March 21, 2010

Health care bill is a 'fiscal Frankenstein,' said Ryan

'The arrogant idea that Washington knows best.'

The health care bill is a "fiscal Frankenstein" said Rep. Paul Ryan, R-WI, 1st District, during the House's interminable, nearly 10-hour debate Sunday. "This bill is a fiscal Frankenstein, it's a government takeover, it's not democratic," Fox News quoted him saying.

Here is more of what our Congressman had to say yesterday as he tried to convince his colleagues: "Let's start over, let's defeat this bill.".

The New York Times live-blogged the entire debate, and had this post at 2:42 p.m.:
Rep. Paul Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin, has been denouncing the bill as a fiscal nightmare. “This is not democracy,” he said. “This is not democracy.” Ryan, like many other House members today, also detailed his mother-in-law’s battle with ovarian cancer, asserting that were she a British citizen, she wouldn’t be able to receive the drug that she’s taking to fight her illness.
Ryan, calling the bill "the mother of all unfunded mandates," tried to get a point of order approved, to remove approximately $20 billion in what he calls unfunded mandates on states, small businesses, individuals and health care providers. He made an 11-minute speech on the floor of the House. It can be watched here.

Ryan also appeared on Chris Wallace's Fox News Sunday, paired with Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-FL. Video of the 13-minute appearance is here. In that appearance, Ryan argued with Schultz about whether the bill funds abortions, something President Obama pledged to countermand by executive order. A transcript of the show quotes Ryan saying:

"It does fund abortions. But on an executive order, that is not the rule of law. That's the rule of man. One man can sign an executive order and one man can repeal that again, the president of the United States.

"So for those of us in the pro-life movement and the — and my Democrat friends who are pro-life, that doesn't cut it. A executive order is not something that is permanent law like the Hyde Amendment. So we just do not see that as something sufficient to actually permanently prohibit taxpayer funding of abortions."

Wisconsin's eight members of the House of Representatives split their votes strictly along party lines -- no surprise. Voting for the health care bill were Democrats Tammy Baldwin, District 2; Steve Kagen, District 8; Ron Kind, District 3; Gwen Moore, District 4; David Obey, District 7. Voting no were Republicans Tom Petri, District 6; Ryan, District 1; and James Sensenbrenner, District 5.

After the 219 - 212 vote was tallied, Ryan issued a statement with a headline that left no doubt how he feels:
This heavy-handed overhaul is at odds
with what made this country the greatest nation on earth
.

After months of twisting arms, Democratic Leaders convinced enough members of their own party to defy the will of the American people and support the Senate health bill which was crafted in secret, behind closed doors. In a historic abuse of legislative budget rules, the Majority also jammed through a "fixer" bill in an attempt to paper over the deeply flawed Senate bill.

Together, these bills would exacerbate our fiscal crisis by adding trillions of dollars to our debt burden, raise taxes on families and small businesses by more than $500 billion, and dramatically expand the federal government's role in personal health care decisions. Most unfortunately though, these bills will do little to make health care more affordable or accessible for the American people. These bills do not represent reform; they represent an ideological power-grab.
Sen. Russ Feingold, D-WI, said:
"Today the House took an important step towards fixing our broken health insurance system by voting to pass the Senate reform bill.

"After decades of gridlock and debate on this issue I am proud to be a part of an historic effort that takes on the insurance companies, makes health care more affordable and gives people more control over their own health insurance. This bill ends abusive practices by the insurance industry like denial of coverage for pre-existing conditions, improves the unfair reimbursement formula that has shortchanged Wisconsin for years, and will bring millions more in Medicaid funding to reduce the burden on state taxpayers.

"After listening to the people of Wisconsin for many years on this issue it is clear that they don't want us to walk away from this challenge. We are now one step closer to providing more insurance choices and lower costs for families and small businesses, more accountability for health insurance companies, and lower deficits for taxpayers.”

47 comments:

  1. sad american3/21/2010 10:27 PM

    Thank you Paul Ryan for sticking up for we the people. I thought health care wasnt perfect and certainly needed changes, but not destruction.

    why not force insurance co to pay for pre existing conditions and..

    why not cap the malpractice awards so docs dont have to pay sky hi premiums......

    geez, I am totally disappointed in our government today and couldnt bear to watch the fiasco in the HOUSE !!

    this is going to destroy health care in this country, doctors are now going to be overloaded, and underpaid...what and where is the incentive for them to be good if they all get paid the same amount and are ordered around by the govt??? what a mess

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  2. Rep. Ryan,

    History has passed you by.

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  3. Just remember this isn't about health care or health insurance. It's about the government's ability to regulate and control behavior by linking any and all behavior to potential health-related consequences.

    Too bad the opposition didn't emphasize this more during the debate. They got too caught up in CBO scoring, abortion, Nebraska & Louisiana sweetheart deals, etc.

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  4. Americans are assured of health care, a critical component of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

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  5. Americans are assured of bankruptcy.

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  6. 11:09 pm, I am sick of those, such as yourself, that believe you are entitled to such things as health insurance. Were in the Constitutuion does it mention free insurance for all? It does not! Great job to the Democrates and Republicans that voted against this.

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  7. Why is it when a Repub yells out "liar" to The chosen one the media is up in arms? Why then is it OK for the Dems to constatly mock, badger and talk while Ryan was on the floor?

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  8. This will turn out to be the biggest mistake by Congress in the history of the nation.

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  9. Tim the Shrubber3/22/2010 8:05 AM

    Bad for the country, but good for me. Big Pharma gets a big payoff for its support...which means job security for me.

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  10. Day two of the great civil war.

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  11. This will not hurt the insurance companies. To cover the current uninsured, they will just increase the premiums of those with insurance - then the company subsidized programs that most people have will be dropped and we will all have socialized medicine which the government will not be able to sustain without major tax increases.

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  12. Thanks for the laughs Tea Party. It was fun while it lasted.

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  13. Sit down, shut up and do as your told.

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  14. 3/22/2010 8:55 AM
    "While it lasted" We are not your typical obama voter. We don't just get drunk for two days after a win and then not even know what the Vice Presidents name is. No my socialist arch-enemy friend. We are just getting started.

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  15. I can understand Paul Ryan voting against the plan, I get it. What I can't seem to understand is why he voted against the fixes bill that came right after. The fixes bill removed the Cornhusker Kickback, Gatoraide, and other objectionable things. Why the hell would Paul Ryan vote against that???????

    To me that proves the Republican intentions all along - obstructionism.

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  16. Tim the Shrubber3/22/2010 9:07 AM

    "We are just getting started."

    That is certainly true. Health Care is going to be one of the major issues in elections for a very long time...just look at the British experience with their NHS. The really bitter debates are in our future.

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  17. This is nowhere near NHS.

    When people don't lose their current coverage and realize the government did not take over the system and all of the other blatant lies they were told by talk radio and conservatives....they will realize two things:

    Democrats are looking out for the people
    Conservatives are discredited liars

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  18. Most people who really know when the housing bubble foundation started look at May of 1999 when Clinton signed the bill that required banks to lends to anyone who wanted to buy a house. It is the historic start of what became the housing bubble and we know how that went.

    March 21, 2010 will be the historic start of the final piece of the US going bankcrupt. Very respected economists say that the impact of the budget games in the health bill will create a massive debt that the US can never pay off. No one knows when the collapse will come, only that it will come. This information is confirmed by even Obama supporting US News and World report publisher.

    The dems will call this their high point. November will be the start of their low point. When you push through an unconstitutional bill, with massive payoffs for votes that only one party supports and the public is against you lose. No other big government entitlement was push through the system like this. The problem with this bill in the end is that we will all lose.

    The economists tell us we can not sustain the spending in Washington. We will have to make massive cuts in defense and other non-entitlement programs just to try to keep the debt down. We will soon be bowing to China the ultimate new super power.

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  19. I work out at least six days a week and on one of my runs saw a woman walking into the Rhino Bar around noon. It struck me - who is the fool in this picture? I should be relaxing and working on my alcoholism, obesity (with concomitant diabetes), heart disease, and lung cancer.

    The mentally retarded, especially those in homes, the severely disabled, and all the others who truly deserve compassionate care – they will be discarded from all this “free” care like two week old garbage.

    Obama says that this isn’t a fix, it is a first step. Right. When this doesn’t work, it will need more money. When that doesn’t work, it will need more money. Rinse and repeat.

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  20. Where was Paul Ryan's fiscal responsibility during the eight years of the Bush administration during the biggest move into deficit ever. No outrage then! Guess he has the religion now.

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  21. Good-bye Russ Feingold 2010 and Kohl 2013.

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  22. This was the vote that gets Paul Ryan thrown out of office.

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  23. Paul is one of the few who actually understands the financial implications. Counting 10 yrs of revenue from imposed new taxes and fees and then only counting the last 6yrs of expenses is a real problem. If you do not understand basic economics. Read a book and read the real bill that will be signed.
    Can anyone say higher taxes?

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  24. Tim the Shrubber3/22/2010 10:30 AM

    "This is nowhere near NHS."

    And you miss the point entirely.

    Not saying that the HC Bill and the NHS are the same policy-wise, but the HC Bill will inject the same dynamics into elections and political debates and the NHS has in Britain. It will not be pretty.

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  25. How is it legal for the Government to force me to by a private product, that being insurance?

    Unemployment running out in two weeks. I will take any job, too bad most of the check will go to insurance so I don't get a fine.

    It's a sad, sad day in America.

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  26. "Americans are assured of health care, a critical component of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

    You know, I don't seem to remember a single reference to health care in the Declaration of Independence. That would be odd if it is a 'critical component of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.', don't you think?

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  27. FREE health insurance? That bill doesn't give you FREE health insurance, it simply REQUIRES you to HAVE health insurance. It also doesn't cap what insurance companies can charge you for it, it just requires them to offer it. Enjoy!

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  28. Paul Ryan is toast in November. Enjoy your last few months in office Paul. Change is heading your way.

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  29. 10:54 Wrong, fortunately he will be around for quite some time. If you really think that I would recommend doubling your meds?

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  30. I figure that my pursuit of happiness will cost about $5 million. Cough up, Obama - it's in the Declaration of Independence.

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  31. Ryan voted No, at least he is listening to us for a change.

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  32. Paul Ryan seems to be pretty safe with his job. However Republicans may face some issues from the half truths and misinformation given to try to stop the bill. America still is a pretty morally responsible place and rejecting health care for the poor because we want to keep our money does not always resonate well with the poor and middle class. Also the recent publicized bigotry from Tea Party members doesn't recruit a lot of independents to the Republican cause.

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  33. I can't wait for the Republicans to introduce anti-health care reform repeals, telling senior citizens they have to pay more for prescription drugs and canceling insurance policies for critically ill children.

    Looking forward to that debate!

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  34. ... next thing you know, they'll want to repeal Social Security and Medicare.

    Oh, wait a minute, Rep. Ryan's already tried that, hasn't he.

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  35. 11:43 - The majority of the population did not want this bill and Obama and the Democratic Congress did not care what their constiuents had to say. The Democrats would lose their races in November and beyond, but the next thing Obama will do is grant amnesity to illegals then the Dem's will get their votes.

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  36. 12:52 - Again, most people formed their opinions from the fear based messages that were at best occasionally true. After seeing what is in the bill, no one except the richest Americans being taxed should be upset by it. If middle class and poor people don't like it they are basically against their own self interest.

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  37. Mr Ryan...can you show me the chart for the war?

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  38. "Again, most people formed their opinions from the fear based messages that were at best occasionally true"

    I can think of at least three or four things that would be terrifying if they were to happen once - please define how "occasionally" something bad has to be in order to be scary.

    Funny stuff!

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  39. 1:05 - you must be tired of reading that whole bill since you know what came out of it.

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  40. I think the biggest problems with the Republicans' arguments is that they were half-truths, designed to confuse rather than enlighten. Examples:

    - Having a conversation with your doctor about end-of-life-care became "government death panels."

    - Ending a costly, wasteful experimental program that didn't work as an alternative to conventional Medicare became "cuts in Medicare for seniors."

    - Guaranteeing private insurance coverage for private health care became "government takeover of health care."

    Looking back, Republicans ensured passage of the bill with these kinds of tactics.

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  41. ... In the alternative, I think I would have at least listened to these arguments:

    - It's costly and unnecessary to require insurance companies to pay doctors to have end-of-life consultations with their patients. They're probably going to do it anyway, and this just gives them one more thing to bill.

    - Medicare Advantage, though costlier than conventional Medicare, does provide a real service. At least 10 million seniors have chosen it, and we shouldn't force them to change their coverage if they don't want to.

    - Adding 31 million patients to an already overburdened system is going to cause problems. Let's fix the medical-care delivery system first, then guarantee more insurance coverage for everybody. It's too much all at one time.

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  42. This is a new dawn. Democrats are back and we're fired up and ready to go. Speaking of going, I think it is time for Paul Ryan to go. He was an epic fail for Racine.

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  43. Paul Ryan has become a right-wing ideologue whose Road Map For America slices and dices the middle class into bits and pieces as an offering to his wealthy corporate benefactors. He and his Republithugs were egging on the protesters with speeches on the steps of the capitol yesterday as well as hanging banners to whip them up even further. Then there was Neugeberger of Texas calling Bart Stupak a "baby killer" on the House floor. This is what has become of Ryan and his Republican Party. What I fear most is a right-wing takeover of this country because fear and anger are powerful motivators, and Ryan and his ilk will not stop their vicious attacks. They would rather do that than help govern our country.

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  44. These conservative liars better get their messaging together because once the American people see this is not a government takeover, there will be some explaining to do.

    Republicans are finished and soon enough will be exposed as the disingenuous liars they are.

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  45. Pack your bags Paul, we're coming for you!

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  46. Bart Stupid was going to vote for this bill all along - he was just waiting to see what stretched faced Pelosi would promise him.

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  47. You liberals don't know what's ahead in the future. I figure you're like the grasshopper who starved to death in the winter because he didn't give a damn. All you want is handouts, no matter what happens to the country in the long run. There are some who are already preparing for grim times ahead. They'll survive -- you won't!

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