What a shock I received this afternoon when I read the Fargo Forum newspaper to find that Congressman Earl Pomeroy (D-ND) was going to vote against the house health care reform bill. http://www.inforum.com/...
I was so startled I dropped my coffee in my lap. Luckily, I have a job where I have health insurance, unlike 67,000 other North Dakotans. I am also lucky my employer and myself are able to afford health insurance at all since the costs of insurance have gone of %74 since 2000. http://healthcareforamericanow.org/... I was also shocked at these numbers because we have such a robust health insurance market in this state. You can choose between Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota and.........wait, I'm sure there's another health insurance company, I mean, this is a Republican state and Republicans always favor competition right?
Well anyhow, the reason why I was so shocked Earl is against the public option is because he has hardly taken any money from the health care industry since he's been in office, right? Wait, what's that your saying? Earl has actually taken basically the most money from the health care industry out of the group of "bluedog" Democrats? Where is your proof good sir? Show me those numbers.
http://www.opensecrets.org/...
Oh? Earl has taken $1,395,099 from the Healthcare Industry since 1989? And $628,000 of that is from health insurers? Wow, ok. Well at least he is upfront about the fact that he needs this money to fight for re-election and that's reason he can't vote for the bill. Oh, he's not? He says that "There is no way we will maintain the existing levels of health-care delivery if that (public option) happens". Well this is very shocking indeed, but I'm sure Earl isn't just against the option because he's bankrolled by the health insurance and health care industry. He must be simply standing on principal. Right? And if he's not just standing on principal I'm sure someone in the local or national media will point out how much money he's received from the heath care lobbyists in this country. Oh, you're right, they won't because it's bad form and could hurt relationships with the Congressman for future stories. Enough said.