There are many things to disagree with in the press release issued by Representative Jerry Lewis to denounce health care reform.  Representative Lewis is wrong when he insists that the reform plan “will amount to transferring control of our entire health care system to the federal government”.  President Obama has repeatedly said that the aim of his program would not be to have a government takeover of health care, rather it would be to make existing companies more responsible and provide competition through a government option similar to what Congressman Lewis himself enjoys.  Competition is the basis of the American capitalistic system.  Republicans call for it in our educational system, yet when it comes to health care, they say No.

Representative Lewis is correct that we have a “terrible economy”, but he fails to mention that this is the result of former President Bush and the Republican controlled Congress that allowed the interests of banks, mortgage companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers and insurance companies to reign over the needs of the people.  Access to a quality health care system should be a right for all Americans, it should not be reserved for the privileged.  America’s health care system ranks is 37th in the world for quality.  We have seen health care costs rise annually over the cost of inflation for the last decade.  Doing nothing, as Lewis proposes, is far more expensive than any plan under consideration.

Representative Lewis is wrong when he says that small businesses will bear the brunt of this health care reform.  The health care system in the United States is employer based.  Employer mandates, inserted at the Republican’s demand, are exempt for businesses with 25 or fewer employees..  Small business owners are already suffering as they loose quality employees to larger companies that can afford health plans and struggle to pay for health insurance for themselves.  Their costs are pushed even higher by large companies, like Walmart, that fail to provide any insurance for their employees, and the 50 million uninsured who drive up costs using Emergency rooms for routine ailments.  Initial versions of the bill showed that employer costs, if they did not participate in a plan themselves, would be $750 annually for each full-time employee, and $375 for part-timers.

Representative Lewis complains that “Putting a government bureaucrat in charge of health care choices that should be made between a patient and a doctor is unacceptable.”  He is defending a system where a penny-pinching bean counter employed by an insurance company, and we should remember that before entering public service Lewis sold insurance, whose sole responsibility is to make profit for that company is the one making the decisions now.  We have all heard stories, or lived them, that end with “but they didn’t cover that.”  I would much prefer to have a government bureaucrat whose sole job is to represent the people inserted into this process.  This is supposed to be a government of the people, by the people and for the people.  This is a concept that is lost on Mr. No as he defends a status quo that is

Representative Lewis admits that “we face difficulties and inequities within our overall health care system.  Then he whines that the reform plan is being “rammed” through Congress.  The fact is that 2 Senate committees and 3 HOUSE committees are debating this bill.  If House member Lewis would participate in the legislative process, instead of being Mr. No, he would see the bipartisan effort that is taking place.  If Representative Lewis chooses not to involve himself in the process, maybe he should step aside and let someone else represent the needs of the constituents of the 41st district.

Pat Meagher

Forest Falls

Democratic Candidate for the US Congress from the 41st District

Get more information about Pat at:  patmeagherforcongress.com

Contact Pat at: patmeagherforcongress@gmail.com Pat Meagher for Congress P.O. Box 620 Forest Falls, CA  92339-0620 - 909-794-0117