House Democrats Block Republican Health Care Mailing, Calling It "Misleading" Gail Heriot

This is scary.  I hope it's untrue.  According to Roll Call, House Democrats won't let House Republicans send out a mailing, which features a health-care organization chart, to their constituents.    Democrats say the chart, which illustrates the extreme complexity of the health-care proposal, is misleading. 

It would be a violation of the rules on franking privileges to send out anything that is “partisan, politicized or personalized."  But this is not personalized in any way.  Nor is it partisan or politicized in any way other than it is critical of a substantive proposal that most Democrats support and most Republicans oppose.  That can't be what is meant by the prohibition on partisan or politicized mailings, since that would rule out substantive debate on the issues.  Is the problem that the chart is eye-catching?  Again, that can't be right.  There can't be a rule against making a substantive point in a legitimate debate in an engaging (and hence effective) way.

This is the sort of thing that could make people start locking their windows and bolting the door.

Comments

[6is9]

The Democrats may be strong-arming here, but the rules are very vague. However, the chart is clearly ridiculous, and though its probably not their real reason for doing so, it will save taxpayer money.

Here's a spot-on assessment: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-july-23-2009/white-house-m-d-

Health care is one very large problem that must be addressed. I am outraged at the politics on all sides. America is under great duress. The last time we united to achieve a distant goal that required a sustained public funding commitment was probably the lunar landing forty years ago. Quite frankly, I don't believe the nation is capable any longer. I don't believe Americans are willing to make even the smallest sacrifice if the don't see an immediate personal benefit. People yell and scream about the debt we are leaving our children, but they won't pay a penny more in taxes. For thirty years we've had one of the lowest tax rates in the nation's history, sustained now entirely on money borrowed from governments in Asia and the Middle East. We go to war on borrowed money also. And when election time comes the politicians pass another massive tax cut because they know they can't get elected otherwise. They know that telling the truth to their constituents is political suicide. Instead of calling for the nation to sacrifice in support of our troops, as America had always done, our leaders put politics and their own reelections ahead of the best interests of the nation and perpetuate the same economic baloney they've been putting out for years. We could have paid for health care with the first (completely unnecessary and ineffective) Bush tax cut. We could have payed for it had we never invaded Iraq (we'd probably be out of Afghanistan had we sustained that mission and we might even have eliminated the enemy that attacked us). We could have paid for health care for the next twenty years with the money we handed to Paulson to dole out as he saw fit, and we barely blinked before we did it.

Health care is a crisis on the magnitude of the financial collapse that began in 2007. It's just not as important to Americans as their bank accounts. At least until you find yourself in a situation like mine:

I lost my health insurance five years ago, when my COBRA ran out. The brain tumor that caused me to lose my job has left me unable to work. My medications cost $1950 a month. The only doctor I can afford to see is the one that prescribes the medicine. I see him once a month for 15 minutes and pay his fee of $150 before I leave his office. I've no other doctor. I've had no follow-ups to see if the tumor is recurring. I am unable to afford the neurological therapy that could help me get back to a more productive life. I have a crippling type of tendinitis, known as trigger finger, in fingers on both hands. It severely restricts my ability to do the simplest things. I am unable to squeeze or grip anything. It can be effectively treated and corrected, but only with surgery I can't pay for. I am not whining. I am being real. Having no health care impedes me from making a positive contribution to society. It keeps me more dependent on others than I should have to be. Still, I've taken no government assistance of any kind, though I am legally disabled. For two years I lived on my savings. For three now I've lived almost entirely on credit and the charity of a relative. I'm a 49 year old man who has lost everything. I own nothing but an old car. I've held off filing for bankruptcy but I won't be able to do so forever. One major health problem wrecked my life. It can happen to you.

I have no patience with anyone that says we can't do health care, or we shouldn't do health care. And to anybody who wants to stop it just because they want to damage someone else politically I say to hell with you and your self-centered pettiness - take a look in the mirror, you're a person who is failing to live up to your obligation as an American citizen and you are carrying around with you an attitude that is tearing down a once great nation. I say once great because previous generations sacrificed to make her so. Once great because the people of our time are soft, frivolous, childish, and perceive sacrifice as something someone else will do for them.

[demographic based mailing lists for sale]

Is this true? because if it is, that's definitely scary and many will suffer.

-Luke

[House MD Episodes Online]

I love the way Gregory House is featured in this serie. Thanks for the info.

[hair loss]

if this is true, it's really unfair, since many people are affected. good contribution, thanks to share your information with all ...