Gingrey displaying copies of hefty health care reform bill
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Rome s Janet Byington, who works in Gingrey s Rome office, delivers a copy of the health care bill to the Rome News-Tribune on Friday. (Charlotte Atkins, RN-T.com)
Rome's Janet Byington, who works in Gingrey's Rome office, delivers a copy of the health care bill to the Rome News-Tribune on Friday. (Charlotte Atkins, RN-T.com)
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The staff of Rep. Phil Gingrey, R-Marietta, delivered copies of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 1,990 page health care reform bill that she introduced Thursday to newspapers and sites around Northwest Georgia on Friday.

You can view the bill online.

Gingrey released the following statement about delivering the bill:

“I have spent the last 10 months trying to share my perspective, as a physician with over 30 years of experience, with my Democratic counterparts. My constituents and millions of Americans across the country have also spent the last 10 months trying to make their voices heard by the President and the Democratic Majority. This bill proves that the Democrats just don’t care what practicing physicians — and the American public — think.

“I want my constituents to have the opportunity to read this legislation and decide for themselves. In the bill text, they will find the word ‘tax’ 214 times and orders 42 separate studies, in addition to Medicare cuts, public funding for abortion, and a $1 trillion cost.”

Copies of the bill were delivered to several locations, including the Rome News-Tribune and the Rome-Floyd County Library.

comments (32)
« Capitol G wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 05:20 PM »
@ Realestate: I understand quite well that the federal govt. has its place. One place it shouldn't be is in healthcare! If they get in the healthcare business, what's next? Telling us what we can or cannot eat? This is my body damn it! What I say goes. Not some hack in DC.

You wrote: "Since you have absolutely no faith in the government, I'm surprised you're even able to sleep at night, given how vital a functioning federal government is for national security, infrastructure, fiscal policy, and thousands of other responsibilities too numerous to mention."

You named the very things the Obama administration has done NOTHING about!

@ voter, mipoco, wadsworth: You guys get the Big Stupid Idiot award for confusing Libertarianism with moderates, and independents. First graders even know the difference on this subject. Get with it!!!
« RealEstateMystic wrote on Tuesday, Nov 03 at 01:32 PM »
CapitolG, debating healthcare reform -- or anything relating to government for that matter -- with you is impossible because you assume from the outset that the federal government is utterly hopeless and we had best rule it out of any solution to any problem. If the feds came up with a certain cure for the common cold I doubt you would have yourself inoculated. Since you have absolutely no faith in the government, I'm surprised you're even able to sleep at night, given how vital a functioning federal government is for national security, infrastructure, fiscal policy, and thousands of other responsibilities too numerous to mention.

For me, hope springs eternal when it comes to faith in government; and for its many failures, the track record of ours isn't that catastrophic. Whereas for you and others on the right, it seems, it's always Black Monday.
« anonymous wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 09:38 PM »
Voter,

Which do you prefer?

You sure seem to have lot of time on your hands.

Maybe you should quit hanging around bars with the trailer trash or are you looking for a man?
« Voter wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 07:17 PM »
CapitolG - we have a two party system in this country and the only people identifying themselves as libertarians are a hand full of spineless nuts who want to scream about everything either party attempts to do while contributing nothing themselves.

Do you prefer boys or girls? Can't decide? Are you married or are you unable to commit?

I know, I know, you have Bob Barr and he got a lot of votes in Georgia. That only proves that there are a lot of spineless nuts that don't want their vote to count in Georgia.
« CapitolG wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 05:58 PM »
Oh, ain't you clever. I bet you feel SOOOOO smart. I never voted for a bus, I always drive.
« Mipoco wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 05:45 PM »
Definition of libertarian - 1. former GOP member ashamed to admit voting for Bush. 2. a closet republican. 3. former disgraced republican.
« Wadsworth wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 05:44 PM »
Definition of libertarian - 1. former GOP member ashamed to admit voting for Bus. 2. a closet republican. 3. former disgraced republican.
« Capitol G wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 04:06 PM »
Realestate, here you go. First of all I'm a libertarian not a republican, but if the GOP wakes up, here's my "to do" list, off the top of my head.

Implement the Fair Tax, and bring back money and jobs that have gone over seas.

Reduce govt. spending.

Reduce the size and power of govt.

For Gods sake help our troops.

Quit punishing success.

form a program that helps poor people who want health insurance, instead of forcing a huge tax burden on everyone.

Drill our own oil and tell OPEC to kiss our a$$e$ goodbye.

Take the money for the war on drugs and help people with drug addictions instead of prison.

These are all things that will get the economy back on its feet, unlike making up numbers like our current administration does.

Now your response to "mercy" was mighty high horse of you. Cut and paste or not, it's fact. I see you managed to get a jab at FOX news. So typical of a lib. It has been known for thirty years or more that there is not enough money for these programs to work.

You wrote "Re Medicare: Did you hear what people were yelling about (and still yelling about) in the town halls last summer? The majority of protestors are themselves Medicare beneficiaries who seem ready to shoot anyone who modifies their benefits."

No not true. They're yelling about the medical rug getting pulled out from under them. There are a lot better ideas for health care than this. You won't here about them in Obama's media.

I have a question for you. Why do you want a healthcare program from an institution that has failed at being cost effective at everything else it has done? (republican and democrats alike)
« Mipoco wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 09:20 AM »
RyanM wrote: "This family member is unemployed and living off of his monthly government check, and food stamps."

We have a unemployed family member living off THREE gubmint checks but no food stamps. Makes too much for food stamps and free cheese.
« RyanM wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 08:51 AM »
A Facebook quote from a family member of mine this morning--

“”Well its MONDAY time for all those hard working Americans to go to work, and pay those Taxe's ,So Obama can go on Vacations and have a good time. Oh what a change he is spreading the wealth around.””

This family member is unemployed and living off of his monthly government check, and food stamps.

« RealEstateMystic wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 07:13 AM »
Nice cut and paste job there, mercy. I've seen this pile on many a chatboard; the least you could have done was use quotation marks, or least attributed it to "anonymous."

Anyway, while the government-sponsored entities you list have had their problems over the years (or centuries), they have largley succeeded at the tasks for which they were created. Re USPS: Do you hand-deliver your own mail? Re Social Security: Do you know anyone who turns down their SS check? Re Fannie Mae: Ever bought or sold a house? If so, there is a 95 percent chance you could not have done so without Fannie. Re War on Poverty: I suppose you were asleep FIFTEEN YEARS AGO when welfare was abolished. Re Medicare: Did you hear what people were yelling about (and still yelling about) in the town halls last summer? The majority of protestors are themselves Medicare beneficiaries who seem ready to shoot anyone who modifies their benefits.

In short, knock government programs all you want, but there are a lot of people out there -- many of them no doubt avid viewers of Fox -- who must think they work pretty well. Besides, you conveniently overlook the fact that until recently, this country was running a SURPLUS, while still maintaining all of the above, cash flow-positive or not.

I could go on, but unless you can produce an original argument of your own -- rather than recycle somebody else's, word for word -- I would feel like an idiot to do so.
« mercy wrote on Monday, Nov 02 at 12:49 AM »
Here is proof that the Federal Government has failed at every major program both in effectiveness and in its fiduciary responsibilities to the public. Do we really want to give them 1/6th of the American economy?

US Postal Service etablished in 1775- had 234 years to get it right; it is broke

Social Security established in 1935- had 74 years to get it right; it is broke

Fannie Mae established in 1938; had 71 years to get it right; it is broke

"War on Poverty"- had 45 years to get it right; $ 1 Trillion per year transferred to the "poor"; it hasn't worked and our entire country is broke

Medicare and Medicaid established in 1965- had 44 years to get it right; they are broke

Freddie Mac established in 1970- had 39 years to get it right; it is broke

Trillion of dollars spent in massive political payoffs called TARP, the "Stimulus", the Omnibus Approriation Act of 2009.....None show any signs of working, although ACORN appears to have found a new source: The American Taxpayer!

Cash for Clunkers- established in 2009 and went broke in 2009!

So, with a perfect 100% failure rate and a record that proves that "services" the Feds shove down our throats are failing faster and faster, you want Americans to believe the Feds can be trusted with a health-care program that dwarfs all of the above programs COMBINED!

When will people learn that the government can not solve any of our problems. When we abdicate our responsibilities, the vaccum is always filled by the most inept, most corrupt and most ineffective organization known to man....the political machine!

So long America, It's been great.
« Mipoco wrote on Sunday, Nov 01 at 08:37 PM »
CapitolG wrote "Do you seriously believe that Obama, Polosi(sp), Reid and all these other guys on Capitol Hill are going to have this same government insurance, wait in the same long lines?"

There you go again, just naming Democrats and again that would not be limited to them but would include Republicans. Standing in line or sitting in a waiting room is totally different that who picks up the tab.

Locally it is the same thing. I've patronized some big name doctors and dentists but have NEVER seen even a local big shot (politician or business person) sitting in a waiting room, NEVER. That is even though I in fact know they use the same medical practice. Also never saw one showing up for an appointment. Maybe they come in through the back door.
« RealEstateMystic wrote on Sunday, Nov 01 at 08:28 PM »
CapitolG: Take a breather from arguing against universal health care for moment, and answer me one question. Let's start from the premise that the Republican party takes back Congress in 2010 and the White House in 2012.

What, exactly, would you like to see the GOP do once it has regained power?

I await your response.

« CapitolG wrote on Sunday, Nov 01 at 03:25 PM »
Mipoco wrote,"All federal level lawmakers, all parties, are under the same federal health care system."

Do you seriously believe that Obama, Polosi, Reid and all these other guys on Capitol Hill are going to have this same government insurance, wait in the same long lines? That big, BIG, BS. They've said themselves they're exempt!

What govt. programs have ever worked the way they've been pitched to the public? Social security? Medicare? Cash for clunkers? Public schools?

Government NEVER works as well as private business.
« Capitol G wrote on Sunday, Nov 01 at 03:02 PM »
Realestate, This healthcare bill is going to cost more and more every year. Just like medicare. It will get abused just like medicare. I don't give a flying flip what OTHER industrialized nations have socialized health care. Ours has worked great, it's still the best in the world. That's what makes us a hell of a lot better than these other countries. I don't want to see this country stoop to what others have. If there was some program to help people who make under X amount of dollars with there insurance, that's fine. This whole opt thing will eventually get challenged in a court somewhere and will be forced on all of us. The GOOD insurance companies can't compete with a government insurance company because they don't have to show a profit.

The GOP has offered plenty of options, but their taking more than a weekend to put it all together, unlike these democrat HACKS who want nothing more than a good grip around our stones.

Why does this political party you embrace hate the very foundation this country was built on, free enterprise? Why do they keep making our dollar worth less and less?
« RealEstateMystic wrote on Sunday, Nov 01 at 02:22 PM »
anonymous: Just one question. If government-sponsored health coverage is such an offensive idea in theory and in practice, why is the United States the only industrialized nation not to provide it?
« anonymous wrote on Sunday, Nov 01 at 01:51 PM »
Mipoco wrote: Personally I see that health care is like water and air. If it is there then everyone has a right to it equally.

Then I guess you have no problem with the government forcing you to provide whatever you do for a living at whatever they decide to pay you and for whoever they decide that you provide your talents.

Nobody has a right to force a doctor to provide their services if they don't want to.

I know they have to treat anyone in a life threatening condition or risk losing their license but other than that they can just move on to the next patient to try and make a living.

I would not expect to have a right to have a plumber, electrician, roofer or anyone else come over to my house if I did not have a way to pay them. Also, I doubt the government is going to provide them to me either.
« RealEstateMystic wrote on Sunday, Nov 01 at 01:50 PM »
And anyway, I don't see what anonymous et al have to whine about. The public option now has an opt out clause for the states, which means that if red states (e.g., Georgia) don't want it -- and I can aleady hear the showboating on this one in the Georgia legislature -- those of us who live here can't access it. The result will be healthcare reform that more or less reflects the current partisan divide in the U.S., with the minority of Southern liberals basically held hostage on their native soil.
« Mipoco wrote on Sunday, Nov 01 at 12:06 PM »
anonymous wrote: "They think that they have a right to anything they want and don't have to pay for it."

Really hate to bust your bubble but a lot of Republicans are on the welfare rolls. Especially in this bible belt with all the right wing redneck bible thumpers.

Personally I see that health care is like water and air. If it is there then everyone has a right to it equally.