The Conservative Soldier

Excerpts of actual responses from the offices of IL Senators Burris and Durbin to my instructions to them on rejecting Obamacare. My letters were faxed on Oct. 6. Their replies were sent by email (by eager young Kool-Aid guzzling interns) Oct. 7.

You can’t make this stuff up.

From Sen. Dick Durbin, who holds the dubious distinction of being rated the most liberal U.S. Senator.

Dear Mr. Woodward:

Thank you for writing to express your concerns about health care reform. I appreciate hearing from you. More than 46 million Americans are without health insurance today, including 8.5 million children.

Including about 10 million undocumented immigrants, 17 million who earn more than $50,000/year and can buy their own coverage but refuse to, and 14 million who qualify for Medicaid or other federal subsidies. But who’s counting?

We will put an end to discrimination based on pre-existing conditions. Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage, or dropping you, because of your medical history or because you get sick.

But we will not address the crippling lawsuits physicians face daily that are the No. 1 cause of escalating health care costs and declining health care practices. And how will we pay for patients who lie about their health/weight/family history in order to secure maximum coverage?

If you like what you have today, you can keep it.

A complete falsehood. Once Obamacare is in place, the health insurance sector will be allowed to wither and die, leaving only government-run health “care” intact. Nice try, Durbin. You lying dog.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Durbin
United States Senator

From Sen. Roland Burris, who holds the dubious distinction of being appointed by influence peddling ex-IL Governor Rod Blagojevich.

Dear Stephen:

I appreciate hearing from you.

About as much as you appreciate a call from a Chicago alderman to whom you owe favors.

As your United States Senator …

I believe you are actually Rod Blagojevich’s Senator, as I recall.

A Kaiser Family Foundation report found that average insurance premiums have more than doubled in the past nine years.

And why is that? Because there are no safeguards to protect doctors from frivolous and/or predatory law suits, forcing them to administer additional tests and recommend unnecessary treatments.

A focus on prevention and primary care will help Americans avoid getting sick, saving billions on costly specialist and emergency treatments.

So you will tax soft drinks, adding to the financial burdens of the middle class and below. Brilliant!

Increasing competition in the insurance market through a public option will put pressure on insurers to reduce administrative costs, marketing, and high profit margins.

The best way to increase competition is not to let federal bureaucrats meddle in our health care decisions. The solution is to allow individuals to shop for the best coverage beyond the borders of their state.

Assuring affordable access to health insurance for all will eliminate the $1,200 “hidden tax” that the average insured Illinois resident pays in additional premiums to subsidize expensive emergency care for those who cannot afford premiums.

Here’s an idea. Round up undocumented immigrants and send them home. This will keep them from populating our emergency rooms for treatment for head colds and ankle sprains.

“Government Takeover”: Some believe that a public insurance option will mean the end of private health insurance. On the contrary, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reports that if insurance reform passes with a public plan option, the number of people covered by private, employer-sponsored coverage will actually increase.

Even if this were to occur by some miracle, the medical profession will not be able to keep up with demand as its established professionals seek early retirement and potential newcomers to the profession seek other careers.

None of the reform proposals being considered would mandate coverage of abortions.

Wow, how stupid do you think we are?

I share the President’s commitment to a bill that does not increase the federal budget deficit.

Wow, how stupid are you?

I will continue to listen closely to what you and other Illinoisans have to say about matters before Congress.

Until you are voted out of office and back to the Chicago cesspool in 2010.

Sincerely,

Roland W. Burris
United States Senator