Response Does Not Justify Vote
(The following letter was sent to U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy and to this paper for publication)
Thank you for your letter explaining your position concerning H. R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. Unfortunately your response does not justify your vote in the affirmative.
You claim that 45 million people are uninsured. That is the same figure President Obama cited before he adjusted that number to the mid 30s. So you are either using faulty data or you are including 12 million illegal aliens in your calculations. Either way, your argument is flawed.
The house bill never addressed tort reform. In fact it rewards the states who do not enact tort reform. The Democrats demonize the insurance companies yet give a free pass to the trial lawyers. Health care reform without tort reform is not real reform.
As NYC firefighter and union member, I am opposed to the public option. If enacted, this option could eventually lead the city to turn over our health care to the federal government. That would not be an acceptable outcome to the UFA.
Nowhere in the legislation do you offer tax credits to individuals, allow freedom of choice in the sale of insurance across state lines and it taxes premium health plans provided by many unions like mine.
I disagree that this bill will improve health care in our country. In fact it will eventually lead to a single payer system with the government taking over 1/6th of the economy. That is a recipe for disaster for this country. There is a reason that the full weight of this bill will not be felt for five years; the Democrats don’t want the negative impact of it to influence the next presidential election.
Don’t you find that the recently released mammogram study to be troubling and a portent of things to come under government run health care? Aren’t you appalled by the bribing of Mary Landrieu with $300 million in Medicare aid for Louisiana in exchange for her affirmative vote in the senate bill? Isn’t it reprehensible that you and your Democratic colleagues have exempted yourselves from the very bill that you are forcing on us while being able to retain your gold plated congressional insurance plan? In essence, you have chosen party over community. See you next November.
Frank DeSanna,
New Hyde Park.
