Posted on 03/15/2010 2:52:04 PM PDT by KingOfVagabonds
Dear Congressman Gordon,
It is hard to ignore the rumors about behind-the-scenes bribery and arm twisting to secure the necessary votes to pass this 2,300 page monstrosity. You voted "No" the first time around, and myself and my fellow Sumner residents expect the same this time. As a physician, I obviously have a keen interest in the health care discussion, and believe me Congressman, I understand that an overreaching government that has essentially bankrupted Social Security, Medicare, the Post Office, and Amtrak has no business dipping its hand in private health care.
In defense of your initial "No" vote, you voiced concern that it would not effectively reduce cost, saying "Any health care bill that is ultimately signed into law must not increase the federal deficit or our long-term spending on health care." I ask that you look at the federal government's track record of large-scale bills, and try to find one that stayed close to the initial proposed budget. Additionally, Congress has not made a sincere effort at addressing tort reform, which from my perspective is the most salient cause for out-of-control health costs and overuse of tests and services.
Physicians do not want a bureaucrat dictating the management of our patients. I implore you to do the right thing and vote "No" once again. The quality of health care in Sumner County for generations to come depends on your vote.
Wow talk about walking the talk. There is no more credible opinion that a Doc.
I hope he listens
Is he up for reelection?
Unfortunately, he is retiring.
I've always said, everyone has their price but it's usually a matter of research to find out how much.
He should have reminded the politician that they can screw over the medical profession, but better think that there is a possibility that he could find himself needing surgery performed by a really angry surgeon.
God bless you, KingOfVagabonds! Excellent letter.
You may want to add that congress needs to address the 21% across the board cuts today in Medicare reimbursements. They are creating a crisis that is going to bankrupt many hospitals and leave seniors on very long waiting lists. This is the only healthcare reform they need to look at. (My wife is a neurologist)
Excellent!
In what way is the opinion of a medical person better than any other?
I appreciate your strong stand but you left out the most important point. Any federal version of health care on its face is unconstitutional since Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution does not specifically grant Congress the power to regulate health care. The people are not bound to comply with any unconstitutional act of Congress. Nothing else matters without abiding by the Constitution. This is the point people need to drive home with their politicians.
He’s a Rep, so yes he’s up for re-election. From the Hill Whip count.
Bart Gordon (Tenn.) * (N) Retiring committee chairman. Clyburn especially wants his vote
John Tanner (Tenn.) * (N) House deputy whip not running for reelection, but he still is a MAYBE
Jim Cooper (Tenn) * (Y) Has had up-and-down relationship with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) UNDECIDED
Defeat Obamacare call list: List now contains the new MAYBES culled from FR posts. Be sure to call KNOWN RINOS too.
KEEP THE CALLS UP! DC OFFICE LOCAL OFFICE
Code Red” - House Target List on Health Care
The National Republican Congressional Committee has published a target list on health care. In addition to continuing to contact the five Tennessee Democrat Congressmen, you can go http://www.votervoice.net/link/clickthrough/ext/94697.aspx to contact some of these targets. Much of the talk following Obama’s announcement has focused on how to defeat this second bill through reconciliation, but that is misleading because the first step to defeating Obamacare is not by concentrating on defeating the “fixer” bill but by defeating the Senate bill in the House when it goes to the floor for an up-or-down vote on Thursday, March 18th.
Rep. Lincoln Davis 202-225-6831 Columbia office: 931-490-8699
Rep. Jim Cooper 202-225-4311 Nashville office: 615-736-5295
Rep. Bart Gordon 202-225-4231 Murfreesboro office: 615-896-1986
John Tanner (202) 225-4714, Union City, (731) 885-7070, Jackson Phone: (731) 423-4848, Millington (901) 873-5690 TN (MAYBE)
Rep. Steve Cohen 202-225-3265 Memphis office: 901-544-4131
Harry Mitchell (202) 225-2190 (480) 946-2411 AZ 5th District
Gabrielle Giffords (202) 225-2542 (520) 881-3588 AZ 8th District
Ann Kirkpatrick (202) 225-2315 (928) 226-6914 AZ 1st District
Jerry McNerney (202) 225-1947 925-833-0643 CA 11th District
John Salazar 202-225-4761 970-245-7107 CO 3rd District
Jim Himes (202) 225-5541 (866) 453-0028 CT 4th District
Alan Grayson (202) 225-2176 (407) 841-1757 FL 8th District
Bill Foster (202) 225-2976 630-406-1114 IL 14th District
Baron Hill 202 225 5315 812 288 3999 IN 9th District
Mark Schauer (202) 225-6276 (517) 780-9075 MI 7th District
Gary Peters (202) 225-5802 (248) 273-4227 MI 9th District
Dina Titus (202) 225-3252 702-256-DINA (3462) NV 3rd District
Carol Shea-Porter (202) 225-5456 (603) 743-4813 NH 1st District
Tim Bishop (202) 225-3826 (631) 696-6500 NY 1st District
John Hall (202) 225-5441 (845) 225-3641 x49371 NY 19th District
Bill Owens (202) 225-4611 (315) 782-3150 NY 23rd District
James Matheson Toll-Free Number 1 (877) 677-9743 (202) 225-3011Mike Arcuri (202)225-3665 (315)793-8146 NY 24th District
Dan Maffei (202) 225-3701 (315) 423-5657 NY 25th District
Earl Pomeroy (202) 225-2611 (701) 224-0355 ND At-Large District
Steven Driehaus (202) 225-2216 (513) 684-2723 OH 1st District
Mary Jo Kilroy (202) 225-2015 (614) 294-2196 OH 15th District
Zach Space (202) 225-6265 (330) 364-4300 OH 18th District
Kathy Dahlkemper (202) 225-5406 (814) 456-2038 PA 3rd District
Patrick Murphy (202) 225-4276 (215) 826-1963 PA 8th District
Christopher Carney (202) 225-3731 (570) 585-9988 PA 10th District
Paul Kanjorski (202) 225-6511 (570) 825-2200 PA 11th District
John Spratt (202) 225-5501 (803)327-1114 SC 5th District
Tom Perriello (202) 225-4711 (276) 656-2291 VA 5th District
Alan Mollohan (202) 225-4172 (304) 623-4422 WVA 1st District
Nick Rahall (202) 225-3452 (304) 252-5000 WVA 3rd District
Steve Kagen (202) 225-5665 (920) 437-1954 WI 8th District
Bart Stupak (202) 225 4735 MI (MAYBE)
Brian Baird (202) 225-3536, Vancouver, (360) 695-6292. Olympia, (360) 352-9768, (MAYBE)
senator mark begich (202) 224-3004 toll free. (877) 501 - 6275 just became a MAYBE
Jason Altmire 202-225-2565, Aliquippa, 724-378-0928,
Natrona Heights, 724-226-1304 (MAYBE)
On the Bubble (Major developments from the “yes” and “no” columns in the House)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2467046/posts
Congressional Dems on Twitter
http://www.arrghpaine.com/congressional-dems-on-twitter
And here are toll-free numbers we can use to call any Senators or Reps.
At the first number below you must wait through a tape recording urging you to tell your Rep or Senator to vote “yes” for the health care bill. Just hang on and when the recording is over, you will get the Capitol operator. Just ask for your Rep or Senator’s office. Then you will either talk to an aid or have the chance to leave a message for him/her to vote NO on the health care bill.
When you use the second number and the Capitol operator comes on, just ask for your Rep or Senator’s office. Every time I use this number I get the Rep or Senator’s answer machine, so it may be set up that way all the time...to go to their answer machine. Either way you can leave a message to vote NO on the health care bill!
We need to use these toll free numbers that have been set up for the health care/ BO supporters and illegals to use! After all they are FREE!
1-800-828-0498 , 1-866-220-0044, 1-866-338-1015, 877-851-6437, 877-210-5351
My doctor says he’ll retire if this Nazi crap passes.
“We need to use these toll free numbers that have been set up for the health care/ BO supporters and illegals to use! After all they are FREE!
1-800-828-0498 , 1-866-220-0044, 1-866-338-1015, 877-851-6437, 877-210-5351”
This is brilliant!! Make them pay for it plus it hides your phone number so they won’t know if you are calling from another state
Thank you
I will call tomorrow and keep calling
The fact that you asked this tells me there is no point in wasting anytime on an answer
So you figure medical people are better than you?
Perhaps they are. But not better than the rest of us.
These 10 Representatives voted ‘No’ in November.
They MUST vote ‘No’ again:
Brian Baird (Wash.)
Rick Boucher (Va.)
Allen Boyd (Fla.)
Steve Dreihaus (Ohio)
Bart Gordon (Tenn.)
Baron Hill (Ind.)
Suzanne Kosmas (Fla.)
Scott Murphy (N.Y.)
Glenn Nye (Va.)
John Tanner (Tenn.)
Well said indeed!
I wouldn’t presume to speak for what RWGinger meant to say, but I would say that the perspective of a physician who is engaged in the actual day-to-day care of patients under the current system (and has taken the time to look at what the effects of the proposed system might be) is probably a more authoritative voice on the subject than someone whose exposure to health care is a yearly physical.
Just as the opinion of an architect or experienced contractor might be more valuable than that of a layperson in matters of proposed building code legislation, I could readily concede that a physician is going to have a viewpoint that a patient could not have.
A physician may be able to understand the viewpoint of a patient, because they have probably been one, but it is more difficult than a patient understanding the viewpoint of a physician, in my opinion.
That said, the viewpoints of the layperson, taxpayer, employer and patient are all important perspectives as well, and obviously will outnumber those of the physician or healthcare worker, so everyone must have a voice and be heard.
I wouldn’t have jumped on RWGinger so quickly, I don’t think she meant it that they were ‘better’...at least I didn’t interpret it that way.
Thanks for the ping!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.