Late Saturday, the U.S. House narrowly adopted health care reform legislation that will provide health care to nearly everyone while simultaneously imposing tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. This measure now heads to the Senate, where survival is no sure thing. It will be paid with $400 billion in Medicaire cuts as well as a tax hike on any person making more than $500 thousand per year.Locally, Congressman Charlie Dent opposed the measure after getting input from us at 17 town halls all over the Lehigh Valley, as well as numerous Q&A sessions with senior center residents. To be fair, Congressional candidate John Callahan has been getting input, too. This includes $4,000 from Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Dent's vote is no surprise. On Friday, he noted "[w]e’ve gone from a 1,000 page bill that reduces care, increases costs and raises taxes to a 2,000 page bill that reduces care, increases costs and raises taxes.” Whether you agree or disagree, he's been leading from the front. In the meantime, just about the only thing I know about Callahan is that he supports a sales tax increase.
Dent campaign manager Shawn Millan is shaking his head. “Callahan’s silence on the issue was stunning. Health care reform is the pre-eminent domestic issue we are facing in Congress and Callahan wouldn’t tell the people he hopes to represent whether he would support or oppose the bill.”
“Mayor Callahan’s official bio states that he worked for 13 years as a ‘Senior Institutional Healthcare [sic] Consultant’ for a pharmaceutical company, yet for three months now, John Callahan has been afraid to state his position on health care,” said Millan
“If Mayor Callahan can peel himself away from conducting criminal background checks on himself and on the people the City does business with, he might consider taking the short walk from his office across Payrow Plaza to the Bethlehem library to read the bill.
“Voters should know that Callahan received $4,000 from Nancy Pelosi for his Congressional run. She’s definitely got her strings attached to him. But will she let her puppet tell the people where he stands?” asked Millan.
52 comments:
Im not even 40 and have a slow thyroid. I take one pill a day for it that doesn't cost more than $40 a month. Because of my "pre-existing condition" not one insurance company in the Commonwealth of PA will let me buy insurance except for one (after working with four brokers.) I pay $545 month just for the premium not counting the copays and all the illnesses and operations they don't cover. $545 times twelve is close to $7000 a year not even counting copay. So as long as my taxes for public option dont exceed over $7000 a year on my salary, I'm fine with the Dems deal. Of course, Dent and his family don't have this problem because his insurance is paid by taxpayers and doesn't discriminate against pre existing conditions or drop holders when they get sick. Dent is above us little people. He gets public option and we don't. Pelosi has to give Callahan a lot more than that to get Dent out of office. I can't imagine the thousands Dent rakes in every day from teh insurance company lobbyists.
Anon 12:45, be careful you have come upon a Dent for Congress website.
This is a sanctuary for any nonsense Shawn Millan wants to spew.
Pelosi is dealing w/ the devil. In exchange for their agreement to cover pre-existing conditions, the gov't will force most of us into their arms. If we are unwilling, we will be fined $750 per year. The measure is inclusive, but does nothing to control rising health care costs.
There's a good article in the New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2009/11/some-vaguely-heretical-thoughts-on-health-care-reform.html
If the Republicans had been sincere about working out a doable compromise, we would have had a better plan.
Problem is the Republican's never wanted any compromise. From day one they have duped Obama and the American public. Stall on the Hill while Faux News and their corporate bosses spread lie after lie to build fear.
There idea of success is no plan at all. They throw out tort reform amd electronic records which are nice ideas and worth incorporating but that is about it.
They, including good boy Dent, are in Big Insurance' pocket and are playing the stall game and the waiting game. The GOP is the Parety of no idea is better than rocking our contributors boats.
It is sad that the best you can do is attack Callahan, when the sitting Congressman has heard the people and told them, "screw you".
Bernie,
Passing this bill is all about them (House Dem Leadership) rather than public good. They want to make history rather than good legislation. This bill isn’t about giving health care to the poor it is about aggrandizement.
Health care to the poor could be improved in a variety of ways. This legislation goes far beyond that basic and altruistic mission. It expands the power of the federal government to an unprecedented level.
Scott Armstrong
Anon 2:20,
Stop trying to blame the Republicans for any of this. It isn’t a credible claim.
Scott Armstrong
Why should Callahan speak out about health car?
He has not started to campaign for congress. He has not issued any press releases on any issue. He is not giving stump speeches. Once he starts to talk issues, then it is fair to questions where he stands on any issue.
Dent is the current member of Congress. He has to take positions as part of his responsibilities to the people of the 15th.
Anon 2:20 is another frustrated D who wants to blame Rs for Ds inability to pass a disastrous piece of legislation. It's bothers the hell out of Ds that Rs have adopted a bold strategy to make Ds act unilaterally, and completely own an initiative that is fundamentally flawed. Ds can do whatever they want. They have overwhelming numbers and Jesus H. Christ in the White House. They just want Rs to deflect the blame when voters finally hold it against the idiots who passed it. Last Tuesday was a pre-cursor.
yawn. a candidate is not actively campaigning and causing controversy so the illectually snobbish pundits cry and wail about silence. sigh. can't we wait until after petitions are submitted to start this damn campaign? I'm not a political geek, much closer to the average voter. I won't begin to pay attention until after the primary election passes.
insider baseball.
While Callahan may have a few strings attached to Pelosi and others, Dent has an entire yarn roll attached to the health care industry and retired folks who fear their medicare benefits are on the chopping block.
Currently, health care professionals account for the largest single block of contributions for Dent's campaign.
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?cycle=2010&cid=N00026171&type=I
Not sure whom I trust less: Pelosi or the health care industry.
All I know for sure is that it took my family leaping thru hoops to allow me to quit my job 9 years ago so I could raise my kids. My husband makes more money than I did, but his self employment status made finding health insurance a "do it yourself" project for us, and let me just tell you: IT WASN'T PRETTY. And providing coverage for employees is such a major expense at my husband's office that every year, we are forced to decrease employees (and our own) benefits and raise their personal contributions.
In the land of the "free," we should be free to shop for jobs (or quit to raise a family, or get laid off) without losing health care.
I've said it before: if you take my money by force for your personal use, it's robbery, even if you use my money to buy yourself health insurance. Just because your elected officials do it on your behalf does not make it less immoral. America has finally hit rock bottom.
To all of those who are miffed about congessional health insurance, it is not one bit better than that of the retired state employees who receive FULL PAY and FREE HEALTH CARE for life for them and their spouses. It is a rip off from the those county unions, state unions, fedeal employees,and makes alot more of a financial disaster than the congressional perks do. I am not saying that congressional health insurance is OK but lets look at the other gevernment employees and unions too.
"They, including good boy Dent, are in Big Insurance' pocket and are playing the stall game and the waiting game."
Two years ago, you partians were draying that Dent was in the pocke of Big Oil, and now this. Actually, if Dent were in the pocket of Big Insurnce, he would vote for this House Bill. Big Insurance is going to make a lot of money and will have lots of new customers. Aside from pre-existing medical conditions, the House Dems let them continue to charge outrageous prices.
"Why should Callahan speak out about health car?"
Because he proclaims that it is his interest in these issues that have motivated him to run forCongress. if he wises to e a leader, he should lead. What he is doing instead is playing it safe, sitting back to see which way the wind is blowing.
Monkey Momma, If Dent is beholden to the health care industry, they should ask for their money back. His vote is contrary to what they wanted. The House Dem bill is going to make a lot of money for a lot of people in that industry. Although the bill does provide for more universal coverage, it does nothing to stop the rampant runaway costs.
Wow what a day this is, I agree with Charlie Dent, Scott Armstrong, and Bernie O'Hare.
http://kucinich.us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2838&Itemid=1
I think Dennis summarized this legislation best.
Excellent points. I'll post Kucinich's remarks.
Nice. Post some more Dent talking points. Real independent minded of you, Bernie.
You make the Lehigh Valley proud.
Every minute we don't pass this another person dies.
Oh, the tragedy.
The poor victims.
Blah, blah, blah...
Obama's Healthcare History-Making Legislation would have been done by now but for the rude and racist obstructionist Republicans.
The greedy Republican pigs and their evil for-profit insurance buddies - those are your culprits.
Fat cats blatantly and insensitively stuffing their pockets with gold while innocent poor people die.
But Pelosi got it through!
Next stop - Senate!
Go Obama. We love you.
Will this health care plan pay for electives such as Ms. Pelosi's Botox, Joe Biden's hair plugs, or Michelle Obama's butt cheek implants?
How about Barry's smoke cessation pills and gum? Does he pay federal tax on his smokes?
"You make the Lehigh Valley proud."
You know the real embarrassment is that Callahan refuses to state where he stands on issues, and that's purtely political. He knows the second he open his mouth, he loses votes.
That's not leadership. That's not being motivated by issues to run for Congress. That's just opportunism.
Yes, this is a Dent talking point, and one with which I wholeheartedly agree.
"That's not leadership. That's not being motivated by issues to run for Congress. That's just opportunism."
Just because it's politically smart to stay quiet on an issue that will have almost nothing to do with you running for congress doesn't mean that Callahan's vying for the House seat based on opportunism. Maybe try not to oversimplify everything. By the time Callahan starts running a serious campaign, the health care fight will have either died or been signed into law -- so why is it so important? You want to spend your time focusing on how he would have voted if here were in congress?
Who cares?
I would rather focus on things that would actually pertain to the mayor if he were to become our representative.
Obama's Healthcare History-Making Legislation would have been done by now but for the rude and racist obstructionist Republicans.
The greedy Republican pigs and their evil for-profit insurance buddies - those are your culprits.
Fat cats blatantly and insensitively stuffing their pockets with gold while innocent poor people die.
But Pelosi got it through!
Next stop - Senate!
Go Obama. We love you.
1:59 PM
Can't really blame the Republicans when you control the Senate, the House, and the Presidency.
This bill is a bad bill not for the reasons the republicans cite.
A victory for choice and competition.
Choice and competition is the American way.
Yeah Obama and Pelosi!
We Democrats can blame the Republicans anytime we feel like it, sir/maam
WE WON last November.
Remember?
"Why should Callahan speak out about health car?
He has not started to campaign for congress."
He's raised money for Congress. That's campaigning. Look Callahan is a huge coward -- just admit it and MoveOn.
Shouldn't all the people blasting Bernie for this post be really pissed off that John Callahan won't come out and support the public option?
I mean -- if the public option is such a great idea;
and if the public option will save lives;
and if the government run public option will finally spell the end of all those nasty, money-hungry insurance companies --
shouldn't progressive asses be chapped raw that Callahan has not come out in support of the Pelosi Plan?
Or are you all just completely full of partisan baked beans?
Callahan and the DCCC are crazy like foxes. John need only sit tight and let the game come to him. Health care is not his fight. It was supposed to be Sam Bennett's.
John's not there yet. He'll be needed by Ds to lead on the next big fight. And he'll only be available if he gets in.
Just as in New York's 23rd, there will be a conservative challenger to the RINO, Dent. Conservatives are on a mission to purge RINOS, and Dent and his gang of 14 are the most hated of all. Each has been targeted.
If the challenger gets any traction in the primary, he or she will continue an Independent or Conservative Party fight into the general election. Just a few points taken from Dent is all that Callahan will require to win.
http://www.towneforcongress.com
So, health care is not his fight -- when it comes to Callahan.
Wow. Way to enthuse the Democrat base.
What else isn't Callahan's fight? The war in Afghanistan? Taxes?
What exactly is "Callahan's Fight?"
"We Democrats can blame the Republicans anytime we feel like it, sir/maam
WE WON last November.
Remember?"
Savor the flavor for as long as it lasts. The Democrat Party's "15 minutes of lame" are nearly over.
Anon 4:52
Sorry sucker.
We are going to nationalize illegals and grant amnesty.
Whom do YOU think they will vote for forever?
You rude, racist and repugnant Republicans are finished forever and your people know it!
Get over it. I have extra crying towels if it will help...
Yeah Obama.
Yes we can, yes we will!
O-B-A-M-A !
Why all the fuss? Obama said people who like their existing coverage will be able to keep it.
This bill will SAVE taxpayers money through choice and competition, Obama and Pelosi said so.
There are no death panels or rationing in the 1,900 + pages of legislation.
Read it, Repukes, before being the obstructionists and racists you are.
"This bill will SAVE taxpayers money through choice and competition, Obama and Pelosi said so."
Boy, you'd think John Callahan would definitely say he was for the bill.
He must be a bad Democrat.
Existing coverage will be taxed if it's better than the shared misery option. Those found guilty of having a better plan will have an option to keep it and pay a fine or drop it and sign up for shared misery. I think it's called choice.
TYhe GOP,
Rude, Racist and Republican!!
"Just because it's politically smart to stay quiet on an issue that will have almost nothing to do with you running for congress doesn't mean that Callahan's vying for the House seat based on opportunism."
Are you completely out of your mind? Health care reform will be an issue for years tio come and has been an issue. That Callahan refuses to clue us in is a complete abdication of any responsibility he has as a leader. I'm very disappointed.
"http://www.towneforcongress.com"
No experience. No political base. No money. Tired old ideas.
Instead of writing essays comparing yourself to James Brown, NFL Superstar, you might want to come down to earth, join a party and work for change.
You know democrats are losing the policy argument when they revert to claiming the GOP is "racist" or calling them "obstructionists." One thing you forgot is to blame Bush or Big Oil. I heard it was their fault that Obama cant get enough Democrats in the Senate to vote for the public option.
The facts are the facts, the Republicans have been playing a defensive game on healthcare reform for decades.
They don't want it and have done nothing but sit on the sidelines and let their propaganda wing in Fox Noise scare the Hell out of people. Just like Republican blogs like this one that are a forum for the right wingnuts.
Anon 8:00. The fact is that Democrats dont need one single Republican vote to pass anything. The argument that Republicans are obstructing isnt only laughable, it is impossible.
"let their propaganda wing in Fox Noise scare the Hell out of people."
I totally forgot the blame Fox News strategy.
So here is what we have established as the true Democrat strategy:
1. Blame Bush
2. Blame Republicans
3. Blame FOX News
STOP making excuses. Bush is out of office, Republicans are irrelevant, and EVERYONE knows FOX news has a conservative slant. Now is the time to lead. Focus on jobs and lowering the deficit. It is the economy stupid, not Bush, not the Republicans, and not FOX news.
Yikes! That photo of Pelosi reminds me of fright night. Halloween's over you incompetent left-wing nut job!
Faux News, Fox Noise, Halliburton, Cheney, Bush, Repukes, Racist, wah wah wah.
Say something, just once, that doesn't show you are a simply loser at a computer in your mother's basement.
"Are you completely out of your mind? Health care reform will be an issue for years to come and has been an issue. That Callahan refuses to clue us in is a complete abdication of any responsibility he has as a leader. I'm very disappointed."
Great point, Bernie. I was obviously 100% implying that after this HCR legislation passes (or fails), that everybody's straight up going to forget about it. Obviously.
The fact is, once 2010 hits, this legislation will be signed into law or dead. And the only reason why 17% of Americans think that this is the most important issue right now is because of how hard the administration is pushing it. As soon as they stop, it's going to drop back down to 3% or 4%. The 2010 race will be ran completely on jobs and the economy -- which Callahan has led on in Bethlehem.
I'll be sure to check out Dent's next finance report. I hope they're at least giving you something!
Listen, This is not an issue because Barack Obama decided it's important. This has been an issue for years and will continue to remain an issue for years. It was an issue when Dent first ran for Congress and Barack Obama was in the Illinois legislature. Callahan's refusal to take a postion is no profile in courage.
As far as your suggestion that I'm being paid for my opinion is concerned, must you resort to the typical personal attack? That just defeats your own credibility and makles you look like what you are - a partisan whose sole interest is seeing a Dem elected, no matter what his stand may be.
I agree that health care's never going to completely go away. After this whole fight is over, I'll still be vying for single-payer. If Callahan is ever elected to congress, however, he will never vote on health care reform. Democratic Presidents have been trying to do this since Truman -- and LBJ is the only one that succeeded with Medicare. Barack Obama's the first President able to get HCR through the House since 1965. I'm sure Callahan will come out for something sooner or later. But I'm just saying that, for right now, this soon, it doesn't matter, because he'll never vote on it.
I agree Callahan will never cast a vote on health care.
See how we can agree?!
We'll be hanging out in no time.
Hey ohairy ass, now who is being an insulting, sarcastic ass? My bad. I guess I am as bad as you. This is an emotional issue for me as a close friend died due to delayed Health Insurance claim approvals.
Stick to the discussion and stop deflecting to Callahan. he is currently irrelevent. This is the best shot the 65% of Americans who want healthcare reform have had in decades.
Dispite the billions spent by the affected lobbies somehow the idea is still alive, barely. Republicans know if they can kill it again it will be another 20 years of good living for the big money boys.
The truth is the Republicans were asked by the President to help, they replied tort reform and healthcare Insurance Supermarkets and nothing else.
They also say what some of your readers love to repeat, "there are enough Democrats to pass this you don't need Republicans".
Mighty American of them to say they don't need or want to be part of meaningful healthcare reform. The current bill is flawed in regards to costs restraints, everyone knows that. When will the Republicans make an honest effort to help.
Fact is they don't give a shit cause they know who butters their bread.
Very sad.
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