Blue Dog Rep. Peterson says no to Obama’s health care reform plan

Blue G=Dog Rep Peterson should be saying NO to the healthcare lobbyists who are filling his campaign coffers for his next election! Healthcare premiums are unsustainable, the insurers denials are unacceptable. Expand single payer such as Medicare to all and then allow those who chose to continue purchasing private insurance for healthcare. How can Rep Peterson say NO to the millions of Americans who have no health coverage and who have been denied by their insurers of medical care? Next election, we should all be saying NO to Peterson when he asks for your vote!

Bottom line is corporate lobbyisits are funding legislatures through their “influence peddling” and our elected representatives are representing the highest bidders rather than the people themselves. This must end or we can say, “welcome to Corporate America, buy the corporatins, of the corporations and for the corporations”.

We must say NO and demand change in how the washington games are played as this is serious business and we the people have lost control.

“Frankly, I just don’t think this is sustainable,”

But the $12000 a year per family, rising 10 to 15% per year system, that we current have is?

I suppose if he thought that deeply about anything he wouldn’t be a Blue Dog. Could someone explain to me how have turn coats like this in their midst helps Democrats.

Peterson is no Democrat. He votes with the republicans. Check his viting records. He is similar to a Coleman, gets elected on a platform and either changes sides (Colemans case) or works both parties from both sides of the table. Peterson represent the very large Agri-businesses. Cheap imported labor and many government subsidies. He needs to be challenged by a true Democrat who will work for the citizens if his district, not all the large corporations.

I’m a democrat but I’m also fiscally responsible. Let’s face it, the government can’t do anything right or cost effectively. They messed up Katrina. They messed up Iraq! They can’t find bin Laden. They’re about to bankrupt Social Security & Medicare. They took over private industries and shafted the GM shareholders in favor of the unions. Everywhere I look there’s government waste.

Sure we need some reform for healthcare, but we need reform for government more! Let’s start by trying to control healthcare costs, not building another government handout program that will be poorly run and rife with fraud.

How is this healthcare plan any different than another Medicare plan paid for by the people who keep this country running? It’s just another handout & it will be a poorly run handout. Are people really ok with Medicare? Why would this be any different?

I just hurt my knee recently. The doctor ran a zillion tests and xrays only to tell me I needed to ice it and take advil. I asked him why he did the xrays. He said it was mostly defensive. I just got the bill for $2900. If he would have done the reasonable thing, it would have only cost a few hundred dollars. Let’s focus on fixing this problem first instead of creating more government waste and control. If it didn’t cost $2900, my health insurance would cost a heck of a lot less.

Reps. Tim Walz, Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison and James Oberstar need to fix the real problem instead of creating yet another entitlement.

Peterson is my hero because he realizes screwing around with 1/7th of the economy on a whim is dangerous and isn’t proven would actually improve things.

To Sue’s comment on attacking Peterson for “Cheap imported labor and many government subsidies”, I would only add that this sure does seem like the Democratic ticket. Forcing energy costs to go higher while India and China are doing the opposite will only force the last few manufacturing jobs overseas faster…where labor is cheaper than here! How can you even accuse Peterson of government subsidies when the entire “Stimulus” bill was government subsidies. How well is that going, anyway? Last I heard “Cash for Clunkers” is about as poorly run as Katrina. Why is the wind turbine company in southern MN laying people off when there’s all this money for energy subsidies in the “Stimulus” plan? Help, I’ve fallen…maybe my government will help!!! There are endless examples of where the government has wasted money and made things far worse. Show me 2 examples where things are better off because of something our government did. Sending Bill to N. Korea won’t count because he’s retired.

Pawlenty is also my hero because he was able to live within our means. The lazy & largely democratic officials couldn’t make any hard decisions to shave a few percent off the budget while every other company in MN is able to make some hard decisions. Even though he’s a Republican, Thank God for Pawlenty that he was able to actually control our spending.

[...] to home, the Minnesota Independent reports that Blue Dog Democrat Colin Peterson said he won’t vote for the health care reform proposals [...]

I hurt my knee recently. I have a $1000 deductible policy that costs $400 per month, so I didn’t go to the doctor, I just iced it. So I guess my premiums paid for Paul’s stupid ass doctor who ran up a big unnecessary medical bill. And Paul didn’t ever question anything that was being done because either he has too much money, is a poor consumer, or isn’t paying for it himself. Isn’t that socialism when my premiums pay for people like Paul to run to the doctor when they could just stay home and ice it?

I have a hard time understanding how anyone other than the executives and shareholders of the private insurance companies could think that our current healthcare system is meeting the needs of the American people. I’m a medical professional myself and support universal health care reform. I’ve written my Congressman, Senators, and the President on more than one occasion and have also called their offices to voice my support for reform. I’ve also spent countless hours researching what the best overall way is to bring down long term costs in order to provide everybody accessible and affordable health care. Here’s my solutions – http://bit.ly/9QLV8.

I had a fall recently on my face, and am on a state run plan. The doctor couldn’t see me because he was booked with emergencies. I was afraid to go to the emergency room because one, I couldn’t afford the deductible, and two, a medical secretary told me I’d wind up classified in a dental category that my plan didn’t cover. Finally, after several days, I got into a dentist running a fever, waited several hours in the office, then found out that it was terribly infected and could have traveled to the brain and killed me. I was put on heavy doses of antibiotics and lived to tell this tale, instead of being another American statistic. But there was no plethora of doctors available on demand to see me, no easy access to an emergency room, no instant service vs waiting, and so many other emergencies I couldn’t even classify as an emergency when … I really was.

Paul – ever hear the phrase, “penny wise, pound foolish” – referring to the idea, if you don’t fix it now, you certainly will be paying to have it fixed later. As explained, if left as status quo, this system (which the government is already involved in via medicare amongst other outlets) is 1/6 the GDP. In ten years, it will 1/3 (doubled). The government issues you mention to support the failed policies of the Bush era are good points, that’s why the RNC/GOP had to go. It also goes to show you that the GOP, big on illegal wars and tax breaks for the rich have continually screwed up. I’ve listened to President on his reasoning and how this will have to be played out – and I’ve watched the Big Insurance companies through FOX & Friends (Beck, O’Reilly, Limbaugh, Murdoch, Hannity) try and “stop” it (why would they want to have to bring costs in-line? It’s not big business Democracy!).

The Insurance companies are spending $200 million a week this summer to “blog” hire protesters (union busters of sorts) and line the pockets of the RNC NeoCons to take up their battle. It’s Propaganda. 2/3 of these costs are already built into the system, the wealthiest of us will have to contribute more (and yes, that’s me too). I have health care. I’m happy, but I would be happier knowing that my fellow American’s were also covered. My moral compass tells me it’s the right thing to do. No divine intervention was necessary. I also don’t expect things to get easier given 8 years of destructive government under Bush/Cheney. They broke so many things, that to expect President OBama to fix them in 8 months or even 8 years would be ridiculous. The damage done under the GOP is going to take generation (I hate to say) to clean up. Our country’s image, moral standing and belief in our system of government has been diminished by the selfish few, who took power and abused it. It will be one of the most embarrassing periods of our country’s history, but if we don’t take this opportunity to fix it, make amends and do what we know is right, we will fail like every great civilization before us – living on the laurels of our past – and not working to make it better. These Blue Dog Democrats are only looking after their own interest and that should tick off the constituents that elected them in. Now make them work for you. Call them – getting better takes time. We must start now.

By the way – the Government – is US – the United States. Too much of “us”? Each time I hear the idocracy that waste in government – I laugh. Bush did away with regulating banks and real estate markets – Did the greedy b*stards regulate themselves (Reaganomics) – H*LL to the NO!). We the people NEED to oversee these things so that what happened under Bush never happens again.

Get on your elected officials MN – silence is golden for the GOP and the Insurance Companies. They’d love you to keep them RICH and having to face THEIR DEATH PANELS.

From what I have heard rural citizens are being more adversely affected by soaring health care costs than people from urban areas. As many as 65-70% are asking for health care reform. Colin do your job for your constituents. How many of the individual farmers are getting raked over the coals by insurance companies. Colin look at it personally,not your paid for insurance. The vsweat and strain and (? %) of your crops revenue going to pay for your health care. Colin look these farmers in the eye and tell them they should pay more each year. Then tell them you are going to guarantee them good weather and prices, Good God man get a hold of yourself.

Paul -It seems the only lazy guy here was you .You hurt your knee and ran up $2900 of bills and shrugged your shoulders after the fact. Social Security has been America’s bank account for years. That is why there is financial problems there. Medicare has been shot full of holes by the Republicans for years. Why do you think our moms and dads need supplemental insurance? Your hero Tim threw 35000 people off of the rolls of Minnesota Care. What a great guy,he is going around the country telling conservatives they should tell everyone to celebrate the Lord and be proud to be practicing Christians. I was always taught to help the weak and the people who needed the most help. Please Tim practice what you preach or be silent.Save the needy from the mighty. Do that and then you are worthy.

Has Rep. Peterson bothered to tell his constituents that he received $498,220.00 in contributions from health care special interest groups?

Is there another party for these “Blue Dogs”? They are clogging up the system trying to serve two masters. Did anyone see Bill Moyers on Bill Maher the other night? He was absolutely right; this is a moral issue. For all those Blue Doggers and religious people out there to deny the right of healthcare to every citizen is UNCONSCIONABLE!! These guys are beholden to the health insurance companies who are beholden to their shareholders. YOU CAN CHANGE THIS WITH A VOTE. Tell these guys you will not stand for their shananigans any longer; put up or shut up! Do what is right and do it now! Don’t worry about what the other guy is going to use his insurance for, that is his business. I want Barak Obama to rip up the bill they have now and rewrite the whole thing. This bill has already given to much to the Republicans. We voted for him to help the regular working guy. Let’s hold his feet to that fire!

j kuehl, you are not cool at all. The reason our mothers and fathers need supplimental health insurance is because like now, the democrats are giving in too much to the Republicans. Medicare was a compromise because nobody wants to help their fellow man. It’s everyone for themselves! I hope you don’t lose your job and health insurance. I hope you don’t end up in the shelter like families in which both parents have lost their jobs. If you do, I will, just as I do every other homeless person I come across, hand you a dollar for food. To tell this person they were lazy because they could not AFFORD to pay the HIGH COST BILL AFTER PAYING THE HIGH COST PREMIUM is out of line!