Right now, millions of Americans are uninsured and millions more are under-insured. Seniors are having a difficult time being able to afford their prescription drugs. American families can't keep up with the high cost of hospice care and child care. Thousands of Americans die every year because they can't afford to get treatment. Bush and Republicans like Gordon Smith have done nothing but line the pockets of big pharma and the insurance industry at the expense of the health of American families.
Full disclosure, I am the netroots director for OR-Sen candidate Jeff Merkley
Gordon Smith has taken nearly one million dollars from the pharmaceutical and insurance industry since he began his run for the Senate in 1995. Smith even joined the likes of Tom Delay and Denny Hastert on the infamous junket to London, England where he mingled with lobbyists from companies like Bristol-Meyer Squibb and the Altria Group which is the parent company of Philip Morris. There's no telling what kind of conversations the lobbyists had with Republican Gordon Smith. If his record is any indication of who he favors with his votes, there's no question that Gordon Smith favors the insurance and pharmaceutical companies over helping everyday Americans.
Gordon Smith's Abysmal Record on Health Care
Here are a handful of votes to let you know which side Gordon Smith is on when it comes to health care.....
Smith on Prescription Drugs and Medicaid
In 2005, Smith voted against forcing pharma companies to fully warn consumers of the dangerous side effects in their advertising.
In 2002, Smith voted against providing prescription drug coverage for seniors on Medicare rather than through private insurers.
In 2000, Smith voted against expanding outpatient prescription drug coverage for seniors.
In 2005, Smith voted for the Republican budget which cut 10 billion in Medicaid health services to the states.
Smith on Patient Rights
In 1998, Smith voted to kill the Patients Bill of Rights.
In 1999, Smith voted to block an amendment offered up by Senator Wyden which would have ensured hospitals wouldn’t retaliate against doctors who help patients appeal HMO decisions.
Smith on Women's Health Care
The Smith Campaign has yet to take a position on Bush's recent attacks on funding contraceptives.
In 2007, Smith voted to ban HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions.
In 2005, Smith voted against an effort to reduce teen pregnancy by funding sex education and providing contraceptives.
In 1998, Smith voted twice to allow HMO's to skirt paying for minimal hospital stays for outpatient surgery for childbirth, mastectomies, or reconstructive surgery.
Smith on Health Care for Kids
In 2000, Smith cast the deciding vote against reducing Bush's taxcuts in order to expand SCHIP and Medicaid to cover uninsured parents of kids on SCHIP and Medicaid.
In 1997, Smith voted against restoring Medicaid coverage to disabled children who lost their coverage under the 1996 welfare law.
In 1997, Smith voted against providing additional benefits to uninsured children with special needs.
In 1997, Smith voted against a tax increase on cigarettes in order to fund health care insurance for low income children.
Health Care should be a Human Right not a Privilege
Oregon Senate candidate Jeff Merkley believes that health care should be a human right and not a privilege for those who can afford it. Jeff Merkley is a proponent of UHC and will support a single payer bill in the Senate. As House Speaker, he lowered prescription drug prices for seniors, championed a UHC bill for kids (sadly defeated by big tobacco), forced insurance companies to cover contraceptives and made the morning after pill available to sexual assault victims.
The race is in a dead heat in Oregon. You never know, Oregon's Senate seat could end up being lucky number 60. If we want to move the Senate to the left and increase our majority, we need to elect Jeff Merkley. We need your help. We need your voice. Wouldn't we be so much better off if we had Jeff Merkley fighting in the Senate for UHC, rather than Gordon Smith who will legislate for the insurance industry and leave ordinary Americans behind?