Their Own Medicine: Senators prefer the insurance they have

Wall Street Journal ^ | July 18, 2009 | Opinion

[jazusamo]

In the health debate, liberals sing Hari Krishnas to the "public option" -- a new federal insurance program like Medicare -- but if it's good enough for the middle class, then surely it's good enough for the political class too? As it happens, more than a few Democrats disagree.

On Tuesday, the Senate health committee voted 12-11 in favor of a two-page amendment courtesy of Republican Tom Coburn that would require all Members and their staffs to enroll in any new government-run health plan. Yet all Democrats -- with the exceptions of acting chairman Chris Dodd, Barbara Mikulski and Ted Kennedy via proxy -- voted nay.

In other words, Sherrod Brown and Sheldon Whitehouse won't themselves join a plan that "will offer benefits that are as good as those available through private insurance plans -- or better," as the Ohio and Rhode Island liberals put it in a recent op-ed. And even a self-described socialist like Vermont's Bernie Sanders, who supports a government-only system, wouldn't sign himself up.

[jazusamo]

Let’s start a rallying cry! “YOU FIRST, CONGRESS!!!!!”

I'm all for that!

[Ann Archy]

I'd like to do this in the sidebar titled..."YOU FIRST, CONGRESS!!!...You go on the program you pass, and we'll all go on it in 2-3 years. YOU FIRST, CONGRESS!!!!!".... and let Freepers just sign and bump and see how many replies we get.

Jim....can we put this as it's own??

[jazusamo]

I think we both know it won’t happen even if it passes. Reid, Pelosi and the other elites will make sure it doesn’t happen.

[Mother Mary]

>>So, if health care reform passes...they’ll ALL have to have the same health care we are stuck with?<<

NO. They know they can strip out this ammendment at the Conference to reconcile the House bill with the Senate bill.

[Uncle Sham]

"Congress MUST sign on to this or no one should"

The Fourteenth amendment includes the following passage:

"nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws"

This means that any law applies to everyone equally, there can be no "exceptions", or "special treatments" for members of Congress or the unions, etc. Any plan that includes special treatment for some groups, or exclusions for others is unconstitutional.

[Repeal 16-17]

Which Democrats voted in favor of this amendment?

[antidemoncrat]

What needs to happen is for all government employees, including Congress, to draw Social Security when they retire, and have the same health care they are trying shove down our throats or go on Medicare when they retire. Then when they say they feel our pain, we can believe them.

[Repeal 16-17]

Never mind; saw post #2.

[HollyB]

Here are a few pretty good articles about Germany & the UK’s health care that I found several months back.

I can’t imagine one informed person wanting to accept this type of health care system.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1282/is_n16_v46/ai_15779188/?tag=content;col1

And more problems in the UK:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/world/europe/21britain.html?_r=1

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/complaints-over-gp-appointments-still-await-a-cure-505876.html

And some info on 5 countries public health care systems:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/sickaroundtheworld/countries/

[kara2008]

One WSJ comment say it all...

The Congressional Democrats have revealed they that are not of the people. They are above the people. They are elitist. They improve their own situation in life at the expense of Americans who don't have the same access to power as they. They “weigh men down with burdens hard to bear while not even touching the burdens with one finger.”

[Irish Eyes]

I certainly hope that some Republicans/Conservatives are keeping their eyes on this, and making this into an ad as we speak. It is a golden opportunity handed to us on a silver platter.

[jackv]

OK—we better be hearing this all over the airwaves!! Actually bo already said as much, didn’t he, regarding his wife and kids?
THEY ARE PIGS!!! THROW THE PIGS OUT!!!

[jazusamo]

Thanks for posting the links, Holly.

[kcvl]

I want OBAMA to sign up his family FIRST!

Then we will know he is serious about 'his plan'. Someone get Obama to sign a pledge! NEVER HAPPEN!

[BobMV]

I’m confused. They now have government-run health insurance. So what is it they say they don’t want?

[FreedomOfExpression]

Do they have government run health insurance, or taxpayer funded health insurance?
And IF it is government run, do they have the health care rationing that the public would be stuck with?

[jazusamo]

They don’t want the government-run plan they’re proposing for us masses, they want the one they have which they know can’t be offered to the masses no matter how much they raise taxes.

[Shady]

This is our out. This garbage is unconstitutional under the equal protection clause of he US Constitution. A suit must be brought immediately challenging all laws which Congress exempts themselves, if the courts do not rule in our favor then the revolution begins.

[shield]

This plan will destroy good medical care period. So whether they sign up or not the American medical care will go into the toilet...that's the outcome and the consequences. So where will these senators criminals go for proper care?

[Hammer Tym]

They’re elites; the rules don’t apply to them. The attitude of most of the dems, and some of the repubs, is that we work for them. More and more people are beginning to catch on to this, and hopefully they will be voted out of office in November 2010