Pataki rails on “Obama care” during Iowa stop

DES MOINES – Former New York governor George Pataki brought his effort to repeal the newly passed federal health care reforms to Iowa Tuesday, saying politicians did not listen to Americans who did not want those reforms.

Pataki stopped in Iowa as part of a tour by Revere America, which aims to gather the signatures of 1 million Americans who want to repeal or replace the health care reform legislation.

Pataki, a Republican who is chairman of Revere America, launched  the tour earlier this month on the 235th anniversary of Paul Revere's legendary ride.

He compared the group's mission to Revere's ride, working to awaken Americans that their freedoms are at risk.

“This time it's not at the end of a gun barrel, it's at the stroke of a pen by people in Washington who every day work to erode our personal freedoms,” Pataki said. “We cannot let that stand.”

Pataki did not directly answer a reporter's question about a possible presidential campaign in 2012.

“I love being a private citizen,” Pataki said. “You know, there will be a lot of good people out there in 2012 … but I don't think we can wait two and a half years to take back this government, which is why I'm out there today.”

Pataki, who repeatedly referred to the health care reform legislation as “Obama care,” said Congress passed it even though a majority of Americans did not want it.

“They rammed it through. They passed it. They didn't listen to the American people. Now it's time for them to wake up and hear the American people,” Pataki said.

Pataki raised concerns the health care reforms that were passed would increase the national deficit. But Pataki said what he fears most about the reforms is that the people who need to see a doctor or get health care will find they have to wait or they cannot get it.

Brenna Findley, the Republican candidate for Iowa attorney general who spoke at Tuesday's event, argued the federal legislation was unconstitutional and vowed to join other states in a lawsuit to fight it if she is elected.

She said the legislation went beyond Congress' authority and will force more people to buy a level of insurance coverage they may not want or face penalties.

“On that level, it's wrong. It interferes with their freedom,” Findley said.

Findley criticized current Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat seeking re-election this year, for choosing not to join a lawsuit with other states challenging the federal health care law.

Miller has said the law is constitutional, and it would be a waste of state resources to join a lawsuit arguing it is not.

"The key legal question is whether Congress has authority to mandate health insurance for all,” Miller spokesman Bob Brammer said in a statement. “Congress has authority to regulate matters that affect interstate commerce, and there is no question that health care affects interstate commerce.”