Weiner Challenges Republicans To Do Without Healthcare [VIDEO]

February 21, 2011 | 12:30 p.m
Weiner in another one of his videos
Weiner in another one of his videos

Rep. Anthony Weiner tpok to the floor of the House on Friday to voice his support for the health care reform bill, this time calling out Republicans for accepting federal health care for themselves while denying it to the American people.

"Lets put your money where your mouth is," he said. "Why don't you step up and say 'We're opposed to government run health care for members of Congress!'"

Videos of Weiner's passionate public pleas have gone viral throughout the debate.

In his most recent turn before the House mics, Weiner called the Republicans out for hypocrisy, especially those who ran against 'Obamacare' during the campaign, decrying it as an over-extension of the federal government, but are personally benefiting from federal health care. He told two anecdotes about unnamed Republicans- one of which was a freshman from New York delegation- who inquired about their health care packages when the new Congress was called to session.

"It turned out that there are a lot of members of Congress who rail against other people getting health coverage but really like that they get it- as they should, no one should give up their health care plan," Weiner said.

 "This is the moment in the bill that I would hope that my Republican colleagues come down five minutes at a time and say 'Lets get rid of that dastardly federal employees health benefits program that the legislative branch benefits from' or at least say 'I'm taking it and here's why I'm contradicting what I said in the campaign.'"

 

Here's his full speech:


More Trouble Upstate?
More in Politics

More Trouble Upstate?

Read More »