Posts tagged as:

health care reform

The Petty and Despicable Nature of Tom Coburn and Republicans Alike

by Eric on December 21, 2009 · Comments

This is what it means to be a modern day Republican. Obfuscate to the point where a late night (early morning) vote is necessary and then pray that those who might vote for health care reform cannot make the vote. They prayed for rain on Obama’s nomination acceptance speech. Now they pray that the ill are either too sick to make it or die before they are able to?

At 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon — nine hours before the 1 a.m. vote that would effectively clinch the legislation’s passage — Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) went to the Senate floor to propose a prayer. “What the American people ought to pray is that somebody can’t make the vote tonight,” he said. “That’s what they ought to pray.”

Just fucking sick.

Coburn surely knew that Robert Byrd is in frail condition and had to be brought in by wheelchair. He made it, of course, and was heard giving the Republicans who forced such a late vote a “shame…shame” upon entering the chamber to cast his vote.

0-2 on the rain prayers. Apparently God doesn’t like Republicans or wingnut asshats.

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Irony Alert: Clinton Won’t Attend Free Clinic Because It’s…TOO POLITICAL!

by Eric on November 21, 2009 · Comments

FFS. Probably one of the biggest political junkies of all time and someone who tried (and failed) to pass health care reform won’t attend a free clinic because Keith Olbermann made it too political?

Oh for good god damned sakes you have got to be kidding me. Earth to Bill Clinton: This shit has been political from day one. Don’t go all weak kneed on us now. You’re doing nobody any favors by making lame attempts to be above the fray. Get in the game or go the hell back to Arkansas and drive your AstroTurf™ lined El Dorado in the fucking parade.

Too political.

My ass.

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Senate Health Care Reform Bill Released, Features Stupak Compromise

by Eric on November 18, 2009 · Comments

Complete text of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act by the Senate is now available online. You can download the PDF here.

Video of the presser:

$127 billion reduction in deficit. 94% coverage. Includes an opt-out public option compromise. I’m still unsure of this one. Seems like you could opt yourself right out of any cost savings by diluting the strength of the pool of insured.

One of the most contentions provisions of late has been the Stupak-Pitts Amendment in the house. A pretty good compromise is being offered on this one:

The Senate version would require at least one plan within the health insurance exchange that the bill sets up to offer a plan that covers abortion and one that doesn’t. It would also authorize the Health and Human Services Secretary to audit plans to make certain that abortion isn’t being paid for with federal dollars.

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On Abortion, Some Day We Expect a Damn Good Answer

by Eric on November 13, 2009 · Comments

From De Magno Opere:

Which begs the question of why men – whether they are religiously banned from marriage or merely popularly elected officials – feel they have the obligation (much less the right) to decide for women what they should and should not do with their bodies.

Someday, I expect a damn good answer…

Don’t hold your breath waiting for an answer.

I’ll agree with Modern who earlier said DMO doesn’t get read enough or enough credit as a great Ohio political blog. I’ve been a fan for a long time. You also have to read the link to Andrew Sullivan. Worth a click over to see the true face of the Catholic Church, if you didn’t already see it in the DC story.

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Wingnut Hypocrit Alert: RNC employee health insurance plan covers abortion

by Eric on November 12, 2009 · Comments

Um…wow?

The Republican National Committee’s health insurance plan covers elective abortion – a procedure the party’s own platform calls “a fundamental assault on innocent human life.”

According to several Cigna employees, the insurer offers its customers the opportunity to opt out of abortion coverage – and the RNC did not choose to opt out.

Spokespeeps say they are going to fix it. They were unaware. Blah blah blah. A policy that has been in place since 1991 was not scrutinized before? These are the people who want to win leadership in this country? Sheer incompetence. Maybe the RNC just wanted to offer sensible coverage to it’s employees. Afterall, they were given the chance to opt out of this provision and did not. Hard to call this a simple 18 year oversight.

Give American women the same coverage as your employees Republican Party!

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Deep Thought Re: Healthcare and Abortion

by Eric on November 11, 2009 · Comments

If a Congressman pays out of pocket for his mistress to have an abortion, does this qualify as a taxpayer funded abortion?

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Whose health care reform vote was bought and paid for?

by Eric on November 10, 2009 · Comments

The effect of money on our politics has been an age old problem. I don’t have a problem with money in politics. I have a problem when money begins to distort the focus on the “public” part of public service. Money causing politicians to defer their constituent needs for those of their paymasters is also nothing new. It was a finely crafted art which relied on one thing to make it work. Obscurity. What the people don’t know, they can’t hold you accountable for.

This era ended with the Internet and the explosion of web enabled data tools that could mine publicly available data and make it meaningful. Maplight.org is doing some great work in this area. They have published data related to the health care debate which will “shed some light” on what may be influencing the votes of our electeds. Below are contributions to Ohio’s Congressional delegation from interests who did not want HR 3962 (Affordable Health Care for America Act) to pass and how they voted:

Austria R (OH-7) No $3,500
Boccieri D (OH-16) No $1,000
Boehner R (OH-8) No $70,125
Driehaus D (OH-1) Yes $1,000
Fudge D (OH-11) Yes $700
Jordan R (OH-4) No $5,500
Kaptur D (OH-9) Yes $1,000
Kilroy D (OH-15) Yes $1,500
Kucinich D (OH-10) No $2,500
LaTourette R (OH-14) No $14,000
Latta R (OH-5) No $2,000
Ryan D (OH-17) Yes $2,500
Schmidt R (OH-2) No $4,000
Space D (OH-18) Yes $11,250
Sutton D (OH-13) Yes $1,500
Tiberi R (OH-12) No $29,750
Turner R (OH-3) No $4,750
Wilson D (OH-6) Yes $8,000

What jumps out, of course, is the level to which both GOP Congressmen Boehner and Tiberi are vested in the paymasters.

Space also jumps out at you given that he is taking the money of those who wanted the bill to fail, yet he voted FOR it. Wilson did much the same to a lesser degree. This may speak to their districts and the tightrope that they have to walk between at-home constituencies and DC political pressures.

The thing about Boccieri’s vote, which we have and will continue to hammer, is you can’t claim it was bought. He got a token amount much like others who voted for the bill. It leaves you continuing to scratch your head at his calculus.

I think this kind of information is good to have as we continue to hold our Congressional delegation accountable for health care reform.

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Profile in Courage: Congreswoman Kilroy voted against Stupak amendment and for health care reform

by ModernEsquire on November 10, 2009 · Comments

Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy knows that the national Republicans have painted a big target on her back.  She knows she’s likely facing a rematch from her ‘08 opponent in which she narrowly won thanks, in part, to a high youth turnout fueled by the presidential election that is unlikely to materialize in ‘10.

And yet, she not only voted for the House health insurance reform bill, but she also voted against the Stupak anti-choice amendment.

If you’ve got some spare change, give Kilroy some coin.  If you live in the area and have some spare time, then give Kilroy’s campaign your time. 

Kilroy is living proof that you don’t have to wear an uniform to show the courage of your convictions.

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