This page was last updated on March 24, 2010.
Lawmakers treat Americans as fools; Jerry Rosenberger; Beaver County Times; March 24, 2010.
Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.
“I find it ironic that all our lawmakers in the Senate and House play the American public as fools.”
[RWC] I know I’m nitpicking, but this letter doesn’t describe any irony. Duplicity, perhaps, but not irony.
“Take the health care debate. If they were against it and lost the vote but it turns out something good for the public, they can say, ‘I was against it on funding problems, but I really believed in it.’”
[RWC] Don’t worry, Mr. Rosenberger, history and logic tell us these healthcare bills can’t “turn out something good for the public.”
“Just like the jobs and bank bailout money. They voted no, but applied for the money.”
[RWC] Even if you vote against a program, a legislator has an obligation to see his constituents get a fair shake. Otherwise his district’s/state’s taxpayers pay taxes to support the program but get zero back.
“The public is no better. Take a person on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Access bus, rent rebate, etc., saying ‘no’ to health care because it is socialism, not free market.”
[RWC] I assume Mr. Rosenberger knows Medicare and Socialist Security are mandatory programs. That is, we must pay Medicare and SS taxes and how many of us can afford to pay 15.3% of our wages into Medicare and SS for 40+ years and not accept benefits whether we believe in the programs or not?
As for people on “Medicaid, Access bus, rent rebate, etc.,” I’ll go out on a limb and guess very few of them would say “‘no’ to health care because it is socialism, not free market.” After all, for someone already on Medicaid, how is the new healthcare law different?
“Fact: The most efficient cost per patient administered health care system in the United States is Medicare. (Its cost, 6-8 percent; insurance companies, 10-35 percent.)”
[RWC] I cover this talking point - and many others - in my paper entitled “Healthcare.”
Mr. Rosenberger failed to note the following. Do you care to guess which healthcare insurance “company” rejects the highest percentage of claims? If you guessed Medicare, go to the head of the class. According to the AMA, Medicare denied 6.85% of claims with Aetna a close second. No other private insurer was even close. Of the insurers studied, Medicare was responsible for 83% of the denied claims.
“Instead of worrying about March Madness, watch and read about the show in Washington D.C., and Harrisburg.
“Remember this: All our representatives, if they lose their jobs in November, take a free-for-life health care plan for them and their families. It sure beats what you got.”
[RWC] Congress is covered by the same healthcare plan as all other federal employees and member benefits are not “free” while in office or after they leave.
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