Thursday, November 05, 2009
Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, who hasn’t taken a position on the Democratic health care bill unveiled in the U.S. House last week, is being bombarded by political activists on the right and the left who want him to make up his mind.
On Wednesday, Edwards was still making good on his promise to read all 1,990 pages of the bill before making a decision, according to his office.
“He’s still reviewing the bill, and he told me today he’s about halfway through,” spokesman Josh Taylor said.
But, given the strong feelings the health care debate evokes, Edwards isn’t exactly reading in peace.
The McLennan County Republican Women protested the legislation at Edwards’ Waco office Tuesday. About 25 demonstrators sang “God Bless America” and other patriotic songs outside Edwards’ Austin Avenue office and wrote letters urging him to oppose the bill.
A similar event was staged Tuesday at his Bryan office, and the Waco Tea Party is scheduled to protest at the Waco office from 11 a.m. to noon today.
Not just the right
Edwards is hearing from supporters of health care reform, too.
Organizing for America, a political committee run by the Democratic National Committee, has been holding twice-weekly phone banks, with volunteers imploring area residents to call up Edwards and win his support for health care reform.
The bill was estimated to cost $1.05 trillion by the Congressional Budget Office, but the Associated Press reported that recent changes have bumped up the cost to about $1.2 trillion, which Republican groups have said is inappropriately high. A news release put out by the McLennan County Republican Women pointed several times to the bill’s price tag, which exceeded both the $829 billion cost of the bill introduced in the Senate and the $900 billion limit President Obama asked Congress to stay below.
The House proposal also includes a government-run insurance program — sometimes referred to as a public option — and would extend insurance to roughly 36 million people who don’t currently have coverage.
Taylor said Edwards’ office had been contacted roughly 530 times Monday and Tuesday about health care reform, which he described as more than normal.
Taylor said half of the people contacting the office were from outside of the House district. He did not offer a breakdown of how many calls were for or against health care reform.
Republican groups in Washington also have urged Edwards to come out against the bill and soon. A National Republican Congressional Committee e-mail states “it’s time for Chet Edwards to make his position on this final product known.”
Reasons to keep quiet
But University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato said it’s wiser for Edwards to keep his cards close to his chest, especially because this bill might not be the final product.
Edwards is facing GOP opposition next year, and he would hand ammunition to his challenger by backing the House bill now and then having to vote on an amended version a few days later, Sabato said.
“There’s no sense taking a position on anything but the final bill because it just hands more fodder to your opponents,” he said.
Given the large Democratic majority in the U.S. House, Democratic leaders still could pass their health care bill even if 40 Democrats vote against it.
The question, Sabato said, is which moderate Democrats get the blessing of the House leadership to buck their party.
The earliest the House could vote on the health care bill is this weekend, according to the chamber’s rules. Though weekend votes are rare, House leaders said Wednesday that a Saturday vote was likely.
mshapiro@wacotrib.com
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Comments
By dave
Nov 8, 2009 1:34 AM | Link to this
No way did your man pay 58 percent in tax and then all that other stuff I would like to see the proof of that he would be paying around 80 percent of his income in taxes if that were true.
Also, I have a credible CPA who does my taxes and I can tell you I hope you dont get audited cause you arent paying enough in taxes unless you have a bunch of kids.
And last but not least if you pay only 3800 in health care you work for a company that is paying the rest because for family coverage you can barely get a major medical planthat is less than 320 a month go get some quotes its not happenning.
By Mister Mojo
Nov 7, 2009 12:04 AM | Link to this
Dave, my friend in England was in a 58% tax bracket and still had to pay all the local sale taxes, property taxes, auto registering taxes and all the rest. Just like you.
And man, you need to fire your CPA or get a copy of Turbo Tax or something. My wife and I made around $78K in 2008, we went short form to file our taxes and ended up in a 10.37% tax bracket. Spent around $3,800 on health insurance. Trust me, if the Obama, Pleosi health care scheme passes we're all going to be in for a good screwing. And in today's news it was reported that Pelosi has added verbage to the bill that calls for jail and a $250K fine for everybody who doesn't buy their coverage. Sound like Communism to you yet?
By dave
Nov 5, 2009 10:15 PM | Link to this
I made around around 45000 last year. With local, state, federal, and sales tax I paid approximately 18000 in taxes and charges. My healthcare costs ran me approximately 6900 last year this was just premiums( no copays no deductibles no excess fees that my insurance wouldnt cover).
lets see how this adds up 18000+6900=24900 24900 of my income equals to about 55% of my income hmmm plot thickens right well if we would have gone to the hospital and incurred any excess fees which we did we would have only had to incur around 1200 more in fees to put us at that jolly old englad tax mark of 58 %. Well unfortunately last year was a bad year and we incurred alot more than 1200 in extra fees even though I am insured. We had almost 750 in copays 1500 in deductibles and almost 3700 in fees not covered by my insurance. If you add this up. This would have brought my tax plus health care expenses to 30850. This equaled about 68.5% of my income for last year. And guess what we scrimmed on some medical care we should have gotten.
So when you say Britain is taxed 58% and its so terrible just remember the year I had and I could have saved money if I had been on Britains plan. Oh and I could have saved alot of time and effort arguing with my insurance company over every bill they got which they didnt want to pay.
By Mister Mojo
Nov 5, 2009 9:51 PM | Link to this
This health care bill is one more Democratic entitlement aimed to pacify those individuals who habitually live by sucking on the welfare ***. And trust me, it's going to be far from free. The payment method will be to cancel meaningful programs and divert the funds to prop it up and, of course, raising our taxes through the roof. That's the taxes, of course, of all those of us who spend our lives keeping a job and being too proud to jump on the welfare wagon. I have a friend from Liverpool, England. He's a blue collar worker, with a family, and makes the equal of $40K U.S. per year. Now get this, he is in a 58% tax bracket. And remember Pelosi ranting about redistributing wealth? She and the rest of the modern Marxist Democrats are very careful not to mention it but the redistribution won't just come from the rich, but from our paychecks too. The welfare system was initially intended to help the portion of society who are unable to provide for themselves due to seriously extenuating circumstances. Now it has become a tool for the Democrats to garner votes and is available to every lazy malcontent who thinks we owe them something. Before supporting this nail in our financial coffin, people had better open their eyes and look into the details. I did and don't like what I found. I'll help anyone who really needs it but I agree with what the Apostle Paul wrote. And he said, "If you can work, and won't work, then you shouldn't eat". Plain and simple.
By Why?
Nov 5, 2009 9:10 PM | Link to this
Debt and Deficit are 2 different things. What do you plan to do when the U.S. credit rating is like Britain or California, unable to borrow and asking for handouts. Every president thinks its okay to run up a huge debt, but it has to end one day, eventually people learn the hard way, but its always the little people who pay the biggest price.
By BDDH
Nov 5, 2009 8:37 PM | Link to this
For all of you who are complaining about our deficit, remind yourselves of President Reagan and VP Cheney. THEY didn't think debt was a problem.
Excerpt:
The line is not likely to make this week's eulogies to Ronald Reagan, but when Vice President Cheney allegedly declared, "Reagan proved deficits don't matter," he summed up an enduring argument from the former president's economic legacy.
In late 2002, Cheney had summoned the Bush administration's economic team to his office to discuss another round of tax cuts to stimulate the economy. Then-Treasury Secretary Paul H. O'Neill pleaded that the government -- already running a $158 billion deficit -- was careering toward a fiscal crisis. But by O'Neill's account of the meeting, Cheney silenced him by invoking his take on Reagan's legacy.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A26402-2004Jun8?language=printer
By kev
Nov 5, 2009 7:48 PM | Link to this
Isn't it interesting how many of us ask Chet to read the bill and be informed, but when it comes to ourselves we don't read the bill, we don't put anything in fact (ex health care is not 30% of our economy more general estimates put it at less than 1/6 of the economy), we just listen to other people tell us what to think. ON BOTH SIDES.
Just wish everyone would take a breath and think a little more.
By jobabe
Nov 5, 2009 7:48 PM | Link to this
I get so tired of hearing the phrase "we are going to put our grand kids in debt" Our grand kids will be much more smarter than we, they will be able to deal with future issues much better than we. Go home and drink your tea!!!
By jobabe
Nov 5, 2009 7:45 PM | Link to this
I get so tired of hearing the phrase "we are going to put our grand kids in debt" Our grand kids will be much more smarter than we, they will be able to deal with future issues much better than we.
By eye in the sky
Nov 5, 2009 7:21 PM | Link to this
I support Chet Edwards. I voted for him at the last election. I'm not one to get out and try to stay in the ear of a person that I voted for. I voted for him because I think he maked good decisions. With that said, I hope Chet Edwards supports helath care reform. I think it's funny that so many people in Waco say they are against it. One of the poorest cities around with some of the lowest paying jobs around. I just think it's funny. Not to call out Chet Edwards, but this medical reform bill is going to pass, I just hope he is in support of it. Detractors need to look around at the condition of Waco. Look at the jobs available here now. Look at the majority of jobs that people here already have. Low paying, and the majority with no benefits because of that. If the job do offer healthcare, the pay is so low that people can't afford to pay the premiums. Opting to go uninsured.....President Obama 2012. See you there.
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