Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., responded to those who’ve criticized his role in health care reform as partisan and unproductive. “This is not my first rodeo. I know how things can be achieved in the minority,” he wrote in a letter, noting his work on behalf of helping the contaminated town of Treece, securing funding for the national biolab at Kansas State University and keeping terror detainees out of Fort Leavenworth. “But this time, the deck was stacked very firmly against the minority voice. . . . Efforts to negotiate a better health care reform bill had already collapsed when the Obama administration set a rushed and arbitrary deadline for signing a reform bill into law. Despite the fact that compromise negotiations were under way with colleagues who I deeply respect, including the chairs and ranking members of the two committees, it was made clear there were going to be no compromises. Even now, Majority Leader Harry Reid and a select few are merging the two Senate versions of the bill behind closed doors, contrary to the president’s promise that the creation of the bill would be on C-SPAN for all to see.” Roberts concluded: “Rest assured, as the debate — which I expect to get even more heated — continues, you will hear my voice loud and clear. I’ll stand up for what’s right. I’ll offer and support alternative measures that I think make better sense and I’ll continue urging Kansans to share their concerns with me. I am saddled up and ready to ride.”
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32 Comments
Cowboy Pat bemoans –
“…the deck was stacked very firmly against the minority voice. . .”
Yeah. Democracy sure messes some things up.
Obama said he would bring transparency to government as the president of the United States. So far he has done nothing to bring transparency to government including his own policies.
At what point will he stop being in campaign mode and realize he got the job of president? He has spent more time on TV than he has resolving the problems of this country.
Mr. President it is time for less face time and more action from you. Unless you are truly the empty suit you appear to be.
“Politico” claims –
“He has spent more time on TV than he has resolving the problems of this country.”
Got a cite for that?
(Although I will admit he’s not lived up to Shrub’s dedication to clearing brush in Crawford, Texas.)
“Al Qaeda determined to attack the US? We’ll take that up with a meeting on September 10th. Now watch this drive.”
The Republican suggestions for Health Care reform can be found here:
http://www.gop.gov/solutions/healthcare
The Health Care Reform discussion in the House and the Senate, if allowed, should be interesting.
Senator Roberts, I am happy to share my concerns with you.
My concern is that you are not supporting the current reforms.
We need you to promise to vote for the reforms, step over the line and be bipartisan and your voice will be heard.
Kansans need the Public Option and all the other reforms now in the bills being finalized.
We do not need your voice continually saying “No. No. No.”
The Kaiser foundation determined that only 2% of the public would opt for the ‘public option’, but Pat’s worked up a lather since he doesn’t want his pardners losing any contribution monies!
Pat’s says “what’s the hurry, we’ve been kicking this around for four decades, I need time to think about it!”
Pat, where’s your hat?
“Kansans need the Public Option and all the other reforms now in the bills being finalized.”
———–
So, what are “all the other reforms” DavidB, and why do you support them all, apparently unconditionally?
Never mind, I’m pretty sure I know.
•At $675,350, Sen. Max Baucus, presenter of the Senate health care reform bill, (D-Mont.), the Finance committee’s chairman, has since 1989 collected more from health insurance companies, including HMOs and health services and health and accident insurers, than all but one other member of the committee.
Senator Max Baucus (DEMOCRAT) has been bought and paid for by the insurance companies.
That’s why the Baucus bill’s not going to the CBO.
Senator Max Baucus (DEMOCRAT) has been bought and paid for by the insurance companies.
This may well be the only time you see Pat so concerned about the poor uninsured 2% of the public.
As far as the Treece buyout, isn’t that another typical case of privatizing the profits, socializing the costs? Typical repub policy.
We “dim libs” know about Baucus and the others who have their hands out, and we hate it, along with the other blue dog D’s standing the way of reform.
And BTW, I don’t feel a bit sorry for dear widdle Robby as he snivels that those mean old Democrats are ganging up on him. He is a the absolute perfect example of the Party of No that figures if you stand up and scream no long enough, you might get your way just because people are sick of listening to you whine.
Dennis
The Goldman swindle is illegal in my mind. Cons always take something that has no value and hype it, then sell it for a good price.
“Pat so concerned about the poor uninsured 2% of the public.”.
Phantom that’s the problem with bleeding hearts. Everything becomes a crises for the poor 2%.
Democrats have to change the direction the earth spins on it’s axis and the direction of travel around the sun, to “take care of” those 2%. Then they get so worked up they loose focus and change the target. Now the word, “affordable” is tossed in. It sorta goes all down hill from there.
It’s not that Republicans are mean and don’t care about the poor. They believe in attacking the problem instead of throwing the baby out with the bath water.
The argument against the public option is that it’ll bankrupt the private ins. industry, do keep up.
We don’t need a government plan to help those truly without.
Amway,
“We don’t need a government plan to help those truly without.”
Of course not. According to cons,if they have nothing, there’s nothing left to cheat them out of, and therefore they’re useless. Let ‘em freeze on the street.
hahaha
lol
lmao
weeeeeee
wooohooooooooooooo
ride’m cowboy pat.
so pat do you sit around dc witrh the big pharma and big hospital corporation lobbyists and say…
“i represent a state where i can say sh*it like hey saddle up i’m ready to freakin ride and they love me.
haha, lol hehehe.
ok so tell me again how much money do i get from your clients to just say NO TO HEALTH CARE REFORM??”
be proud pat.
Dear Senator Roberts,
This isn’t the Kansas electorate’s “first rodeo,” either. We know how much money you took in from the health care and insurance lobbies to protect their interests, and how willing you are to serve them by kicking Kansas insurance customers to the curb.
Here are some totals from the contributions you received for last year’s reelection bid.
-Health Professionals $323,200
-Insurance $178,700
-Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $174,299
-Hospitals/Nursing Homes $121,600
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/industries.php?cycle=2008&type=I&cid=N00005285&newMem=N&recs=20
Voters in Kansas have no doubt about whose side you’re on–and it’s not theirs. You’re a shill and a corporate suck-up, and everybody who follows the money knows it.
You and your Republicans cohorts have proposed NO BILLS at all. President Obama suffered you fools for far too long for you to now complain and play the victim. When you were in the majority you did NOTHING, and now that the system is melting down you are hell-bent on clawing back to power by trying to thwart President Obama’s efforts.
My nonprofit insurance carrier just got sold, and the new for-profit carrier threatens a 33% rate increase. Solve THAT, Senator Roberts. “Buying insurance across state lines” does NOTHING to lower costs unless there’s a enough of a critical mass of policy holders in each state to bargain down provider costs.
Your “free market will fix everything” fantasy doesn’t begin to touch these problems. You’re an empty vessel for corporate contributions–nothing more.
You nailed it CF2K!
Roberts is now ready for input and being a player, problem is they wasted the summer screaming NO, and the bill’s ready for a vote. Talk about a Patsy Come Lately.
Tell it like it is Pat “I Got Nuthin, so that’s a big NO!”
Of course they stacked the deck. That’s what the majority party does when it can get by with it. Doesn’t matter which one. They both do it, and whine an cry when it happens.
Roberts is a scam, before Bush, I really didn’t mind him so much, now he’s just part of the good ole boy club like the others.
If Roberts was concerned, he would have pushed for healthcare reform before Dems got in office. Get out of the way Pat and shut up…Americans want this.
Wow! Dims of Kansas hate Roberts.
Reminder to Self: Self send check to Roberts campaign.
Dear Mr. Roberts,
Of course the deck is stacked. You and your friends taught us just how over countless demonstrations. And now you go whining and sobbing because your own methods are being used by the opposing party? You want royalties for inventing it? Too bad.
RepubliCON Hypocrisy 101
1. “The free market is always right and should not be interfered with by gov’t.”
That’s why Roberts pats himself on the back for a federal bailout of the lead-contaminated town of Treece, contaminated by the unchecked free market practice of a lead mine spewing toxic waste everywhere.
Privatize profit, socialize cost.
2. “Government is not the solution to a problem, government IS the problem.”
Unless of course you’re bringing federal tax dollars to your home state in the form of big boondoogle project like a “national bio lab.” Kansas, like most red states, receives much more in taxes than it pays. But that doesn’t stop CONs from demogaguing the issue.
3. “Government health care is bad. That’s why I’m on it.”
Exhibit A and B and C are Am-Way, Regular and HLP.
Their health care is either provided directly by the government or paid for by the government.
It’s plenty good enough for them, but when questioned about it, they will revert to talking points numbers 1 and 2 above.
Upon further reflection, there is some truth to point number 2 — gov’t IS the problem when RepubliCONs are running the government.
Take for instance Old Rubberstamp’s chairing of the Senate Intelligence Committee . . . he refused to meet the deadlines he himself set on why Saddam did not possess “tons and tons of weapons of mass destruction that could be delivered in as little as 45 minutes to a major US city.”
Pat “Stonewall” Roberts . . . because protecting conservatives and their corporate masters is more important than serving the American people.
He’ll stand up for what’s right for the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries.