I agree with the Obstructionist Republicans and Blue Dog DINOs. There IS DEFINITELY rampant waste and abuse in the system, and we need to do something about those leeches who abuse the system, when they can afford their own health care. The leeches I'm talking about can be found on Capitol Hill.
There are currently 435 House Representatives, and 100 Senators, for a total of 535 current members of Congress. The average current salary of a member of Congress is $174,000, majority and minority leaders in both Houses make $193,400. There are also 413 retired members of Congress as of 2006.
The annual premium that a health insurer charges an employer for a health plan covering a family of four averaged $12,700 in 2008. Workers contributed nearly $3,400.
Unlike you, I don't have a law degree to fall back on if this job doesn't work out. Unlike you, I when I leave my job, my healthcare doesn't go with me at the same cost. Unlike you, I have to sign up for a new plan and a new provider, and without pre-existing conditions. Unlike you, I can't take a publicly-funded job for a minimum of 6 years and expect healthcare coverage forever because I once held that one job. Unlike you, I don't get 2-week vacations for Easter. If I'm lucky, I get Good Friday off. I may get a 3-day weekend over the 4th of July, depending on the day of the week it falls on, but I don't get a whole month.
Representative Roskam (R-6th Dist. IL), I understand that you're a good, loyal "I-got-mine-now-you-get-yours," "do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do" conservative obstructionist. But since you make $174,000 a year (working fewer hours and days than I do, I might add), with an optional COLA, AND since out-of-pocket for private insurance would cost you an average of $12,700, or a mere 7% of your taxpayer-paid salary, what I want to know is: why am I paying for YOUR "publicly-funded healthcare" when you can so obviously afford it on your own?
Why is a "public option" okay for YOU to accept and expect the rest of us to pay for it (AND for that of all your retired or even single-term colleagues), but not okay for US to have? If I can't have it, why should you? Either support a public option for all of us, or stop leeching off of the taxpayers.