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Calvert, Campbell targeted by Dems for health vote
November 9th, 2009, 1:37 pm · 43 Comments · posted by Dena Bunis, Washington Bureau Chief
The political parties are wasting no time trying to make hay over Saturday’s House vote for health reform. The national Democratic Party is targeting two Orange County Reps. - Ken Calvert and John Campbell- for voting no.
Neither Calvert , R-Corona or Campbell, R-Irvine, went to the floor this past weekend to talk about the health care vote. But both opposed it and have said it would be an unnecessary government takeover of the system.
Now all five of O.C.’s GOP members voted no. But Calvert and Campbell both represent districts that went for President Barack Obama in last year’s election. That’s the common denominator about those targeted.
Of the 32 lawmakers picked — eight are from California.
The Republicans are also targeting a group of Democrats in districts that Sen. John McCain won last year. Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Santa Ana, whose central Orange County district went big for Obama, is not on the GOP list.
Here’s the generic email that Democratic party officials sent out:
“Last night, the House of Representatives did a remarkable thing — for the first time in history, a chamber of Congress passed legislation that would bring truly comprehensive health reform to America. 220 courageous representatives voted in favor of reform, moving it forward.
“Unfortunately, your representative, Rep. [] , caved to intense pressure from insurance industry lobbyists and voted against health reform. After this major decision, they’ll be watching their district very closely to see how constituents react.
“Before health reform can become law, it must pass one more time through the House of Representatives, which means Rep. [] will have one more opportunity to reverse course and support reform. So we must publicly show that the voters in your district support reform and are counting on Rep. [] to deliver.”
More on health reform:
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DENA BUNIS, Washington bureau chief, 202-628-6381 or dbunis@ocregister.com
BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento correspondent, 916-449-6046 or bjoseph@ocregister.com
JENNIFER MUIR, County government reporter, 714-796-7813 or jmuir@ocregister.com
JOEL WALSH, Washington bureau intern, 202-628-6381 or jwalsh@ocregister.com
MARTIN WISCKOL, Politics reporter, 714-285-2867 or mwisckol@ocregister.com twitter.com/MartinWisckol
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Am very happy that alot of people don’t agree with Pelosi. She is a socialist and needs to leave with Obama and the rest of her crew. Can’t wait for elections in 2010
Michael,
I agree we are spending too much money in the wrong places. Where we should spend money is buying Dictionaries so all those here who have a ticket on the right wing crazy train, can look up the real definition of “Socialist”, instead of hearing some “pundits” definition on Fox News or KFI Radio.
Whats your definition of socialist?
Dwoods, Do a little research on what is actually contained in the house passed bill. It is an unprecedented takeover of health insurance coverage, taking away our choices on what type of coverage we want or whether we even want to purchase health ins.
I don’t listen to KFI radio, although I do read the Fox News website as well as other sources which I find include coverage that other media ignores.
Most of us can make up our own minds about things if we have the facts. While some conservatives listen to talk radio a lot, others of us do not.
The Wall Street Journal also had some insightful articles about the health “reform” bill just passed by the house. It is definately moving to govt take over of health care decisions that most of us would prefer to make ourselves. Do your research. Read what’s in the bill.
Only some of the provisions have come out.
There should be a requirement that before voting on a bill, that the rep or senator certify that they have read the contents of the legislation. Its a sure bet that those representatives hadn’t done that–not with it containing over 1900 pages and changes being made last minute, contrary to promises that Pelosi made about stuff being available for a certain # of hours before hand.
So now the dems (the party for the little people) are in favor of fining the lower middle and middle classes if they refuse to buy a product (insurance policy) from the fat-a$$ed corporations that got us into the healthcare mess in the first place. The extortion techinque used is an excise tax in the THOUSANDS of dollars collectible by the IRS. And if you don’t pay that surtax they will throw you in JAIL! That’s the party for the little people. HAH! There is NOTHING written in the US constitution that allows them to do this. They are making up the rules as they go along. HAH! This is nothing more than a HUGE cash infustion for the fat insurance companies. Extorting millions to buy something they don’t want from a private corporation. And I thought I’ve seen it all. obviously not. Seig heil!
Well, they are also gutting Medicare with provisions to have gatekeeper like provisions. Oh, and it won’t even have to be a physician but could be a physician asst who decides whether a person can see a specialist.
I know of someone who died in part because of those gatekeeper provisions that wouldn’t allow her to go see a gynecologist until during the open enrollment period her husband changed ins and then she could see one. She had ovarian cancer which she later died from. She might have died anyway, but she also might have lived if she had been able to go to a gynecologist and get diagnosed and treated earlier.
Plus the govt will decide on what has to be included in health insurance policies and not only will everyone be required to have a policy, they will be required to have a “qualified” policy that meets the coverage requirements that they govt decides on.
The Wall Street Journal had a couple of articles over the weekend that detailed some of the horrible provisions in this.
Well it may help the ins co’s for awhile but it seems that the Dems really want to put ins co’s out of bus. Just think about it. While the ins co’s don’t always do what is right, at least there is some recourse now with other co’s and regulatory agencies that can get after them if they deny coverage when they shouldn’t. The govt will have the same cost control pressure and if they decide not to cover something, who do you go to then?
Loretta Sanchez as usual was identified as d Blue Dog Democrat and once again she folded like an accordion and did as she was told. Loretta just ought to have Nancy phone in her vote for her. I also wonder if Dena Buris will hold water for her.
If I get a chain letter from the DNC, it will be “Returned to Sender”. If you support those that voted “no”, I would recommend you do the same. Show these pathetic idiots how you really feel, although I doubt they will listen. They haven’t heard a word anyone has said so far.
Well at least someone has the Huevos Rancheros to stand up against this Broom Hilda or should I say so called House leader. Now when will the electorate finally toss her and the likes out ? …and I am not even a Republican. We are under siege by our own citizens via mis-guided representatives with self serving agendas, and need to take our State and Country back.
If the right wing wackos think this healthcare bill is a take over by the government, then they should tear up their medicare cards and purchase a private policy. Maybe then they will realize how the insurance companies are picking their pockets.
Meanwhile, the government has picked my pocket clean. Why am I working?
Good question.
Starve the beast.
And what’s the average profit margin for the medical insurance companies?
tori, I think you should read what is in this bill. It is so huge that a lot hasn’t come out yet. The Wall Street Journal had a couple of articles about it over the weekend that detailed some of the provisions in this bill.
It is way more than what the current Medicare system is. In fact it would gut Medicare and push it from the fee for service system to hmo like coverage.
It will also require not only that everyone be covered by health ins, but that they be enrolled in a qualified plan. This will be designed by the sec of HHS.
The qualified plan will be a one-size fits all type plan with the only choices being the level of coverage of such things as deductible, etc.
Medicare provisions in the house passed bill include:
“• Secs. 1158-1160 (pp. 499-520) initiates programs to reduce payments for patient care to what it costs in the lowest cost regions of the country. This will reduce payments for care (and by implication the standard of care) for hospital patients in higher cost areas such as New York and Florida. ” (WSJ What the Pelosi Health-Care Bill Really SaysBy BETSY MCCAUGHEY )
They will also be delivering comparative effectiveness research reports to drs electronically to guide their practice.
While it will severely cut Medicare funding there will be billions of dollars going to community and diversity type programs–a la ACORN.
I would urge you to do your research before you engage in ignorant name-calling. Get a copy of the bill and see what is included in it!
I live in Campbell’s district and if he votes for this steaming pile he’s got another thing coming!! the “whoops” vote for Obama should mean nothing at this point… I want to know what Dems are smoking. too bad, so sad. I want to know how anyone who has voted for this thing thus far can look at themself in a mirror let alone sleep at night.
“Unfortunately, your representative, Rep. [] , caved to intense pressure from insurance industry lobbyists and voted against health reform. After this major decision, they’ll be watching their district very closely to see how constituents react.”
Yet as ocobserver pointed out, everyone would be required to buy insurance under this Dem bill, or sign up for the government option.
so this actually helps insurance companies by requiring that everyone with an income either buy insurance, or pay for it anyway.
Smoke & mirrors baby. Smoke & mirrors.
Ask yourself: Will this bill make the total cost of health care cheaper for MOST Americans? Will this bill make the level of care better for MOST Americans? The answer is no to both.
Health care for all? What would Jesus say?
Jesus reached out to people but do your research and actually read what is in this bill. Go check out those Wall Street Journal articles that include some of the things in the bill.
This goes way beyond fixing what is broken and instead takes over the whole system, removing choices of coverage options for us.
This/these bills should be tossed out and go back to just addressing the problem areas rather than changing the whole system with a likely outcome of forcing health ins co’s out of business so we only have one choice for health care. Oh and for those who say they like Medicare–read what’s in the bill. It is going to drastically change Medicare rather than fixing it so that cost containment is emphasized–I guess they don’t care that it will be like Medi-Cal–not so many providers willing to provide services. Sort of like a mechanic used to making say $40/hr (and this is just a guess it may be widely different than that–the point is the same) and the govt comes in and says that you can only get paid $20/hr for doing the same service. he might decide to find another line of work.
Brian, I am no Bible scholar, but do not think you would like what Jesus might have to say not only on healthcare but a host of other sociali issues as well. Jesus never dealt with universal healthcare in his time, but did teach that people should be their brothers keeper and take care of each other. There was no reference that I am aware of that goverment should be our brothers keeper, which is where Obama is headed.
More importantly, I wonder where Jesus would stand on social issues like; Abortion, Gay Marriage, Drug Use, Pornography, Sexual Perversion and banning God from our schools and lives? Without question, we so called Christians have not done a very good job of following the teachings of Jesus. He would likely be saddened to see the world as it is today. We are fortunate that both Jesus and God are forgiving and loves us all without reservation.
Thank you Campbell and Calvert for your “NO” votes. I am in Campbell’s district, and I am 100% pleased with his vote!
I agree! (for some reason the spam filters didn’t like that simple brief statement).
I think this vote will save Calvert. He should be tossed because of his support of the housing credits. But this vote just might save him.
You can see what happened when this administration put in lightweight regs on the banking system…they took the TARP money, bought up other banks to prevent competition, stripped their customers of their credit limits and jacked up the interest on credit cards before the February deadline. That’s what is going to start happening now with health care premiums. AND NOT A PEEP FROM OBAMA.
Since my son graduated from college I have been paying his COBRA premium to keep health insurance on him…and guess what, just got a letter telling me they were jacking his monthly premium from $330.00 to $364.00! The Insurance Companies are going to get their money no matter what…we’ll just be paying ten ways to Sunday for ourselves and EVERYONE else…BEFORE this even goes through.
Lori,
I guess you’ll be happy to know then, this bill extends the period for a family member to be part of your plan until they’re 26 years old… You can thank Pelosi for that.
Dwoods,
I’ve read your stuff. How can you possibly support this pile of steaming healthcare. The public option only applies to the poorest of the working poor. The middle and lower middle class are forced to buy a policy with money they don’t have against their will under threat in $thousands$ in surtaxes and jail. The Bill infuses $50 BILLION in new revenue for the crooks in the insurance industry who got us into this mess in the first place. The american pharma companies are still allowed to charge american citizens 2x-5x more their products than the rest of the free and unfree world!
Why are you for this??? If they offered single payor like in europe I would be in favor of it. It’s a proven winner compared to what we have. But the current Bill just rewards the dirty insurance and pharma companies and punishes the middle and lower middle class.
Haven’t your read the Bill??? It’s one big steaming pile of healthcare!
Ocobserver,
Remember what Reagan said about the process of law making… It’s like seeing sausages manufactured. I will hold my concerns and any outrage I may have, until a final bill is ready. For now, I think we’re on the right track. Many of the things you have concerns over now will likely be softened or eliminated from the Senate’s draft. Particularly, if the GOP is pressured to bring ideas forward instead of just stonewalling the bill on foolhardy principals.
Personally, I think a public option plan is a wonderful idea. I believe nationalizing the insurance industry would bring far too many Constitutional challenges. Having a public option operate alongside “for profit” systems would create a new kind of competition for our health insurance dollars. I’ve lived in a country with Universal/single payer and I know from experience, it can have problems. Government programs can become bloated with red tape and bureaucracy. Having the private sector as a constant reminder to the government will keep the government program far more efficient. For the “for profit” industry, it will serve as a constant reminder that customers need to come first, if they want to keep their business.
DWood, don’t get me wrong. I respect your opinions. I’ve read your stuff. You are accurate with most of your information and present it intelligently. I have lived in WEurope under single payor. It makes MUCH more sense than what we have today in America. But it would cut the insurance companies out and the pharma companies would take a huge cut in revenue. The politicians would stop getting their big bribes. You’re a smart guy. You know that. You see what the real barrier is here, right??
My point is that under the House plan (and I don’t see the meat of the Bill changing much in the Senate) it amounts to extorting the middle and lower middle class to buy a policy under threat of fine and jail (which is really unconstitutional). This results in an infusion of $50 billion of new revenue for the insurance industry. The public option only applies to 2% of the people (the poorest of the working poor). This is government control with the corporations getting thrown a big steak and the masses getting thrown scraps of liver while getting billed for the steak.
Come on, Dwoods. You know this. I know you do. If you’re smart enough too see through the current scam you are smart enough to see the House Bill for what it is - a heaping steaming pile.
Please, don’t let partisan politics be your guide here, Dwoods. Be an advocate for the people. Not a bunch of crooked politicians and filthy rich corporate pigs.
Dwoods,
Are you still drinking them 40’s and watching your big screen?
714,
I try to maintain a constant state of intoxication!
26? the length of coverage is already long enough (coverage under most plans I believe usually extends until they’re 24 or 25 depending on the state)
at that point, either get a job and your own insurance, or go back to school!
by the way, the House health care bill doesn’t extend it until they’re 26. it extends it until their 27th birthday! even worse….
http://www.stlbeacon.org/the_feed/health_care_and_young_people
and if your 25-26 year old needs inexpensive health care, they need to look into better options. there are plenty out there starting under $100 a month.
http://www.kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/2008/08/affordable-health-insurance-for-young-people.html (they recommend ehealthinsurance.com for quotes)
also see:
http://www.youthradio.org/news/a-tonik-for-your-pain#previouspost
Your characterization on what the banking industry did is rather distorted. A lot of the changes were defensive in nature and in response to the losses they had suffered. Having a lower credit limit can actually help keep people from going so far into debt.
Previously, allowing people to run up ever larger debt balances that they carried over from mo to mo enabled the banks to make a lot of money off those people. But with more people in financial difficulty, many of those changes were common sense reactions.
You overlook that the banks make money when people owe more money–if they can keep paying it. But if they can’t both the banks and the debtors lose out. Those tightened regulations help keep them all out of trouble.
Who cares, it already sounds like the senate is going to kill this nonsense.
Well hopefully so, but don’t hold your breath. Just like in the house, the leadership may negotiate on some of the points to get the votes to pass it.
So please don’t get complacent. Its ironic though that people are only focusing on the abortion or public option provisions as there are so many additional bad things in the house bill.
I wonder how many of those who voted for the house bill knew everything that was in it? I bet a lot of them didn’t. We’ve heard some things, but until I read the WSJ articles over the weekend I wasn’t aware of some of the other permicious provisions including that there are billions included for diversity and social engineering type things, including the right to have a translator–funded by taxpayers of course, and a bunch of other programs to promote diversity. More ACORN anyone?
I’m all for diversity, but not the govt mandated kind.
Calvert and Campbell did the right thing. They did not follow the socialist leader-obama, they voted with their head. I thank them for their courage. The others are too stupid to see through obama’s take over of our once wonderful country. obama has hidden his personal life from the American public prior to 2006.He went to college on a foreign born scholarship. He can’t name the hospital he was born in. His book he wrote to make himself famous is full of lies. The people who follow him are the poor uneducated people of society. They believe he can pull money out of his hat. The problem is that the money he’s giving away is the tax payers’ money. Ninety seven million people pay taxes in the USA. There are 303 million people in the USA . Do the math. Not enough people pay taxes. We are doom. Wake up!
OBAMACARE ENDORSEMENTS: WHAT THE BRIBE WAS
By DICK MORRIS & EILEEN MCGANN
Published on TheHill.com on November 6, 2009
As the suicidal Democratic congressmen proceed to rubber-stamp the Obama healthcare reform despite the drubbing their party took in the ‘09 elections, the president trotted out the endorsements of the AMA and the AARP to stimulate support. But these — and the other endorsements — his package has received are all bought and paid for.
Here are the deals:
* The American Medical Association (AMA) was facing a 21 percent cut in physicians’ reimbursements under the current law. Obama promised to kill the cut if they backed his bill. The cuts are the fruit of a law requiring annual 5-6 percent reductions in doctor reimbursements for treating Medicare patients. Bravely, each year Congress has rolled the cuts over, suspending them but not repealing them. So each year, the accumulated cuts threaten doctors. By now, they have risen to 21 percent. With this blackmail leverage, Obama compelled the AMA to support his bill…or else!
* The AARP got a financial windfall in return for its support of the healthcare bill. Over the past decade, the AARP has morphed from an advocacy group to an insurance company (through its subsidiary company). It is one of the main suppliers of Medi-gap insurance, a high-cost, privately purchased coverage that picks up where Medicare leaves off. But President Bush-43 passed the Medicare Advantage program, which offered a subsidized, lower-cost alternative to Medi-gap. Under Medicare Advantage, the elderly get all the extra coverage they need plus coordinated, well-managed care, usually by the same physician. So more than 10 million seniors went with Medicare Advantage, cutting into AARP Medi-gap revenues.
Presto! Obama solved their problem. He eliminates subsidies for Medicare Advantage. The elderly will have to pay more for coverage under Medigap, but the AARP — which supposedly represents them — will make more money. (If this galls you, join the American Seniors Association, the alternative group)
The drug industry backed ObamaCare and, in return, got a 10-year limit of $80 billion on cuts in prescription drug costs. (A drop in the bucket of their almost $3 trillion projected cost over the next decade.) They also got administration assurances that it will continue to bar lower-cost Canadian drugs from coming into the U.S. All it had to do was put its formidable advertising budget at the disposal of the administration.
* Insurance companies got access to 40 million potential new customers. But when the Senate Finance Committee lowered the fine that would be imposed on those who don’t buy insurance from $3,500 to $1,500, the insurance companies jumped ship and now oppose the bill, albeit for the worst of motives.
The only industry that refused to knuckle under was the medical device makers. They stood for principle and wouldn’t go along with Obama’s blackmail. So the Senate Finance Committee retaliated by imposing a tax on medical devices such as automated wheelchairs, pacemakers, arterial stents, prosthetic limbs, artificial knees and hips and other necessary accoutrements of healthcare.
So these endorsements are not freely given, but bought and paid for by an administration that is intent on passing its program at any cost.
AARP offers more than medi-gap ins. They also offer all sorts of other types of ins in conjunction with other co’s. I recently got a mailed solicitation for life ins which they advertised as low cost. I compared with a co I am associated with and their rates were considerably higher for not so good coverage. They also offer auto ins, but I found as good or better on my own.
AARP’s support of this gutting of Medicare should lose all credibility as an organization that is suppoed to stand up for seniors.
All of you who don’t like this bill, realize that if you are a member of AARP, lured perhaps by some of their offers on products, that they are taking your dues to help lobby for this bunch of very bad stuff for all and especially for those on Medicare.
Down with obamamessiah and marxism.
If you work for a living, your insurance cost will go up while your coverage goes down.
If you live off of those who work, you’ll get yet another freebie.
This is the “hope” Obama talks about. The hope to live off of some other poor working sucker.
I like the confessions of an ObamaCare backer …. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704795604574522680235765894.html?mod=rss_opinion_main
Can’t speak about the others but Calverts vote on health care will only impact a few. What impacts him is:
1) In 15 years he has done little for his constituents. If he is not a representative of our vote then he does not deserve to be a representative.
2) He will not be able to stand on conservative ethic standards. Too many in public issues.
3) The GOP doesn’t offer an alternative. People will vote for a party member up to a point. When that member no longer serves the people they will find someone else to vote for.
Well, I’m not up everything Calvert has done while in office, but beware of just voting out someone without making sure you are getting someone better. You might get someone worse.
That may be why a lot of people voted for Obama. They had been told how bad Bush was and were misled by Obama’s rhetoric.
Other examples include in Cuba they got rid of the dictator Bautista and instead got Marxist Castro (although at the time many didn’t realize he was a Marxist). Same thing in Nicaragua. Got rid of dictator Somoza and got the Marxist leaning Sandinistas who started taking over more and more control. Fortunately they were defeated, although they may be making a comeback.
The Democrats can target John Campbell all they want, but beating him in 2010, is about as likely as hell freezing over. Why on earth would anyone, especially in a Republican District, who is not a Socialist at heart want to vote for Beth Krom? She never had an original thought in her life that Larry Agran didn’t plant in her head. She would be a rubber stamp for Obama’s Socialist agenda just as she has rubber stamped every one of Agrans wasteful spending schemes in Irvine. Sorry to say, she will continue to plague us in Irvine, but will not be going to Washington D. C.