Haley challenges Obama on health care, nuclear waste

Yucca MountainImage via Wikipedia
The Sun News:

Gov.-elect Nikki Haley challenged President Obama over his landmark health insurance law Thursday in a candid, personal exchange in front of Cabinet members and newly elected governors from across the country but away from reporters.

In an exchange recounted by Haley and confirmed by White House aides, Obama rejected Haley's request to repeal the health care bill - but said he'd consider letting states opt out of its mandates if they ran exchange programs, banned insurance firms from denying coverage of pre-existing conditions and enabled people to pool together for better rates.

...

Haley's exchange with Obama on the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump was less complicated.

"The taxpayers of South Carolina have paid $1.2 billion to [develop a plan] to send our nuclear waste to Yucca Mountain," she said.

"I asked him if he would consider honoring the federal commitment and allow waste to go to Yucca Mountain. His answer was no.

"He went on to the fact that they feel like they had safety concerns. He was pretty adamant that was not an option that was on the table."

Haley then made a direct demand.

"Then give us our money back," she told Obama.

"He said that he would have [Energy] Secretary Chu call me."
I like her direct approach. Obama's response on health care retains all the worst features of the program that make it so expensive and unworkable. His response on Yucca Mountain was a cop out. The only real concerns on the safety of the facility or in the mind of Harry Reid who is blocking it.
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