Mollohan Wrong On Health Care
By The IntelligencerU.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., will not be representing the vast majority of his constituents well if he votes in favor of a health care bill scheduled to go to the House floor within a few days - perhaps this weekend. In fact, supporting ultra-liberal House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on the bill would amount to placing political considerations ahead of the interests of those of us in northern West Virginia.
As this was being written, Pelosi and her cronies were scrambling to line up enough votes to pass the bill. Their hope was that they could be assured of the necessary margin in time for a vote today or Sunday.
But in order to accomplish that, the liberals were making substantive changes in the enormous document, a bill that was 1,990 pages long when introduced. According to The Associated Press, two critical changes involved "finalizing language to bar federal funding of abortion and resolving a flare-up over the treatment of illegal immigrants in the legislation that had Hispanic lawmakers up in arms."
Both items have long histories in the debate over health care. Time and time again, Pelosi and company have claimed that taxpayer funding of abortions would not be permitted. And time and time again, examination of health care bills has disclosed that no such ban actually had been written into them.
Why should anyone expect anything about that to be different now?
That ought to concern Mollohan, who has said he is a staunch pro-life advocate. Yet he seems to be willing to vote on the bill without enough time to ensure that new language on abortions really involves a ban.
Though Mollohan has not taken a strong stance on the issue of whether illegal immigrants should be guaranteed health insurance, that concern is similar. In the past, Pelosi and liberals also have claimed their bills would not insure illegal immigrants - yet legislative language has left that in question. Again, with changes made in a hurry last night, what assurances do Americans have on the issue?
Those are just two of scores of serious flaws in the bill. Here are a few others:
- It would limit Americans' choices in regard to health insurance - and treatment.
- It would slash Medicare funding, to the detriment of senior citizens.
- It would send the already astronomical national debt skyrocketing. The bill has a cost estimate of $1.2 trillion. Given the history of underestimating costs of such programs, it is likely to have an actual price tag of several times that amount.
- It would increase taxes and health care insurance costs for millions of Americans.
- Businesses, including small ones, would pay a huge new tax if they fail to obtain government-approved health insurance for employees.
- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has indicated that the complexity of health care legislation probably will delay consideration until next year. Yet Pelosi is demanding action immediately - without giving members of the House, much less the public, adequate time to examine and discuss the proposal.
- Fortunately, there is a litmus test available to judge the quality of health care insurance mandated by the bill. It involves the generous health insurance benefits members of Congress enjoy now. The bill allows them to obtain insurance through the new government program - or keep what they have now. If the Pelosi plan is so wonderful, why are lawmakers reluctant to mandate it for themselves?
Mollohan already has indicated he plans to vote in favor of the bill. Doing so would be wrong for the West Virginians he claims to represent.
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TruthSeeker
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11-09-09 7:04 AM
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LOON ALERT! LOON ALERT! LOON ALERT! Followed closely by -- ASSWIPE ALERT! ASSWIPE ALERT! ASSWIPE ALERT!
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EllisWyatt
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11-08-09 10:41 PM
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Truth Those of us who work and are productive pay the taxes so, yes, it WILL come out of my pocket. You, on the other hand, are a liberal, which means that NOTHING comes out of your pocket. When there are more people getting government checks than there are people paying taxes, we are in serious trouble. How about this? You pay for your health care and I'll pay for mine. What's that? You don't like it? Well, only those looking to have someone else pay their way would support socialized anything.
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Graysongs
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11-08-09 9:25 PM
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"Cap And Trade" passed the House by a similar margin and it seems to be still sitting somewhere in the Senate.
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reasoh
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11-08-09 6:14 PM
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Nancy check on that NY 23 race that democrat that won campaigned on a promise to vote against at least until after he was elected. In fact what I read he broke 4 promises in less than an hour after being sworn into office .
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Graysongs
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11-08-09 4:50 PM
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TruthSeeker - I don't think so. We'll stay and fight against - rebel, if you will - this utterly destuctive regime of frauds in both the White House and the Congress. The fact is that it violates the US Constitution and people who love America will not stand for it. No matter how many low-life dregs ACORN lined up to vote for BoyObaMao.
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TruthSeeker
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11-08-09 4:03 PM
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Hey, Asswipe! Why don't you quit********and moaning and move out of the US! Take your buddies with you. All you want to do is criticize and *****. Never have any answers, just more********and moaning. Nothing is ever a good thing to do for your fellow man unless it's bombing them. So head on over the border now. We don't want you around and certainly won't miss you.
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TruthSeeker
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11-08-09 3:58 PM
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Good grief, Ellis! You rant and rave like it's all gonna come out of your pocket. You shouldn't try to discuss that which you do not understand. Now go take your meds or nurse awhile on that bottle.
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Reactionary
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11-08-09 3:48 PM
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NancySI--" Businesses with payrolls below $500,000 are exempt while firms with payrolls between $500,000 and $750,000 would pay a graduated penalty. Small businesses would also receive a tax credit that helps cover 50% of their health care expenses." Yep!! Now that solves all the problems for providing ObieCare2009! Lets just penalize small business. Makes sense to me. You don'thave insurance, so lets tax someone else's business in order to pay for it! That is exactly what that crap means, and YOU are all for it! When you put these people out of business, then what? Who will pay for IT then?
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NancySI
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11-08-09 3:25 PM
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"Businesses, including small ones, would pay a huge new tax if they fail to obtain government-approved health insurance for employees." "HOUSE BILL - PROTECTS SMALL BUSINESSES: The bill exempts 86% of businesses from the requirement to provide coverage. Businesses with payrolls below $500,000 are exempt while firms with payrolls between $500,000 and $750,000 would pay a graduated penalty. Small businesses would also receive a tax credit that helps cover 50% of their health care expenses."
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EllisWyatt
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11-08-09 2:30 PM
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ManSeeker Nice insult. Now address the national debts vs. assets issue. Why don't YOU tell us how we can pay for all of this spending?
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TruthSeeker
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11-08-09 1:03 PM
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Poor old Ellis...
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EllisWyatt
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11-08-09 12:59 PM
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Nancy If your illness should not bankrupt you then surely you would support a bill that pays off mortgages, credit cards, cars and other loans if one takes ill, right? Why stop at health care? Should someone lose their home due to illness? Why not sell insurance for this sort of thing? Oh, there is insurance. It's called AFLAC. Let's not stop at health care. All Americans should have their bills paid. Who will pay the bills? Well, let's not worry about pesky things like that! Think about this, liberals. How, in reality, will be pay our debts? We cannot bankrupt ourselves. There is no place to turn. All of the wealth of all households and non-profits comes to about $52 TRILLION. Social Security & Medicare currently have an unfunded liability of $45 TRILLION. National Debt is currently $11 TRILLION. Proposed Obama addition to the debt? $11 TRILLION. Interest payments, at less than 4%, over the next decade? $2 TRILLION. Net Debt: $17 TRILLION
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TruthSeeker
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11-08-09 12:52 PM
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WVEXPAT: Don't know what I said that was any more valid than what I have been saying all along. But as for the governors races, I wouldn't have voted for Deeds or Corzine. Corzine is a health care opposing climate change denialist and many progressive and liberals simply did not vote rather than vote for him not to mention the fact that he is a former chair of Goldman-Sachs. Deeds is a non-starter. He couldn't hold his own in debates and never seemed to know where he stood on anything. I hate wafflers and he is one. Neither one were very good candidates and the outcomes proved that point. You don't win a governors race simply by showing up but don't try to tell the GOP that.
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NancySI
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11-08-09 12:33 PM
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WVEXPAT-Id agree. The bill isnt perfect and can and will be improved. Yet, many sleep easier now, knowing that soon, 1 illness will not bankrupt all they ever worked for. Cost containment and access to insurance were major steps towards improving health care in this country. Unfortunately it is going to have to be all Dems working on the bill. We just saw how desperate some were to prevent any changes from the status quo. Most of us knew all along, there were no death panels, there was no need to get violent about change, and all the other lies told during the process. America is not that stupid. Shame, some Repubs will continue to fight tooth and nail, without any civility or solutions to keep status quo.
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Graysongs
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11-08-09 10:53 AM
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Nancy - I don't hate anybody and I have the pleasure of knowing a lot of really great broads. I just mock dumb people without regard to s e x, race or whatever.
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Graysongs
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11-08-09 10:11 AM
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hoopie - Those "abortion restrictions" are going to be gutted out of the bill in committee. Mollohan knows it and it just gave him "cover" for the public vote.
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WVEXPAT
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11-08-09 9:44 AM
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Congrats to the supporters of the bill! While I agree that both better access and cost containment are needed, I still don't think this is the way to accomplish those goals. I'm looking forward to what the Senate version will look like. Yes Nancy, It appears the the 2 new members were able to add a little cushion to the vote. Although not knowing the true pre-vote numbers a few Dems may have been "released" from the votes once the end count was known. But nonetheless a valid post election point from you and Truth!
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Reactionary
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11-08-09 9:31 AM
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NancySI---with all due respect, it's NOT a love of Insurance Companies OR fat cat CEO's or any thing like that. It's opposition to the fact that the GOVT is overtaking vital aspects of the US economy, and financial power that will assert Direct Control over every American Life. If Obie Care passes the Senate the Govt will have effective control over @30% of the GDP. Our freedoms are involved in this also. Some of us just choose NOT to give up the freedom to make our own decisions, and hold onto our own money. We don't want Govt interference in every facet of our lives. Apparently some of you out there have no problems with that as long as the Govt "promises" you something.
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Reactionary
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11-08-09 9:23 AM
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MaDD--12:17--You make me laugh LOL,...Thanks! I really did enjoy the post.
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wvhoopie
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11-08-09 9:12 AM
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Thank you Alan Mollahan for your vote on health care reform. Mollahan was one of the Congressmen who held out for the abortion restrictions that ultimately ended up in the bill. This type of leadership is what I want to see in a Representative. Thanks again, Congressman Mollahan.
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TruthSeeker
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11-08-09 8:40 AM
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Ah Nanc you know their heroes on ****** News and Limbaugh told them that those governors races portend that the GOP is back. They believe whatever their gods tell them to believe. They don't think for themselves.
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wv26003
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11-08-09 8:39 AM
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Thank you, teabaggers, for helping to adopt the Democratic health care reform bill.
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NancySI
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11-08-09 6:52 AM
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There were those on here that scoffed at the Dem win in NY23 and California that added two new dems to Congress. Two new dems that voted FOR Health Care Reform. Gee how did those wins in Va and Nj for governor, work out in the health care vote?
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NancySI
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11-08-09 6:38 AM
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Madd, you must understand, Gaysongs hates all women.
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NancySI
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11-08-09 6:37 AM
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For the life of me, I can't understand why all the support for insurance companies who will drop someones health insurance when they get sick and after they have paid premiums for years. Or support insurance companies that make decisions (not your doctor) on whether you get life saving health care or not. Or support insurance companies that look for reasons to revoke your insurance for a pre-existing condition like acne. Teabaggers get sick too. Remember that.
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