I want health care reform in the worst way, but not bad enough to settle for a half-baked job. We need the right reform and it will sadly take more time because so much was put into the wrong plan. If everyone had worked as hard to study countries where universal health care works and did not bow down to insurance company lobbyists, there's a good chance we could be well on our way to the right plan. So, getting some reform may be better than none, but it's the expensive, inefficient, slow (in the long run) way to do it. I still wish we had seen states being charged with it. Put federal tax dollars out for the states with a charge to make a plan that works for them. Those that work will rise and those that don't will fall to the wayside and they will look to their neighbors for a plan that works. It would avoid too much big government while accomplishing the basics we need - control of health care costs and tort reform, coverage for all without exclusion and affordability, provided by tax dollars. It works in Taiwan and other places. For some reason the U.S. has to make it more complicated than it needs to be.
I'm all for bipartisan too - until this becomes an issue we all work toward; not fight about, it will not be successful. I applaud Jim Matheson for voting according to the merits of the bill rather than according to what his party feels he should do. It's daring in this day and age, but exactly what we need to see more of. Parties should not control this country.
WASHINGTON — After high pressure from all sides for weeks, Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, finally said Saturday that he will vote against his party's health care reform bill.
"I am saddened that the yearlong debate on health reform has resulted in legislation that is too expensive, contains too many special deals, does not contain health care costs and will result in increases in health insurance premiums," he said.
"Therefore I will vote against the legislation," he added. The House is scheduled to vote on the bill Sunday.
That leaves him among only a handful of moderate Democrats who are opposing his party and Democratic President Barack Obama. It may cause problems with his party, but it also may preserve his job in conservative Utah.
Yes. It's too bad Harry Reid is not of his type.
ReplyDeleteNo kidding. Oh that man is a piece of work!
ReplyDeleteCaught parts of Enid Show on KSL Saturday while working-- what I picked up was she was as the show was progressing, was searching anywhere she could think of- to discover what his vote was going to be. She could find it nowhere, she was stating she was very disappointed in him. At one point she exclaimed- O a bulletin is coming in from Jim Matheson office off the wires right now- well, turns out the bulletin is offering condolences regarding the death of a person. But now we know someone is actually in Jim Matheson's office right now as we speak, even tho it's Saturday. We are asking what is Rep. Matheson going to vote on this Health Care Legislation and we are not able to even find out, at this late date...! A caller into the show, reported she had called Matheson's office just a few minutes previous and could not get anybody, only a recording stating the voice mail boxes were all full. Enid ended up saying, I try not to be sarcastic, hard as it is sometimes, but could this be involving Jim Matheson waiting to find out what the overall vote was going to be from the other House members, and then if there is already enough votes to have the legislation clear the House as Obama needs it to pass (by more than just 1 vote majority)--- THEN Matheson can vote against and be able to benefit politically from that No vote in the state of Utah. One can draw own conclusions, from this apparent maneuvering on the part of Jim Matheson. It is well known that Matheson desires to ultimately be Governor of the state of Utah...
ReplyDeleteI thought about that too, Steve. Kind of a last minute "safe" vote - well as safe as it can be when voting against the party. But, yes, he should have come out sooner about it. A bit gutless overall, but still I appreciate each time someone shows any willingness at all to consider the issue over the party. Thanks for the comment.
ReplyDelete