Health Care Talking Points: Size & Scope

Why over 1,000 pages? Sure, there are issues with health care that can be improved – tort reform, portability, pre-existing conditions, and so forth. But liberals always seem to believe they need to “reform” whole sectors of society or industry to fix a few problems. A thousand pages or more??

John Conyers (Democrat from Michigan), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, publicly asks the rhetorical question, “What good is reading the bill if it’s a thousand pages and you don’t have two days and two lawyers to find out what it means after you read the bill?”

First of all, for what other reason is this man in Congress - if it is not to write, read & vote on legislation? And if he is to vote on legislation, he has an obligation to read it!  And understand it! He took an oath to “uphold the Constitution of the United States” and he fails in his oath if he should not read the legislation on which he is voting. He has an obligation to his constituents to read and understand the legislation on which he is voting and which would then become the law. John Conyers’ constituents would be subject to the terms of this legislation which would become the law! John Conyers’ constituents would not be allowed a similar defense. “Ignorance of the law is no excuse” is pretty standard law of the land.

Secondly, if John Conyers would require “2 days and 2 lawyers” in order to understand the legislation, what are the average citizens to do?  What are the doctors to do?  Or even the bureaucrats who would have to administer the law? Do all citizens, doctors and bureaucrats need to “lawyer up”? Will I need to consult with a lawyer before selecting a health care plan?  Will I need to consult with a lawyer prior to selecting or visiting a doctor?? The proposed Health Care legislation unders consideration in Congress contains no provisions regarding tort reform. The legislation seems to be quite the boon (a “stimulus”) for the legal profession.

Consider this. Have you even had a question about your taxes? And have you ever had to call the IRS or consult with a CPA with a tax question? It is likely you have. It is also just as likely that you have received different interpretations of the U.S. Tax Code for every different individual you consulted. It is likely that you didn’t receive one single correct answer.

What do you think the chances are that John Conyers was somehow involved in the drafting and passing of the U.S. Tax codes??

But why should John Conyers worry about retaining his job as a Congressman? His constituents probably can’t read their ballot without “2 days and 2 lawyers”.