San Diego, Calif., Jun 27, 2008 / 04:28 am
Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke to a meeting of the Catholic Healthcare Association (CHA) in San Diego on Monday on the topic of healthcare reform, pledging to pray “twenty rosaries every day” if that is what is necessary to have the California legislature pass his health care plan.
Governor Schwarzenegger, who was introduced by former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown, addressed the CHA audience to congratulate Lloyd Dean’s assumption of the association’s chairmanship, the California Catholic Daily reports.
The governor said he was excited that Dean had become CHA chairman, praising his “tremendous work” in California as leader of Catholic Healthcare West (CHW).
“And, man, he’s an action hero, I can tell you that,” said Schwarzenegger, a former action movie star, who said Dean had balanced the deeply troubled finances of CHW after only two years.
Lloyd Dean, the governor said, had helped assemble “an unprecedented and historic coalition of hospitals, doctors, insurers, patients’ groups, business groups, and labor groups” to support Schwarzenegger’s health care plan, which he said is based upon shared responsibility among employers, healthcare providers, insurers, individuals, and government.
Schwarzenegger said that California’s uninsured population is a “moral crisis,” saying 6.7 million Californians are uninsured, including one million children.
The governor said he can implement his health care program with the help of CHA members.
“And I know that, with your help, we can do it,” he said. “And even if it takes praying 20 rosaries every day, I will be on my knees praying the 20 rosaries – but we are going to get the job done!”