Smith: I Care About Children's Health Care (In An Election Year)

While Smith Refused to Convince Republican Colleagues, Jeff Merkley Worked to Provide Health Care to Every Oregon Child

Smith Failed to Fight Big Tobacco, Took Vacations Paid For By Tobacco Company Lobbyists

PORTLAND - Republican Gordon Smith today continued to run away from his record voting with George Bush 90 percent of the time by putting lipstick on the pig that is his miserable health care record. While Gordon Smith has failed to lead in Oregon and Washington D.C., Jeff Merkley helped lead a coalition of nurses, doctors, parents, teachers, and working men and women to provide affordable health insurance to every Oregon child.

Gordon Smith failed in Washington D.C. to convince his Republican colleagues in the U.S. Congress to override President Bush's veto of the Children's Health Insurance bill. Smith also refused to convince his Republican colleagues in Oregon to put children before big tobacco companies.

While Smith held a press conference saying he supported Merkley's effort, he publicly refused to lobby any of his colleagues to support the bill.

Smith said he's not lobbying individual legislators to back the tax increase.

"I am not here to pressure them," Smith said, adding that he respects "their right to disagree."

[The Oregonian, 2/22/07]

"At the end of the day, Gordon Smith protected President Bush's veto and the big tobacco companies, and turned his back on the children of this state," said Speaker Jeff Merkley. "While Smith refused to convince his Republican colleagues to buck their president and their campaign contributors, I was working to bring Democrats and Republican together to provide health care to every single child in Oregon.

Maribeth Healey, Executive Director of Oregonians for Health Security, wrote in The Oregonian:

Advocates for children and health care fought every day to find a solution and bring enough lawmakers around to pass the tobacco tax in the Legislature. House Speaker Merkley was with us in the fight, working diligently to find common ground and cover our kids. There were policy changes, compromises and myriad votes on the floor. Plus, two attempts to refer the legislation to voters.

[Letter to the Editor, The Oregonian, 5/17/08]

The Oregon Nurses Association praised Merkley's leadership:

Speaker Merkley's leadership and dedication on this issue is unquestionable.

Health care and child advocacy groups across Oregon were deeply saddened the failure of Ballot Measure 50 in Oregon's November 6th election after big tobacco companies poured over $12 million dollars into the "No on 50" campaign.

...

The simple fact is that the Measure would never have made it as far as it did without the exceptional leadership and support of Speaker Merkley. His record on Health Care Reform is above reproach, and ONA looks forward to supporting his agenda in the United States Congress.

[ONA Press Release, 5/15/08]

Smith Vacationed With Tobacco Lobbyists

Smith is so tight with big tobacco companies he traveled to Ireland on a trip paid for by tobacco industry lobbyists.

In 2005, The Hill reported that Smith and four other Republicans took a trip paid for by the Washington lobbying firm, Kessler & Associates Business Services Inc. Kessler represented cigarette maker Altria, formerly known as Philip Morris. Smith and the four other Republicans stayed at Ashford Castle during their trip. [The Hill, 5/4/05]

Universal Health Care

Along with his failure on children's health insurance, Smith refuses to support an Oregon plan to provide affordable, quality health care for every American. [The Oregonian, 2/25/08] Six Republicans and six Democrats have already signed on as co-sponsors of Senator Wyden's Healthy American's Act.

Asked why [Smith has refused to support the bill], Smith's office issued a written statement saying Smith thinks the bill "is helping our national discussion on health care reform," and he will keep talking to Wyden.

[The Oregonian, 2/25/08]

"One of the first things I will do in the U.S. Senate is fight alongside Ron Wyden on behalf of this bipartisan effort to provide every American with access to affordable, quality health care," said Speaker Merkley. "Today Oregon has one senator working to make health care affordable and one senator fighting for special interests who support his campaign.

"When it comes to health care, I get my perspective from my wife, Mary, a professional nurse who sees the system through the eyes of those who ought to matter most - patients and their families - not the big drug companies and big insurance companies. The American people need solutions to the health care crisis -- not more talk, and more senators who side with special interests against reform."

Smith has taken over $270,000 from the pharmaceutical industry for his Senate campaigns and opposes allowing the federal government to negotiate for lower prescription drug process. Smith has also taken more than $580,000 from the insurance industry and refuses to support Senator Wyden's universal health care plan. [Source: Center for Responsive Politics]

Smith's position puts him out of step with even the most conservative members of his own party, such as staunch conservative Senator Bob Bennett of Utah, the chief co-sponsor of the bill Senator Wyden's bill.

Posted May 27, 2008
Press

Share on Facebook