In case you missed this particular bit of OMGWTF selfish stupidity...

[lagilman]

Maryland physician Andy Harris (R) just soundly defeated Frank Kratovil, one of the most endangered Democrats on Capitol Hill going into the November election. And he did it in large part by railing against 'Obamacare' and pledging to repeal Health Care Reform. But when he showed on Capitol Hill today for an orientation for incoming members of Congress and their staffs, he had a different question: Where's my government health care?


Apparently, Andy (a doctor!) never heard of COBRA, and never actually experience the normal-to-most-of-us 1-6 month wait before we're covered under our employers' health care. [EtA: to use a phrase I learned from fashionista_35: "What a cheeseweasel."]


Yet another - particularly specific and glaring - example of the GOP's "for ME, but not for the likes of YOU" mentality....

Comments

[gonzai55.livejournal.com]

Heh. Not surprised. I've despised Harris for oh, about 14 years now, and mostly just thank my lucky stars the 1st Congressional line was drawn about 500 feet north of me (leaving me in the 2nd.) The guy changes parties and addresses to improve his political odds almost annually, and no one in the Maryland legislature can stand him.

[lagilman]

and yet, elected. Sometimes I wonder if a democratic republic really was the best system we could put together....

[jperceval.livejournal.com]

*headdesk*

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I love that this is already being covered up as some sort of performance theater and not complete ignorance of how most people live on his part. "I've never had to wait a month!" Honey, I'm a contractor, I change jobs every three years. I've ALWAYS had to wait a month. Sometimes longer. And COBRA's fucking expensive. However, you can't let things lapse, because then they'll ding you for a pre-existing.

Oh, wait! They can't do that last anymore... because of the oh-so-awful Obamacare. Do tell me, Mr. Congressman, why you want to defend the whole pre-existing thing.

[gonzai55.livejournal.com]

Because then the patient will have to pay full price for treatment and Harris, the physician, will be paid more than he would be by the insurance company. It's all about HIS wallet, ours be damned.

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

Cheeseweasel doesn't describe it adequately.

The nice thing about their "we're not gonna compromise" mentality means that those Bush tax cuts will simply expire. And that the general populace will tire of the "my way or the highway" mentality.

If Obama is smart, he'll call their bluff about cutting government by slashing some Defense spending and some targeted projects for particular congressional districts, and watch them try to justify spending money.

[6-penny.livejournal.com]

Suggestion for budget cutting: eliminate health care for all elected officials. If they had to purchase insurance on the private market like the rest of us do it would concentrate their minds wonderfully. (Especially considering the age and physical condition of many of the honorable members!)

[lagilman]

Amen. It's not like most (any?) of them are from the so-called working class any more -- it costs too much money to win an election these days. So if they're willing to drop that much to GET the job, they should be equally willing to maintain their health while they hold it, right?

Right?

*hears crickets chirping down in DC*