Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Hands Across America
Unfortunately, all of the hands are giving the finger.
According to this article from CNN, the Tea Party protesters are going on tour! Apparently, the name "Tea Party" not only refers to a protest against taxes, but also against health care reform and so-called "big government." I fully believe that when the original Tea Party happened in Boston back in 1773, the demonstrators involved wanted their movement's name to be used to protest things that are completely unrelated to the original purpose.
(Note: I didn't know this before, but this article taught me that the TEA in TEA Party stands for Taxed Enough Already. I'm sure they'll clue us in on how taxes have anything to do with the health care crisis.)
Anyway, the TEA Party protesters are taking a two week bus tour from Sacramento to Washington, D.C., culminating in a march to announce their views and protest the President's agenda.
Even putting aside the public option as an issue, people still find problems with reforming a system that is inherently broken and flawed. I love those Libertarians!
According to this article from CNN, the Tea Party protesters are going on tour! Apparently, the name "Tea Party" not only refers to a protest against taxes, but also against health care reform and so-called "big government." I fully believe that when the original Tea Party happened in Boston back in 1773, the demonstrators involved wanted their movement's name to be used to protest things that are completely unrelated to the original purpose.
(Note: I didn't know this before, but this article taught me that the TEA in TEA Party stands for Taxed Enough Already. I'm sure they'll clue us in on how taxes have anything to do with the health care crisis.)
Anyway, the TEA Party protesters are taking a two week bus tour from Sacramento to Washington, D.C., culminating in a march to announce their views and protest the President's agenda.
Even putting aside the public option as an issue, people still find problems with reforming a system that is inherently broken and flawed. I love those Libertarians!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
McCain, That Dirty Liberal Scoundrel
At a recent town hall, John McCain was taunted, berated, and yelled at by residents of Phoenix, Arizona. Just to be clear, McCain is for health care reform, but is against the public option.
One woman at this meeting was kicked out for continuously yelling at the Senator before he had even started speaking:
"The Arizona senator hadn't yet opened up the meeting at McCain's central Phoenix church to questions when one audience member continuously yelled over him.
"You're going to have to stop or you're going to have to leave," McCain told the woman. When security guards approached to escort her out, he told her "Goodbye, see ya" to a round of applause."
Which is actually pretty funny on McCain's part. The point is, if people are shouting at Republican members of Congress who aren't even in favor of the Obama plan, do they know what's going on and actually oppose health care reform or are they simply yelling for the sake of yelling?
Source
One woman at this meeting was kicked out for continuously yelling at the Senator before he had even started speaking:
"The Arizona senator hadn't yet opened up the meeting at McCain's central Phoenix church to questions when one audience member continuously yelled over him.
"You're going to have to stop or you're going to have to leave," McCain told the woman. When security guards approached to escort her out, he told her "Goodbye, see ya" to a round of applause."
Which is actually pretty funny on McCain's part. The point is, if people are shouting at Republican members of Congress who aren't even in favor of the Obama plan, do they know what's going on and actually oppose health care reform or are they simply yelling for the sake of yelling?
Source
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Has the Extra Heat on Senate Democrats Started to Pay Off?
It's starting to look that way! Late last week Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), one of the so-called "Gang of Six" in the Senate Finance Committee started that he now supports a public option as part of health care reform.
Just today, another member of the Gang of Six, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, stated that he would support using reconciliation as a way to get heath care reform through the Senate.
It seems like the progressive groups whom Max Baucus warned of created a centrist backlash against health care reform have started to turn the tables! Keep fighting the good fight!
Just today, another member of the Gang of Six, Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, stated that he would support using reconciliation as a way to get heath care reform through the Senate.
It seems like the progressive groups whom Max Baucus warned of created a centrist backlash against health care reform have started to turn the tables! Keep fighting the good fight!
Why Do These Insane Rumors About Health Reform Fly?
I just saw something rather frightening. According the Livescience.com, more than HALF of Americans believe in the health care 'myths'.
Part of the problem here is the fact that they're referred to as 'myths'. No, there aren't 'myths', they're total myths. There are no death panel in any of the bills. This is not a government takeover of health care. This will not gut Medicare. Illegal immigrants will not be covered.
How many times do you have to beat middle America over the head with the logic stick before they actually get it?
Part of the problem here is the fact that they're referred to as 'myths'. No, there aren't 'myths', they're total myths. There are no death panel in any of the bills. This is not a government takeover of health care. This will not gut Medicare. Illegal immigrants will not be covered.
How many times do you have to beat middle America over the head with the logic stick before they actually get it?
Friday, August 21, 2009
Senator Kyl: No Republicans Will Support Reform
Thanks for the heads up. We look forward to unseating you next year.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Rob Andrews Responds to Email
When the announcement to go soft on the public option was announced, my colleague Dave posted on this blog, encouraging everyone to write their congressperson and express how important they believe this bill to be. To reiterate, there is no progress or change when what I personally consider to be the most important part of the reform bill -- providing a health care option to the ~50 million uninsured Americans -- is softened due to false rumors and fear of revolt.
I took the initiative and wrote my own Congressman, Rob Andrews of New Jersey's 1st District. While he didn't actually read my letter (as evidenced by the fact that while I wrote him in support of his opinion, the response seems to believe I was against it), it exposes some of the truths about the bill itself. I'd like to post my response from Congressman Andrews here in the hopes that it may be used as an education tool to any readers of this blog, as well as to any friends of readers who believe the rumors and hearsay about the bill. Unfortunately, Andrews does not confirm or deny the existence of death panels in this letter.
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about our health care system. I appreciate the fact that you took the time to contact me and I apologize for the delay in my response.
I want to make changes to our health care system because health care costs are spiraling out of control. Health insurance premiums have doubled over the last decade. Your premiums are projected to double again over the next decade. Last year, more than half of all Americans postponed medical care or skipped their medication because they could not afford it. American families deserve more. I have read H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, and I am dedicated to ensuring that our families receive better, more affordable health insurance. As a result, I support President Obama’s initiative to improve the health insurance system.
The bill will lower your health care costs by giving you more choices for your health insurance. Plus, if you have a pre-existing condition like diabetes, heart disease, or cancer, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny you coverage or charge you a very high premium. There will be a limit of how much you and your family have to spend for health care out of your own pocket. Let me clarify some of the bill’s other provisions:
1. No one will be forced into a public plan. This is not about putting the government in charge of your health insurance. Absolutely no one will be forced to give up their private insurance or enroll in a government health plan. The proposal will simply give Americans more options for health insurance coverage.
2. If you like your health insurance, you can keep your insurance. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your current plan, you keep your current plan.
3. Taxes will not be raised for middle-class families. A couple making less than $325,000 a year will pay no new taxes under H.R. 3200. Today, middle-class families pay an enormous “hidden tax” of nearly $1,100 per year to provide care for the uninsured and underinsured. Under the proposed bill, these hidden costs will be eliminated. In fact, reducing health care costs will help grow the middle class for the first time since the 1990s.
4. Most small businesses will not be affected. Only 2.1% of all small business owners would be affected by health insurance reform. The remaining 97.9% of small business owners would be completely unaffected by the changes but would benefit from the American-style market competition created by the bill.
Because there are so many misconceptions about the bill, you need to understand what H.R. 3200 does not do. It does not deny any person on Medicare (or any other plan) coverage for any care that their doctor thinks is appropriate. It does not spend any taxpayer money on abortions. It does not provide coverage for illegal immigrants. Most importantly, it doesn’t let people with modest incomes go without health insurance.
As health care legislation continues to move forward, your thoughts and suggestions are welcome. Thank you again for contacting me and if I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me again.
Sincerely,
Robert Andrews
Member of Congress
I took the initiative and wrote my own Congressman, Rob Andrews of New Jersey's 1st District. While he didn't actually read my letter (as evidenced by the fact that while I wrote him in support of his opinion, the response seems to believe I was against it), it exposes some of the truths about the bill itself. I'd like to post my response from Congressman Andrews here in the hopes that it may be used as an education tool to any readers of this blog, as well as to any friends of readers who believe the rumors and hearsay about the bill. Unfortunately, Andrews does not confirm or deny the existence of death panels in this letter.
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about our health care system. I appreciate the fact that you took the time to contact me and I apologize for the delay in my response.
I want to make changes to our health care system because health care costs are spiraling out of control. Health insurance premiums have doubled over the last decade. Your premiums are projected to double again over the next decade. Last year, more than half of all Americans postponed medical care or skipped their medication because they could not afford it. American families deserve more. I have read H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, and I am dedicated to ensuring that our families receive better, more affordable health insurance. As a result, I support President Obama’s initiative to improve the health insurance system.
The bill will lower your health care costs by giving you more choices for your health insurance. Plus, if you have a pre-existing condition like diabetes, heart disease, or cancer, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny you coverage or charge you a very high premium. There will be a limit of how much you and your family have to spend for health care out of your own pocket. Let me clarify some of the bill’s other provisions:
1. No one will be forced into a public plan. This is not about putting the government in charge of your health insurance. Absolutely no one will be forced to give up their private insurance or enroll in a government health plan. The proposal will simply give Americans more options for health insurance coverage.
2. If you like your health insurance, you can keep your insurance. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your current plan, you keep your current plan.
3. Taxes will not be raised for middle-class families. A couple making less than $325,000 a year will pay no new taxes under H.R. 3200. Today, middle-class families pay an enormous “hidden tax” of nearly $1,100 per year to provide care for the uninsured and underinsured. Under the proposed bill, these hidden costs will be eliminated. In fact, reducing health care costs will help grow the middle class for the first time since the 1990s.
4. Most small businesses will not be affected. Only 2.1% of all small business owners would be affected by health insurance reform. The remaining 97.9% of small business owners would be completely unaffected by the changes but would benefit from the American-style market competition created by the bill.
Because there are so many misconceptions about the bill, you need to understand what H.R. 3200 does not do. It does not deny any person on Medicare (or any other plan) coverage for any care that their doctor thinks is appropriate. It does not spend any taxpayer money on abortions. It does not provide coverage for illegal immigrants. Most importantly, it doesn’t let people with modest incomes go without health insurance.
As health care legislation continues to move forward, your thoughts and suggestions are welcome. Thank you again for contacting me and if I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me again.
Sincerely,
Robert Andrews
Member of Congress
If You Can't Win, Make Things Up
When did the town hall health care meetings have to become exercises in fact-checking? Take this article, for instance. As I've mentioned in a previous article, private health care companies are intentionally spreading false rumors about the health care bill in order to exacerbate its passage and cause the mayhem and chaos in the town halls that have been exhibited on the news. These Congressmen and Senators are reduced to arguing against these irrational rumors, despite various sources debunking the myths many people are so angry about.
If members of Congress can't convince their constituencies of the health care bill's benefits, then who can we get to do it instead?
If members of Congress can't convince their constituencies of the health care bill's benefits, then who can we get to do it instead?
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