Edwards' Health Plan Under Attack

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5, 2007 — -- Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., drew fire Monday from a conservative interest group, a day after he acknowledged that his plan to extend health insurance coverage to every American would require higher taxes.

"John Edwards talks about 'two Americas,'" said Pat Toomey, the president of the anti-tax increase group Club for Growth, "but there is only one America and its taxpayers think they should be allowed to keep more of their hard-earned money -- not less."

Edwards estimated Sunday while appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press" that his proposals would cost the federal government $90 to $120 billion a year in new spending. To pay for his program, Edwards said he would roll back the tax cuts enacted during President Bush's first term for those making more than $200,000 annually and target what he said were "billions of dollars" in unpaid taxes on capital gains.

To achieve his goal of "universal health care through shared responsibility," Edwards would require all American residents to get health insurance. To make this feasible, the Democratic Party's 2004 vice presidential nominee would require businesses to either provide coverage themselves or to make a financial contribution toward a universal system.

He would also expand Medicaid, provide new tax credits to make health care more affordable and create regional purchasing pools to bring down costs.

The policy-based attack launched Monday by Club for Growth stood in contrast to the style-based attack launched against Edwards Sunday by the Republican National Committee.

In a missive to reporters entitled, "Edwards Turns to the Dark Side," the committee attacked Edwards for his aggressive early campaigning. The media release pointed to Edwards' remarks on "Meet the Press" in which he criticized the Clinton administration for errors in pre-Iraq war intelligence, called into question Sen. Barack Obama's, D-Ill., experience and took a pass when asked if Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has been "open and honest" with regard to Iraq.

In addition to a harder-hitting approach towards his Democratic rivals, Edwards has indicated during his second presidential bid that while he wants to contain the deficit, he has other priorities he considers more important than a balanced budget, specifically universal health insurance and new investments in alternative energy.