TheGovWatch.com

Boehner Blasts Censorship of Chart Detailing Democrats’ Government-Run Health Care Labyrinth

“The American People Deserve the Truth” About Democrats’ Trillion-Dollar Health Care Takeover, GOP Leader Says 

CLICK TO PLAY

        “Mr. Speaker, Democrats in Congress don’t want the American people to see this chart.  This is the chart that outlines the Democrat proposal moving through the House of Representatives that contains as many as 53 new Federal programs, Agencies and Commissions.  That’s right; they’re trying to restrict Members of Congress from showing this to their constituents.  They say it’s misleading.  Well, there’s nothing misleading about it.  They just don’t want anyone to see it.

        “Well, here it is.  I’m using it.  Are they going to turn out the lights, are they going to turn off the cameras?  Why don’t they want the American people to see this? 

        “Well, I think the American people deserve the truth about the Democrats’ $1.6 trillion takeover of our of our health care system.  More bureaucracy, more taxes, more mandates – and more government involvement in your life.

        “And guess what?  It also means less jobs for Americans.  According to a model developed by the President’s own Council of Economic Advisors Chairperson, this proposal will cost Americans some 5.5 million jobs over the next 10 years; the National Federation of Independent Business says that at least a million small business jobs will be lost; and, even the Congressional Budget Office over the weekend made it clear that this will cost low-wage workers an opportunity to get a job.

        “Listen, after the ‘stimulus’ didn’t work, most of my constituents are continuing to ask the question, ‘where are the jobs?’

        “We have a ‘stimulus’ that’s not working, we have a national energy tax bill that came through here this month that will cost millions of Americans their jobs, and while this will ruin the health care system that we enjoy in America, let’s not forget, it will cost us millions of American jobs when most Americans continue to want to know, ‘where are the jobs?’”

But if you take a closer look, the opposition to the House Democrats’ bill is even more pronounced among key stakeholders around the country.  Veterans, seniors, doctors, and small businesses are all voicing their opposition to the House Democrats’ government takeover of health care.  Consider this:

• Veterans Groups Oppose House Democrats’ Bill.  A group of six veterans organizations, including Amvets, Blinded Veterans Association, Disabled American Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Jewish War Veterans of the USAA, and Vietnam Veterans of American, wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) that they have “grave concerns” about the bill and that they “would oppose this legislation because it could limit health care choices for veterans, increase the cost of health care for veterans, deny coverage to dependents family members of veterans, and threaten the quality of health care offered to veterans through the VA system.” And the American Legion wrote a letter to Chairman Waxman that it “is deeply concerned with veterans’ related issues” in the Democrats’ proposal.

• Seniors Concerned About Medicare Cuts, Believe Dem Bill Will Worsen Health Care.  A new Gallup poll this morning says: “By a margin of three to one, 36% to 12%, adults 65 and older are more likely to believe healthcare reform will reduce rather than expand their access to healthcare. And by 39% to 20%, they are more likely to say their own medical care will worsen rather than improve.”  Who can blame them?  Among the chief concerns many Americans – particularly seniors – have about the Democrats’ government takeover is its Medicare cuts. The Associated Press reported yesterday that “Democrats are pushing for Medicare cuts on a scale not seen in years to underwrite health care for all. Many seniors now covered under the program don’t like that one bit.” An independent analysis of the House Democrats’ government-run plan shows the legislation slashes Medicare to the tune of $361.9 billion.  That means fewer choices and lower health care quality for our nation’s seniors.

• Doctors & Medical Societies Oppose Government Plan, New Mandates.  In a letter to House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Waxman, seven state medical societies, three specialty medical associations, and two former President’s of the American Medical Association representing 43,000 doctors wrote that they were adamantly opposed to the Democrats’ bill, especially to the government-run system that will crowd out the private market and the employer and individual mandates as well.

• Small Business Groups Say Dem Bill Would Destroy Jobs, Reduce Access to Care.  A broad coalition of job-creating groups – representing small businesses to homebuilders and manufacturers – has come together to oppose the Democrats’ government takeover of health.  In a letter to Congress, this coalition wrote: “We are specifically concerned with a proposal to mandate that employers either provide health insurance or pay a new eight percent payroll tax. The House ‘pay or play’ proposal is even more troublesome because employers are also mandated to pay the majority of employee premiums. Exempting some micro-businesses will not prevent this provision from killing many jobs.”  And the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), representing small businesses across the country, also weighed in saying it would destroy jobs and reduce access to affordable health care: “NFIB opposes the [Democrats’ bill] because it threatens the viability of our nation’s job creators, fails to increase access and choice to all small businesses, destroys choice and competition for private insurance and fails to address the core challenge facing small businesses – cost.”