Disappointment with Hall

Dear Editor:

I have on my desk the vote results for the Nov. 7roll call House vote on the 1.2 trillion dollar Pelosicare Bill. It was close: 220 Ayes vs. 215 Noes. Only one lone Republican (Cao) voted yes. I was very disappointed that our Congressman Hall chose to vote for this 2000+ page monstrosity that he probably did not even read. The administration’s promise for transparency and pledge that bills would be posted online was not kept.

It is appalling that this bill is the result of closed and even locked door negotiations that did not allow for the pledged bipartisanship. Then there are the private deals with the president and AARP and the drug industry. I would ask John Hall to relate his rationale for voting in favor of a bill that will cost more jobs, ration care, decrease Medicare benefits, further bankrupt our nation, create a tragic shortage of doctors, and destroy our excellent health care system. A good percentage of our physicians have vowed to quit the profession if socialized medicine becomes a reality. I have been getting emails from Congressman Hall that spin the pros of this bill; never do they touch upon the reality of the potential consequences. We, the people, would be paying the price of this despicable legislation, from our wallets and with our lives. The fact that the house vote was so close indicates that some of our legislators are actually listening to the dissent of the American people.

It is a travesty that the government would believe it can mandate the people to purchase anything! Just consider the outrageous penalties in this bill: Section 7203 says that willful failure to pay would result in a fine up to $25,000 or a year in prison. Section 7201 says that felony willful evasion would result in a fine up to $250,000 or up to five years imprisonment! We barely have room for criminals in our prisons, yet ordinary citizens will be locked up for not purchasing government health insurance?

I hope this bill will be DOA in the Senate as some senators have already predicted and that the Senate version will allow incorporation of more conservative views.

We must ask, is this still America? Government by the people and for the people? Freedom and Liberty? What we have is big government representing their interests and dealings, neglecting their constituents and trying to control every aspect of our lives. The founding fathers must be spinning, not just turning, in their graves.
Thel Simon
CARMEL