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7/29/2009
Rep. Kagen - read the bill redux

Update: Imagine. Expecting that your representative will actually have read what he raises his hand to support. The “Let Freedom Ring” folks are proposing that our representatives actually agree to read any health care legislation before they vote for it. Imagine. It seems like a great idea. Remember when Rep. Kagen said he read all 1,365 pages of the Economic Recovery Plan? And in 16 hours or something like that? Call him (202-225-5665). Email him. Pressure him. Get him to sign the pledge.

I, Steve Kagen, pledge to my constituents and to the American people that I will not vote to enact any healthcare reform package that:

I have not read, personally, in its entirety; and,

Has not been available, in its entirety, to the American people on the Internet for at least 72 hours, so they can read it too

*Update: Some Democrats (120 of them) actually sat through a full 5-hour tutorial Monday evening on HR 3200. As a result, many are claiming to have read the entirety of the bill. Don't know if Rep. Kagen was one of those 120. If he was, I'm sure he'll make 'the claim.' Whether or not he sat through the whole session, he's still sure to have countless amendments to read and absorb as well.

The “Responsible Health Care Reform Pledge” is especially meaningful in light of a video blip making the rounds, of House Judiciary Chair John Conyers (D-MI) appearing at a National Press Club luncheon last Friday, July 24. Kevin Binversie is one of many who featured the blip of a clip. In the category of scary but true, it’s hard to believe the Representative’s frankness.

What good is reading the bill if it’s 1,000 pages and you don’t have two days and two lawyers to find out what it means after you’ve read the bill?

Binversie adds Bob Gale’s suggestion (and reasoning) that we pass the 28th amendment in the form of the Brevity Act:

No law, bill, resolution or any act of Congress shall exceed 2000 words, including all footnotes, amendments and signatures. Congress shall not vote on any item longer than that. Each item requiring a vote shall be read aloud in its entirety in session to a majority of members. Those not in attendance may not vote on the item.

I love it. Further, Gale adds suggested verbiage for Rep. Kagen’s opponent, come 2010.

My opponent voted for a Bill he/she never read. Only an idiot would do that. Would you walk into a voting booth with a blindfold on and just push some buttons? Or would you read and consider what you’re voting on before you vote? I promise I will not vote for anything I haven’t read in its entirety.

It’s time. Rep. Kagen, please join what is so far 93 of your colleagues in signing the “Responsible Health Care Reform Pledge.” It’s great that you’ll get a head start reading the legislation over the tAugust break. But be assured, thousands and thousands more words will be inserted into this thing before you’re asked to vote on it. Probably you'll be asked to vote on it a few hours after you (and we) have seen any final copy. So this time Rep. Kagen, have a few lawyers on hand and hours and hours of free time. We trust you will know every last line you’re signing on to before you vote for this monstrosity.

Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net

COMMENTS

Jo,

Isn't it really a matter of following and trusting the "party line"? If I read anything that long I would not be able to understand all of it.

When we vote on referendums we vote on a simple question and probably do not understand the need and ramifications. In the case of the new library. How do we stand on that? Do I have the foresight to understand what is really needed tomorrow and 10 years down the road?

Then I question if Rep. Kagen and President Obama really have an understanding of Health Care needs. I really do not think they have a handle on the needs or on reality.

David (Wed Jul 29 10:41:45 2009)

Reading the bill is meaningless unless you not only have the ability to absorb & process the meaning, but ALSO have the ability to consider the consequences and get feedback from those impacted AND your constituents.

Rep. Kagen is going to do what is politically expedient regardless of what impact this legislation will have on those in his district, so the pledge is really a wasted exercise for someone like him.

Somehow we have forgotten what Federal Legislation is supposed to be. At the start, our founders took more than two weeks to craft the Constitution. It took quite a bit longer than 72 hours to author the Bill of Rights, substantial consideration was given to every word and how it would impact the lives of those in our nation.

Not so long ago it took our representatives in the legislative branch of the government a good deal of time to even decide IF there should be a law - and if so, how broad or narrow the focus should be. Federal Legislation was like a major surgery - something that needed multiple opinions and thoughtful consideration.

Now we live in the School House Rock generation where anything and everything fires off the call "There ought to be a law!" ... and Federal Legislation is more like a Band-aid to fix our every boo-boo. That's the way the Speaker of the House believes things should be, and so it shall be.

So why bother reading it? Kagen doesn't need to - he just needs to press the button like Pelosi tells him to.

Jeff Riedl (Wed Jul 29 11:13:36 2009)

Maybe we also need to get Dr. Kagen to promise that when he returns to private practice he and his clinic will accept as FULL PAYMENT for his services what the goverment sets as a price. Non-like he did for MEDICARE, or peoples private insurance.

Bruce (Wed Jul 29 11:31:27 2009)

Outstanding Jeff. Thanks for your insight and comparison to our founding fathers.

David (Wed Jul 29 12:16:40 2009)

The complexity of the bill making process is directly proportional to the number of lobbiests weighing in on the language, with the goal of insuring their particular bloc is not damaged by the bill. Because we cannot agree on the fundamentals we are left with a camel of a bill. A camel as you may recall is a horse created by a committee. Sadly we may never see a health care policy that ensures that every American has access to high quality health care equivalent to the packages our elected officials and our V.A. folks enjoy.

Billie (Wed Jul 29 12:22:02 2009)

I'd like to believe that the issue is simply reading and understanding a complex piece of proposed legislation, not just another tactic to undercut any form of national health care. My boss once told me to do a task perfectly, to which I replied "give me an infinite amount of time and money and I will." It is far past time to provide basic healthcare for all U.S. citizens. No proposal will be perfect, i.e. acceptable to everyone. Let's get something on the table now and make corrections as we need. Politiciams are expert at changing/modifying/ revising laws and messing around with tax dollars. Let them do their thing after we have something in place with which to work. Otherwise we will debate and contend forever while human lives continue to be destroyed by our political inertia. There are very, very few legislative initiatives that rise to the level of critical importance as the health care of people.

Dennis (Wed Jul 29 15:30:07 2009)

There is something on the table now, and it's been a horror - Medicare! The politicians have messed around with our tax dollars until they're just about all gone. Now they want something bigger with MORE tax dollars they can mess around with. Politicians of either party are not welcome to mess around with any more of my tax money.

The very best system of medical care in the world exists in America right now. Human lives are not being destroyed, and the health care of people is being provided. Don't confuse medical care with medical insurance - they are two different animals.

Under no circumstances do I want the federal government unconstitutionally involved in medical insurance, and I sure don't give them permission to prescribe my medical care.

Duke (Wed Jul 29 20:49:43 2009)

Ok, Dr. Steve is on notice, but have you called Russ and Herb's office about upcoming meet and greets? Right, if they don't get an earful, if they will allow it. If they aren't insulated by paid, Dem operatives. That is the likely scenario, but don't be discouraged; take the initiative to ask their offices whether they will sit to "listen" or not to listen. Turn on those medial appliances, "Medicare paid" or not.

Let's get us a date ?

Richard Parins (Wed Jul 29 22:28:06 2009)

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