CNN "American Morning" - Transcripts
Interview
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CHETRY: Well, we're just now two and half hours away from the president's televised health care summit, that some critics are calling more than political theater but other say perhaps we can get something done here. We just heard from White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.
Here with the Republican perspective this morning is Senator John Cornyn of Texas. He won't be at today's summit but he's joining us from Capitol Hill this morning. Senator Cornyn, thanks for your time.
SEN. JOHN CORNYN (R), TEXAS: Good morning.
CHETRY: All right. Well, you called today's summit a made-for- TV event, more than serious policy discussions. Do you think there's any chance though that today will be productive?
CORNYN: Well, I wish it were so, I wish it were possible. But I don't think the way that this has been handled. I mean, the president has taken a Senate and House bill that are enormously unpopular with the American people, reduced to an 11-page summary. We don't even have an accurate score or cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office. And he said that he's not going to shelve these unpopular bills and start over again and work with Republicans to come up with a consensus bill.
So I do think that the pundits are right. This is about theater. This is not about substance, unfortunately.
CHETRY: Well, you mentioned the Congressional Budget Office. Some of the estimates though do have it at just under $1 trillion. I mean, it is a big comprehensive bill that went through the House and Senate. But back in September, you said there was agreement on about 80 percent of things. And about 20 percent of things are really holding back any type of health care reform. What's changed from that 80/20 that you talked about in September?
CORNYN: Well, unfortunately, that 20 means that for the average person with health insurance, their premiums would rise. For those who pay taxes, they would pay more taxes and it takes half a trillion dollars from Medicare, which is already on a physically unsustainable path to create a new entitlement.
Unfortunately, those things have not changed and they remain I think the reason why most Americans don't want this bill. So I don't really understand why the White House and the majority are intent on jamming it down their throat, whether they like it or not.
CHETRY: Now, one of the things that the president has talked about is trying to find some common ground. If he comes out this morning and he offers a new compromise, maybe an agreement on some of the Republican ideas about medical malpractice, tort reform, is there anything that Republicans would be willing to give on in return?
CORNYN: Well, that would be positive. We've heard the president talk about medical liability reform which the Congressional Budget Office said would save $54 billion over the next 10 years. But then when you actually see the bill, they create pilot programs and things that are essentially meaningless. So if we can match up what they say with what they do, then I think that would be a good start.
CHETRY: Tell us some of the specific proposals that Republicans want to get out there on the table today at this health care summit.
CORNYN: Well, you mentioned one. Medical liability reform would be important. Expanding the role of health savings accounts, which have then controlled cost and let people decide what and how to shop for their health care. Competition across state lines increase transparency and let the market help control costs.
The problem with this bill is, and this proposal, is it simply does not lower health care costs. That's what the American people want first and foremost. What this does is it makes it worse, not better.
CHETRY: You talked about some things that the Republicans want to see. But I also ask, what would be some of the areas that you might be willing to give on that you're not necessarily in love with, but in order to get it done, that you might agree to?
CORNYN: Well, I mean, the president's going to have to scrap the mandates on individuals in terms that raise the cost of insurance. He's going to have to reduce the taxes on the middle class to pay for it. So, really, I think that's not possible to take this bill or his proposal, this 11-page summary, and to work with it around the edges. We're going to have to put it on the shelf. That's what the American people want us to do and start over. And we'd be glad to do that.
CHETRY: You have spoken about this and I know you don't completely agree with the figure of 46 million uninsured Americans. You actually talked about it being much lower than that. But are you satisfied with this Republican plan which talks about perhaps covering three million people, that it goes far enough to help people who really want insurance but cannot afford it?
CORNYN: Well, well we need a safety net for people who can't afford health coverage in this country. And that's why Medicaid and the C.H.I.P. program, the Children's Health Insurance Program are important. But we also have to recognize that the Democratic proposal forces many more people on Medicaid and it represents an unfunded mandate for states.
In Texas, for example, this proposal will cost Texas taxpayers an additional $24 billion over the next 10 years that the federal government is not going to pay for. That's a crippling costs that will crowd our higher education and other priorities in the state. So that's why we need do put this one on the shelf and start over and do some things that make better sense.
CHETRY: Well, we've been examining all week on CNN, the whole issue of broken government and in our recent polling, 86 percent of the people asked that they the government is broken. Bottom line, isn't time for both sides to get together and at least get something done?
CORNYN: I disagree that the government is broken. I think the American people are finally taking the power back, after Massachusetts, after Virginia, and New Jersey. And I think you'll see in November 2010, the American people speak very clearly, that they don't like this big government takeovers, higher taxes, reckless spending. And they want a new direction. And I think they're going to get it come November 2010.
CHETRY: All right. Senator John Cornyn, great to get your perspective this morning. Thanks for being with us.
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