Nelson crowd friendly but largely against health care reform
Media General News Service
Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Ivy, speaks with a standing room only crowd at a townhall meeting at the Nelson Center in Nelson County.
Published: August 21, 2009
LOVINGSTON – U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello faced a mostly friendly town-hall audience Thursday that definitely didn’t want the government to take over health care.
The crowd repeatedly applauded comments similar to Dave Miller’s, who said that “in the Constitution I don’t see where the federal government is empowered to run the health care system.”
Bill Howard, a retired actuary, said, “I have not seen how we are going to pay for it,” referring to health care reforms that are being discussed in similar town-hall meetings across the country during Congress’ August recess.
A few people voiced their support for more federal funding of the medical system, but many chose to put their opinions in writing. They scribbled “vote yes” notes to Perriello on a large banner outside the meeting or picked up copies of a form letter distributed by a group advocating the “single payer” plan.
The standing-room-only crowd of about 200 spilled out into the entrances of the Nelson Center for Perriello’s 12th town hall meeting this month.
He plans others in Rustburg Aug. 28 and in Appomattox Aug. 31.
“This is going to sound political,” Perriello said after the 95-minute meeting, but “this is the quietest, best-behaved town hall meeting.” It was a relatively short session because Perriello was going on to a 40th anniversary observance of the Camille flood just up the road at Nelson County High School.
Some meetings have lasted three hours, with audience members occasionally shouting and pointing at Perriello. He’s holding more town halls than any other member of Congress, he said.
The gatherings have taken a toll on his voice, Perriello told the crowd, and his first eight months in Congress have added 10 pounds to his frame because of fast-food restaurants and quick meals of pizza and doughnuts.
Perriello also got down to some specifics, although he didn’t say which way he will vote on health care. But he has some lit-mus tests the bill will have to meet if it gets his vote, he said.
He won’t vote for the health care bill if it provides federal funds for abortions, he said.
He won’t vote for it unless he thinks it will “reduce costs for middle class Americans and small business” and promote compe-tition among insurers.
The third test he’s holding out, Perriello said, is “do I believe it is going to start curbing the cost of our unfunded liabilities down the road.” Unfunded liabilities are the health-care benefits that are promised to older Americans but which may exceed the system’s resources within a couple of decades.
Several speakers asked Perriello if he plans to vote the will of his constituents.
Perriello said, “I will inevitably disappoint a significant number of my bosses” – his constituents – because not everyone wants the same results from health care reform.
“Different people have different issues. For some, this is a constitutional and ideological question about the role of govern-ment.
“For others, it’s about cost and pragmatic questions.
“And others pretty much want reform no matter what,” Perriello said.
“What I’m trying to do is make sure, before I do things, that I hear from as many as possible. I try to be as responsive as pos-sible to the majority of my constituents.”
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Reader Reactions
Bigal, he loses credibility with his “tea bagger buddies” as well. To put the average American who is concerned about the out of control government spending on the same bus as this guy is a stretch.
Guess I can’t talk since I am 15 pounds over weight and know that if I could lose that 15 or maybe 20 pounds I am sure I would be off the hypertension medicine. My cholesterol would probably lower to 200 from the 254 average it is now.(without medicine) I take a lot of omega 3 to counteract the build up.
Beyond using some medication my concern on my overweight is my knees. Constantly I see people overweight with canes, simple because they are overweight and their knees are giving out.
jcarney you are amazing.
You take high sugar/calorie drinks
and turn those words into meaning orange juice or milk.
You certainly are a master at disception.
j carney wrote:
“It is tiresome to hear elitist liberals make fun of fat people, people who smoke etc. while they go out and get wasted, drive drunk, smoke a few joints then take XTC/coke/mushrooms follow it up by asking others to pay for their healthcare.“
You do realize, I trust, that when you say or write such putrid nonsense that you lose whatever credibility you may have otherwise earned among everybody on the planet except for your tea bagger buddies, right?
Thanks for elevating the discussion and keeping it real.
Sometimes you just assume people know what you are talking about.
“Fat” is a very non-specific, non-medical, adjective that is somewhat subjective. Just ask any young woman with self-esteem issues.
“Overweight” is a term applied to people whose weight exceeds standard charts for height, gender, and in some cases, age. You can be “overweight”, and still be healthy in your physician’s eyes, as well as lead an active lifestyle, dress nicely, and subjectively appear fit and trim”.
Obesity is a specific condition, and has a specific definition. You can be fat, and not obese, or obese, and not appear fat. You can be neither, and be overweight.
Regardless, obesity has a major, measurable impact on health conditions and health risks. It is now well ahead of smoking, alcohol, and drugs as a major conributor to related diseases. Obeseity is avoidable, and reversible. Health risks associated with obesity—especially long-term—are not avoidable; medications can control problems related to obesity (eg., blood pressure medication, heart medication, cholesterol medication, diabetes medication, etc.). The best course, and least used, is excercise and diet, aka “fitness”.
Morbidly obese is a medical condition where one is so overweight, so obese, that they are at risk of severe and chronic health risks—when people speak of “fat” people, this is probably the picture that comes to mind—this is a state of 3-6% of the US adult population. If you are in this group, your doctor has likely had you consult about surgical options; without intervention and drastic lifestyle changes, you will most certainly die in the not too too distant future.
I did not self-admit to being obese to take on single-handedly full responsibilty for the high costs of medical care in this country. I spoke to obesity because of all the costs associated with the high cost of medical care, it is the largest nugget of truly avoidable cost.
How that got twisted around by some of you idiots is beyond me.
A disproportionate amount of health care costs are associated with people over 65—it would not make particular sense to say that “the high cost of healthcare in the US is caused by having people live longer”, or to say “seniors are responsible for the high cost of healthcare in this country”.
Similarly, the largest percentage of healthcare costs are spent on end-of-life care. How we manage that is of critical importance. We could also say “old people at the end stage of life are too much of a burden”—that too would be stupid.
What is true, is that IF we were able to reverse the trend of obesity, which incidence has tripled in this country in less than the last 20 years, we would lengthen the life expectancy AND improve the health and quality of life over a lifetime AND significantly reduce diabetes, heart disease, strokes, cancer, kidney disease.
Of course, we can spend all of our time ignoring the issue. Or making fun of ‘fat’ people. Or spouting off about Christians vs. non-Christians. Or entrusting ourselves to expanding a system that is—by all government measures—failing. Or, putting all of our faith in the rhetoric of the Know-nothings, vs. the Do-nothings—as if words were the change we need.
We’ve got those in spades.
I agree with you that it is the people’s decision but I believe the decision is between paying for a subpar, low quality health system that is not viable, will have astronomical cost increases with that cost being thrust upon taxpayers basically forever once it is starts, consequently paying ridiculous tax rates and the option below. This requires excessive tax rates that penalize the entire economy to subsidize Obamacare, which is not the way of the U.S. or any country that wants to foster capitalism and create jobs. There will basically be the subpar gov’t plan and a private plan for wealthy people, that actually provides quality care, similar to the quality of our system today. My insurance suits me well, I know nothing is ever perfect but I don’t have any problems with it and it has actually covered more than I expected on recent bills. Or option #2 a system that is self-sustaining rather than a massive snow ball rolling down the mountain on taxpayers, that can never be stopped. Improvements to the current system should be made like: interstate insurance competition, pooling of risk outside of employers (but not gov’t related), self-insured tax credits to level the playing field, tort reform, higher deductibles so not all of the burden is on the insurance co. and some responsibility goes the insured, some form of coverage for the ~10-20mm (not 46.6mm) who are uninsured and are U.S. citizens and have incomes below $50k (not uninsured by choice).
We’ve all heard the horror stories of the woman having to have her baby on the sidewalk in London b/c the ambulance wouldn’t come for her, the shortage of beds, costs placed on people’s heads for the value that they are allowed to have of treatment, halting of care for those that are too old b/c the cost of a procedure was too much.
I hear we need this overspending plan of Obamacare based on simple math but let me repeat: With what money? We don’t have any more money, look at the deficit and debt below. This scary item was surreptitiously released last Friday at 5pm:
Figures released by the White House budget office foresee a cumulative $9 TRILLION deficit from 2010-2019, $2 TRILLION more than the administration estimated in May. Moreover, the figures show the public debt doubling by 2019 and reaching three-quarters the size of the entire national economy.
Scottie: Healthcare is not free, it will be paid for. There is also no chance that it will be deficit neutral, Obama doesn’t understand that term. Seriously, even a watered down plan is going to have out of control costs and they will grow well beyond the budget projections as with all historical large gov’t and entitlement programs. Why should we believe Obama could buck this historic trend that has been in place for decades or possibly a century? I say this putting aside all of his other broken promises, even if it was a more pragmatic president I still don’t think anyone could stem this tide of overspending on entitlements. I said, “bedwetter” not “bettwetter”, it was not aimed at anyone person and nobody has come up with a more creative name as I had previously asked so I guess we’ll stick with it. I was just referring to the whining, complaining and blaming others mentality. Also what is the difference really between “obese” and “fat”, it’s really just semantics. I don’t think you make someone feel any better by calling them obese but we can stick with that if you prefer. If I want to eat a candybar I should be allowed to, whether I run 3-4 miles a few times per week or sit on the couch. I would recommend some athletic activity but that is not my decision. By the way, what level of education do you have, given that are criticizing my reading comp? I do take back the XTC/coke/mushrooms generalization, if someone consumed all of that I guess they might end up without a tooth like the guy in The Hangover.
jc—it all comes down to a choice for the Amnerican people. Right now, there is no perfect solution that satisfies every constituency. You don’t want to be told how to live—I don’t think any of us do. Who should pay the freight on that? Right now, in my case, I do—even with health coverage, I pay a premium for my excesses, and I pay a personal cost if it shortens my life (even if it doesn’t, my life could be more enjoyable if I lost a few inches). In the Medicare system, the taxpayer subsidizes the majority of the cost (after general revenues and discounted reimbursements, illustrated earlier), so its shifted. If WE want expensive care pay as you go no safety net—do nothing—we are gonna get there pretty soon. If WE want affordable accessable care for all, something has got to give. Plan A seems to be to cover everybody and control every aspect of the system by commisions, committees, agencies, coops, consortiums, budget mandates—which is very friendly to folks like UVA who garner the lion’s share of Medicare payments. But it does zip to curtail costs.
J Carney,
You are the one calling people names…“fat, bettwetter” etc. You are also confused and probably did not read all the posts. It is the self admitted obese person that was saying it is his fault (and the fault of the other obese people) that we have a health insurance crisis in this country—not me.
For your information, i don’t drink, smoke, stay out late, or do drugs; and when you charicterize me that way becasue you just made it up in your head, you expose your own deep level of confusion and anger.
I am 28, healthy, make a lot of money and pay taxes. I don’t free load off the system. I am happy to pay into the system so that my grandparents have medicare and don’t have to be refused care because no insurance company would cover them. I would love the option to PAY INTO a public system like medicare, so i wouldn’t have to deal with my terrible private insurance company. If healthy people like me had access to medicare, it would actually bring costs down because we would pay in and have far less costs.
While I would encourage obese people, and all people, to lead healthy productive lives like i do; If they don’t, I am not willing to let them go bankrupt or die simply because they loose their job and aren’t yet eligible for medicare.
Carney, you have a problem with your temper as well as your reading comprehension. Get over it.
Scottie,
You are in sore need of education (and that is, indeed, my opinion).
There is rhetoric—not legislation—aimed at reducing “fraud, waste, and inefficiencies” in Medicare. Another individual advanced the POV that perhaps executing a plan on the existing system would be a good place to start.
You would best be advised to go to MedPac before you start throwing out talking points. All parts of the Medicare program are hemoraging. All parts are “funded”, without parsing words. I believe that I am on the hook for my share, and then some.
By the way, I am a ways from Medicare. I am a contributor.
What part of my statement is unsupported by facts? Between half a dozen reports from government agencies like MedPac and the GAO, as well as statements from Obama himself—except for the “worse”, which is open to question because Obama has gone on record to say that he will not sign a bill that gives us “worse” (we just have not seen that stealth legislation yet)—I dare say it is not opinion, and certainly its not coming from me.
I suppose I am supposed to be a sheep?
And, why the personal attacks? What on earth does that prove? Do you even know what you are talking about? At all?
I have been in the position of leaving a job, refusing to relocate—several times (one of the “perks” of living in this area).
In my current position, I help people make affordable health care insurance decisions—its a small part of my business, but important. I am not going to tell you that health insurance plans are easy to work with—as I posted earlier, they are not. I am not going to tell you that insurance companies are not full of restrictions in what they cover, and are too often ridiculous—because that is the reality. Both are true, too, for Medicare, despite what you may be told—I spend countless hours explaining these plans, and working with administrators to get expenses covered, as do many physicians. Gordie will blame “dumb” patients, greedy or incompetent doctors, etc.—but the truth is, government run healthcare is not less complicated—it just happens to be the largest plan out there.
We can have an honest debate without personal attacks—or if you prefer, I’ll give you fits. That’s a fact.
It is tiresome to hear elitist liberals make fun of fat people, people who smoke etc. while they go out and get wasted, drive drunk, smoke a few joints then take XTC/coke/mushrooms follow it up by asking others to pay for their healthcare. The issue then gets turned around and by saying it’s all some fat guy in Alabama’s fault but the rich guy in Virginia should pay for it. These are the same liberals that want to tax high sugar/calorie drinks, well I guess kids/babies won’t be drinking orange juice or milk, except for the elitist liberals who can afford the tax and a six ounce “organic” carrot juice for $9 at Whole Foods. The whole ideology of dictating how other people live and blaming problems on someone else is getting old, as is the Obama Administration which specializes in this and this is only after ~6 mos. It all circles back to the entire “bedwetter” issue once again.
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