Steve Benen: Must see Video: Calling out a RINO (Jon Huntsman, of course)

Political Animal

May 26, 2011 9:30 AM
Calling out a RINO
By Steve Benen

A conservative site called Verum Serum put together a video this week, targeting apparent Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman, and making him out to be the most liberal Republican the public has seen in decades. One part of the video stood out for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IV8HFHkX3PA&feature=player_embedded

I thought I’d heard about nearly all of Huntsman’s center-left policy positions, but I didn’t know about this particular health care revelation. Huntsman was asked whether he considers access to health care a right. He replied, “I think health care is a right…. Why is that the insurance sector will not provide affordable health care policies? I’ve called them in; I’ve asked them; I’ve humiliated them publicly.”

So, what are we left with? A Republican presidential candidate who believes health care is a right, supported an individual health care mandate, wanted a bigger stimulus in 2009 with fewer tax cuts, expressed support for the Affordable Care Act, wanted to combat climate change with either a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system, and has endorsed civil unions, TARP, and a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who entered the country illegally.

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_05/calling_out_a_rino029836.php