I don't know about you, but I'm plenty excited by the prospect of an Obama designed Health Administration Bureau:
The only puzzling thing is why the Democrat party is trying to ram Obamacare through Congress with a separate healthcare plan for Members of Congress attached. Republican Rep. John Fleming is puzzled too and has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives to change it:
Under the current draft of the Democrat healthcare legislation, members of Congress are curiously exempt from the government-run health care option, keeping their existing health plans and services on Capitol Hill. If Members of Congress believe so strongly that government-run health care is the best solution for hard working American families, I think it only fitting that Americans see them lead the way. Public servants should always be accountable and responsible for what they are advocating, and I challenge the American people to demand this from their representatives.
Together we will work to ensure that any plan that is good enough is for American families is good enough for every member of Congress.
Meanwhile over in the Senate, Tom Coburn had a little fun too:
Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma called bluff on the Democrats' support for their own health care bill by challenging his colleagues on the Senate health committee to vote in favor of joining the program once enacted.
Mr. Coburn said, "what's good for the goose is good for the gander," and that "if Congress thinks a government-run plan is safe and effective for Americans, they should prove it with enrolling."
All the Republicans on the committee, except for New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg, voted for the amendment, but only three of the panel's 13 Democratic caucus member joined them. The 10 others voted "nay," though the amendment thus passed by a 12-11 vote.
The Democratic senators who voted against it were Sens. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Patty Murray of Washington, Jack Reed of Rhode Island and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont, an independent but a member of the Democratic caucus, also opposed the bill.
Democrats who voted in favor of the amendment were: Sens. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut and Barbara A. Mikulski of Maryland.
Gosh, why would those 10 Democrat Senators turn down a chance to participate in Obamacare? Maybe it's because they are older than dirt and don't want their medical care rationed along with the rest of the senior citizens? As for the 3 Donks who voted for it, I'd like to think it was the courage of their convictions, but since we are talking Kennedy, Dodd, and Mikulski I suspect it was their conviction that the amendment will get dropped in the House-Senate conference committee plus enough liquid assets to buy whatever medical care they need.
