Posted on 11/06/2010 1:26:22 PM PDT by Heart of Georgia
Thank you for contacting me regarding the health care reform law. I appreciate the comments you have shared with me and the opportunity to respond.
As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee as well as a former small business owner, I am aware of the problems our nation faces regarding health care and am sensitive to the struggles the average, hard-working American faces when trying to gain access to adequate and affordable health care.
I have always believed in looking for solutions for ways to provide access to affordable health care to individuals who lack access to health insurance through an employer.
However, I voted against the deeply flawed health care bill that was passed by the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives and signed by President Obama on March 30, 2010.
The thousands of Georgians I have heard from on this issue are very leery of being pushed into a government-run system that will have to be paid for with higher taxes.
I believe this health care bill will raise taxes, raise premiums, cut benefits for seniors who rely on Medicare and place a massive unfunded mandates on the states with an expansion of Medicaid.
I believe Congress should start over with a step-by-step process. In addition, I support the efforts of the state attorneys general who are suing the federal government over the constitutionality of the new federal mandate requiring all individuals to carry insurance policies.
The tax increases in this bill will be massive, immediate and couldn't come at a worse time for families and small businesses. As soon as the bill was passed in March, at least 14 companies - including AT&T, Verizon, John Deere, Caterpillar and Lockheed Martin - announced they would have to take millions of dollars in charges against their 2010 first-quarter earnings because the health care bill eliminates the tax-free subsidies they have been receiving as an incentive to provide prescription drug benefits to their retirees. This will have a devastating impact on small businesses and jobs.
The key to health care reform is stimulating competition in a market-based system that will encourage private health insurers and managed care providers to compete for business and make health insurance more affordable for consumers. I also believe Congress should look carefully into proposals that will increase coverage of preventative and wellness care, which will help control the cost of managing chronic diseases and drive down the cost of treating largely preventable conditions. Please know that I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind as we address these issues in the U.S. Senate.
Thank you again for contacting me, and please do not hesitate to call on me again if I can ever be of service to you.
Sincerely, Johnny Isakson United States Senator
Let’s just hope some Dems don’t want to form a ‘Gang of 14’ - or however many - to deal with healthcare. Isakson would be right on board.
and am sensitive to the struggles the average, hard-working American facesReally bad form.
Unfortunately, I’m afraid he would if he was sure he could get away with it.
Perhaps the gentleman from Georgia will read the Constitution and realize the Government has NO authority to be anywhere near this business...Health care is NOT a governmental concern. The explosive growth in costs didn’t start until the Feds started meddling, back in the mid 20th century.
The solution is to get the gubbmint out of the health care industry, completely.
Isakson has had some recent health issues. He should think long and hard about what his care would have been under Obamacare. He’s old enough for the death panel.
Repeal, Johnny, repeal.
Did you know that Johnny baby is a big supporter of Fannie and Freddie?
Why? Because he is a Realtor first and Senator second. He is one of the blockers of GSE reform.
So if you wonder why we are stuck with Fannie/Freddie, know you know.
People like Johnny lied to us.
You see Isakson exactly the way I do. I will never—never—forget how rottenly his office treated me during the amnesty debate. Now his finger in the wind tells him conservatism is on the move, and he’d better fall in line. Let him get the idea he could get away with RINO shenanigans again, though, and all bets are off.
Normally, within six weeks or so, I get the form letter, yada, yada, yada. Well, not this time. Unfortunately, we were out of the house and got home to the voice mail, however, an aid to the congressman called me from D.C. and said they had my email, that the congressman agreed and they were going to work on those very suggestions that I mentioned!!!! WOW, I had NEVER got a response call before. Only a letter! Maybe these guys are finally getting it, that THE PUBLIC HAS A VOICE AND THEY NEED, BETTER START LISTENING!!!
I wonder if Northside Realty offered health insurance to its real estate agents when Isakson owned it. Why do I doubt that it did?
You’re probably right. We’re not talking about a man of principle here. When I tried to get through to his office (during the amnesty debate) via the regular number it was always busy. When I tried the ‘Spanish only’ number I got through first ring, every single d@mn time. When I mentioned this to the intern who answered, she said, ‘English isn’t the official language of the United States, you know’. She’s so glad I couldn’t come through that phone. If I could have, I would have, believe me.
He was a big supporter of McAmnesty until crowds started appearing outside of his offices with pitchforks and torches, then he had a change of heart.
I suppose he could have chosen his words more carefully, but I’m not offended by something like that.
My biggest problem with Isakson is he has been known to cave. And with zerocare, we can’t afford any cavemen.
Naturally I don’t trust him. Which is the reason I wrote him regarding where he stood on defund/repeal. I wanted his response in writing, and I wanted to post it here in his own words.
I did vote for him last Tuesday, but only very reluctantly because we needed to crush the corrupt ones.
“The solution is to get the gubbmint out of the health care industry, completely.”
I agree. It seems the talking heads have come to a consensus that we need to replace, ugh!
“He’s old enough for the death panel.”
I’m sure he is, but you know these people always have an exemption clause for themselves.
Excellent! I believe they are hearing us because we’re loud and we’re not backing down, nor can we afford to back down - keep writing, calling - and whatever else you can do. Your efforts are much appreciated - thank you!!!
I know he’ll be exempt but I want him to think about his situation hypothetically. He didn’t look so good on tv on election night. I wonder if this will be his last term.
“He was a big supporter of McAmnesty until crowds started appearing outside of his offices with pitchforks and torches, then he had a change of heart”
I remember that very well. I almost starting believing they were going to wear us down. I didn’t give up though and kept calling Washington and local offices, emailing and faxing letters.
Bless those crowds. They turned back a seemingly unstoppable tide, and made a lasting impression on at least a few of the RINOs.
It shouldn’t be this hard, though, to get our elected officials to represent our best interests. 2010 was a good start, but 2012 needs to keep the momentum going. The more afraid the RINOs are, the less likely they are to step out of line.
I was looking through my emails to Isakson and Chambliss, and I came across this info that I had written them concerning a compromise bill [this was written before they rammed through zerocare]:
“We do not want a compromise/bi-partisan bill, including:
The Healthy Americans Act (HHA)/Wyden-Bennett.
The Healthy Americans Act (HHA), or Wyden-Bennett, is designed to be a compromise bill that will ‘save the day.’
Apparently this bill was written by a Democrat and a Republican, and it has the support of bi-partisan co-sponsors.”
I had forgotten about this. It concerns me because they may actually already have a compromise on the agenda, and a bill already on paper.
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