality health care for all Americans," Pelosi said. "I know it with absolute certainty on the Democratic side."