Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., started his career as an orthopedic surgeon who was tired of being told by the government how he could treat patients.
Following a trip to lobby about tort reform at Georgia’s State Senate, Price decided to run for the state Senate. After winning that Senate seat, he ran to represent Georgia’s sixth district in the U.S. House of Representatives and won.
“One free American ought to be able to contact another free American for a service,” he said during a College Republicans event Oct. 4 in Butler Boardroom.
Price, a doctor turned politician, shared his views on health care, the American Jobs Act and the 2012 presidential candidates.
He serves as the Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, according to his Congressional website.
Price began his address by talking about the American Jobs Act, placing blame on overregulation by the federal government and the corporate tax rate. The United States holds one of the largest corporate tax rates, second only to Japan, he said.
Price said he believes this tax rate only punishes businesses, especially small businesses.
“I’m a zero percent business tax guy,” Price said.
He also spoke about health care, a problem that Price said he has insight into both as a doctor and politician.
“It’s important to appreciate that we can fix all the challenges in health care right now, today, without putting the government in charge of a thing,” Price said.
Price said he believes health care decisions must be made between the family, the patient and the doctor without worrying about insurance. However, he said people deserve to be able to pick their own health care, as he believes the government cannot do this properly.
“[About] 99.2 percent of the time, the federal government messes up,” he said.
The Republicans are currently pushing a few health care bills that Price said he believes will not make it past the Senate. He said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would not bother to introduce the bills on the floor.
“Sen. Harry Reid decided he doesn’t want to do anything that he doesn’t absolutely have to do because he has decided it is politically wise for his party not to address any controversial issues,” Price said. “That’s just an absolute absence of leadership, and it’s harming the country.”
As for the presidential election candidates, Price said he believes former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will get the Republican nomination.
“If it’s Romney, he’ll trounce the president,” Price said.
