Bredesen Supports Socialized Healthcare, Ad Says

The Senate Leadership Fund has targeted Phil Bredesen’s support of socialized healthcare.

The organization launched a new advertising campaign Tuesday criticizing Bredesen for his support of single payer health care. The $1.2 million ad buy will run statewide on a combination of broadcast and cable television, radio and digital.

The video is available to watch here.

Bredesen is a former Democratic governor of Tennessee. He is running for the seat being vacated by U.S. Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who is retiring. His opponent is U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07).

The Senate Leadership Fund ad targets a 2011 book, “Fresh Medicine,” Bredesen wrote advocating for an insurance system similar to Social Security. A Los Angeles Times book review by David Lazarus says the former governor wants a 20 percent payroll tax for every worker to create a trust fund.

“If the trust fund starts running dry, of course, a bigger bite out of people’s paychecks would be required. Or smaller vouchers. Either way, you would be looking at a benefit cut,” Lazarus writes.

“Another potential problem: Bredesen’s vouchers would be adjusted to accommodate different health circumstances. Someone with diabetes, say, would receive a larger voucher than someone without any illness. An older person would receive a larger voucher than a younger person,” Lazarus says.

Senate Leadership Fund spokesman Chris Pack said, “Phil Bredesen supports single payer health care and even wrote a book pushing for socialized medicine. When you peel back Bredesen’s phony rhetoric, you’re left with a career politician who is far too liberal for Tennessee.”

The Senate Leadership Fund last week began an ad campaign highlighting Bredesen’s history of raising taxes and fees. The ad is available to watch here.

Senate Leadership Fund’s website says this about the organization: “As an independent Super PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund has one goal: to protect and expand the Republican Senate Majority when Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer, together with their army of left-wing activists, try to take it back in 2018.”

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Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes.