The Vote That Kills

Today the Idaho Statesman reports that Congressman Walt Minnick "would have no trouble being the vote that kills President Barack Obama's health care plan — if it still doesn't include the aspects he'd like to see."  So what exactly are the aspects of health care reform that Minnick would like to see?

Last July, Congressman Walt Minnick crafted what he called " five core principles" that he "would use to evaluate proposals for reforms of our nation’s health care system."  They were:

• First, reforms must be fully funded.
• Second, comprehensive, affordable health insurance must be made available to all Americans.
• Third, no "socialized medicine.” The health care system of insurance must be private – not run by the government.
• Fourth, insurance companies must be required to make insurance available to everyone regardless of age, employment status or preconditions.
• And fifth, reforms must reduce costs, not just expand coverage.

Except, apparently there really wasn't very much "core" in those principles and they've been modified somewhat.

Minnick's spokesman John Foster told the Statesman Wednesday that as Minnick has said in the past, he would like to see tort reform and a better way to control costs throughout the country. He also wants to make sure there is no public option, and that whatever is passed doesn't add to the overall cost of the deficit.

So according to John Foster (who strangely enough was commenting on a policy issue despite having taken a leave of absence to work on the reelection campaign), Minnick's health care reform "core principles" now look more like this:

• First Fourth, reforms must be fully funded.
• First, tort reform.
• Second, comprehensive, affordable health insurance must be made available to all Americans.
• Third, no "socialized medicine.” The health care system of insurance must be private – not run by the government.
• Fourth, insurance companies must be required to make insurance available to everyone regardless of age, employment status or preconditions.
• And fifth, Second, reforms must reduce costs, not just expand coverage.

Notice what's now missing from Minnick's list?  That would be the actual reform--the things that help the uninsured get access to health care.  Not only that, but everything else on Minnick's list, including the latest addition—tort reform, is now included in President Obama's current proposal.

Nearly 45,000 people die each year from lack of health care and Walt Minnick wouldn't mind being the vote that kills health care reform.  Apparently he does not have a conscience.

Update:  This is how Foster responded yesterday evening to The Huffington Post:

"Like his constituents in Idaho, Walt continues to hold out hope that the president will propose a bill that will actually reduce their costs of insurance and be something that they will support. It's not surprising that the liberal Huffington Post wouldn't understand his position," said Minnick's campaign spokesman John Foster.

Comments

[thepoliticalgame]

For a man who once had a very sick child, he sure has forgotten how scary it is out there on the "free market" that is American health care.

[MountainGoat]

And Foster who once wooed Markos Moulitsas to Idaho for the Frank Church Banquet is now throwing around "liberal" like an epithet.

Can someone at the IDP tell me how Minnick (or his staff) is helping "grow" the Democratic Party in Idaho again?

[thepoliticalgame]

As much as Minnick and Foster hate to admit it, they're going to need a few bucks from those liberals to be re-elected. How much money did ActBlue give last time around? Subtract that and liberal voters and Minnick and Foster are out of work.

[Tombo]

Nobel Prize winning New York Times columnist, Paul Krugman set down the strengths and value of the proposed healthcare bill and lists the false arguments coming from the opposition.

To read: just google Paul Krugman Health Reform Myths.

Most if not all of Minnick's 5 points are detailed in the strengths. This is clearly a congressional representative that that should switch parties and wallow with those of his type.

[MountainGoat]

That's an excellent column by Krugman; thanks for pointing it out.