Efforts against 0bamacare

[TBoneTX 45,568]

The following was a broadcast e-mail from our local Congressman here. Thoughts, si man?

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Dear Friend,

I thought you might the following op/ed on needed reforms to the new healthcare law, known as Obamacare, of interest.

Bay Area Citizen - Houston Community Newspapers

Olson: GOP’s proactive steps lessen impact of ‘intrusive’ health care mandate

Posted: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 10:39 am

This summer, the U.S. Supreme Court will rule on whether the new healthcare law, commonly known as Obamacare, is on strong constitutional footing. While I remain hopeful the court will uphold lower court rulings that determined the law is unconstitutional, House Republicans have taken several proactive steps to minimize the impact of this federal takeover of our healthcare system.

The most troubling aspect of the President’s healthcare law is the mandate that forces every American to purchase coverage or pay a penalty. Under the new law, individuals will have no choice but to purchase health insurance or face the possibility of a $2,250 tax. The federal government alone will determine if you can afford to purchase healthcare or if you meet a certain threshold to qualify for a government subsidy. You will no longer have the right to make decisions about your own care -- an unprecedented intrusion by the federal government into your personal lives.

Last week, the House voted to repeal the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act. This is an unsustainable entitlement program included in Obamacare, and whose phony “savings” were used by the law’s supporters to mask the true cost of the President’s intrusive and unconstitutional healthcare bill before it was rushed into law. Repealing the CLASS Act is only the latest in a series of legislative efforts passed by the House to repeal and defund Obamacare.

As you may recall, one of the first actions taken by the new Republican House last year was to adopt a bill repealing Obamacare in its entirety. The House also passed a jobs-focused budget that fully repealed and defunded this government takeover of our healthcare system, as well as several amendments to prohibit taxpayer funds from being used to implement or enforce specific provisions of the law.

While those bills were not enacted into law, several measures that chip away at the most egregious parts of Obamacare have been passed and signed into law by the President. First, we passed H.R. 4, which repealed the healthcare law’s job-crushing 1099 paperwork mandate. In last year’s spending cut agreement with the President, House Republicans were also able to successfully eliminate several questionable accounts in Obamacare that had little oversight or clear purpose. Additionally, another provision in the spending cut agreement prevented the IRS from hiring 16,500 new agents to help impose the law’s tax hikes and mandates. The House also approved legislation to repeal other Obamacare slush funds, saving taxpayers billions of dollars.

Republicans have offered alternatives every step of the way to help Americans access affordable healthcare, while allowing those who like their current coverage to keep it. People should have the choice to maintain their current coverage or buy health insurance across state lines. Another proposal would be to ensure that patients with pre-existing conditions or those who suffer from a chronic condition cannot be denied the opportunity to purchase quality healthcare.

These proposals would allow more Americans to get quality, affordable healthcare without placing onerous taxes and regulations on you or your employer. Reforming healthcare is an issue that affects every single one of us, and we should continue to dismantle Obamacare piece by piece and ease its impact on hard-working Americans.

I appreciate your feedback on this and other important issues. I'm honored to represent you in Congress.

Very respectfully,

Pete Olson

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[Dakine10 5,452]

The following was a broadcast e-mail from our local Congressman here. Thoughts, si man?

==================================

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Can you ask him why both parties couldn't have worked together in the first place to get this right. Ask him why partisan politics and making the other party look bad became more important that the American people.

Seems to me that both parties like to talk about how important access to affordable healthcare for all Americans is. And yet when they had a chance in the legislature to take care of this, they acted like 2 year olds who didn't want to share their ball. And then they hope were all suckers who will forget about it and vote them back in to do it all over again.

[luckytxn 2,264]

The following was a broadcast e-mail from our local Congressman here. Thoughts, si man?

==================================

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Such a good little RINO. Got the rhetoric down pat and even a couple of Socialist plots tossed in to think he cares.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Can you ask him why both parties couldn't have worked together in the first place to get this right. Ask him why partisan politics and making the other party look bad became more important that the American people.

Seems to me that both parties like to talk about how important access to affordable healthcare for all Americans is. And yet when they had a chance in the legislature to take care of this, they acted like 2 year olds who didn't want to share their ball. And then they hope were all suckers who will forget about it and vote them back in to do it all over again.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Does Pete Olson know that the very idea of a federal health care insurance mandate originated in the sacred halls of the Heritage Foundation?

This mandate is based on two important principles. First, that health care protection is a responsibility of individuals, not businesses. Thus, to the extent that anybody should be required to provide coverage to a family, the household mandate assumes that it is the family that carries the first responsibility. Second, it assumes that there is an implicit contract between households and society, based on the notion that health insurance is not like other forms of insurance protection. If a young man wrecks his Porsche and has not had the foresight to obtain insurance, we may commiserate but society feels no obligation to repair his car. But health care is different. If a man is struck down by a heart attack in the street, Americans will care for him whether or not he has insurance. If we find that he has spent his money on other things rather than insurance, we may be angry but we will not deny him services - even if that means more prudent citizens end up paying the tab.

A mandate on individuals recognizes this implicit contract. Society does feel a moral obligation to insure that its citizens do not suffer from the unavailability of health care. But on the other hand, each household has the obligation, to the extent it is able, to avoid placing demands on society by protecting itself.

Does Pete Olson know that the first legislative attempt to instroduce a federal mandate for health insurance originated from his party? Does he know that Republicans have introduced and co-sponsored legislation mandating indivudal coverage from 1993 all the way to early 2009? The individual coverage mandate has been a centerpiece of Republican health care reform proposals for almost two decades. Now that we have it, they say it's unconstutional. Which is to say that for two decades, Republicans have pushed for what they believe are unconstitutional policies. Interesting, isn't it?

[luckytxn 2,264]

Does Pete Olson know that the very idea of a federal health care insurance mandate originated in the sacred halls of the Heritage Foundation?

Does Pete Olson know that the first legislative attempt to instroduce a federal mandate for health insurance originated from his party? Does he know that Republicans have introduced and co-sponsored legislation mandating indivudal coverage from 1993 all the way to early 2009? The individual coverage mandate has been a centerpiece of Republican health care reform proposals for almost two decades. Now that we have it, they say it's unconstutional. Which is to say that for two decades, Republicans have pushed for what they believe are unconstitutional policies. Interesting, isn't it?

Which makes them as worse as the Socialists.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Can't wait until "Obamacare" becomes law.

Although less desirable than a single payer system or even a public option, it's a gazillion times better than what we have now: "don't get sick!"

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Which makes them as worse as the Socialists.

Can I have permission to quote you in future posts?

Edited February 11, 2012 by Sousuke

[luckytxn 2,264]

Can I have permission to quote you in future posts?

Ok by me.

I could have phrased it better.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

Ok by me.

I could have phrased it better.

Its ok, won't mention it again, just thought it was funny.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Can't wait until "Obamacare" becomes law.

Although less desirable than a single payer system or even a public option, it's a gazillion times better than what we have now: "don't get sick!"

It was never "don't get sick" despite the rhetoric.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Its ok, won't mention it again, just thought it was funny.

At least you asked this time. The last time I wasn't even the one that complained to the mods and I didn't even care that you did quote me. Some people here are touchy. Go ahead and quote.

[Dakine10 5,452]

It was never "don't get sick" despite the rhetoric.

People involved in healthcare who actually know and see what happens on a daily basis will tell you it is exactly that.

Edited February 11, 2012 by Dakine10

[luckytxn 2,264]

Instant classic.