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The Epitome Of Political Hypocrisy
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9 Responses to “The Epitome Of Political Hypocrisy”
Yes, he is hypocritical and the GOP remains dysfunctional.
Now, back to the real issues, which include the current failure to read the bills, which is accompanied by the additional, still-present failure yet to determine how the health care “reform” (takeover) effort will be paid for. The lib Dim-wits in the House are looking at a “windfall” [sic] profits tax on health insurers, or on taxing lavish heath insurance plans (while they want minimum benefit packages that are lavish, which is more important hypocrisy at the moment), but taxing the lavish plans is resisted by the unions, who tend to have these plans. Meanwhile, the Baucus legislation includes a big Medicare reduction that is postponed until after the elections next year (no surprise there): The Finance Committee bill delays a large reduction in Medicare fees until after 2010, and then assumes 25% decrease in Medicare payments (fees to providers). The legislation also lowers other payments, to below inflation rates. No wonder some health care-related businesses are worried. I wonder how much this worries patients, too.
We're still waiting for everyone to complete, as well as read, all the health care “reform” legislation.
Oh my!
After months and months of complaints about this!!
It would be hilarious if it weren't so egregious!!!
From the way this post is written, as an unclickable two words out there on the front page, comparatively few people will actually read the linked story. Which is a shame, because it actually is the epitome of political hypocrisy.
Nice catch, though!
“it actually is the epitome of political hypocrisy”
Well, it wins notoriety because the failure to read the bill is a major problem with the efforts this year (not limited to health care “reform”) that compounds the stupid rushing, but the hypocrisy doesn't justify any overreaction, either. It really is a problem currently, as well as related problems like failure still to decide (as should be done before everything else has been completed, or nearly completed) how to pay for this, or even decide what all will go into the bill. (And will it then be read before people choose to vote on it?)
I agree that it's a perfect example of hypocrisy. It remains though, that the problem of our Congressmen not reading the bills is even more egregious than the political posturing. I would hope that voters from both sides of the aisle would agree to hold them all to account rather than taking the opposite approach to the hypocrisy and dismissing the call to remedy this.
Also, I have to add kudos to Greta van Susteren for putting him on the spot with a tough question, rather than just allowing him to grandstand.
A few weeks ago Slate.com provided an explanation of the traditional method of writing legislation, which actually seemed pretty sensible.
Here's a quote:
There is a solution to this.
Congressman Ron Paul has introduced a bill (H. Res. 216) which would require members of congress to read pieces of legislation before voting on them.
It's pretty sad that a “Read the Bills Act” is even necessary. To most Americans, it is common sense that politicians should actually read the bills they are voting on. But alas, there is no rule in either House of Congress mandating that congressmen and congresswomen read the bills they are voting on. Legislation is frequently passed without politicians having read it. That's how the PATRIOT Act was passed. The 300+ page bill was printed for members of the House of Representatives mere hours before they voted on the bill (it passed 357-66 in the House and 98-1 in the Senate).
Even on Fox News, some occasional journalism seeps through! I've seen the same on MSNBC, in-between rants by Olberman and Maddow. Long live CNN.
And yet Congress rakes credit card issuers over the coals for the fine print in card agreements? But Congress doesn't read the bills, the “fine print” that affects us all. What's wrong with this picture?
“But Congress doesn't read the bills, the “fine print” that affects us all.”
In all fairness, members of Congress may tell you (legalistically, with a straight face), those members of Congress (“Congress”) don't write the bills, either. They leave this task to (often unnamed) staffers, if or when not to others such as lobbyists or party officials.