Weiner Blasts House GOP During Healthcare Debate

Congressman Anthony Weiner launched into a blistering “half-time” report in the middle of today’s House debate on healthcare reform, scolding Republicans for misrepresenting facts, demonizing the bill and using red-herrings to argue their opposition.

“I just want to advise people watching at home playing that now popular drinking game where you take a shot whenever a Republican says something that’s not true, please assign a designated driver, this is going to be a long afternoon,” Weiner said in front of his colleagues.

The Congressman said the Republicans have been pulling “canards out of the sky,” alleged falsities that were also brought up during the first round of healthcare fights. New agencies, a swelling federal workforce, death panels and more – the Republicans have been “making stuff up,” Weiner said.

He also argued that the first healthcare reform bill that passed last year, which Republicans have now brought back to the floor in attempt to kill or weaken it, was a GOP victory, in which concessions were made to expand coverage, but still keep insurance in the hands of private companies.

“We’re offering small businesses tax incentives to go buy private insurance plans. This was a proposal first made by Republicans that was adopted,” he said. “We decided that was the way to go,” and now Republicans are against it.

“Stay tuned, ladies and gentlemen. This is the sign of a philosophical division. You have one side that stands up for patients and for citizens and for businesses,” he said, gesturing to the Democratic seats in the House. “And the other side, which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the healthcare industry.”

“If you’re in love with insurance companies and want them to succeed and you don’t care about anything else, by all means, this is your team,” he added, pointing to Republicans. “This is your guy.”