Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani on Tuesday proposed tax breaks for buyers of health insurance and lambasted Democrats for advocating “socialized medicine.” “We’ve got to solve our health care problem with American principles, not the principles of socialism,” the former New York mayor told an audience in New Hampshire.
“I know Democrats will say this is unfair, I know they’ll squeal,” he added. “But I’m a realist. I face reality, which is: If you take more people and have government cover it, it’s called socialized medicine.”
Giuliani proposed a $15,000 tax deduction for families to purchase health insurance through the private sector. He said increased sales of health insurance policies would bring down the price of such policies, although he acknowledged that process could take several years.
“Government cannot take care of you. You’ve got to take care of yourself,” he said. “As more of us do that, the cheaper it will become and the higher in quality it becomes.”
Giuliani did not say how much it would cost to implement his plan, but insisted the nation could not afford plans by Democratic presidential candidates who favor universal coverage.
“The government can’t possibly cover everybody,” he said. “If the government covers everybody, the government will literally go bankrupt.”
Giuliani took a shot at liberal filmmaker Michael Moore, whose recent documentary, “Sicko,” praises communist Cuba’s health care system while criticizing America’s free market system.
“Michael Moore wants to take you to Cuba for your health care — anyone want to sign up?” Giuliani said. “I didn’t think so. Maybe the Democrats will sign up.”
Democratic National Committee spokeswoman Karen Finney promptly returned fire.
“No doubt Americans will see Giuliani’s recycled ideas on health care for what they are – more of the same failed policies that do nothing to provide health insurance for millions of Americans who don’t have it and can’t afford it thanks to Bush’s failure to address the issue,” she said. “Then again, just like President Bush, no doubt Rudy’s friends in the pharmaceutical companies will love it.”
