Yesterday I was invited to participate in a blogger conference call with at least four other bloggers who asked questions and two members of Congress: Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state and John Shadegg of Arizona.
You can find the call here. I come in about the 17-minute mark.
There were a number of points made during the half-hour long conference call, which was about 1/4 statements from the Congressmen and 3/4 answering a total of five questions. But, aside from my question I got a lot of useful points and quotes, particularly from Shadegg. (Honestly, by reputation he was the reason I wanted to participate, meaning no disrepect to Mrs. Rodgers.)
Shadegg most notably conceded that “this bill will pass, unless…and you’re the unless” bloggers like us spread the word on just how bad the Democrats’ proposals were. Simply put, bloggers are the “mechanism” for education, otherwise we would have “health care, Soviet gulag style.”
To that end, Congressman Shadegg pointed out a number of examples in the Senate bill. For example, did you know that Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada carved out an exception for Nevada and three other states from having to pay a share of the increased Medicaid costs? Their share will be borne by the other 46 states (which I presume include Maryland and Delaware.) Not to be outdone, the tax on “gold-plated” policies that the Baucus bill includes as a payment mechanism has a sliding scale – certain states have a higher threshold (thanks to Sen. Charles Shumer of New York) and union plans are protected due to the stellar efforts of Senators John Kerry and Debbie Stabenow.
Even better, the CBO score Democrats raved about has what I consider a fatal flaw. Remember, the actual health care bill does not kick in until 2013 – after Obama is presumably re-elected – but the taxes start now. So we have 10 years’ worth of revenue paying for 7 years’ worth of expenses. No wonder it works so well!
Shadegg also brought out the point that, if Harry Reid decides to go the route of using a shell bill to bring this to fruition, their argument has to concede that this is a tax bill (to originate in the House). Of course, Nancy Pelosi’s manuevers there have been “shocking” so whatever she does would not be a surprise. Overall, Shadegg said, the bill “will destroy” health care as we know it and the claim that you can keep your policy is patently “false.”
Bloggers “should be scaring people”, concluded Shadegg.
Also, thanks to fellow bloggers Clyde Middleton of the Patriot Room, Mike Proto of Conservatives with Attitude, Andrew Ian Dodge, and Gary Groth from parts unknown.
Bloggers “should be scaring people”, concluded Shadegg.
Michael, I have to admit, I’m a bit scared of what will happen if this passes. I’ll tell you this much though, as was said at the Cambridge AFP meeting,
Gramm Rudman was repealed, and if the liberals can do that, then we can repeal this, depending on what happens in 2010.
It’s up to the voters. It always has been.