Rep. John Shadegg tells Newsmax that proposals backed by President Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress could "completely destroy" the American healthcare system.
The Arizona Republican also said the Obama administration is promoting "massive state involvement in the economy," which will be a "disaster."
Editor’s Note: To see the full John Shadegg interview, Go Here Now.
Newsmax.TV's Kathleen Walter asked Shadegg whether people in Arizona are concerned about illegal immigration and the dramatic rise in drug violence in his border state.
"People all over Arizona are deeply concerned about all crime related to illegal immigration," said Shadegg, who represents a Phoenix-area district.
"But having said that, the people in Arizona recognize that there is a role to be played by immigrants from south of our border in our economy. There are in fact jobs, for example in our agricultural industry and in other industries, that I think the majority of people in Arizona realize won't get done if there is no guest worker program, and no ability for someone from outside the country to come here and work.
"I personally support a guest worker program where people come but come lawfully, and supplement our economy. I don't support giving someone who got here illegally an automatic path to citizenship. I don't support an amnesty that says we are going to suddenly recognize all of them and let them become citizens. I've always argued for a middle ground on this issue."
Walter noted that Shadegg has introduced the Healthcare Choice Act and asked for his overall views on the issue.
"I really think the healthcare issue is the single most important issue facing the nation right now," the congressman declared.
"I notice that my colleagues on the Democratic side of the aisle have a very very extensive and shocking agenda, an agenda that will move us as a nation away from very fundamental principles.
"I think we have an administration that wants to restructure the government and its role with the citizens dramatically.
"I think the administration believes in a much larger role for the government, and I think it wants to recast America much along the lines of a European socialist [nation], with massive state involvement in the economy. I think that's a disaster...
"Americans need to understand that the reforms being proposed by Democrats in Washington and by President Obama on health care hold the potential to completely destroy what is great about the American health care system. And that is choice and individual control.
"I do not think that the American people want to go to a government-run, one-size-fits-all and the government rations care type of system . . . Actually, most of the countries that have a socialist form or a single-payer form of health care are moving away from that, having recognized that it's failed."
Walter asked Shadegg what he believes will be the outcome of the healthcare debate.
The outcome "depends on the willingness of the president and congressional Democrats to compromise," he said.
"Right now they're basically saying it's their way or the highway. They want to put in place a government plan, and that government plan will cause the private insurance market to wither and go away very very quickly.
"If they don't give up that demand, I don't see how we can come to a compromise."
Shadegg also said Obama was "not strong enough" in talking about the dangers of radical Islam during his June 4 speech in Cairo. But he called the speech a "stunning step forward by an American president to reach out and open the door" to improved U.S.-Muslim relations.
And Shadegg called Obama's statement that no nation should decide what other nations should have nuclear weapons "fundamentally wrong."
Editor’s Note: To see the full John Shadegg interview, Go Here Now.
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