Posted on 11/07/2009 2:42:22 AM PST by Thebaddog
GOUVERNEUR, NY - Congressman-elect Bill Owens was sworn in at noon today.
Owens indicated in a press release released shortly afterwards that he was now in favor of the the "Affordable Healthcare for America Act" bill in direct contrast to his earlier position during the election campaign.
According to Politico.com, Mr. Owens assured voters that he felt the public option had no place in the health care reform bill. Contrary to that position, Mr. Owens now indicates that he intends to vote in favor of the bill even though it now contains a public option.
UPDATED: A spokesman for Congressman Owens indicated correctly that Mr. Owens had recanted his solid position against public option later in the campaign, clarifying that he did not wish public option to be a 'litmus test' for the Health Reform bill and that on Oct. 30th, several days prior to the election, in a debate had stated that he generally supported the public option as it was now written (at that time.)
Mr. Owens also indicated during his campaign that he was firmly opposed to cutting Medicare benefits, taxing health care benefits, and increased taxes on the middle class in any way as you can see clearly in the screenshot below, taken directly from Mr. Owens' campaign website.
The House Health reform bill contains sections that cut Medicare benefits, tax existing health care benefits, and increases taxes on the middle class, yet Mr. Owens stated today that he will now vote in favor of those things contrary to what he had promised the voters of NY's 23rd Congressional District that he would vote against.
Mr. Owens indicated in his press release today that "This legislation will reform the insurance industry and provide increased access to affordable healthcare without taxing healthcare benefits, cutting Medicare benefits or raising taxes on the middle class, and that is exactly the direction we need to go."
When The Gouverneur Times attempted to contact Mr. Owens to clarify this information, we received no direct response to our phone or email inquiries. Both FactCheck.org and the Congressional Budget Office agree that HR 3962 contains potentially hundreds of billions of dollars in planned cuts to Medicare, yet Mr. Owens indicates that he supports this legislation and says that it does not cut Medicare benefits. Either Mr. Owens has been snowed or the public is about to be.
HR 3962 also includes a range of various taxes on middle-class families as well as language to repeal tax relief already in place. Has Congressman Owens blindly followed Ms. Pelosi's rhetoric in believing that the end to a tax cut is not the same thing as an increase in taxes or is he hedging his bet with very carefully chosen words?
HR 3962 now also contains language that allows illegal immigrants to be covered under the legislation. When The Gouverneur Times attempted to contact Mr. Owens for clarification of this language, we received no response other than the press release heretofore mentioned. Specifically, we asked if illegal immigrants would be forced to purchase healthcare insurance as citizens will be and whether or not they would be forced to do so at standard rates or if they would qualify for the public option subsidy.
The Associated Press said this morning that: "House leaders said that, in keeping with the Hispanic Caucus' demands, there was not likely to be any prohibition added to the House bill against illegal immigrants shopping in the exchange."
In a speech made to Congress a short time ago, President Obama had stated that the bill would not contain support for illegal immigrants - a statement for which he was called a "liar" by Rep. Joe Wilson. Rep. Wilson was severely chastised for his comment at the time though it would now seem to be true.
The mixed-up mess that was the 23rd Congressional District Special Election was a close race between Democrat Bill Owens and Conservative Doug Hoffman. Many feel that it was unlikely Mr. Owens would have won those crucial few thousand votes if the voting public was aware of his intent with regard to the Health Care bill. The majority of residents in this district do not support the Health Reform bill as it is now written and many feel like they've become victims of a fraud perpetrated by their chosen candidate.
Breaking campaign promises is not unusual for politicians... it's a cliche. This is almost certainly a record though. Mr. Owens broke no less than 4 promises in his first 24 hours in office.
PELOSI:
Welcome to Washington, Mr. Owens. Now, you will do EXACTLY as I tell you, or won’t get one thin dime to help i your reelection campaign!
Yeah, he’s really scared of the GOP.
Worthless bunch, they are.
because I have to thing that the GOP has a big target on his back.
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Apparently not the idiots that put Scozzafava up against him. Mebbe they’ll get it right in the next month or two leading up to 2010.
Thanks to Hoffman, Beck, Palin...etc for getting Owens in to Congress.
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Do you seriously think Scozzafava would have been good for the GOP? How do you expect the GOP to ever listen to conservatives again if we’re *always* caving?
I suppose you blame Palin for McCain’s weak showing too?
NEVER....EVER TRUST A DEMOCRAT!!
They did the right thing. The RINO republicans chose a RINO woman who was more liberal than the democrat. Beck, Palin, etc., should have done it much sooner, though. Because the RINO waited so long to resign and get the hell out of the way, the democrat won. Add the wasted right wing votes she got to the conservative, and he'd have won by 1%.
Luckily for the NY23 voters, the democrat only gets one year. NY has a chance to correct this fluke.
No, thanks to an out of touch NY GOP and RINOs like Newt for endorsing this Trojan Horse of a candidate. Scuzzyflava had no business even being on the GOP ticket in the first place. Folks like Scuzzy should be called TJRINO's (Trojan Horse RINOs).
Epic Fail.
Her record showed she'd vote with the democrats every time, giving them "bipartisan" cover. Snow is bad enough. This RINO would have been just as bad if not worse.
The Republicans seem to have a political death wish. They just want a free ride themselves from the democrats legislation. It brings them just as much power and privilege - Good cop/bad cop.
One thing for sure ... Dede would not have supported the public option and she would have most definetly won against Owens in the election. Palin, Beck etc was wrong to interfere in local NY politics and endorse a outsider Hoffman in the election.
One thing for sure ... Dede would not have supported the public option and she would have most definetly won against Owens in the election. Palin, Beck etc was wrong to interfere in local NY politics and endorse a outsider Hoffman in the election.
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If the NY GOP had run someone half way decent (not Scozzafava), I may have agreed with you.
What say ye about the RINO problem? How would you suggest we deal with it?
“Dede would not have supported the public option”
Are you sure?
“she would have most definetly won against Owens in the election”
Are you sure?
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2009/house/ny/new_york_23rd_district_special_election-1119.html
One year more and it won’t matter with this worthless, crooked, congress.
Are you smoking something or just watch MSNBC too much?
That post is more BS than I’ve seen walking half a mile through a stockyard.
Jack Murtha is another example of "that ain't so" with regards to all vets having integrity.
Jack Murtha is another example of "that ain't so" with regards to all vets having integrity.
My reaction as well to the folks who voted for Obambi and then said “his policies are WHAT?”
Except. It’s really not all that funny.
Only four? The week’s not quite over yet so there’s still time for more.
I am not a kool aid drinker like you are.
Get real and post some logic for a change.
From her policies Dede made it clear she opposes the public option.
She was leading in a three way race before Palin etc jumped it and endorsed Hoffman.
It was clear Hoffman who looks like gomer pyle ,not a local of the district and running on a third pary will not win the election.
Read the article. The Democrat is as Marxist as Obama.
Unbelievable.
Can a recall be started?
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