For IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 9, 2009

ALEXANDRIA, VA – As President Obama tries to revive his health care program with a joint session of the United States Congress, Scott Ward, President of the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC), the nation’s largest caucus of Republican state leaders, released the following statement:

“Obamacare is on life support and no spoonful of sugar will make this proposed medicine go down any easier.  The President has the opportunity to really listen to what the people want – rather than attempt to find another failed, overreaching government solution.

“The truth is 69 percent of Americans want their state governments to take the lead in implementing policies and programs that impact their daily lives versus just 21 percent who want the federal government to take the lead.  While it is clear Americans want health care reform – they want the direction to come from their state capitols – not Washington, D.C.  

“State leaders are proposing commonsense solutions to provide individuals access to affordable, quality health care.  The RSLC examined this issue and 72 percent of Americans favored health care reforms being implemented on the state level, and prefer state-level approaches by a substantial margin over President Obama’s proposed cumbersome health care proposal.

“This isn’t just a red state versus blue state issue. Even in states carried by Barack Obama last November, a majority of voters believe the federal government is doing too much.  In the voter’s eyes, his administration can’t take on any more.

“We hope that the Democratic leadership abandons their current prescription for the government option, and replaces it with giving real options and opportunity for health care reform.”

Last week, the Republican State Leadership Committee released a national survey on state versus federal solutions on health care reform.  The survey results can be found at http://www.rslc.com/Survey.pdf

The Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC) is the only national organization whose mission is electing Republicans to the office of Attorney General, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State and State Legislator. The RSLC is the largest caucus of Republican state leaders in the country – making a national impact one state at a time.