During a recent town hall meeting, Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) told the story of a woman who was repeatedly denied care for her unborn child’s heart defect. After “hunting down specialists,” the woman “found one guy in Detroit who said, ‘I think we can get it done,’” Olson said. Seventeen days after the woman’s son was born, the child received the heart transplant. Olson then said that a public option would have prevented the woman from finding someone to help her unborn son. Many in the crowd promptly booed Olson:
OLSON: Britney is convinced that her son would not have been born if there was a public option. She wouldn’t have had the choices to be able to go find a doctor she wants. […] For those of you who say it’s not true, don’t talk to me, talk to Britney.
ATTENDEE 1: That’s not true!
ATTENDEE 2: The insurance company turned her down, not the government! The private insurance turned her down, not the government! My gosh! … That’s not the government!
OLSON: Texans, I want to thank you all for coming.
Watch it:
(HT: Crooks & Liars)