Senator Ron Brown finally learns about his job
Senator Ron Brown (R-Eau Claire) was stunned to find out that his constituents think he should do more to help solve the health care crisis. Welcome to your job Mr. Brown.
While it's true that the major push for health care reform has to come from the federal government, that fact does not absolve state elected officials from trying to help plug some of the gaps in our health care system. Brown knows this too or he would not have a section on his campaign website devoted to what he has done on the health care issue.
That knowledge did not prevent him this week from saying it's not fair that people in the Eau Claire area held a press conference calling the state legislature to the mat on this issue. Brown's belief that he gets to take credit for what he has done but is not responsible for what the legislature has not done might explain some of the votes he took on health care over the last couple of years.
How else to explain why he voted to increase the residency requirement from thirty days to six months for the Health Insurance Risk Sharing Plan(AB 100, 6/30/05)? If someone comes to our state for a new job, but the job doesn't have health insurance, why should they wait six months to be able to buy into health care coverage that could keep them from going bankrupt if they get sick? Senator Brown was not asked to wait six months to get his state health care coverage.
He also voted to increase co-pays and deductibles for the BadgerCare program that provides health insurance for the children of parents with jobs that don't provide health care insurance. (SA1 to SSA 1 to SB 44, 6/18/03 and AB 100, 6/30/05) With all the tax cuts the Republicans tried to enact, it seems unfair to do it buy increasing the health insurance costs for children.
Brown does think the state controls health care enough to allow health professionals to deny treatment if their religion believes it is wrong. (AB 67, 2/4/04) That's not only unfair, it's immoral.
But Senator Brown is not responsible for any those actions in his mind.
posted by whatsleftwi @ 3:34 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
First off - I do think Brown is an idiot. For several reasons, but also -
For getting ruffled about "partisanship" when there is none. I read that article a few days ago - scanned it again just now - do YOU see the word "democrat" in it? I didn't.
Then, and this is phenomenally stupid - he says we all have to solve this together, reminds me of an alderman where I used to live who, when citizens complained about priorites given to various tiems in the city budget called for citizens to come and go thru the books and balance the budget themselves, line by line. Jackass.
On the other hand, the group mentioned was not formed by a spontaneous upwelling of local citizenry concerned about healthcare here in Eau Claire. Personally I am getting weary of groups and individuals using the word "grassroots" in ways that I feel are quite misleading and I will probably begin now to nit-pick on that issue. I am old enough to recall movements that truly WERE grassroots and do not enjoy seeing the word cheapened.Who knows, ther may be some actual grassroots movement and we will need the word again - let's keep its meaning honest, just in case that ever happens.
The group is formed specifically to (as we used to hear in the 60s) "raise consciousness" on the healthcare issue since it is the number one polled concern or so I keep hearing.
So I suppose Brown is really ticked that they had a publicity event that put him on the defensive.
Ron Brown came from nowhere made History in an election that has more meaning than the failed promise of our last presidential election. Take note you may be looking at our next President 2012 just may be the end of the World for the Liberal Mind who may never be heard from again. Who says prayers are never answered.
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