Rep. Lynch To Vote Against Health Care Bill
Rep. Stephen Lynch (AP)
BOSTON — If congressional Democrats win passage of a national health care overhaul, they will do so without the vote of one Massachusetts Democrat — Rep. Stephen Lynch.
Lynch, of South Boston, said Thursday he will vote against the approximately $940 billion bill when it comes to the floor of the House of Representatives, which is expected to be Sunday.
The decision is a switch. Lynch voted for the House’s health care bill in November. He says the Senate version does not put enough pressure on insurance companies to reduce costs.
“This is a very good bill for insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies,” Lynch told the Boston Globe. “It might be good for Nebraska, I don’t know. Or Florida residents. But it’s not good for the average American, and it’s not good for my district. Or for Massachusetts.”
Lynch is also critical of the “deem and pass” procedure House Democratic leaders are considering using to pass the legislation.
Despite his disapproval, the congressman predicts the overhaul will pass.
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As much as we all want REAL reform, I have to agree with Representative Lynch. This bill is nowhere near what we elected the Dems to do, or what they promised to do. I applaud Stephen Lynch for his courage. This vote gave just about everything to big pharma and the insurance lobby that they wanted. It is an el grande bait-and-switch.
“A middle class family of four making $66,370 will be forced to pay $5,243 per year for insurance. After basic necessities, this leaves them with $8,307 in discretionary income — out of which they would have to cover clothing, credit card and other debt, child care and education costs, in addition to $5,882 in annual out-of-pocket medical expenses for which families will be responsible.”
and
“By funneling so much money into the companies who created the very problems we are now attempting to address, we further empower them to hijack our legislative process and put more than just our health care system at risk. We risk our entire system of government.”
http://bit.ly/bfAaXq
How is this a victory for families who need real healthcare?
. A study has found that for American adults ages 55 to 64, lack of insurance is “third on a list of leading causes of death for this age group, behind only heart disease and cancer.” All told, depending on who does the math, 20,000 to 45,000 Americans die each year for lack of health insurance.
The cause for health care reform is a moral issue.
I have never voted for Lynch and certainly will never again.
Rep.Lynch is making a terribele mistake. Of course the Bill is not perfect burit is a very necessary start in giving 30 million Americans health insurance.
Finally, a Mass. Democrat who is brave enough to vote responsibly. To put one sixth of the nations economy into a bill that cannot be reviewed is unconscionable. I am an Independent who will support Lynch’s future endeavors.
What an act of cowardice! Just take a look at the list of Dems opposed to this measure (20?). Nice company Stevie!
Lynch is Scott Brown scared. He should vote for this, I am disappointed and will not vote for him again. Think about this….This should be a bipartisan bill…insuring 30 million (good for the Dems) and reducing the deficit (good for Rep). why are Rep against it? they are not, they are against the Democrates. This bill will not be perfect, no bill is. But something has to be done, and if it can’t be done now by such a majority, it will linger, costing us all money and many their lives.
Bravo for Rep. Lynch. Bravo for telling the truth that this is a huge give-away to the insurance, big drug and big hospital mafia.
This whole thing is not about HEALTH or CARE or REFORM and never was. Just as in Massachusetts, it’s about legally forcing citizens into a corporate, for-profit Ponzi scheme. It’s about perpetuating the insane, wasteful policy of employer-sponsored health insurance and increasing an already bloated bureaucracy.
This isn’t a case of “not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good”, it’s a case of a barefaced power/money grab and he is to be applauded for standing against it.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE vote yes for the health care bill. It is imperfect; we all know that is true but it is the best that we can get and it fixes many of the problems (portability, no discrimination b/c of pre-existing conditions) and it will ultimately pay for itself. The problems can be fixed in subsequent bills but if we fail to pass this one, there is no hope of any real health reform, no hope for the Democrats, no hope at all. Please, please vote yes–and you will forever keep my vote for you.
I am so happy to hear this. I emailed him yesterday (as he is the rep for my district), with my concerns of how congress is trying to use sleezy politics to get this passed. Healthcare reform is a good idea. This bill is not a good idea, and the majority of Americans agree.
Do it right, or not at all.
Oh, and for the upcoming “but the Republicans used tactics like this before” comments… just because something was done before doesn’t make it RIGHT. Fix Washington now, or we’ll fix it in November.
stephen you are a big big stupid sellout
if stephen vote no with the republican then he should never get another democratic vote again he may as well switch party now.
If Lynch votes to deny health insurance to 30 million Americans, he’s got to be replaced.
Nice to see all the “Progressive” kool-aid drinkers out this morning.
He’s a hypocrite of the highest order. A gutless puke, a sniveling little coward. Last summer, he expressed concern that the House bill was too expensive and didn’t cut costs enough, but then voted for it anyway. Now here’s a bill that is less expensive than the House bill he voted for and cuts costs even more and he’s looking for another excuse to vote against it. He is the ONLY member of the House opposing this bill from the left. Think about that. Stephen Lynch, the last true liberal in Congress. Give me a break.
SMART MOVE Congressman Lynch!!!
VERY SMART MOVE!
What good does it do to make Nancy Pelosi happy..if she isn’t going to be Speaker after November..and a “yes’ vote gets you voted out of Congress????!!!
Now THAT would be stupid!
Now you may have a chance at re-election.
My Democratic congressmen made the same decision and now looks like a shoo-in for re-election.
It’s called actually “listening to the majority of your constituents”..instead of being condescending and arrogant.
Apparently you learned the lessons of last November…and January.
The definiton of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Apparently some other posters on here HAVEN’T learned ANYTHING from the vote in January.
You DON’T diss the voters..and survive.
This bill would be a disaster.
The New England Journal of Medicine just published a poll of physicians where 46.3% said they would consider quitting medicine or be put out of business if Obamacare passes. I beleive that poll..since I’m one of those doctors.
Try getting medical care when almost half of the profession decides to quit. Good luck with that!
I cannot understand your switch! You must have the Scott
Brown Syndrom. I don’t believe you represent the majority
of your district. If you vote against the Health Bill you
seem to have Capitol Hill Fever. Joe Moakley, John Mc Cormick, and Ted Kennedy. all from the depression era
will be dissapointed in Southie’s new baby boomer conser-
vative you appear to becoming. YOU ARE A DISSAPOINTMENT.
Even if the bill passes and he votes against it, then he should be held accountable on election day.
A ‘No’ vote from Lynch will ensure that he gets a tough primary run. Phil Dunkelbarger, what a name!, but he looks like a great alternative to Lynch. Check out his site:
http://www.dunk2010.com/
If Lynch votes ‘No’ then out he goes!
PLEASE vote YES for health care !!! This is the right thing to do. I can hardly bear listening to the party of NO anymore. They say anything they think will influence people to be against the Democrats, with no regard for the truth, nor any consideration for what may be for the greater good of the American people. Please stand for what is right. If we miss this opportunity – it will be decades before any chance for health care reform could be considered. Obama has done everything in his power or anyone else’s to include the Republicans in this effort. They refuse any movement toward bipartisanship. We cannot wait for them further. We must act Now – Thank you very much.