Re: Fw: Arc and Beyond Politics

[Guest guest]

A republican in the Obama administration..that pretty much says it all...

The Senate bill has passed...the Democrats have a majority in the

house...they can pass the Senate Health Care bill at any time if they vote along

party lines...why don't they call a vote? Following the story closely we know

why...while a few portions of the bill are worthwhile, the over all bill is

a monstrosity! Dick Durbin says health insurance costs will continue to

rise and Pelosi says we need to pass this bill to find out what's in

it! Now there is a great thing for SNL to do a " really " segment on!!!!!!!!!!

Speaking for myself and not for any group I represent now or in the past,

I say kill the bill NOW.

In a message dated 3/14/2010 6:51:17 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

egskb@... writes:

FYi

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

_egskb@..._ (mailto:egskb@...)

----- Original Message -----

From: The Arc of Illinois

Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 2:56 PM

Subject: Arc and Beyond Politics

The Arc of Illinois

March 14, 2010

Leaders in The Arc:

I have always enjoyed working with Ray LaHood when he was in the Congress

and this why.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

Beyond politics

Why Republicans should support health care reform

By Ray LaHood

March 14, 2010

I've been a Republican all my life, when I served in the Illinois

legislature, when I worked for members of Congress and when I served in

Congress.

During the 2008 presidential election, I supported Republican Sen.

McCain. I have always been - and still am - a fiscal conservative, an advocate

for a smart, but restrained, government.

For those reasons and others, most people wouldn't expect me to be an

advocate for comprehensive health care reform. But the truth is, I believe

there is no bigger issue to solve and no better chance to solve it than now.

If I were still a member of Congress, I would proudly vote for the bill

that President Barack Obama is championing and I would urge my colleagues to

do the same, not because I don't believe in fiscal discipline, but because

I do.

We do not need to look that far down the road to see the pain that failure

to pass health care reform will cause. Americans of every background,

class, race and political persuasion are suffering. We have the best health

care system in the world, yet more than 40 million Americans lack access to

it, a reality that is morally reprehensible. Health care is an essential, as

important as food, water and shelter. Those who don't have it are left

without the tools to survive.

In the coming days, Congress has a chance to change that. The bill that

will be voted on will reduce the deficit by about $1 trillion over the next

two decades, and will reduce waste, fraud and abuse in the health care

system. It will slow the rate of growth in health care costs and put America

back on the path toward fiscal sustainability.

The bill will give families and small business owners greater control over

their own health care. It will expand coverage to more than 31 million

Americans and will include tax credits to individu! als, fam ilies and small

businesses, giving them the same choices that members of Congress have to

purchase private coverage. It will create state-based exchanges that will

bring competition and transparency to insurance markets. And it will put in

place common-sense rules of the road to hold insurance companies accountable

and end some of the most outrageous practices of the insurance industry.

Never again will people be denied coverage because they have a

pre-existing condition. Never again will insurance companies be able to raise

rates

unfairly - like the 60 percent hikes expected in Illinois.

While the ultimate vote on health care may not be bipartisan, the ultimate

bill certainly is.

There are several Republican ideas in the bill. It allows Americans to buy

health insurance across state lines. It increases the bargaining power of

small businesses by allowing them to pool together - much like large

corporations or labor unions - to bargain for a better insurance rate. It gives

states the flexibility to come up with an alternate health care plan, and it

gives them resources to reform our tort system by developing new ways to

deal with medical malpractice.

I also feel compelled to remind my former colleagues that contrary to what

many people have been saying, the bill explicitly prevents federal dollars

from being used to fund abortion. It ensures not only that those seeking

abortion coverage will be required to pay for it with their own money, but

also that their personal money will never be commingled with federal funds.

As a former congressman with a 100 percent pro-life voting record, I'm

comfortable supporting this bill.

There isn't one member of Congress who represents a district that is

without a health care crisis. There are good, hardworking men and women in

every

part of this country who work for a living, but not at a business that

offers the opportunity to purchase health insurance. On their own, the cost of

insurance is just plain out of reach.

During my t! ime in C ongress, I was known for reaching across the aisle.

I did it not for the sake of bipartisanship alone, but in order to get

important things done.

Now, my former colleagues have the opportunity to change the lives of the

ir friends and neighbors for the better by voting for health care reform.

Ray LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, is secretary of

transportation in the Obama administration.

Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune

Please click here to be removed from our list. If you still receive emails

from us in the future, please ensure it was not forwarded from another

party or sent to an email address that is different than the one asked to be

removed. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Or write us at:

The Arc of Illinois

20901 S. LaGrange Rd. #209

fort, IL 60423

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Guest guest]

A republican in the Obama administration..that pretty much says it all...

The Senate bill has passed...the Democrats have a majority in the

house...they can pass the Senate Health Care bill at any time if they vote along

party lines...why don't they call a vote? Following the story closely we know

why...while a few portions of the bill are worthwhile, the over all bill is

a monstrosity! Dick Durbin says health insurance costs will continue to

rise and Pelosi says we need to pass this bill to find out what's in

it! Now there is a great thing for SNL to do a " really " segment on!!!!!!!!!!

Speaking for myself and not for any group I represent now or in the past,

I say kill the bill NOW.

In a message dated 3/14/2010 6:51:17 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

egskb@... writes:

FYi

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

_egskb@..._ (mailto:egskb@...)

----- Original Message -----

From: The Arc of Illinois

Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 2:56 PM

Subject: Arc and Beyond Politics

The Arc of Illinois

March 14, 2010

Leaders in The Arc:

I have always enjoyed working with Ray LaHood when he was in the Congress

and this why.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

Beyond politics

Why Republicans should support health care reform

By Ray LaHood

March 14, 2010

I've been a Republican all my life, when I served in the Illinois

legislature, when I worked for members of Congress and when I served in

Congress.

During the 2008 presidential election, I supported Republican Sen.

McCain. I have always been - and still am - a fiscal conservative, an advocate

for a smart, but restrained, government.

For those reasons and others, most people wouldn't expect me to be an

advocate for comprehensive health care reform. But the truth is, I believe

there is no bigger issue to solve and no better chance to solve it than now.

If I were still a member of Congress, I would proudly vote for the bill

that President Barack Obama is championing and I would urge my colleagues to

do the same, not because I don't believe in fiscal discipline, but because

I do.

We do not need to look that far down the road to see the pain that failure

to pass health care reform will cause. Americans of every background,

class, race and political persuasion are suffering. We have the best health

care system in the world, yet more than 40 million Americans lack access to

it, a reality that is morally reprehensible. Health care is an essential, as

important as food, water and shelter. Those who don't have it are left

without the tools to survive.

In the coming days, Congress has a chance to change that. The bill that

will be voted on will reduce the deficit by about $1 trillion over the next

two decades, and will reduce waste, fraud and abuse in the health care

system. It will slow the rate of growth in health care costs and put America

back on the path toward fiscal sustainability.

The bill will give families and small business owners greater control over

their own health care. It will expand coverage to more than 31 million

Americans and will include tax credits to individu! als, fam ilies and small

businesses, giving them the same choices that members of Congress have to

purchase private coverage. It will create state-based exchanges that will

bring competition and transparency to insurance markets. And it will put in

place common-sense rules of the road to hold insurance companies accountable

and end some of the most outrageous practices of the insurance industry.

Never again will people be denied coverage because they have a

pre-existing condition. Never again will insurance companies be able to raise

rates

unfairly - like the 60 percent hikes expected in Illinois.

While the ultimate vote on health care may not be bipartisan, the ultimate

bill certainly is.

There are several Republican ideas in the bill. It allows Americans to buy

health insurance across state lines. It increases the bargaining power of

small businesses by allowing them to pool together - much like large

corporations or labor unions - to bargain for a better insurance rate. It gives

states the flexibility to come up with an alternate health care plan, and it

gives them resources to reform our tort system by developing new ways to

deal with medical malpractice.

I also feel compelled to remind my former colleagues that contrary to what

many people have been saying, the bill explicitly prevents federal dollars

from being used to fund abortion. It ensures not only that those seeking

abortion coverage will be required to pay for it with their own money, but

also that their personal money will never be commingled with federal funds.

As a former congressman with a 100 percent pro-life voting record, I'm

comfortable supporting this bill.

There isn't one member of Congress who represents a district that is

without a health care crisis. There are good, hardworking men and women in

every

part of this country who work for a living, but not at a business that

offers the opportunity to purchase health insurance. On their own, the cost of

insurance is just plain out of reach.

During my t! ime in C ongress, I was known for reaching across the aisle.

I did it not for the sake of bipartisanship alone, but in order to get

important things done.

Now, my former colleagues have the opportunity to change the lives of the

ir friends and neighbors for the better by voting for health care reform.

Ray LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, is secretary of

transportation in the Obama administration.

Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune

Please click here to be removed from our list. If you still receive emails

from us in the future, please ensure it was not forwarded from another

party or sent to an email address that is different than the one asked to be

removed. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Or write us at:

The Arc of Illinois

20901 S. LaGrange Rd. #209

fort, IL 60423

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Guest guest]

I have been so engrossed in local, Illinois politics that I wish I had an

opinion about the health care bill...I fear I am like Pelosi...it will have to

be passed for me to figure out what's in it...by then it could be too late... I

know others, besides me, would probably appreciate an informative, discussion

about the pros and cons from those who can discuss the bill intelligently (which

leaves me way out of this discussion...)

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Arc and Beyond Politics

The Arc of Illinois

March 14, 2010

Leaders in The Arc:

I have always enjoyed working with Ray LaHood when he was in the Congress

and this why.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

Beyond politics

Why Republicans should support health care reform

By Ray LaHood

March 14, 2010

I've been a Republican all my life, when I served in the Illinois

legislature, when I worked for members of Congress and when I served in

Congress.

During the 2008 presidential election, I supported Republican Sen.

McCain. I have always been - and still am - a fiscal conservative, an advocate

for a smart, but restrained, government.

For those reasons and others, most people wouldn't expect me to be an

advocate for comprehensive health care reform. But the truth is, I believe

there is no bigger issue to solve and no better chance to solve it than now.

If I were still a member of Congress, I would proudly vote for the bill

that President Barack Obama is championing and I would urge my colleagues to

do the same, not because I don't believe in fiscal discipline, but because

I do.

We do not need to look that far down the road to see the pain that failure

to pass health care reform will cause. Americans of every background,

class, race and political persuasion are suffering. We have the best health

care system in the world, yet more than 40 million Americans lack access to

it, a reality that is morally reprehensible. Health care is an essential, as

important as food, water and shelter. Those who don't have it are left

without the tools to survive.

In the coming days, Congress has a chance to change that. The bill that

will be voted on will reduce the deficit by about $1 trillion over the next

two decades, and will reduce waste, fraud and abuse in the health care

system. It will slow the rate of growth in health care costs and put America

back on the path toward fiscal sustainability.

The bill will give families and small business owners greater control over

their own health care. It will expand coverage to more than 31 million

Americans and will include tax credits to individu! als, fam ilies and small

businesses, giving them the same choices that members of Congress have to

purchase private coverage. It will create state-based exchanges that will

bring competition and transparency to insurance markets. And it will put in

place common-sense rules of the road to hold insurance companies accountable

and end some of the most outrageous practices of the insurance industry.

Never again will people be denied coverage because they have a

pre-existing condition. Never again will insurance companies be able to raise

rates

unfairly - like the 60 percent hikes expected in Illinois.

While the ultimate vote on health care may not be bipartisan, the ultimate

bill certainly is.

There are several Republican ideas in the bill. It allows Americans to buy

health insurance across state lines. It increases the bargaining power of

small businesses by allowing them to pool together - much like large

corporations or labor unions - to bargain for a better insurance rate. It

gives

states the flexibility to come up with an alternate health care plan, and it

gives them resources to reform our tort system by developing new ways to

deal with medical malpractice.

I also feel compelled to remind my former colleagues that contrary to what

many people have been saying, the bill explicitly prevents federal dollars

from being used to fund abortion. It ensures not only that those seeking

abortion coverage will be required to pay for it with their own money, but

also that their personal money will never be commingled with federal funds.

As a former congressman with a 100 percent pro-life voting record, I'm

comfortable supporting this bill.

There isn't one member of Congress who represents a district that is

without a health care crisis. There are good, hardworking men and women in

every

part of this country who work for a living, but not at a business that

offers the opportunity to purchase health insurance. On their own, the cost of

insurance is just plain out of reach.

During my t! ime in C ongress, I was known for reaching across the aisle.

I did it not for the sake of bipartisanship alone, but in order to get

important things done.

Now, my former colleagues have the opportunity to change the lives of the

ir friends and neighbors for the better by voting for health care reform.

Ray LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, is secretary of

transportation in the Obama administration.

Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune

Please click here to be removed from our list. If you still receive emails

from us in the future, please ensure it was not forwarded from another

party or sent to an email address that is different than the one asked to be

removed. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Or write us at:

The Arc of Illinois

20901 S. LaGrange Rd. #209

fort, IL 60423

[Guest guest]

I have been so engrossed in local, Illinois politics that I wish I had an

opinion about the health care bill...I fear I am like Pelosi...it will have to

be passed for me to figure out what's in it...by then it could be too late... I

know others, besides me, would probably appreciate an informative, discussion

about the pros and cons from those who can discuss the bill intelligently (which

leaves me way out of this discussion...)

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

Arc and Beyond Politics

The Arc of Illinois

March 14, 2010

Leaders in The Arc:

I have always enjoyed working with Ray LaHood when he was in the Congress

and this why.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

Beyond politics

Why Republicans should support health care reform

By Ray LaHood

March 14, 2010

I've been a Republican all my life, when I served in the Illinois

legislature, when I worked for members of Congress and when I served in

Congress.

During the 2008 presidential election, I supported Republican Sen.

McCain. I have always been - and still am - a fiscal conservative, an advocate

for a smart, but restrained, government.

For those reasons and others, most people wouldn't expect me to be an

advocate for comprehensive health care reform. But the truth is, I believe

there is no bigger issue to solve and no better chance to solve it than now.

If I were still a member of Congress, I would proudly vote for the bill

that President Barack Obama is championing and I would urge my colleagues to

do the same, not because I don't believe in fiscal discipline, but because

I do.

We do not need to look that far down the road to see the pain that failure

to pass health care reform will cause. Americans of every background,

class, race and political persuasion are suffering. We have the best health

care system in the world, yet more than 40 million Americans lack access to

it, a reality that is morally reprehensible. Health care is an essential, as

important as food, water and shelter. Those who don't have it are left

without the tools to survive.

In the coming days, Congress has a chance to change that. The bill that

will be voted on will reduce the deficit by about $1 trillion over the next

two decades, and will reduce waste, fraud and abuse in the health care

system. It will slow the rate of growth in health care costs and put America

back on the path toward fiscal sustainability.

The bill will give families and small business owners greater control over

their own health care. It will expand coverage to more than 31 million

Americans and will include tax credits to individu! als, fam ilies and small

businesses, giving them the same choices that members of Congress have to

purchase private coverage. It will create state-based exchanges that will

bring competition and transparency to insurance markets. And it will put in

place common-sense rules of the road to hold insurance companies accountable

and end some of the most outrageous practices of the insurance industry.

Never again will people be denied coverage because they have a

pre-existing condition. Never again will insurance companies be able to raise

rates

unfairly - like the 60 percent hikes expected in Illinois.

While the ultimate vote on health care may not be bipartisan, the ultimate

bill certainly is.

There are several Republican ideas in the bill. It allows Americans to buy

health insurance across state lines. It increases the bargaining power of

small businesses by allowing them to pool together - much like large

corporations or labor unions - to bargain for a better insurance rate. It

gives

states the flexibility to come up with an alternate health care plan, and it

gives them resources to reform our tort system by developing new ways to

deal with medical malpractice.

I also feel compelled to remind my former colleagues that contrary to what

many people have been saying, the bill explicitly prevents federal dollars

from being used to fund abortion. It ensures not only that those seeking

abortion coverage will be required to pay for it with their own money, but

also that their personal money will never be commingled with federal funds.

As a former congressman with a 100 percent pro-life voting record, I'm

comfortable supporting this bill.

There isn't one member of Congress who represents a district that is

without a health care crisis. There are good, hardworking men and women in

every

part of this country who work for a living, but not at a business that

offers the opportunity to purchase health insurance. On their own, the cost of

insurance is just plain out of reach.

During my t! ime in C ongress, I was known for reaching across the aisle.

I did it not for the sake of bipartisanship alone, but in order to get

important things done.

Now, my former colleagues have the opportunity to change the lives of the

ir friends and neighbors for the better by voting for health care reform.

Ray LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, is secretary of

transportation in the Obama administration.

Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune

Please click here to be removed from our list. If you still receive emails

from us in the future, please ensure it was not forwarded from another

party or sent to an email address that is different than the one asked to be

removed. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Or write us at:

The Arc of Illinois

20901 S. LaGrange Rd. #209

fort, IL 60423

[Guest guest]

The below quote highlights how far down the illogical path we've been lead; when

this " health care " debate is defined into such a small box, you can justify

anything. After all, why isn't food, water, and shelter a guaranteed right --

it's certainly morally reprehensible that we all don't get it. Or, if that's

supposedly covered now (it's not) by other programs, why isn't at least access

to healthy food (ever try to buy fresh vegetables in the " morally reprehensible "

conditions of some neighborhoods?) and major dental items (much less general

care) part of the package. They certainly are more important than some of the

minor things covered by many health insurance plans.

The problem is Grandma in Chattanooga and Gramps in Fargo think healthcare is

getting to see the doc' when they're too sick to get out of bed. from

Shaker Heights and from Newport Beach think they need a full work-up and

antibiotics when they have a cough. We don't all use health care the same way

and see differently our need for it relative to it's cost. We do all need

hospitalization insurance, long-term custodial care insurance, and chronic

illness insurance, lest we become a burden on others. But if we've all already

been charged for comprehensive health and wellness care, and we're entitled to

the maximum benefits, we'll all tend to use more, still some less than others,

but on average much more. Costs will go up.

Unless we start over with health insurance being one thing and pre-paid general

care being another, we will have ever rising costs, and my guess is that those

that brought it about will print any amount of money to paper over the mistake.

Ooww! Fell off my soapbox. Gotta go demand an MRI of my bruised knee.

Medicare covers it so I don't care that my doc' will say I don't need it. I'm

getting it because I'm entitled; it's my right. Ooo! Almost forgot. Thanks for

paying for it.

PS. Pelosi said I'll be able to quit work and take up carving folk art

without losing healthcare benefits. Is that okay with you guys too?

FYi

The Arc of Illinois

March 14, 2010

Leaders in The Arc:

...... By Ray LaHood.....

..... We have the best health care system in the world, yet more than 40 million

Americans lack access to it, a reality that is morally reprehensible. Health

care is an essential, as important as food, water and shelter. Those who don't

have it are left without the tools to survive.

[Guest guest]

The below quote highlights how far down the illogical path we've been lead; when

this " health care " debate is defined into such a small box, you can justify

anything. After all, why isn't food, water, and shelter a guaranteed right --

it's certainly morally reprehensible that we all don't get it. Or, if that's

supposedly covered now (it's not) by other programs, why isn't at least access

to healthy food (ever try to buy fresh vegetables in the " morally reprehensible "

conditions of some neighborhoods?) and major dental items (much less general

care) part of the package. They certainly are more important than some of the

minor things covered by many health insurance plans.

The problem is Grandma in Chattanooga and Gramps in Fargo think healthcare is

getting to see the doc' when they're too sick to get out of bed. from

Shaker Heights and from Newport Beach think they need a full work-up and

antibiotics when they have a cough. We don't all use health care the same way

and see differently our need for it relative to it's cost. We do all need

hospitalization insurance, long-term custodial care insurance, and chronic

illness insurance, lest we become a burden on others. But if we've all already

been charged for comprehensive health and wellness care, and we're entitled to

the maximum benefits, we'll all tend to use more, still some less than others,

but on average much more. Costs will go up.

Unless we start over with health insurance being one thing and pre-paid general

care being another, we will have ever rising costs, and my guess is that those

that brought it about will print any amount of money to paper over the mistake.

Ooww! Fell off my soapbox. Gotta go demand an MRI of my bruised knee.

Medicare covers it so I don't care that my doc' will say I don't need it. I'm

getting it because I'm entitled; it's my right. Ooo! Almost forgot. Thanks for

paying for it.

PS. Pelosi said I'll be able to quit work and take up carving folk art

without losing healthcare benefits. Is that okay with you guys too?

FYi

The Arc of Illinois

March 14, 2010

Leaders in The Arc:

...... By Ray LaHood.....

..... We have the best health care system in the world, yet more than 40 million

Americans lack access to it, a reality that is morally reprehensible. Health

care is an essential, as important as food, water and shelter. Those who don't

have it are left without the tools to survive.

[Guest guest]

Thoroughly enjoyed the tongue and cheek National Health Care 101 tutorial, .

Your examples highlight your point quite well. Any idea how we get there if we

happen to agree with you?

Do we call our legislators on both sides of the aisle and state that we are

dissatisfied with what they are doing with the health care bill and demand that

they start over?

It sounds like what you are recommending is both an overhaul of the health

insurance industry as well as how medical care is delivered. I am all for

making sure that the greatest number of voting, legal citizens are able to

access affordable, reliable, appropriate and adequate health care without

incurring massive national debt.

Do the Republicans actually have a better plan, waiting in the wings?

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

[Guest guest]

Thoroughly enjoyed the tongue and cheek National Health Care 101 tutorial, .

Your examples highlight your point quite well. Any idea how we get there if we

happen to agree with you?

Do we call our legislators on both sides of the aisle and state that we are

dissatisfied with what they are doing with the health care bill and demand that

they start over?

It sounds like what you are recommending is both an overhaul of the health

insurance industry as well as how medical care is delivered. I am all for

making sure that the greatest number of voting, legal citizens are able to

access affordable, reliable, appropriate and adequate health care without

incurring massive national debt.

Do the Republicans actually have a better plan, waiting in the wings?

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

[Guest guest]

Ellen its ok if you don't understand it...but you aren't Speaker of the

house!

In a message dated 3/14/2010 11:50:16 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

egskb@... writes:

I have been so engrossed in local, Illinois politics that I wish I had an

opinion about the health care bill...I fear I am like Pelosi...it will have

to be passed for me to figure out what's in it...by then it could be too

late... I know others, besides me, would probably appreciate an informative,

discussion about the pros and cons from those who can discuss the bill

intelligently (which leaves me way out of this discussion..I

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

_egskb@..._ (mailto:egskb@...)

----- Original Message -----

From: _asachapter145@asachap_ (mailto:asachapter145@...)

_IPADDUnite@groIPADDUn_ (mailto:IPADDUnite )

Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 10:29 PM

Subject: Re: Fw: Arc and Beyond Politics

A republican in the Obama administration.A republican in the Obama

administra

The Senate bill has passed...the Democrats have a majority in the

house...they can pass the Senate Health Care bill at any time if they vote

along

party lines...why don't they call a vote? Following the story closely we

know

why...while a few portions of the bill are worthwhile, the over all bill

is

a monstrosity! Dick Durbin says health insurance costs will continue to

rise and Pelosi says we need to pass this bill to find out what's in

it! Now there is a great thing for SNL to do a " really " segment

on!!!!!!!!!!

Speaking for myself and not for any group I represent now or in the past,

I say kill the bill NOW.

In a message dated 3/14/2010 6:51:17 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

_egskb@..._ (mailto:egskb@...) writes:

FYi

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

__egskbsbcglobal (DOT) _eg_ (mailto:_egskb@...) _

(mailto:_egskb@..._ (mailto:egskb@...) )

----- Original Message -----

From: The Arc of Illinois

Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 2:56 PM

Subject: Arc and Beyond Politics

The Arc of Illinois

March 14, 2010

Leaders in The Arc:

I have always enjoyed working with Ray LaHood when he was in the Congress

and this why.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

Beyond politics

Why Republicans should support health care reform

By Ray LaHood

March 14, 2010

I've been a Republican all my life, when I served in the Illinois

legislature, when I worked for members of Congress and when I served in

Congress.

During the 2008 presidential election, I supported Republican Sen.

McCain. I have always been - and still am - a fiscal conservative, an

advocate

for a smart, but restrained, government.

For those reasons and others, most people wouldn't expect me to be an

advocate for comprehensive health care reform. But the truth is, I believe

there is no bigger issue to solve and no better chance to solve it than

now.

If I were still a member of Congress, I would proudly vote for the bill

that President Barack Obama is championing and I would urge my colleagues

to

do the same, not because I don't believe in fiscal discipline, but because

I do.

We do not need to look that far down the road to see the pain that failure

to pass health care reform will cause. Americans of every background,

class, race and political persuasion are suffering. We have the best

health

care system in the world, yet more than 40 million Americans lack access

to

it, a reality that is morally reprehensible. Health care is an essential,

as

important as food, water and shelter. Those who don't have it are left

without the tools to survive.

In the coming days, Congress has a chance to change that. The bill that

will be voted on will reduce the deficit by about $1 trillion over the

next

two decades, and will reduce waste, fraud and abuse in the health care

system. It will slow the rate of growth in health care costs and put

America

back on the path toward fiscal sustainability.

The bill will give families and small business owners greater control over

their own health care. It will expand coverage to more than 31 million

Americans and will include tax credits to individu! als, fam ilies and

small

businesses, giving them the same choices that members of Congress have to

purchase private coverage. It will create state-based exchanges that will

bring competition and transparency to insurance markets. And it will put

in

place common-sense rules of the road to hold insurance companies

accountable

and end some of the most outrageous practices of the insurance industry.

Never again will people be denied coverage because they have a

pre-existing condition. Never again will insurance companies be able to

raise rates

unfairly - like the 60 percent hikes expected in Illinois.

While the ultimate vote on health care may not be bipartisan, the ultimate

bill certainly is.

There are several Republican ideas in the bill. It allows Americans to buy

health insurance across state lines. It increases the bargaining power of

small businesses by allowing them to pool together - much like large

corporations or labor unions - to bargain for a better insurance rate. It

gives

states the flexibility to come up with an alternate health care plan, and

it

gives them resources to reform our tort system by developing new ways to

deal with medical malpractice.

I also feel compelled to remind my former colleagues that contrary to what

many people have been saying, the bill explicitly prevents federal dollars

from being used to fund abortion. It ensures not only that those seeking

abortion coverage will be required to pay for it with their own money, but

also that their personal money will never be commingled with federal

funds.

As a former congressman with a 100 percent pro-life voting record, I'm

comfortable supporting this bill.

There isn't one member of Congress who represents a district that is

without a health care crisis. There are good, hardworking men and women in

every

part of this country who work for a living, but not at a business that

offers the opportunity to purchase health insurance. On their own, the

cost of

insurance is just plain out of reach.

During my t! ime in C ongress, I was known for reaching across the aisle.

I did it not for the sake of bipartisanship alone, but in order to get

important things done.

Now, my former colleagues have the opportunity to change the lives of the

ir friends and neighbors for the better by voting for health care reform.

Ray LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, is secretary of

transportation in the Obama administration.

Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune

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fort, IL 60423

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[Guest guest]

Ellen its ok if you don't understand it...but you aren't Speaker of the

house!

In a message dated 3/14/2010 11:50:16 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

egskb@... writes:

I have been so engrossed in local, Illinois politics that I wish I had an

opinion about the health care bill...I fear I am like Pelosi...it will have

to be passed for me to figure out what's in it...by then it could be too

late... I know others, besides me, would probably appreciate an informative,

discussion about the pros and cons from those who can discuss the bill

intelligently (which leaves me way out of this discussion..I

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

_egskb@..._ (mailto:egskb@...)

----- Original Message -----

From: _asachapter145@asachap_ (mailto:asachapter145@...)

_IPADDUnite@groIPADDUn_ (mailto:IPADDUnite )

Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 10:29 PM

Subject: Re: Fw: Arc and Beyond Politics

A republican in the Obama administration.A republican in the Obama

administra

The Senate bill has passed...the Democrats have a majority in the

house...they can pass the Senate Health Care bill at any time if they vote

along

party lines...why don't they call a vote? Following the story closely we

know

why...while a few portions of the bill are worthwhile, the over all bill

is

a monstrosity! Dick Durbin says health insurance costs will continue to

rise and Pelosi says we need to pass this bill to find out what's in

it! Now there is a great thing for SNL to do a " really " segment

on!!!!!!!!!!

Speaking for myself and not for any group I represent now or in the past,

I say kill the bill NOW.

In a message dated 3/14/2010 6:51:17 P.M. Central Daylight Time,

_egskb@..._ (mailto:egskb@...) writes:

FYi

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

__egskbsbcglobal (DOT) _eg_ (mailto:_egskb@...) _

(mailto:_egskb@..._ (mailto:egskb@...) )

----- Original Message -----

From: The Arc of Illinois

Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 2:56 PM

Subject: Arc and Beyond Politics

The Arc of Illinois

March 14, 2010

Leaders in The Arc:

I have always enjoyed working with Ray LaHood when he was in the Congress

and this why.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

815-464-1832

Beyond politics

Why Republicans should support health care reform

By Ray LaHood

March 14, 2010

I've been a Republican all my life, when I served in the Illinois

legislature, when I worked for members of Congress and when I served in

Congress.

During the 2008 presidential election, I supported Republican Sen.

McCain. I have always been - and still am - a fiscal conservative, an

advocate

for a smart, but restrained, government.

For those reasons and others, most people wouldn't expect me to be an

advocate for comprehensive health care reform. But the truth is, I believe

there is no bigger issue to solve and no better chance to solve it than

now.

If I were still a member of Congress, I would proudly vote for the bill

that President Barack Obama is championing and I would urge my colleagues

to

do the same, not because I don't believe in fiscal discipline, but because

I do.

We do not need to look that far down the road to see the pain that failure

to pass health care reform will cause. Americans of every background,

class, race and political persuasion are suffering. We have the best

health

care system in the world, yet more than 40 million Americans lack access

to

it, a reality that is morally reprehensible. Health care is an essential,

as

important as food, water and shelter. Those who don't have it are left

without the tools to survive.

In the coming days, Congress has a chance to change that. The bill that

will be voted on will reduce the deficit by about $1 trillion over the

next

two decades, and will reduce waste, fraud and abuse in the health care

system. It will slow the rate of growth in health care costs and put

America

back on the path toward fiscal sustainability.

The bill will give families and small business owners greater control over

their own health care. It will expand coverage to more than 31 million

Americans and will include tax credits to individu! als, fam ilies and

small

businesses, giving them the same choices that members of Congress have to

purchase private coverage. It will create state-based exchanges that will

bring competition and transparency to insurance markets. And it will put

in

place common-sense rules of the road to hold insurance companies

accountable

and end some of the most outrageous practices of the insurance industry.

Never again will people be denied coverage because they have a

pre-existing condition. Never again will insurance companies be able to

raise rates

unfairly - like the 60 percent hikes expected in Illinois.

While the ultimate vote on health care may not be bipartisan, the ultimate

bill certainly is.

There are several Republican ideas in the bill. It allows Americans to buy

health insurance across state lines. It increases the bargaining power of

small businesses by allowing them to pool together - much like large

corporations or labor unions - to bargain for a better insurance rate. It

gives

states the flexibility to come up with an alternate health care plan, and

it

gives them resources to reform our tort system by developing new ways to

deal with medical malpractice.

I also feel compelled to remind my former colleagues that contrary to what

many people have been saying, the bill explicitly prevents federal dollars

from being used to fund abortion. It ensures not only that those seeking

abortion coverage will be required to pay for it with their own money, but

also that their personal money will never be commingled with federal

funds.

As a former congressman with a 100 percent pro-life voting record, I'm

comfortable supporting this bill.

There isn't one member of Congress who represents a district that is

without a health care crisis. There are good, hardworking men and women in

every

part of this country who work for a living, but not at a business that

offers the opportunity to purchase health insurance. On their own, the

cost of

insurance is just plain out of reach.

During my t! ime in C ongress, I was known for reaching across the aisle.

I did it not for the sake of bipartisanship alone, but in order to get

important things done.

Now, my former colleagues have the opportunity to change the lives of the

ir friends and neighbors for the better by voting for health care reform.

Ray LaHood, a former Republican congressman from Illinois, is secretary of

transportation in the Obama administration.

Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune

Please click here to be removed from our list. If you still receive emails

from us in the future, please ensure it was not forwarded from another

party or sent to an email address that is different than the one asked to

be

removed. DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. Or write us at:

The Arc of Illinois

20901 S. LaGrange Rd. #209

fort, IL 60423

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]