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Foxx: Fear health care reform

This just moved from the Associated Press just moved this:

WASHINGTON (AP) - A Republican congresswoman says people have more to fear from Democratic health care legislation than from terrorists.

Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina made the comments in a speech on the House floor Monday.

She said that the greatest threat to freedom is the Democrats' health care overhaul bill, which she called a tax increase bill.

So what exactly did she say? Here’s the relevant quote:

“I believe the greatest fear we all should have to our freedom comes from this room, this very room, and what may happen later this week in terms of a tax increase bill masquerading as a health care bill. I believe we have more to fear from the potential of that bill passing than we do from any terrorist right now in any country,” Foxx said.

Democrats at the state and federal level have begun circulating this as evidence that the Republican Party “has been hijacked by an extremist far right-wing faction.” I imagine you’ll be seeing this clip on either the Daily Show or any of the various cable opinion shows this week.

Obviously health care reform is a hotly contested issue provoking strong feelings. But describing it as a threat equivalent to terrorists might be a bit fraught.

Click here to watch Foxx say her piece from the House floor.
 

Accompanying Photos

Photo Caption: U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-Banner Elk, speaks on the House floor Monday, 11/2/09.