Here's the Pelosi-Hoyer "USA-T Stuff" The Comment section is more interesting...I've put a few of them here....People don't seem to look on Pelosi very favorably, it would seem...(Pictures of the two are on the link below, but I just couldn't stand seeing her pic one more time today...his either!)
'Un-American' attacks can't derail health care debate
By Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer
blogs.usatoday.com
Americans have been waiting for nearly a century for quality, affordable health care.
Health coverage for all was on the national agenda as early as 1912, thanks to Teddy Roosevelt's Bull Moose presidential run. Months after World War II came to an end in 1945, President Harry Truman called on Congress to guarantee all Americans the "right to adequate medical care and protection from the economic fears of sickness." From President Lyndon Johnson to President Bill Clinton, to President Obama's winning campaign on the promise of reform, there hasn't been a more debated domestic issue than the promise of affordable health care for all.
We believe it is healthy for such a historic effort to be subject to so much scrutiny and debate. The failure of past attempts is a reminder that health insurance reform is a defining moment in our nation's history — it is well worth the time it takes to get it right. We are confident that we will get this right.
Already, three House committees have passed this critical legislation and over August, the two of us will work closely with those three committees to produce one strong piece of legislation that the House will approve in September.
In the meantime, as members of Congress spend time at home during August, they are talking with their constituents about reform. The dialogue between elected representatives and constituents is at the heart of our democracy and plays an integral role in assuring that the legislation we write reflects the genuine needs and concerns of the people we represent.
However, it is now evident that an ugly campaign is underway not merely to misrepresent the health insurance reform legislation, but to disrupt public meetings and prevent members of Congress and constituents from conducting a civil dialogue. These tactics have included hanging in effigy one Democratic member of Congress in Maryland and protesters holding a sign displaying a tombstone with the name of another congressman in Texas, where protesters also shouted "Just say no!" drowning out those who wanted to hold a substantive discussion.
Let the facts be heard
These disruptions are occurring because opponents are afraid not just of differing views — but of the facts themselves. Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American. Drowning out the facts is how we failed at this task for decades.
Health care is complex. It touches every American life. It drives our economy. People must be allowed to learn the facts.
The first fact is that health insurance reform will mean more patient choice. It will allow every American who likes his or her current plan to keep it. And it will free doctors and patients to make the health decisions that make the most sense, not the most profits for insurance companies.
Reform will mean stability and peace of mind for the middle class. Never again will medical bills drive Americans into bankruptcy; never again will Americans be in danger of losing coverage if they lose their jobs or if they become sick; never again will insurance companies be allowed to deny patients coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
Lower costs, better care
Reform will mean affordable coverage for all Americans. Our plan's cost-lowering measures include a public health insurance option to bring competitive pressure to bear on rapidly consolidating private insurers, research on health outcomes to better inform the decisions of patients and doctors, and electronic medical records to help doctors save money by working together. For seniors, the plan closes the notorious Medicare Part D "doughnut hole" that denies drug coverage to those with between $2,700 and $6,100 per year in prescriptions.
Reform will also mean higher-quality care by promoting preventive care so health problems can be addressed before they become crises. This, too, will save money. We'll be a much healthier country if all patients can receive regular checkups and tests, such as mammograms and diabetes exams, without paying a dime out-of-pocket.
This month, despite the disruptions, members of Congress will listen to their constituents back home and explain reform legislation. We are confident that our principles of affordable, quality health care will stand up to any and all critics.
Now — with Americans strongly supporting health insurance reform, with Congress reaching consensus on a plan, and with a president who ran and won on this specific promise of change — America is closer than ever to this century-deferred goal.
This fall, at long last, we must reach it.
Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is speaker of the House and Steny Hoyer, D-Md., is House majority leader.
Posted at 12:15 AM/ET, August 10, 2009 in Forum commentary, Health care/Insurance - Forum, Politics, Government - Forum | Permalink
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COMMENTS:
sane_voter (0 friends, send message) wrote: 1h 20m ago
Rep. Pelosi has been accusing those of us who are against this proposed massive increase of government-run health care of being pawns of the insurance industry, being puppets of the RNC, and implied we are Nazis. Nothing could be further from the truth. We are regular folks who makeup their own signs and are there to be heard. It is also hypocritical for Rep. Pelosi to accuse us of stifling debate when, if she originally had her way, the health care bill would have already been passed before the August recess with NO debate. Shame on you Pelosi!
Recommend 48 | Report Abuse
polonius47 (0 friends, send message) wrote: 1h 14m ago
"Drowning out opposing views is simply un-American"
As any conservative who has ever tried to give a speech on an American university campus could attest.
Recommend 46 | Report Abuse
Lucius Verginius (0 friends, send message) wrote: 1h 14m ago
The obvious thing for Pelosi to do is to create a committee to investigate the protestors—call it the House Committee on Un-American Activities.
Have you no sense of decency, madam, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?
Recommend 40 | Report Abuse
Winter Patriot (12 friends, send message) wrote: 1h 11m ago
Aside from the fact that the American people are fed up with being lectured by Congressmen on the "facts," the question is how can these Congressmen know or intelligently discuss the facts when they themselves have not read all of H.R. 3200.
NOTE THE WORDS OF REPRESENTATIVE CONYERS (D, MI):
“During his speech at a National Press Club luncheon, House Judiciary Chairman John CONYERS (D-Mich.), questioned the point of lawmakers reading the health care bill.
“I love these members, they get up and say, ‘Read the bill,’” said Conyers.
‘What good is reading the bill if it’s a thousand pages and you don’t have two days and two lawyers to find out what it means after you read the bill?’ ”
cnsnews.com
And the only "facts" I'm hearing out of the mouth of Nancy Pelosi are "astroturf" and "swastikas" and "un-American."
Who can say "un-American" without thinking Nancy Pelosi?
Recommend 43 | Report Abuse
polonius47 (0 friends, send message) wrote: 1h 4m ago
I believe these two unrepresentative representatives are so out of touch that they really do believe that the polls lie and that popular sentiment is on their side. Either that or they are so arrogant that they realize their ideas are unpopular but attribute it to the fact that us trolls who live in their districts are just a bunch of ignoramuses.
Recommend 41 | Report Abuse
Mom for Liberty (0 friends, send message) wrote: 54m ago
YOU SAY: "Now — with Americans strongly supporting health insurance reform, NOT THIS PLAN with Congress reaching consensus on a plan NOT QUITE , and with a president who ran and won on this specific promise of change HE WON ON PERSONALITY, NOT PROMISING THIS KIND OF CHANGE— America is closer than ever to this century-deferred goal."
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE TO ME THAT YOU JUST REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DO NOT WANT WHAT YOU ARE OFFERING...THE FACT IS YOU TRIED TO RAM THIS NIGHTMARE THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS BEFORE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE HAD A CHANCE TO LEARN HOW YOU WERE PLANNING TO COMPLETELY ALTER THE BEST HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN THE WORLD. I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL YOU AND YOUR ILK ARE SWEPT OUT OF OFFICE NEXT YEAR, HOPEFULLY, BEFORE YOU CAN DO ANY MORE SERIOUS DAMAGE (MORE CASH FOR CLUNKERS...COME ON!!!) TO OUR GREAT REPUBLIC.
Recommend 35 | Report Abuse
PreviouslyBanned (0 friends, send message) wrote: 53m ago
"These tactics have included hanging in effigy one Democratic member of Congress in Maryland and protesters holding a sign displaying a tombstone with the name of another congressman in Texas, where protesters also shouted 'Just say no!' drowning out those who wanted to hold a substantive discussion."
It's high time these elitists pretending to "represent" their constituents fear more than re-election opponents - the effigy this shrew mentioned ought to send goosebumps down her spine. Has this woman not read the history of how this nation came about?
Recommend 27 | Report Abuse
Jack Herman (0 friends, send message) wrote: 52m ago
Oh contrare Oh mighty Democratic leaders. It's un-American not to allow a proper debate. It's also irresponsible and a dereliction of your duties to attempt to ram through (and not read) these bills. You are talking about MAJOR legislation. You two simply want to push it through without proper examination simply because you want a win for Obama. One of the constituents at the Rep. Hoyer attended town hall had it correct. "You want to push through health care reform in 3-4 weeks when it took Obama six months to pick out a dog for his children" (I paraphrase) Your actions to ram this through without a discussion inclusive of all parties is irresponsible. You ask yourself, why all the noise? Obama only won over 54% of the voting population. The simple fact that you ignore the opinions of 46% of the population, plus those in the majority that don't want health insurance change is why you're ignorance is being shouted down.
Additionally, Ms. Pelosi, please provide evidence of the swatikas you refer to when you insult those of us that disagree with you. Until you can do that (while you're at it, find that evidence that the CIA lied to you), you have no credibility and should vacate the post you hold.
"I AM THE MOB"
Recommend 32 | Report Abuse
monicanc (0 friends, send message) wrote: 49m ago
Have they LOOKED at the polls?? Plurality is AGAINST health care reform, or whatever they are calling it for the day. Pelosi is LEAST popular, least respected member of Congress EVER. Anyone who believes LIES such as "better coverage for less cost" is an idiot- her perfect voter- but I repeat myself.
Recommend 27 | Report Abuse
FMSlay (0 friends, send message) wrote: 46m ago
This is precious. Dissent isn't the highest form of patriotism after all. It's unamerican! |
