Tag: 3rd CD

How To Fight The Republicans Who Voted For ‘Trumpcare’

The following article by Tim Marcin of Newsweek was posted on the National Memo website May 5, 2017:

Lots of liberals, and even some conservatives, are upset that House Republicans passed Thursday a health care bill that hadn’t been vetted by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) for its cost or effects, such as the loss of coverage for millions of Americans, as the CBO estimated for a prior version of the legislation. The GOP was apparently ready for it’s Obamacare replacement and ready for it now—but opponents also were ready to fight back.

Causing particular anger is the provision in the American Health Care Act (AHCA)—often dubbed Trumpcare—that undermines protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions. States would be able to apply for waivers to allow insurers to charge higher premiums for those with pre-existing conditions. It has been estimated some 27 percent of people on the individual market suffer from things that could be considered pre-existing conditions—which under Obamacare included having cancer or being the victim of sexual assault. Continue reading “How To Fight The Republicans Who Voted For ‘Trumpcare’”

Republicans Get Their Health Bill. But It May Cost Them.

For some context on this, Rep. Erik Paulsen voted for this bill even though it was unscored by the Congressional Budget Office, went through hidden negotiations and, from what we’ve been able to see so far, he hadn’t read.  The bill passed by 2 votes.  Minnesota’s 3 Republican members of Congress voted for this bill.  Erik Paulsen is one of those members of Congress.

The following article by Jennifer Steinhauer was posted on the New York Times website May 4, 2017:

Paul D. Ryan, speaker of the House, before the vote on Thursday. Credit Gabriella Demczuk for The New York Times

WASHINGTON — In voting to repeal President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, House Republicans finally made progress on a key Trump administration goal and on a campaign promise that they have made for the better part of a decade — but at a potentially steep price.

After failing to get the votes for an original replacement measure in March, Speaker Paul D. Ryan worked tirelessly to do what his predecessor, John A. Boehner, could not, bringing together his most conservative members and their moderate colleagues behind a piece of legislation laden with political peril. Continue reading “Republicans Get Their Health Bill. But It May Cost Them.”

U.S. House health care bill is a big step backward for those with preexisting conditions

The following commentary by the Editorial Board was posted on the Star Tribune website May 4, 2017:

The final total on the vote on the Republicans health care bill was displayed at the Capitol in Washington on Thursday, May 4, 2017. Relieved Republicans muscled their health care bill through the House, taking their biggest step toward dismantling the Obama health care overhaul since Donald Trump took office. HOUSE TELEVISION VIA AP

Today, Bethany Gladhill’s daughter Beatrix is an active 9-year-old who enjoys dance and school. But right after she was born, Beatrix was diagnosed with a heart valve anomaly. After a family job loss, which meant no more employee health benefits, Gladhill soon found that she couldn’t add baby Beatrix to the new health plan she and her husband purchased on the individual market.

Their infant had a “preexisting condition,” their health insurance broker told them. The St. Paul couple, who continue to work as consultants, were stunned. Said Gladhill: “It’s the honest inability as a parent to believe that nobody cares enough about your newborn to cover them with insurance and there is nothing you can do about it.”

Eventually, the family did get coverage for Beatrix through Minnesota’s old “high-risk pool” insurance program, but at a cost — they had to buy a separate plan for her with higher premiums, a narrow medical provider network and two annual deductibles totaling around $10,000. After President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act passed, the couple could finally buy a family plan, one with the same clinics, one set of bills and a deductible of $4,000. “The costs went down by half. It was huge,” Gladhill said. Continue reading “U.S. House health care bill is a big step backward for those with preexisting conditions”

Make No Mistake …

The following article was posted on the Trumpaccountable website May 4, 2017:

For all of the talk about Obamacare imploding or falling apart, the way President Trump and House Republicans chose to “fix” health care was to give a very large tax break to a very few Americans and deprive an estimated 24 million Americans of insurance.

There were other solutions to this particular problem and 217 House Republicans and the entire Trump administration chose the solution that privileges the wealthy over those that need the most help and support in this country.

All 217 members who voted for Trumpcare will be up for election in 2018 and it is noteworthy that they have chosen to side with Trump over their constituents and the American people. They will be answerable to the charges of hypocrisy on display throughout this process.

View the post here.

Erik Paulsen Voted To Hurt My Mom: Rep. Peggy Flanagan

The following article by William Bornhoff of the Patch Staff posted the following on the St. Louis Park Patch website May 4, 2017:

St. Louis Park’s state representative took to Twitter Thursday to criticize Congressman Erik Paulsen’s vote for American Health Care Act.

ST. LOUIS PARK, MN — Republicans in the House of Representatives, including Minnesota Third District’s Erik Paulsen, voted to pass the American Health Care Act Thursday by the slim margin of 217-213 with no Democratic votes. GOP leadership has partially recovered its wounded pride after its embarrassing first attempt to pass the bill ended in abject failure in March.

In response, St. Louis Park state Rep. Peggy Flanagan, who represents an area within Paulsen’s district, issued a series of critical tweets at the Republican: Continue reading “Erik Paulsen Voted To Hurt My Mom: Rep. Peggy Flanagan”

Rep. Erik Paulsen Votes For Health Care Act; Twitter Reacts

The following article by William Bornhoft of the Patch Staff was posted on the St. Louis Park Patch website May 4, 2017:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Erik Paulsen, who represents the west Twin Cities metro, released the following statement on the passage of the American Health Care Act: “With millions in Minnesota and the United States in need of relief from skyrocketing costs, diminishing choices, and limited access, the status quo under Obamacare is no longer acceptable,” said Paulsen.

“This is just the latest step in reforming our health care system to be more patient-centered, and my focus remains on finding solutions that will make sure Americans have access to high quality, affordable health care. I’m also pleased to see the permanent repeal of the medical device tax included in this effort, which is critical to encourage medical innovation and make life-saving technologies accessible to patients.” Continue reading “Rep. Erik Paulsen Votes For Health Care Act; Twitter Reacts”

#badvotes Paulsen Vote Tracker: H.R. 1180 Working Families Flexibility Act of 2017

SUMMARY:  Amends the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to allow private-sector employees the option of selecting compensatory time off in lieu of cash for overtime wages. An employee will be able to choose, based upon a voluntary agreement with his or her employer, to have his or her overtime compensated with paid time off.

H.R. 1180 is an empty promise.  It is designed to look like it will help families but it will harm workers.  It gives employers more control over their employees’ time and money. If an employer asks an employee to take comp time instead of overtime – can they really refuse?  Probably not!

This bill gives employers the right to hold on to their employees overtime wages for months, while giving employees no guarantee that they will be able to take their “comp” time.  Under the Working Families Flexibility Act, if the worker’s request to use comp time is denied, there is no recourse. The worker would have to report to work, or risk being fired. Workers can request that the unused time be cashed out – but, even then, the employer would have up to 30 days to comply..  Also, there is no remedy available if an employer were to go bankrupt or shut down. The bill is now headed to the Senate for further consideration.

Paulsen voted:  YES

TAKEAWAY:  This bill should be renamed “Employer Flexibility Act.”  Of course Erik Paulsen voted for it.

Sources:  http://www.natlawreview.com/article/house-passes-working-families-flexibility-act; http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-budget/331395-working-families-need-higher-wages-and-guaranteed-time-to

What a Trumpcare Nightmare: Just About Everyone With Health Care Is Going to Pay More, Get Less and Face Chaos

The following article by Steven Rosenfeld was posted on the AlterNet website May 4, 2017:

The good news is that the reception in the Senate is decidedly cold.

The final total on the vote on the Republicans health care bill was displayed at the Capitol in Washington on Thursday, May 4, 2017. Relieved Republicans muscled their health care bill through the House, taking their biggest step toward dismantling the Obama health care overhaul since Donald Trump took office. HOUSE TELEVISION VIA AP

The buzz hadn’t even worn off the Republican fratboys chugging beers to celebrate the House’s passage of its latest Obamacare repeal before the political hangover started surfacing.

While this motley crew was drinking Bud Light before trekking to the White House to bask in President Trump’s winner’s circle, the Washington Post’s editorial page—no bastion of liberalism—trashed the flock as lying hacks. House Republicans “betrayed” Americans by promising they would “maintain access to health insurance for people with preexisting medical conditions, and then on Thursday press[ed] a bill through the House that would eliminate those guarantees,” the Post said. Continue reading “What a Trumpcare Nightmare: Just About Everyone With Health Care Is Going to Pay More, Get Less and Face Chaos”

Why were people not paying attention?

My letter is in response to Rick Wall’s letter questioning why people are now challenging Rep. Erik Paulsen. You asked by we were all “crawling out of the woodwork” and where we have been for the last eight years. I am ashamed to admit that I wasn’t paying attention. I thought our country was doing OK.

It wasn’t perfect, and I didn’t agree with everything, but I thought in general the democratic process was working and the people in public office were mostly concerned with the good of the country. And then Donald Trump was elected, and I woke up to find we are living in a political nightmare that could have a far-reaching, chilling effect on everything we hold dear. Continue reading “Why were people not paying attention?”