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White House ‘tone deaf,’ ‘arrogant’ in response to Prop C passage

August 5, 2010

Missouri Republican Party Chairman David Cole released the following statement today in response to the White House’s insistence that Tuesday’s landmark rejection of ObamaCare by 71 percent of Missouri voters meant “nothing.”

“Earlier this week, nearly three-quarters of Missouri voters, including Republicans, Democrats, and independents, issued a stunning rebuke to Robin Carnahan and Barack Obama by overwhelmingly rejecting the most fundamental provision of ObamaCare.  The fact that this White House would characterize the repudiation of their government takeover of healthcare as ‘nothing’ is a stunning denial that borders on delusional.

“This tone-deaf and arrogant reaction is exactly the reason why so many Americans across the country are fed-up with liberals like Robin Carnahan, who opposed Proposition C.  Voters sent a clear message rejecting the liberal agenda, yet Democrats continue to dismiss the will of the people and insist that Missourians are simply not capable of making their own decisions.

“At a minimum, tens of thousands of Missouri Democrats joined the vast majority of voters to oppose the Obama-Carnahan federal mandate to purchase health insurance, and the only response from Democrats in Washington is to say that those votes were uninformed and meaningless.  The people of Missouri deserve better than a condescending dismissal of their views from the White House and a Democrat Senate candidate afraid to stand up for our state.”

Background:

White House says Prop C vote means “nothing.” The Hill, August 4, 2010: White House press secretary Robert Gibbs flatly dismissed Missouri’s vote Tuesday rejecting a key part of the healthcare law. Gibbs said Missouri’s vote approving a ballot initiative to exempt residents from the new law requiring individuals to buy health insurance was “of no legal significance.” Asked what it means that voters in Missouri would vote against the federal mandate, Gibbs said: “Nothing.”

Harry Reid dismisses vote, says Missourians uniformed. Wall Street Journal, August 5, 2010: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) responded today to a Missouri vote that Republicans call a rebuke to the sweeping new health law by saying voters like the legislation better the more they know more about it… “It’s very obvious that people have a lack of understanding of our health care reform bill,” Reid said. “The more people learn about this bill, the more they like it.”

Tens Of Thousands Of Democrats Join Republicans To Vote For Prop C. FOX News, August 4, 2010: “…It is overwhelmingly likely that tens of thousands of Democrats voted ‘yes’ on Prop-C, joining Republicans in handing a Missouri rebuke to the healthcare law and it’s Democratic champions in Washington.”