Jack "flag pin" Kingston (R GA-01) just sent me a message:
Picture of a C-37 by Wee in YYC,
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The plan offered by Speaker Pelosi amounts to a wrecking ball for our economy and I oppose it vehemently. I support targeted reforms that bring about more competition and expand access without increasing your taxes, raising your premiums, or cutting Medicare benefits.
Yeah, right. I went to both of Kingston's health care town halls in Valdosta, GA, and all he offers is competition (as in "shopping around for Lasik"), tax breaks, and vouchers, plus extending students' time on parents' health insurance and making employers pay for health care for illegal aliens. And he hasn't offered a single bill or amendment to actually do any of those things.
Why a C-37?
Here's a YouTube playlist for Kingston's entire 28 Sep 2009 Health Care Town Hall in Valdosta, GA. Feel free to look for any real solutions in there. I've annotated them with information Kingston conveniently left out, such as while he recommends tort reform as in caps on medical malpractice awards, Georgia already has such a law, medical malpractice awards in Georgia are are a an all-time low, and while that law did result in lower doctor's malpractice insurance premiums, like similar laws in other states, it had no effect on anyone else's health insurance premiums.
But I think my favorite is Kingston recommending not buying things we can't afford, meaning he thinks we can't afford health care reform after he was a vocal supporter of the war in Iraq. Kingston asks:
Why don't I have an airplane?
Well, it turns out it's not because he's frugal. It's because Congress hasn't yet approved we the taxpayers buying it for him yet!
It's a C-37, the military variant of the commercial Gulfstream 550 executive jet, and it costs $70 million. Now GA-01 and GA-02 are big districts, and a shared Air Force airplane for ferrying Congress members around on official business isn't a bad idea. But it does make Kingston's question a bit ironic.
Kingston is also not averse to flying on somebody's private plane while campaigning in a neighboring district. Nonetheless, Republican Burns lost GA-12 in 2006 to Democrat John Barrow, even though GA-12 had been gerrymandered to guarantee a Republican victory. Every Congressional seat from south Georgia is held by a Democrat. Except GA-01, which was traditionally Democratic until Kingston rode in on Newt Gingrich's coat-tails, promising term limits. Many many terms later, Kingston is still here, and still not doing all he could to help his district.
Rather than listening to Kingston, I suggest listening to Alan Grayson (D FL-08) about Kingston:
Georgia District 1, Congressman Jack Kingston, 123 dead.
Full text of Kingston's message:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WASHINGTON D.C. 20515
JACK KINGSTON
FIRST DISTRICT
GEORGIA
Dear Friend,
Right now on the House floor, we are debating the Pelosi Plan for health care. I urge you to tune in and to make your voice heard by contacting my office.
In case you missed it, I've spoken once today and a clip from that speech is available by clicking here.
The plan offered by Speaker Pelosi amounts to a wrecking ball for our economy and I oppose it vehemently. I support targeted reforms that bring about more competition and expand access without increasing your taxes, raising your premiums, or cutting Medicare benefits.
I encourage you to visit my website to learn more about this plan and where I stand. You'll find resources and fact sheets on my website at http://kingston.house.gov/... and on my blog which can be accessed by clicking here.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Jack Kingston
Member of Congress
Kingston didn't even put his slides from his health care town hall on his website. Meanwhile, Sanford Bishop (D GA-02) has copious information on his website, including a bill summary, section by section analysis, implementaton timeline, specific effects on his district, and the full text of the bill. Bishop, although nominally a Blue Dog, is a strong supporter of health care reform.
Kingston asked for input. Here's what I sent in reply:
Dear Congressman Kingston,
I support some of your votes, such as the stand you took against TARP.
However, regarding health care, I've been to two of your town hall meetings, and you have no plan.
Please support what you call Speaker Pelosi's plan. No more people have to die in GA-01 because they don't have health insurance. You can help stop that.
-jsq
A lot of people I know called Kingston's office yesterday asking him to support health care reform. He won't. He's the chair of the GOP Theme Team, after all. But a lot of people in his district oppose his foot-dragging.
Update: Kingston is still at it. Here's his latest mailer:
Health Care Debate Continues
Dear Friends,
The debate continues on the House floor and Speaker Pelosi looks intent on passing her health care takeover tonight. The latest is that the final vote will happen around 11 p.m. tonight.
I've had the chance to speak several times today on the floor and have been participating actively in this debate. You can view my latest speech by clicking here. I also spoke at a tea party rally on the lawn of the Capitol the video from that can be seen by clicking here.
We've seen Pelosi's plans at work before -- from her failed stimulus spend ing scheme to Cap & Tax and beyond -- they kill jobs, raise taxes, and put future generations further and further in debt.
I hope you'll take the time to tune in and watch this important debate. Phone a friend and ask them to do the same. While Speaker Pelosi thinks she's got the votes, the fight lives on.
If you would like to learn more about the bill and where I stand, please visit my website at http://kingston.house.gov/... or my blog by clicking here.
Sincerely,
Jack Kingston
Member of Congress
Pretty pathetic, really, that bashing Nancy Pelosi is his best argument.
I wasn't going to include links to his videos, but to get the full Kingston you have to see him in action. He thinks the stimulus caused unemployment. He gets all bent out of shape over spending on health care, after he actively promoted spending on an unnecessary war in Iraq. You can practically see his blood pressure rising....
Kingston's office number: (202) 225-5831.