Sununu to his constituents: You don't deserve the same health care that I have

(Manchester, NH) – In a radio interview last week, Senator John Sununu told his New Hampshire constituents that they don’t deserve the same health care that he has. In a January 15 appearance on New Hampshire Public Radio, Sununu said that he would not support legislation to ensure that New Hampshire families have affordable access to the same health care he enjoys as a member of Congress. (Click here to listen to the audio)

Laura Knoy, NHPR: “Most of the Democrats, Senator Sununu, who ran for president said ‘Look, let every American buy into, on a sliding scale based on income, the same plan that you enjoy as a member of Congress.’ How do you feel about that approach? So it's private, but it expands access with one law right there.”

Sununu: “The problem with that is you're just subsidizing one system that’s designed specifically for government employees. That's for government employees. The state of New Hampshire, for its employees, has a plan. Businesses around the country have a plan.”

“John Sununu has no problem with subsidized health care, as long as it’s for him and not his constituents,” said Bill Lofy, director of the Stop Sununu campaign of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. “Giving citizens a choice of whether to keep their current insurance or buy into a plan that provides the level of benefits that Senator Sununu and his family receive is not only a way to make health care more accessible, it will also bring down costs for everyone. If it’s good enough for Sununu, why isn’t it good enough for the rest of us?”

Sununu’s comments last week are the most recent example of his out of touch view of the health care crisis. In December of 2006, Sununu told a group of business leaders that health care was too complicated and large a problem to solve. “I’m not saying it’s not an issue or it’s not important, but proportionally speaking, stop complaining about health care.” He went on to say that “there is no solution” any time soon. (Concord Monitor, 12/3/06)

“John Sununu’s refusal to take the health care crisis seriously is yet another sign that he has been in Washington too long,” Lofy concluded. “First he tells his constituents to stop complaining about health care costs that are rising out of control. Now he won’t allow his constituents to have the same health care he has because they’re not government employees? It’s time John Sununu weren’t a government employee either.”

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