Tonight's email from Jack Kingston (I live in his district) just sent out a list of his town hall meetings on health during the August recess and previewed the Rethuglican talking points you'll be hearing.
Portions of Jack's email are in blockquotes:
The ongoing healthcare [sic] debate in Washington will affect every American. That's why I'll be hosting special town hall meetings in your area to discuss current proposals and to take your questions.
Here's one for you, Jack. CEO of the largest medical facility on Georgia's Coast reports that only 35% of those coming to his Emergency Room have insurance. He predicts a shut down of our area's only Trauma Center if something isn't done. What will you do?
As you may know, Speaker Pelosi recently unveiled a proposal about which I have many concerns. This proposal would create a government-run insurance plan that would compete with private health insurance in a government-run "exchange." The non partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates it would cost $1.28 trillion over ten years and would raise costs, not lower them.
Question: Why are you lying to me? So far, only one of two House committees have reported out a bill. We have yet to hear from the other committee. Those proposals will have to be reconciled. Then the House bill reconciled with the Senate bill. The CBO report you are referring to is about part of a committee proposal, not a bill.
While I have long supported healthcare [sic] reform, this proposal would not only increase costs but lead to rationing and a government takeover of nearly one-fifth of our nation's economy. I believe we must focus on reforming our existing medical regime rather than piling more money and more government bureaucracy on top of it.
The "rationing" argument is from one "think tank" owned and operated by a subsidiary of United Health. Why are you leaving that out? And since Americans will have a choice between public and private, why are you trying to scare us with the canard of "rationing" in an optional plan that hasn't even been formulated yet, much less studied.
Do you consider Medicare and Medicaid, which enrolls over 60 million Americans "government take over"? Are the 7.3 million active and retired service men and women victims of a government take over? Your own health insurance is run by the U.S. Department of Personnel. Are you a victim of a government take over?
By promoting preventative medicine, addressing liability reform, and
rooting out waste, fraud, abuse and overutilization as well as allowing association health plans, tax vouchers for the poor, and local
flexibility to meet local needs, we can save hundreds of billions of
dollars and would bring about a more affordable, accessible and
patient-centered healthcare [sic] system.
All of the current plans have these elements in them, plus a public option. OPTION.
If you would like to learn more or have questions about our nation's
healthcare system and proposals to reform it, I hope you'll join me for
one of these special town hall meetings:
Oh, yes, Jack, I will there. And I will call you out on your lies. 74% of Americans want this. You and your lies will not stand in our way this time.