Democracy Has Prevailed.

March 19, 2010

Jason Altmire says he'll vote NO on health care reform


You pay for my family's health insurance.
Suckers!

From the web site of Rep. Jason Altmire (D Health Care/UPMC Lobby-PA). Read it and weep, folks:
"I ran for Congress in large part because I believe we need to find a way to bring down the cost of health care. I also ran for Congress with a simple promise: I would do my best to represent my district and to give western Pennsylvania a voice in Washington, not the other way around.

"I regret that this year-long process of debating health care reform has resulted in a final product that I cannot support. The cost of inaction on health care is great, but it would be an even bigger mistake to pass a bill that could compound the problem of skyrocketing health care costs.

"Simply moving money around within the existing system, rather than enacting real delivery system reform, might change who pays the bill, but it does not improve the quality of care or reduce costs for families, small businesses, or the federal government. It creates a system of winners and losers, rather than reforming the system in a way that lets everyone win. It is estimated that after passage of this bill, federal health care expenditures would likely increase above what they would under current law.

"It has become clear that the vast majority of my constituents want me to oppose this bill. Particularly hard hit would be western Pennsylvania’s Medicare beneficiaries, which many experts believe would experience dramatic premium increases with enactment of this bill.

"I am acutely aware that my decision to vote against the health care bill will disappoint some of my constituents and alienate supporters of the bill. The politically easy vote would have been to vote with my party. But I was not sent to Congress to take the easy way out or to vote the way they want me to vote in Washington. I was elected to represent my district and give western Pennsylvania a voice in Congress. I strongly believe that a vote in opposition to the health care bill is consistent with the views of the district I represent, and is the correct vote based on the impact of the bill on my constituents and the overall health care system."
He voted against HCR -- and for Stupak -- last time around.
.

23 comments:

Joshua said...

Say hello to Rep. Mary Beth Buchanan.

Rage Against the Democratic Machine said...

Don't cry for Jason -- he'll get his conformable job as UPMC lobbyist back.

The rest of us who are denied coverage for pre-existing conditions -- not so much.

Rage Against the Democratic Machine said...

Oops, I meant "comfortable"

Rage Against the Democratic Machine said...

Since he is the alleged expert in health care, what the hell does he want? He hasn't proposed a damn thing during this process.

Mark Rauterkus said...

Let's read between the lines as to what the hell Jason wants.

Perhaps he wants what the majority of the people in his district want.

Perhaps he wants to insure that a YES vote would increase the quality of care OR reduce costs for families, small businesses, or the federal government.

Perhaps he wants to lessen skyrocketing health care costs.

Those are the big strokes (pun unintended).

rich10e said...

Josh you have that all wrong....he just assured at least his pension!!.And made the right call!!

Conservative Mountaineer said...

Excellent news. Excellent!

However, I will now provide $$ and/or other support (e.g., phones, door-to-door, etc.) support to a Republican challenger.

Altmire screwed the pooch because:
1. He voted for the use of the Slaughter Solution, a blatant assualt on the Constitution.
2. Altmire (obviously) has received some special approval from Speaker Peloisi so he could cover his ass.

For you on the liberal side, I LMAO at your belief that the 'changes' will be addressed by the Senate. The Senate bill WILL be the law of the land. In addition, do NOT take comfort in thinking that if the Slaughter Solution is used all is AOK.

This HCR is the wrong legislation at the wrong time. It increases taxes for FOUR years before any 'benefits' start. CBO estimates? BS. This is a huge disaster and the beginning of the downfall of the United States of America.

Clyde Wynant said...

Altmire is a tool. He got elected not because he was a solid, dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, but because he wasn't Melissa Hart.

Since then he has played this blue dog game for a variety of reasons, none of which have anything to do with "cost containment." Hell, if the CBO had said that the current bill would have saved 875-trillion dollars a year, he clearly STILL would not have voted for it.

No, Jason has played a pretty sweet gag on all his constituents. He is a healthcare industry insider who wants it both ways; he wants his former employers (UPMC) to continue to get what they want, and he wants to know that his job will be waiting when (and the "when" just got a lot more likely...) he leaves the hallowed halls of Congress.

We have been played.

Hell, I'm so angry, I'd vote for MBB -- and I don't think I'm alone.

Jason, for his part, will laugh all the way to the bank. He'll have a pension from Congress and he'll waltz back into healthcare lobbying. He won't however, have anything to ease his conscience.

I can only hope that, occasionally, around 4:00AM, when he awakens with a start, he'll remember that he sold his soul.....

Unknown said...

A democrat with courage...I didn't think that there was such a thing! Congrats to Mr. Altmire on the decision to listen to your constituents.
I understand you left wing socialists being so concerned with pre existing conditions since you all appartently have a pre existing mental condition... As far as conscious goes, how do you sleep knowing that you are dependent upon others for your well being? Rather than posting nonsense, how about getting to work earning your own healthcare?

Maria said...

Galt,

Why haven't you gone Galt? The Internet could not have existed without government funding and involvement so why are you using it?

How do you sleep knowing that you are dependent upon others?

Maria said...

Clyde,

"I can only hope that, occasionally, around 4:00AM, when he awakens with a start, he'll remember that he sold his soul..."

Don't hold your breath. Altmire has always lied and played the game. Before Mr. Pro Life was ever elected he would wisper to pro choicers that he was personally pro choice but that that wouldn't fly in his district so he had to be anti choice.

Rage Against the Democratic Machine said...

I hope you never have a family member with cancer, Galt...you ignorant cold-hearted bastard.

Sherry Pasquarello said...

i will never ever vote for altmire again.

Unknown said...

Maria, You actually credit the government for the internet? WOW. Oh I forgot,Al Gore invented the internet...
Rage,
You are the cold hearted bastard, you would want those with cancer to die while waiting to see the government doctor while we pay for you to have a hangnail removed.

Rage Against the Democratic Machine said...

I am a cancer survivor.

Maria said...

Rage,

We're glad to have you around!

:-)

etwilson said...

Galt, are you really trying to imply that the Internet wasn't created by the US government? 'Cause it was. Invented by ARPA(DARPA) at the DoD to be specific.

Maria said...

Rage,

You do realize, however, that nothing you say -- no actual facts -- will alter Galt's mindset?

Have you seen the video of the tea-bagger idiots cruelly mocking the guy with Parkinson's?

Talk about "cold hearted bastard"s.

And, it's too bad that we both couldn't have bet money that Galt would come back with "Al Gore" despite the FACT that the anyone can look up how much government involvement and money actually did lead to the Internet as we know it.

Maria said...

GeneW,

You are correct, sir!

Anyone else doubting it can simply go to wikipedia and look it up.

But, of course Galt will let us know that wikipedia is a governement plot and there is no climate change because Al Gore is fat.

Rage Against the Democratic Machine said...

Maria, I know and I'm fine. Thanks for the kind words.

EdHeath said...

Galt, you said about "Left wing Socialists" (always nice to see name calling, very civil) "you are dependent upon others for your well being?"

Because right wing fascists can heal themselves spontaneously? You guys are always so informative, giving us facts and hard evidence ... oh, no, you never do that (any polls from the district?).

In Altmire's district, the largest plurality is probably conservative Democrats. Republicans have successfully used this issue to split the Democrats in Altmire's district by spreading their lies, including suggesting that Democrats have a socialist agenda (with absolutely no proof, just more lies) and that Democrats literally want to kill people. In fact it is Republicans who want to see ordinary people barred from suing Doctors for killing their relatives, which will lead to hundreds, possibly thousands of poor people dying because doctors will feel free to give them substandard care. If the Republicans do succeed in killing the bill, they will laugh as the poor die in the street. Because that's what "real" Americans do.

Unknown said...

Too bad Jason doesn't get it that playing to Melissa Hart's core - the tea-baggers - is playing to the group that he will never win over. That 30 percent always has belonged to Melissa. The 25 percent that is in play has finally learned that Jason is not in office to make a difference, he is in office to be in office. He's a Fox star!
Do we really want to be stars on Fox? I don't think so.

THE HUDDLER said...

Jack Shea for Congress !!!