Today on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, during a discussion on the health care bill currently being considered in Congress, host Joe Scarborough accused progressive contributor Lawrence O’Donnell of being an “avowed socialist, a eurosocialist.” O’Donnell sardonically reminded Scaborough that there is “not a single Republican socialist in the Congress who wants to repeal one sentence of our existing socialist program, in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.” To O’Donnell’s surprise, Scarborough quickly retorted, “Oh, I do“:
O’DONNELL: There’s not a single Republican socialist in the Congress who wants to repeal one sentence of our existing socialist program, in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
SCARBOROUGH: Oh, I do.
O’DONNELL: Oh, would you? Oh, OK.
Watch it:
Last fall, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) offered an amendment on the floor of the House of Representatives that would’ve eliminated Medicare. Not a single House Republican voted to repeal the program that their party has fought since its inception, despite the fact that it is, indeed, a single-payer, not-for-profit, “socialist” universal health care system for the elderly.
Update
In a tweet, Scarborough writes, “@thinkprogress I do not support the repeal of SS, Medicare or Medicaid. Read my book ‘The Last Best Hope’ to see my views on entitlements.” Scarborough emphasizes his support for repealing Bush’s prescription drug program “until DC figures out how to pay the $7 Trillion bill.”
Update
,In his book, Scarborough writes, “[L]et’s face it. Any plan that saves Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid will have to raise taxes, cut benefits, and conserve health care for Americans who are under 55.” (p. 224)
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