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Questions for My Dem Congressman after His Health Care Town Hall, where he pointed me out as a liberal he disagrees with
By Rob Kall (about the author) Page 1 of 2 page(s)
For OpEdNews: Rob Kall - Writer
Murphy walked up to the group with a three inch binder with a lot of tabs in it. It was the house health insurance bill. He told us he'd read it and when anti-public option people brought up issues, like free health care for illegal immigrants, he was quick to point out the page where that is specifically not allowed.
Murphy's a bluedog Democrat, meaning he insists that legislation pay for itself, or be budget neutral and that's what he said he would require for any healthcare reform.
I was impressed by the way he handled the impassioned concerns of anti-health reform constituents. He usually had answers and when he didn't he offered them further access for discussion. I talked to a few afterwards and they were satisfied with his responses.
But during the town hall, Patrick pointed out to one reform opponent that he doesn't always go with the liberal point of view. He specifically pointed to ME and said, I don't agree with liberals like Rob, who supports single payer." Later he went on to say that he would oppose single payer which makes all doctors government employees, and which would make all health care run by the government. (I had mixed feelings on him pointing me out. It gave me street cred among other liberals there, but I have his bumper sticker on my car-- one he handed me personally at a house party I held for him, which over 60 people attended, before he was first elected. I felt a bit used, as an example of a liberal he doesn't agree with.)
Note the nurse with the pursed lips. She opposed health reform
That's perrennial Bucks County Nam Vet activist Bill Perry holding the sign
When he gave me my turn to talk, I accused him of using right wing talking points. I don't know of any single payer advocates who support making all doctors government employees or governmentalizing all health suppliers, like hospitals. All single payer means is that government pays the bills. There's no hiring doctors or taking over hospitals. It's all about the PAYMENT system, not about operating businesses.
Congressman Murphy is not alone. Recently, Joe Sestak and Arlen Specter have been guilty of the same kinds of mis-characterizations of single payer-- describing it in ways that right wing opponents to all health care reform use. Maybe it's an honest mistake or maybe they've talked to too many lobbyists. But this has to stop.
After I chastised Patrick on his using GOP talking points, I asked him a few questions. I didn't get to ask him all the questions I wanted. I'll ask them here.
1- If you really want the most cost effective health plan, why not tell the Congressional Budget office that has told us that it will cost a Trillion dollars over ten years for the Obama plan to do a study on what it will cost for single payer. Previous studies suggest that it could save a trillion or more. That would be a $2 trillion saving over ten years. Last week, at Netroots nation, Howard Dean told me that congressmen have the right to ask for such studies.
2-Why don't you factor in the cost of lost jobs? America's failure to provide single payer, putting the weight of health care on businesses, makes them less competitive with manufacturers in nations where health care is government covered. That's one big reason our automotive industry has been hurt so badly.
Those were the questions I asked. He replied that he didn't think single payer would save money, but didn't say what he based his opinion. He agreed about the lost jobs factor and brought up the cash-for-clunkers program, which he helped sponsor as a way he's helped the auto industry.
I praised his backing this "wildly successful" program and pointed out it was the only one so far implemented which actually used a true bottom up approach. I suggested that we should switch to only using a bottom-up approach with the banks and finance companies-- putting up loan subsidies that banks could use only when consumers and businesses took loans.
Here are a few more questions I wanted to ask.
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Rob Kall is executive editor, publisher and site architect of OpEdNews.com, Host of the Rob Kall Bottom Up Radio Show (WNJC 1360 AM), President of Futurehealth, Inc, (more...)
The views expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author
and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
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