Yesterday, McHenry County Blog ran the first part of a story on the biggest policy meeting that I have seen in a long while. It was about health care reform being advanced by the Democrats. Part 2 follow
Executive Director Brian Kelly was one of several who helped set the stage for the health care discussion. He pointed out that the meeting was not an official Congressional Town Meeting, rather “a private meeting open to the public.”
“We do not endorse candidates,” Kelly continued. “We endorse issues.”
He urged people to join Patriots United, pointing out that the group did not require support for all five of the organization’s “pillars:”
- Pro-Family,
- Limited Government
- Free Market Economy
- Choice in Education and
- Strong National Defense policies
He did add that he hoped those joining would at least respect those positions, however.
Joe Calimino, head of the Illinois chapter of Americans for Prosperity and Lake in the Hills resident, and Dr. Raymond Bianchi, who has a family practice in Lake Zurich, asked questions of the panel.
Dr. Bianchi gave an impassioned speech about how retaining the physician-patient relationship was essential. He argued the bill in question would be a real threat to that relationship.
In his opening talk, 16th District Republican Congressman Don Manzullo garnered applause by saying,
“I want you to know I’m here. I’m not hiding.”
The lawyer-congressman told of spending 80 hours reading 60% of the 1,018 page bill.
“The bill is designed so no private health care can succeed,” he explained.
“It is intentionally vague,” Crystal Lake Mayor Aaron Shepley, also an attorney and appearing wearing his Centegra hat as a fill-in for its President Michael Easley, added.
“Crystal Lake spends more time evaluating a subdivision at the intersection of Route 14 and Ridgefield Road than the Congress and the President has on this health care plan,” Shepley said.
Talk about a put down!
Employee benefits expert Ryan Brauns went after the rationing aspect of the bill and the quality of the current health care system in this country compared to countries where the government is in charge.
He pointed out that the 5-year survival rate of men with prostrate cancer is 90% in America. In the United Kingdom, it’s 57%. The difference is more detection in the United States, he said.
Manzullo added that decisions by the “Health Choices Commissioner” in the bill are not reviewable either administratively or judicially.
Harking back to the charge that Hillary Clinton first made, Manzullo drew cheers when he said,
“First of all, the people who are here are not part of some vast right wing conspiracy.
“They are Americans in the process of taking back our country.”
“The health care fight is between Democrats and Democrats,” he added, pointing out that no Republican amendment had been accepted in the House.
“They don’t need Republicans.”
Manzullo also drew applause when he said he would not vote for any bill that did not include congressmen and the president. As U.S. Senator and Dr. Tom Coburn told a Family PAC audience, the Senate version does include congressmen.
A question and answer session followed, with Joe Edwards announcing that those favorable to the presentation would alternate with those having a negative view of it.
One of the negatives was Don Sherry, who runs The ID Store in Barrington.
“I am totally against everything I heard tonight,” the small businessman said. “I cannot afford health care for my employees,” he explained. After missing one health insurance payment, he was judged ineligible because he had a prior condition of high cholesterol. (Sherry is in the center of the photo below. Bill Parrot is holding the microphone.)
“Boy, did I get in the wrong room,” he said as he left the room after Manzullo explained that “association coverage” where small business were put in a huge pool would solve his problem.
Crystal Laker John Darger, who ran unsuccessfully for McHenry County College trustee, was another asking a question from a position of supporting the Democrats’ health care plan. He asked if Manzullo had been quoted correctly in the Northwest Herald about some aspect of the plan. Manzullo seemed to think the Blue Dog Democrats had increase the figure in question in the plan since he talked to the paper.
At one point, Manzullo declared that what Darger was talking about was a penalty not a premium, if I remember correctly.
The format was not conducive to a debate on such a topic. I hope Darger will expand on his point in the comment section.
A woman asked about premiums, deductibles and co-pays. Manzullo told her that is a question he has gotten often at public meetings this month and that there was no answer in the bill.
My notes indicate someone challenged the contention that the legislation would drive health insurance companies out of business.
Insurance agent Brauns explained that was indeed the case because no new policies could be sold. One would be allowed to keep a policy currently held, but, once relinquished, an insurance company couldn’t sell the person a new policy, the insurance agent explained.
Barrington Hills resident Dede Wamberg asked an excellent question about the congressional policy of “reconciliation.”
That’s when a joint committee of House and Senate members meet to resolve differences in legislation. The Illinois General Assembly calls such committees conference committees. When they report each house gets to vote on the content of the compromises in Springfield…at least that’s the way it’s supposed to work.
“That’s a way to make sure you don’t need sixty votes in the Senate,” Manzullo explained. Sixty votes are required of course to end debate in the U.S. Senate, so it is a way around the protection that procedure gives those holding a minority opinion. When a congressional bill comes back from reconciliation, it only takes a majority of votes (51, if all are voting) to pass.
After the meeting, a number of health care reform supporters, who arrived early and got seats up front, left.
Some folks stayed around to talk and eat cake.
I saw Richmond’s Ed Varga, who is running for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate, talking to Congressman Manzullo.
Some talked to each other.
I was trying to get people to run for Republican precinct committeeman or work in GOP headquarters, arguing that the local GOP needs invigorating. Anyone with questions can drop me an email. The address is down to the right on this page. Some advice and who is precinct committeeman in each McHenry County precinct in both the Republican and Democratic Parties can be found here.
Or they can read this article entitled,
The advice given can be applied by Democrats as well.
Thorsen also made the same pitch he made in the baseball stadium traffic discussion–that Briarwood and Route 176 be included. He pointed out that there had been another accident there earlier in the day.
