As the Republicans in Washington gear up to appease Tea Party extremists and vote to repeal health care reform for Americans who need it, Senator Chuck Schumer is calling the GOP on their hypocrisy, and calling on them to give up their government-sponsored health care.
"It was a central value to us when we passed health care, and a central value to the American people, that members of Congress should get the same health care as everyone else. It seems unfair that House Republicans want to deprive middle-class Americans of the same health care as members of Congress but to keep it for themselves, he said."
Will every Republican who is going to be for repeal agree to not take government health care themselves and to drop their existing health care?
Let's localize that. Will Scott Walker, who's given Atty. Gen. J. B. Van Hollen the green light to sue to overturn the health care bill, opt out of his taxpayer-paid health insurance plan? Will Van Hollen? Will our new US Senator, Ron Johnson, who can't wait to repeal it?
Other Republican volunteers? Take one step forward, please.
No takers? That's what we thought.
Good for the goose, but not the gander.
UPDATE: One measure that didn't make it into the rules package was a proposal by Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) that would have required all members to disclose whether they are taking advantage of their federal health insurance plan within 15 days of taking the oath of office. Crowley's measure also split on a party-line vote with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed.