Former Sen. and Gov. George Allen doesn't see much to like in the proposed health-care overhaul, even without a Medicare buy-in provision.
"Why in the heck should we spend another trillion dollars that we don't have on this government run health-care experiment?" Allen asked today in a conference call with reporters.
Allen spoke amid reports that Democratic leaders are poised to drop a plan to let people from age 55 to 64 buy into Medicare coverage.
"Even if they do drop the so-called Medicare buy-in option, there are a ton of things wrong with this health-care bill," Allen said.
"Number one, there are tax increases on small business owners, and that's wrong. There would be half-a-trillion dollars in cuts in Medicare. They're going to make health care more expensive with their regulations."
Allen, who served as governor from 1994 to 1998, served in the U.S. Senate from 2001 to 2007. He lost the seat to Democrat Jim Webb in 2006.
This year Allen has raised his political profile. He is promoting his views on energy, such as his opposition to federal cap-and-trade legislation, as chairman of the American Energy Freedom Center. He recently joined forces with Democratic operative Paul Goldman to promote a change in the tax-code to ease renovation of old schools.
Allen said his opposition to the health-care bill is not directed specifically at Webb, but at any senator who has not stated how he will vote.
He also waved off a question about whether he is gearing up to run against Webb in 2012.
"That's not necessarily a relevant question for this," Allen said.
"As long as I'm breathing I want to be advocating positive, constructive ideas for America, for our competitiveness, and of course, I have a very special place in my heart for the people of Virginia," he said.
"I'm standing up as a citizen for my fellow Virginians."
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