Healthcare -- Profile in Courage Needed

[gemdem]

Maybe someone has suggested this already, maybe not. Someone in Congress needs to introduce a bill that will suspend healthcare insurance for ALL federal employees -- including members of Congress, their staffs, etc. until the healthcare debate has ended and a healthcare bill has been passed.

I'm not so naive as to think this would actually happen. I know this won't happen -- not even as a way of making a statement.

Still, it would point out the hypocrisy of those on the conservative side of the debate. Government-funded health insurance is good enough for them, good enough for federal employees, but it can't be extended to those who can't otherwise afford or get insurance? Because why? It's socialism??? Um, then let's stop the socialism where it exists today -- in the halls of Congress -- before it spreads further. :sarcasm:

Just a thought, and that's all it'll remain. Too damned bad.

[sandnsea]

1. For Congress, sure; Employees? No way.

It's Employer Funded insurance. They choose form several companies and plans. Very similar to the insurance gateway or exchange. It is not like the public option. Taking insurance away from receptionists and forest rangers and veterans assistants isn't going to make any point at all.

[MichiganVote]

2. Why try to punish the employees when its Congress who is at fault?

[Mass]

3. For congress, yes. This said, do not expect a profile in courage from the present congress,

particularly the Senate.

[karynnj]

4. Even if limited to just Congressmen and Senators, it would not

be a profile in courage - it would be show boating. Why? It would have no chance of passing - so there is no down side. All it would do is get attention for whomever did it and would likely annoy the legislators on the fence - the very ones the good guys need to win over.

Not to mention, think of how it would look if one of the richer, more established Senators did this. Many of the Congressmen have already given up higher paying jobs, to be a legislator and they need to pay housing in DC as well as their home in their state. This could really be a major hardship for them - and they would not appreciate people like Senators Rockefeller or Kerry voting for it.