Stouffer: Our lives depend on stopping government control of health care
Many in the nation’s heartland feel the federal government is at it again. This time, the plan is to take over 20 percent of the nation’s economy in what many call “rationed health care.” Fortunately, you have been rising up and telling your elected officials “no” or “slow down.”
While many agree we need health care reform, most folks think putting patients back in control of decision making, improving record keeping and access to quality care are the most important. The solution currently being debated leads us to universal care similar to what is in place in Europe.
If the government struggled with “Cash for Clunkers,” just wait until they are in charge of health care for you and your family.
The president has spent the past month doing everything he can to promote this idea. And, for the first time in this role, he is meeting a little resistance from Congress. This has been beneficial for you, because the thousands of pages that comprise the different health care bills in the U.S. House and Senate are being read — not by the people who will vote on them — rather, by you. And, what you are reading in these bills is ANYTHING but reform.
With Congress on August break, they are returning to their districts and getting an earful. Even the mainstream media is starting to acknowledge this, despite the fact they are trying to portray concerned citizens as an angry mob, driven by mysterious right-wing forces. This is not the case at all This is our country trying to slow down “government gone wild.”
Congressmen Sam Graves, Blaine Luetkemeyer and Ike Skelton, and U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill are coming back to their home districts this month. I think it is imperative that we all make our voices heard, before it may be too late.
In his latest Stouffer Report column, Sen. Bill Stauffer, R-Napton, whose district includes Carroll, Chariton, Cooper, Howard, Lafayette, Macon, Ray, Saline, and Clay counties, addresses the current federal health care debate.
Congressman Graves will start his “Main Street Matters” Listening Tour in mid-August, with more locations to come later in the month. Congressman Graves is the ranking member on the U.S. House Small Business Committee, and his topics will include his opposition to cap-and-trade, the federal stimulus and rationed health care.
Congressman Skelton has yet to schedule any town halls or other direct meetings with the general public, so I would encourage you to contact his office by calling 816-228-4242 or 660-826-2675. He has held a roundtable talk with health care professionals, but no one from the public was invited.
Senator McCaskill has scheduled a series of town hall meetings in parts of the state. So far, St. Louis and Southeast Missouri are the only locations on her agenda. Senator McCaskill, however, plans to send her district representative to Higginsville, Odessa and Concordia in the month of August. I would also recommend calling Sen. McCaskill’s office, at 816-421-1639, and let her know there is a lot more of Missouri she has either forgotten or does not want to visit.
The longer the vote on health care is delayed on Capitol Hill, the better it is for our country. There are four or five different health care bills in different committees in both the U.S. House and Senate. Each bill features something different.
I pray you will read these bills and go to the town hall meetings, call your elected representatives, e-mail them, write letters — whatever it takes — to keep this unneeded takeover of our country from happening. Our very lives, literally, depend on it.
8 comments:
Funny, it didn't take but a few seconds for the republicans to bail out the crooked Wall Street bankers, or bail out the poorly managed car companies, but when it comes to doing something that might help the average guy on the street, they are always hell bent to stop it.
Billions and billions to the banks and they have no idea where it was spent. Sure wasn't to help stop the foreclosures.
Republicans are a bunch that deserve a special place in the fires of the hereafter.
If Private Insurance is so much better than what the government will provide why is Private Insurance so afraid of a public option?? Ask yourself why are they buying our congressmen and spending millions to stop Health Care Reform. Could it be that they are afraid that your health care cost could be lowered and your insurance rates might be lowered and they would not see record profits on the backs of working Americans??
First anonymous.......Republicans didn't bail them out alone......Obama and democrats probably pushed even harder for the bailout, especially the auto bailout. Go do some more research before you speak.
"Third anonymous said First anonymous.......Republicans didn't bail them out alone......Obama and democrats probably pushed even harder for the bailout, especially the auto bailout. Go do some more research before you speak.
You sure didn't hear them creating any uproar at town hall meetings or on the House and Senate floor to stop the bailouts for the Bank and the car makers did you? Nope they are 100% for big business and Mr. Third Anonymous, you know it!
Anything for the common working man, even a measley raise in the minimum wage and they will preach doom and gloom, it will be the end of business, they just can't afford it.
If you are a Republican, you are a sorry lot.
Democrats want power so bad that they will blame any white person for anything. They worship the Government and comrad obama "Heil Obama!"
In the name of serious journalism, please stop repeating GOP talking points, and tell the truth about the proposals for health care reform being debated. There is no horrible plot to put healthcare under government control; that's just either a ridiculous exaggeration of the facts under debate, or it's an outright lie. Americans who can afford to buy health insurance would continue to have their own plans; what's under consideration is allowing poorer and uninsured Americans to be able to buy cheaper health insurance from an exchange. OK, let's vote right now: Who wants to continue to pay more for health insurance, and who wants to pay LESS.
Stop hating President Obama long enough to understand he's trying to help ALL OF US by making health care accessible and affordable. Stop allowing yourselves to be used by insurance companies who are paying people to protest AGAINST THEIR OWN BEST INTERESTS by opposing health care reform. Don't be stupid.
See there is a prime example of true ignorance....and no I am not a Republican but rather just calling it as I see it. To make a poor attempt at a point then end your paragraph with "Don't be stupid!", well there is open-mindedness huh? To even begin to suggest that Obama has any idea about what he is doing and the tax burden this will eventually cost the American public is utterly foolish. Looking for a handout and not a hand up is the first mistake. We already have a medical plan for those who cannot afford it......it's called medicaid.
Please try to use reason and think back to the old saying; "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". The same thing applies to this ridiculous idea. And yes I would be saying the same if Bush, Clinton, or Reagan proposed something this foolish and dangerous. Stop listening the the democratic rhetoric and use common sense people. There are so many reasons this is bad for America that I can't possible list them here but seriously, try to step back and quit looking at these issues as a dem or rep. It simply blinds you to the facts, no matter how you try to state them.
Here we go again, can't afford health care, but we can bail out the banks and the car companies. There is no need to continue this discussion, and thats using the term recklessly, with a bunch of repukelicans.
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