Saturday, October 05, 2013

A Call to Paul Ryan to End the Shutdown

As you may remember, I called my congressman, Paul Ryan, the other day to express my opposition to the government shutdown, and urging him to stop trying to kill the Affordable Care Act (ACA/Obamacare).  I got back a letter saying that he really didn't want to shut down the government, but that nasty Senate would only pass a resolution that adhered to the law of the land, and funded the ACA -- though it seems all other parts of the funding resolution are agreeable to all parties.

He also trotted out the usual phony numbers about how this -- and everything else he doesn't like -- is going to run the USA into bankruptcy, so we should all get aboard with his Ayn Randian plan for Utopia.  He's only doing what's best for those of us who are unlucky enough to be his constituents, after all.  It's not like he's supposed to actually represent us or anything.

Below is my response.  I suggest that all of you send him a similar letter, or make a call stating these same points to his office, which can be reached via his constituent hotline:

CONSTITUENT HOTLINE: 1-888-909-RYAN (7926)

* * *

Representative Ryan --

If you oppose the government shutdown, then work to bring a clean resolution to the floor.

The ACA is the law of the land, it was passed in the normal way, signed by the President, and upheld by the Supreme Court.

Not only that, but it was created by the Heritage Foundation and pioneered in Massachusetts by your former running mate, Mitt Romney.  Additionally, its popularity was reaffirmed by the re-election of President Obama.  You and your running mate_ lost_ that election overwhelmingly.  (And if not for gerrymandering, would likely have lost the House as well.)

The American people are for the ACA, as proven in polls of its component parts, or even merely by asking about it as the ACA rather than "Obamacare," the "pejorative" that your party labeled it with in an attempt to gin up fear.  Additionally, substantial portion of people who say they are "against" it merely believe that it doesn't go far enough.

The ACA _was_ a Republican plan, the "compromise" that your side wanted, rather than single-payer or some more progressive (and less expensive) healthcare plan that would have cut out the private insurers who, in some cases, have been sucking 30% or more of our premiums out of the system.

If you want to repeal this law, the ACA, you should repeal it in the normal way -- not via this government shut-down blackmail.

Because you say you oppose a government shutdown, I now expect that you will work to bring a clean resolution to the House, and not try to rewrite the law during this process.  I expect that you will, therefore, support the Senate version of the resolution -- which leaves the law alone, as it should.

Please do so.

Yours -- Steve Sullivan


8 comments:

Nemo said...

Steve, really? 'The "compromise" that your side wanted'? The AHCA is a monster solely created by the left, the minority party did not support it in any way, shape or form (and not one vote). I'm curious Steve, why would anyone buy insurance under the AHCA if they are not sick?

Sean Cranley said...

Sorry Nemo, looks like you've swallowed another brew of FuxSnooze swill, you can't just sign up when you or a family member get sick. The period when you can sign up for 2014 is 6 months long, and in future years will be just over two months. Below is the info right off the ACA website. Read it and weep.

Open Enrollment Period: The period of time during which individuals who are eligible to enroll in a Qualified Health Plan can enroll in a plan in the Marketplace. For 2014, the Open Enrollment Period is October 1, 2013–March 31, 2014. For 2015 and later years, the Open Enrollment Period is October 15 to December 7 of the previous year.

Only stupid deluded people like you will refuse to take Personal Responsibility and put themselves and their family at risk, pay for the privilege to do so and get nothing in return for their money.

Nemo said...

Wow,another case of seanja vu. I could swear that I've seen that comment before. My response when something like this:

Right sean, nobody will sign up for the ACA, get a checkup to make sure they are all good, then drop out only to repeat the process in a year. In the meantime I'm loving the health insurance sticker shock stories from Obama voters. Heh.

-Nemo, having too good a time to ever weep.

Sean Cranley said...

Nemo, you asked the same question twice, so I answered it twice, just to be nice.

As for your little ploy, I'm sure that there are a very very few dishonest, personally irresponsible idiots, like you who will go to all that trouble to avoid having access to healthcare. Not enough of them to stop this reform, but a few.

I'm equally certain that some of those people or their family members will get sick or INJURED while not covered and therefore, they will live (or not) to deeply regret their severe lack of judgement. Yeah go to your doctor and ask him to predict if you'll get INJURED, let alone sick and see what he/she says through tears of laughter!

The fact that Americans are not doing this now to avoid paying insurance premiums shows the absolute folly of your little scheme. Go ahead Nemo roll the dice and cut off your nose to spite your face. Then pray to the Tea Party to come save your sick trollish ass.

Nemo said...

sean, you are assuming that I am talking about myself. You could not be more wrong. I'm currently and always have had health insurance. I speak of the 20 somethings that currently don't care to get insurance and will continue to be uninsured. The ACA depends heavily on their contributions, as you know. The ACA is a poorly conceived, poorly written law that depends on a website seemingly designed by an 11 year old. The lack of young, healthy people signing up for it will just further doom it (and those who sign on to it).

Sean Cranley said...

Oh I get, you recommend that other people put their health and finances and those of their family's in jeopardy, for your political satisfaction, but you're not willing to do the same. Go figure.

Think of the money you could save by foregoing those premiums after that prognosticating doctors visit!

Nemo said...

sean, I don't recommend anything. I just live in the real world.

Sean Cranley said...

You "don't recommend anything", what a cop out.

Yeah you live in the "real world" alright. The one where you're fat and happy with your healthcare coverage, but you think others don't want that as well and will sacrifice it for you political satisfaction.

Yeah the "real world" where mankind can change composition of the atmosphere, but somehow not affect how the dynamic system behaves.

Yup, I'm certain that the Cult of Con looks like the "real world" from the inside.