Thread: Blue Dog: 'Excellent idea' to start over on health care refo

August 17, 2009

Blue Dog: 'Excellent idea' to start over on health care reform

Posted: August 17th, 2009 07:32 PM ET
From CNN Senior Producer Kevin Bohn


Rep. Allen Boyd said Monday that it would be an 'excellent idea' to start over on health care.

PERRY, Florida (CNN) – Acknowledging his amazement at the crowds gathered to debate health care at his town halls, Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Florida, faced three large gatherings on Monday with many questioners voicing skepticism about the proposals being debated in Washington.

"Never have I had this attendance … that is a good thing," Boyd said as he started his third event of the day.

Boyd, in his seventh term, represents a conservative area in northern Florida. A fiscal conservative, he is part of the group of House Democrats known as the Blue Dogs.

At the first event of the day in Cross City, he held up a copy of the bill passed by the Energy and Commerce Committee and embraced by the congressional leadership.

"I cannot support this bill in the version it is in now," he said. "We can do better. We can make it better."

He emphasized to the skeptical crowds that he will work to reduce quickly-rising medical costs; that any bill must not add to the deficit; and that Blue Dogs like himself fought to delay consideration by the full House of Representatives to allow members to hear directly from constituents during the August recess.

When a questioner, Ray Evans, said he believed the President wants to do too much at once and asked whether Boyd would "be willing to scrap everything" and start over to do pursue reform more incrementally, the congressman responded: "I think that is an excellent idea … we may end up there."

In a later interview with CNN, he said the idea had been been floated with the congressional leadership. He said that with the strong emotions and heated opposition he is seeing, the idea of doing health reform in a more piecemeal fashion is something he is strongly considering.


A large number of those asked questions at Monday's events said they did not feel the government should play any bigger role in society.

"Government is supposed to be for the people. [It] already took over banks and the car industry. We don't want to take over the health industry," said one questioner, Ann Millard. "If government gets involved, the insurance industry can't compete with the government."

A hot topic at each of Monday's events was whether illegal immigrants would receive benefits under the bills under consideration – an unpopular idea as judged by the audience reaction when the topic was mentioned. Each time an audience member declared illegal immigrants should not received any benefits, the remark was met by strong applause.

"This comes up at every meeting," Boyd said in Perry. Earlier in the day, he quoted directly from the bill.

"Page 143, line 3,â€

Congress can afford to pay for others insurance. So lets cut Congresses' pay in half if Health Care passes.

Related Post:
Pension/Salary/Benefits CONGRESS!
https://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=Forum ... 831#909831

Congress can afford to pay for others insurance. So lets cut Congresses' pay in half if Health Care passes.

Cut 100% of the pay and benefits. Require all travel to be coach class. No campaign funds. No retirement plan and no medical plan. Then see who wants to run for office again. I

One time term limits. $60,000 annual salary for Congress. You can rent in Washington, DC area for under $2,000 including utilities. Or they can use provided cots in their office with the gym bathing facilities.

No lobbying or working for lobbyist for at least 10 years after serving in Congress. Cut their pension upon 65 to 67 to $6,000 annual, no medical coverage except for year of service, they should pay for coach travel to us.

We need the best and brightest leading our country - for the love of our country; not a job for a greed traitor.