Pennsylvania Democrats Ready To Battle Big Insurance

Senate Democrat Robert Casey (Pa.) blasted health insurance companies due to reports that indicate they will end sales of child-only policies just before healthcare provisions that ensure children with preexisting conditions are granted insurance take effect saying it is “inexcusable” and “immoral”.

“I’m going to do everything on my part to let those insurance companies know that we will not tolerate this kind of conduct,” Casey said. “We have a lot of ways to make sure that they know that we’re very serious about making sure that children get the coverage that they need.”

Thursday will mark the six-month anniversary of the passage of the comprehensive healthcare reform,
while also celebrating the implementation of new health protections for consumers. These new protections guarantee access to coverage for children with pre-existing conditions, give Americans a better opportunity to choose their doctor and prohibit insurers from canceling policies.

Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA, discussed how the upcoming health provisions will benefit those without health insurance or who are having difficulties paying for health insurance premiums. The latter will be eligible for “advance-able, refundable and sliding scale tax credit,” he said. Those who have limited tax liability or have greater tax credit than liability will be eligible for a refund. Additionally, he announced that approximately 28.6 million people will be eligible for tax credit by 2014 around the nation, including almost one million Pennsylvanians. In that year alone, taxes are expected go down by $3.8 billion.

“We need the private sector to work with us to implement the reforms and to acknowledge that tomorrow is when a number of significant health provisions go into effect,” said Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa).

Specter’s Spectacle

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service

Senator Arlen Specter
Photo by Michael Ruhl

Senator Arlen Specter (Penn.) says that he left the Republican Party because they had stuck their nose into party affairs to the point of breeding extremism. Ironically the Democrats are doing the exact same thing to their newest member. Micromanaging from the highest level doesn’t seem to be exclusive to the Republicans.

Yesterday Specter walked away from the party he has been with for nearly four decades, because he felt they were ignoring moderate voice. Specter announced his decision to defect to the Democratic Party, only the twenty-first time that a Senator has done such a thing since 1890.

President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have both said they will fully support Specter in his 2010 election, but Congressman Joe Sestak (D-Penn.) was not sure that the party establishment should be backing Specter in this way.

“If decisions and candidates are being chosen in Washington, you may just reemphasize that divisive barrier that’s between the parties,” Sestak said. “I think we cannot afford to have a decision that is so important to Pennsylvanians be decided by the party establishment,” and that the voters should be the ones to choose their candidate.

Sestak is rumored to be considering running for the Pennsylvania Senate seat, and would come up against Specter in the Democratic primary. When asked directly, Sestak said he had not decided yet whether or not he would run. Another contender, Representative Allyson Schwartz (D-Penn.) said today that she would not run for the seat.

The republican response has ranged from anger to confusion. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steel likened Specter to Benedict Arnold.

“Clearly, this was an act based on political expediency by a craven politician desperate to keep his Washington power base - not the act of a statesman,” Steel said. “Arlen Specter handed Barack Obama and his band of radical leftists nearly absolute power in the United States Senate.”

Specter responded, “I have not represented the Republican Party, I have represented the people of Pennsylvania.” He was referencing the fact that in the past months there has been an exodus from the Republican Party in Pennsylvania, where over 100,000 individuals changed their party registration from Republican to Democrat.

Specter is defending his position as being one of riding with the tides of his constituency, instead of bowing to the will of a national political party. Critics see it as a survival move of a desperate politician.

Speaking today with President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden, Specter said that staying in the Senate would allow him to carry forward important initiatives for his constituents, speaking specifically about expanding medical research.

Specter would prove to be the 60 Democrat in the Senate, provided that comedian Al Franken prevails in his court case for the Minnesota Senate. Sixty votes, called a supermajority, is enough to override a Republican filibuster. Specter said previously, though, that he was not going to simply back the Democrats automatically, and President Obama acknowledged that, saying, “I don’t expect Arlen to be a rubber stamp.” According to Obama, he and Specter agree in the areas of health care, education, medical research

Wounded Warriors can once again serve their country

By Suzia van Swol, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service
At a news conference which took place on the steps of the Capitol, concerning the House Wounded Warriors Program, Speaker of the U.S. House, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), and Members of Congress, announced the initial hiring to include nine of the twenty-five wounded warriors who will continue to serve America as staff of members of Congress. The U.S. House established the Wounded Warriors Program last year to provide employment for wounded and disabled veterans within the House of Representatives.

“For us this is a very, very proud day. But the Wounded Warrior program is only one part of the new direction congress; of our sustained commitment to meeting the needs of America’s veterans,” Pelosi said.

Hoyer stated that this program opens the doors of Congress to our Veterans when they return home, as they have served so deeply overseas, and they defended our country, they will now serve their country in another capacity. “It provides a unique opportunity for Veterans to pursue an interest in public service and gain valuable experience working on Capito Hill that will open doors for employment and future opportunities,” Hoyer said.

Dan Lasko, a fellow in the Wounded Warrior program, now works for Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-PA). Lasko said that, “I saw this as a great opportunity once again to serve my country, and especially our nations hero’s.”