Republican Leadership Welcomes Obama Back To Congress, Offers Stern Warnings

Travis Martinez, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said during a press conference Wednesday that they look forward to welcoming back President Barack Obama to the Capitol tonight and hope that he's been paying attention to public opinion. Leader Boehner concluded that after listening to his constituents during the August recess, "the American people want the current [health care] system to work better, but they don’t want big government to run it.”

McConnell also asked for a bi-partisan agreement on the final legislation, but voiced his opposition to any health care bill that raises taxes or takes from medicare.

McConnell also addressed the need for Insurance reform, which he said most Republican members are in agreement towards, with respect to pre-existing conditions, interstate competition and portability.

Leader Boehner stated that the aim of the President's joint address may be to, “double down and put lipstick on this pig”.

Rep. Dr. Charles Boustany (R-La.) has been selected for tonight's republican response. Boustany has worked for twenty years as a cardiac surgeon.

Boehner Slams Democratic Agenda As Recess Approaches

By Learned Foote- Talk Radio News Service

House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) criticized Democratic priorities over the past few months, including the stimulus plan, the cap-and-trade bill, and the ongoing debate over health care reform, during a press conference Thursday.

Rep. Boehner also argued that legislation is being passed too quickly in Congress. When asked whether he has read every bill during his time in Congress, he admitted that he “may not have read every word in every bill,” but claimed that he tried to understand all of the legislation he supported. He said that during his time as Majority Leader, the Republicans always allowed bills to remain under consideration for at least 24 hours before a vote.

Rep. Boehner dismissed a compromise recently reached by conservative and progressive members of the Democratic Congress over health care legislation, and predicted that Americans would pressure their elected representatives to reject the legislation over the summer recess.

Citing multiple polls, Rep. Boehner argued that most Americans do not support health care reforms being advanced by the Obama administration and Congress. “This isn’t about Republicans,” said Boehner. “This is the American people’s opposition that is growing.” He argued that the “American public doesn’t want the government involved and delivering their health care.”

Rep. Boehner acknowledged that some private sector associations support the proposed health care reform legislation, but said that “privately they have serious concerns.” He said that there is “muted opposition from the lobbyist groups because they basically have got a foot in each camp.”

“None of the committee chairman that are writing this bill have any private sector experience....for that matter, neither does the president,” said Rep. Boehner.

Health Care Reform Becoming The Nightmare Before Recess

By Joseph Russell- Talk Radio News Service

There are at least two things lawmakers agree upon in Washington regarding health care reform. First, it must be done. Second, it’s becoming a nightmare.

The nightmare for Democrats is being caused by growing bipartisan objection for a government run health care system. Republicans like House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), say the bill is a “bureaucratic nightmare” for the American public.

On Tuesday, Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) said that House Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats “are on the verge of an historic victory for the American taxpayers and the American health care economy” by opposing a government run health care system.

Said Pence, “Under the Democrat plan, according to independent analysis, you’ll probably lose your health insurance and you might just lose your job.”

Governor Haley Barbour from Mississippi pointed out that the current proposal is nothing more than a huge unfunded mandate for states, and will hurt senior citizens through sweeping Medicare cuts. Moreover, Barbour said that the inevitable cost and tax increases will cripple most small businesses in most states.

Nevertheless, congressional recess is set to begin Friday, and without a proposal for health care reform in sight, it’s unknown whether members of Congress will be able to leave for vacation on time.

War Over Health Care Rages On Between Members Of Both Parties

By Sam Wechsler - Talk Radio News Service

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) stated Monday that “when you look at the Democrat proposal [for health care reform], it’s clear that it’s going to drive the cost of health care even higher.”

A few minutes later, down the hall of the Capitol, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) said, “I don’t think we ought to be talking about what it's going to cost us to do this plan. What we should be talking about is what is it going to cost us if we don’t do this.”

The differing partisan opinions didn't end there.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) pointed out that the CEO of a top insurance company earned $24 million in compensation this past year. “It’s time to add more competition and more choice,” he said.

“If the Democrats get their way on health care, you’ll probably lose your health insurance and you might just lose your job,” House Republican Chair Mike Pence said Monday (R-Ind.). Pence cited White House chief economic advisor Christina Romer in saying that the business tax hikes alone will kill up to 4.7 million jobs. Boehner added that the tax hikes will disproportionately hit small businesses the most.

Meanwhile, House Democratic Chair John Larson (D-Conn.) estimated that close to 16,000 small business employees in Boehner’s district would be able to get health insurance thanks to Democratic health care reform. Larson also claimed that 91,000 people would have access to health insurance in Pence’s district.

Said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), “This is about the American people. It’s about making them healthier, more economically secure, and to have more choices in their lives.”

Boehner, however, disagreed with the Speaker.

“At a time when most Americans are asking the question ‘where are the jobs?’ we don’t need to be instituting policies that will drive the cost of employment higher....and raise the unemployment rate,” he argued.

New GOP-Led “Health Solutions Group” Seeks Smart Reform

By Joseph Russell - Talk Radio News Service

Republican leaders in the House called for “smart reform” at a press conference Thursday. The new Health Solutions Group, comprised of House Republicans from committees dealing with health care reform, said that as more Americans raise objections to a government take-over of health care, President Obama becomes less specific.

“The president really presented the American people with a false choice,” House Minority Whip Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said. “There are only two ways, either the status quo or a government health care plan. We’re here to say that there really is a third way.”

The Health Solutions Group heard testimony from Canadian citizens and British doctors like Shona Holmes who claimed her life was saved by leaving Canada and coming to the U.S. for treatment. Holmes said that 5 million people in Canada go without a family doctor, a percentage that would equal “the same population as in the State of California.”

House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) was more focused on the impact Obamacare, if passed, will have on small businesses. “Either you offer health insurance to your employees or you pay an eight percent payroll tax,” Boehner said. “What this is going to do is raise the cost of employment, which is going to mean less employees in America. . . according to their bill, they're going to lose about five million jobs.”

House GOP leaders said that growing bipartisan disapproval for a government run health care bill is going to make it difficult for House Democrats to continue to ignore Republicans, who argue that they have been left out of the process. Though unlikely, the Democratic health care proposal, over 1,100 pages long, may still be voted on before the Congressional recess in August.