Sen. Campfield defends blog post comparing Obamacare sign-ups to Holocaust 'train rides'
NASHVILLE - Sen. Stacey Campfield’s comparison of Obamacare to the Holocaust drew bipartisan criticism Monday from the chairmen of both political parties in Tennessee.
The Knoxville Republican posted this remark on his blog Monday morning under the headline, “Thought for the day:”
“Democrats bragging about the number of mandatory sign ups for Obamacare is like Germans bragging about the number of manditory [sic] sign ups for 'train rides' for Jews in the 40s.”
Tennessee Democratic Chairman Roy Herron was the first to send media an emailed statement criticizing the posting:
“Senator Campfield’s blog post this morning is just the latest example of Tea Party Republican extremism. To compare attempts to save American lives through access to healthcare with Nazis killing European Jews is outrageous, pathetic, and hateful.
“Sen. Campfield and other Tea Party Republicans ought to look at the 5,000 Tennesseans who will die within the next 3 years because Tea Party Republicans refused to take the 100% federal funding to expand Medicaid and have denied working Tennesseans access to healthcare.”
Tennessee Republican Chairman Chris Devaney followed with this statement shortly afterwards:
"While Stacey Campfield routinely makes remarks that are over the top, today's comments are ignorant and repugnant. No political or policy disagreement should ever be compared to the suffering endured by an entire generation of people. Those comments have no place in our public discourse. He should offer an apology to members of the Jewish faith immediately."
Campfield, contacted by phone, said “it was never my intent to insult anyone,” but he is not making an apology and believes the analogy is appropriate.
“I think Jewish people should be the first to stand up against Obamacare,” Campfield said. “If government is controlling people's health insurance, they are potentially controlling people's lives....letting the government choose who lives and who dies.”
Campfield later sent an email to the News Sentinel writing in part, "I regret that some people miss the point of my post. It was not to offend. It was to warn." You can read the entire email here.
Approximately 6 million Jews were killed during the Holocaust. Many of them were transported by train in cattle cars to concentration camps where they were later killed.
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