Gohmert: Liberals should fear ‘redneck president’ if court upholds mandate

Liberals should be concerned about what a future “redneck president” could impose on them if the Supreme Court upholds the healthcare reform law’s mandate that everyone have insurance, Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) said Monday.

“Let’s say you want to follow this administration’s idea of greatest good for the greatest number of people,” Gohmert said. “It ought to scare liberals to come run and join conservatives, because what it means is when this president’s out of the White House and you get a conservative in there, if this president has the authority under ObamaCare … to trample on religious rights, then some redneck president’s got the right to say, ‘you know what, there’s some practices that go on in your house that cost people too much money and healthcare, so we’re going to have the right to rule over those as well.’ “

{mosads}Gohmert made the remarks at a press conference organized by the conservative Republican Policy Committee to mark the first of three days of oral arguments on the reform law before the Supreme Court. With the high court set to hear arguments about the mandate’s constitutionality on Tuesday, House Republicans vowed to pursue a replacement plan.

“Regardless of the court’s decision, major, positive, patient-centered reforms are needed — and they’re possible,” said RPC Chairman Tom Price (R-Ga.). “And it’s exactly what the American people demand.”