William G. Horter – 5/17/09

This page was last updated on May 17, 2009.

Singlepayer backers shut out at hearings; William G. Horter; Beaver County Times; May 17, 2009.

When Mr. Horter isn’t bashing Republicans in general, and former President Bush specifically, he tries to push a taxpayer-funded, government-run healthcare system (some examples are here, here, and here) on U.S. citizens. As time has progressed, Mr. Horter has increasingly resorted to name-calling and personal attacks, especially in his comments on the Times website. Since I don’t know Mr. Horter, I don’t know if he actually believes all the stuff he writes or if he just likes to stir things up. If I were the type to run a disinformation campaign, I’d invent someone like Mr. Horter. After all, the image Mr. Horter projects is a caricature of the stereotypical lefty. I have to believe a large number of lefties cringe whenever they read a comment or letter from Mr. Horter. I know I cringe whenever I read a Horter-quality comment from an alleged righty. Then again, perhaps I’ve overestimating lefties. <g>

Mr. Horter used to be one of our local Republican impersonators (The group also includes Messrs. William A. Alexander, Arthur Brown, Edward “Fellow Republicans” Hum, and George Reese.) who write claiming to be disgruntled Republicans. In June 2008 Mr. Horter wrote, “So after 50 years of being a Republican, I have changed my party. I am now a Democrat.”

History also shows you need to do your own due diligence regarding the “facts” Mr. Horter presents in his letters and the comments he posts on the Times website. Here’s just one example.

Along with other letter writers I’ve mentioned, I wish Mr. Horter could get a regular column in the Times.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“I sat and watched it but still could not believe what I saw.

“At a hearing about health care, run by U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Montana, there were 15 representatives in a health-care debate. Not one of them represented the people’s choice — not-for-profit, singlepayer health care.”

[RWC] When did a government-run, taxpayer-funded healthcare monopoly become “the people’s choice?”

Do a little research and you’ll find Sen. Baucus is holding a series of hearings, each with a different focus and a different group of organizations/people providing testimony. Also, Sen. Baucus is the point man for President Obama’s healthcare plan. Why didn’t Mr. Horter mention that fact? Here’s another fact Mr. Horter failed to mention. At least two of the witnesses at the previous 13 hearings (10 in 2008, at least three in 2009) represented organizations that either have already decided to support (SEIU) a government-run, taxpayer-funded healthcare monopoly or are leaning heavily in that direction (AFL-CIO).

“I knew going into this that taking the insurance companies out of health care would not be easy. They are, after all, taking at least one-third of every health-care dollar out of the system for their own purposes. One purpose, almost anyone could conclude, is buying influence in Congress with huge campaign contributions.”

[RWC] I don’t see Mr. Horter complaining about labor union management funneling millions of employee dollars to “buy influence in Congress.”

“Physicians for a National Healthcare Plan had some very expert witnesses ready and present to testify, but they were summarily denied permission to speak. Insurance companies, the pharmaceutical industry, business council and many others who rely on the present for-profit system had a seat, but there was no place for singlepayer.”

[RWC] As a reminder, PNHP is simply a leftist lobbying/special interest group. Please read my critique of “Dump ‘mangled care’” for more details.

“Several doctors stood and offered or asked for a chance to testify, and were immediately arrested, just like in some third-world dictatorship.”

[RWC] What Mr. Horter failed to tell us is these folks staged a protest and disrupted the hearings. The protesters were only arrested after they refused to stop the disruption.

“I am asking everyone to write or call your representative and senators and ask that single-payer advocates be allowed to at least speak.

“With 47 million of our people uncovered as to health care, it’s more than important.”

[RWC] Surprise! Refer to my paper entitled “Healthcare” and you’ll find the “47 million of our people uncovered as to health care” is bogus.

Finally, while I obviously disagree 100% with Mr. Horter regarding the propriety and efficacy of a government-run, taxpayer-funded healthcare monopoly, I do agree proponents of such a system should be heard. Since Sen. Baucus is holding a series of hearings covering different topics as mentioned above, I don’t know if this was the right hearing for these folks or not. Why didn’t these folks protest at the previous hearings? I could be wrong, but I suspect their motive was not to provide their own testimony, but to shut down the testimony of those with whom they disagree. That’s SOP for leftist activists.