Ohio Voters Oppose Health Care Plan

January 26th, 2010

Betty Sutton is out of touch with her constituents.

"Survey Says..." - Betty Sutton misreads constituents, again.

I can clearly remember Betty Sutton and her representatives telling us that most of her constituents wanted the health reform she was so diligently working to pass.  Once again, polling data shows Sutton to be  – WRONG.

Ohio Right to Life has just released the results of an interesting survey.  The Wenzel Strategies telephone survey of 1001 Ohio registered voters found that 52 percent of respondents oppose the national health care reform plan currently moving through Congress.

In general, do you favor or oppose the health care reform plan under consideration by President Obama and Congressional leaders?

  • Strongly Favor 21.1 %
  • Somewhat Favor 18.6%
  • Somewhat Oppose 7.9%
  • Strongly Oppose 44.1%
  • Not Sure 8.4%

The Survey also found that 65 percent of respondents oppose provisions for taxpayer funding of abortions included in any reform package.  Of course, it is not possible for federal tax dollars to fund abortion, right Betty?

Do you think that health insurance that is paid for or subsidized by taxpayer money should include coverage for abortions, or should abortions be excluded from coverage in such situations?

  • Should Cover 22.1%
  • Should Not Cover 65.0%
  • Not Sure 12.9%

The poll questions were asked in conjunction with the Ohio Cultural Index. These results are available in their entirety  at www.ohiolife.org. The Index will be released on January 25. The survey was conducted January 8-12, 2010, and included 1001 Ohio registered voters contacted by phone. The poll carries a 95% confidence interval and a margin of error of +/- 3.07 percentage points.

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Smothering The Spirit of America

November 11th, 2009

Morning Journal Editorial Takes Betty To Task

Morning Journal Editorial Takes Betty To Task

The following was published as part of an opinion piece on The Morning Journal website:

[ Click For Full Story ]

Passage of the massive and ill-conceived Democratic health reform bill in the U.S. House of Representatives came this past weekend with the help of Lorain County’s two representatives Betty Sutton and Marcy Kaptur, both Democrats. Kaptur also represents Erie County.

We hope for their sake those two will be fortunate enough to see this nanny state vision of health reform come to naught in the Senate, as appears likely. The goal of affordable health care for all is laudable, but even the House bill would not have delivered that result.

The House bill, if it were to become law, would initiate a process of government engulfing your life, making you dependent on government programs, and suffocating your independence.

Fortunately, at this point, it appears the House health reform plan will hit a stone wall of opposition in the Senate. But nothing can be taken for granted. Everything American is at stake.

Improve America’s vitality, do not smother its spirit.

[ Click For Full Story ]

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HR 3962, WTF

November 8th, 2009

Affordable Health Care for America Act

H.R. 3962 Sutton's Plan

H.R. 3962 Sutton's Plan

Well, she did it again.  Congresswoman Betty Sutton came down in the last hour just as we would have expected, against the best interests of the district, and worse yet, against the will of the people.

In a H.R. 3962 “fact” sheet posted on the congresswoman’s website, Sutton tells us this bill will cut the deficit by more than 30 billion dollars over the next decade and will continue to create a budget surplus over the next 20 years.

Betty’s Merry Men

Steve Driehaus OH-1 (D)
Marcia Fudge OH-11 (D)
Mary Jo Kilroy OH-15 (D)
Tim Ryan OH-17 (D)
Zach Space OH-18 (D)
Charles Wilson OH-6 (D)
Marcy Kaptur OH-9 (D)
more

A Budget surplus?!? Wow, that sounds great!  Suddenly Betty is interested in fiscal responsibility.  Where was this idea when she and her cohorts spent us into the largest deficit in our nations history?

Now Rep. Sutton comes to us with a “Budget Surplus”.  Does she think anyone will actually believe this?  Even if it were true, Sutton and her band of merry men will quickly waste the “surplus” on other irresponsible spending sprees.  How about a tax cut for every American to prove that this surplus will really exist?  The tax cut can be effective immediately upon the final passage of health reform.

Sutton also tells us the cost of health care reform under the legislation is fully paid for by cuts in services and an additional surcharge on 550 households in the district.

——-

Surcharge?  Betty, are you trying to mislead people again.  The word is TAX.  You are placing an additional TAX on 550 families in OH-13.

I’m not as smart as you, so let me see if I have this right – You are raising TAXES on OH-13 residents to pay for a plan that will create a surplus?

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Bringing the Town Hall To You

November 5th, 2009

Betty Sutton, Are You Listening?

Betty Sutton, You Might Want To Take Notes.

The people of OH-13 have spoken out loud and clear at rallies and events throughout the district.  But our representative, Betty Sutton, pretends not to hear us.

We are now staring down the barrel of a health care reform proposal that will literally destroy our health care system.  With a price tag of more than a trillion-dollars, this government spending spree by Betty Sutton will bring our economy to its knees.

What does Betty Sue want to give us?  Bureaucrats, rationed care, higher individual costs, reduced standards, longer waits, denials of coverage, and less choice.  Her road map to get us to this point has been filled with misinformation, half truths, and lies.  On top of that, she has ignored our questions, avoided our meetings, and and outright refused to engage in dialog.

Betty Sutton, you were elected to represents the people of OH-13, the people do not want this reform.  Vote for us, not against us.

Patriots at Betty Sutton's Akron Office

Patriots at Betty Sutton's Akron Office

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A Quiet Revolt

November 4th, 2009

Betty Sutton - Stop Messing With The Sign.

Stop Messing With The Sign

What happened to the Lorain “NO Government Health Care” sign?

An OH-13 constituent of Congresswoman Betty Sutton has been leading his own quiet protest of government health reform.  For the second time, this man’s “NO Government Health Care” sign has been mysteriously transported to a nearby dumpster!

Was this an act of community beautification?  Not likely since litter near the sign’s original location was left behind for all to enjoy.  It seems more likely to have been another attempt to “clear up any misinformation” surrounding Betty Sutton’s health care reform activities.

We may never discover  the perpetrator of these dastardly deeds, but one thing is for sure:  Involvement in political decent is growing.  The powers that be can take our signs, bar us from entry to their palaces, hang up on our phone calls, ignore our questions, and call us childish names – but they cannot slow the growth of our movement.  Our voices will be heard.

Betty, it’s time to make nice with your constituents.  Vote no on the new health care reform bill.

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Let’s Kill Some Babies! H.R. 3962

October 30th, 2009

Wait for it…  wait for it…  here it comes…  LIE

lies

There we go.  I knew it was only a matter of time before overwhelming proof of Sutton’s abortion lie would surface.

Tele-Town-Hall 2009

Constituent – Joe from Avon:

60% of Ohioans oppose abortion. 70% of Ohioans oppose the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions.  Both H.R. 3200 and the senate, that is the Kennedy bill, contain provisions for federal subsidies for abortion.  Will you refuse to vote for any healthcare bill that does not explicitly exclude federal funding of abortion?

Pinocchio Betty Sutton:

Thank you very much Joe. Um, let me, let me just first address something that you said in your, in the course of your question.  H.R. 3200 DOES NOT provide for the use of taxpayer funded, ah tax payer dollars to fund abortions.  And in fact it is federal law, ah that taxpayer funds are not allowed to be used to fund abortions.  Under the bill, that remains in tact.  Under the bill, federal funds will not be permitted to fund abortion.  So, I hope that that ah will, will clear up any misperception that exist that it is well understood in federal law that you can’t use taxpayer funds to fund abortion.  Thank you very much for the question.

So, Betty, if it’s “well understood” that taxpayer dollars cannot be used to fund abortion, why is the funding of abortion being discussed on the hill? Why was Rep. Lois Capps’ amendment included, but Stupak’s was eliminated?  Better yet, why did you vote yes on Capps, but no on Stupak?

Congressman Bart Stupak: And we’re just saying maintain the law that’s been on the books for 35 years and let’s live up to the President’s word.  No public funding for abortion in the health care plan, and we’re all happy, and we can go away.

CNS: Earlier on Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the nearly 2,000-page-long final text of the House health-care bill. The bill envisions creating “exchanges” in each state that would be the only place people receiving federal health insurance subsidies would be allowed to buy insurance. It also includes an amendment by Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) that would require that at least one health insurance plan in each of these exchanges cover abortions. Stupak’s proposed amendment would nullify Capps’ by stating that no federal money could pay for any part of any insurance plan that covers abortion.

NPR – Rep. Jan Schakowsky: “Comprehensive health care does include reproductive health care, prenatal and maternity care, screening for breast, cervical and other cancers or [sexually transmitted infections] abortion, contraceptive services. That these are basic health care for women [emphasis added] that we have a right to by virtue of our reproductive organs and our right to control our own bodies.”

Sounds like a lot of people missed your Tele-Town-Hall.

Catholic Online – Kristen Day, DFLA Executive Director: “I want to be clear, pro-life Democrats want to help pass health care reform but our coalition can in no- way support reform that includes tax payer funded abortions. If the leadership will remove that language, we feel confident that we can deliver enough votes to help put this much needed reform over the top in the House.”

“We believe in a big-tent Democratic Party, but to not allow Hyde language to be included in health care reform would force some pro-choice and pro-life Democrats to vote against health care reform. If we add this language, we believe we can help Speaker Pelosi get the votes to pass this legislation.”

OneNewsNow – Marjorie Dannenfelser: “It does this by funding premiums from private insurance plans that do cover elective abortions. Current law says that no federal funds may go to subsidize private health plans for elective abortion.” She concludes that “this bill would change all that.”

Earned Media: Democrats For Life of America (DFLA) announced today that they have 40 votes that will vote against the House health care reform legislation if tax payer funded abortion language is not removed from the bill.

I understand that killing children in our poor communities is right up your alley, but why go to such lengths to mislead your constituents.  Just say it like it is.  Here, I’ll help you. Repeat after me.

I, Betty Sutton, support the killing of poor children in OH-13. I promise to vote yes on any bill that will promote and or fund the elimination of poor children.

There, that wasn’t so hard.

Congresswoman Sutton, the good old days when you could freely lie and mislead the people of OH-13 have come to an end.  We are not going away.  We will hold you accountable for your words, and your action.

For the record, you never answered Joe’s question. What a surprise.

Further reading on this issue

An excerpt from : Tax Dollars Shouldn’t Fund Abortion – Wall Street Journal – Charmaine Yoest

WSJ: The Capps Amendment would side step the Hyde Amendment and other provisions in federal law. If it becomes law as part of health-care reform it would make abortion coverage a part of the public option, funnel tax dollars to private health plans that cover abortion, and ensure that every area of the country will have at least one health insurance plan that covers elective abortion. If this should happen, for the first time in more than 30 years the federal government would be in the business of funding the destruction of unborn human life.

The Capps Amendment sets up an accounting mechanism that is supposed to make sure that federal dollars do not directly pay for elective abortions. But this is a dodge. Federal dollars would still subsidize insurance plans that pay for abortions.

Here’s the actual amendment voted on by Betty Sutton’s Subcommittee on Energy and Environment: Capps

SUMMARY: A “compromise” amendment backed by committee chair, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) that yielded some ground to pro-life concerns about mandated abortion coverage in private plans, preemption of state abortion laws, and retention of federal conscience laws. However, it weakened the application of the Hyde Amendment funding restrictions and had provisions to ensure that abortion is included in the public plan.

In favor of Capps with a YES vote, our very own Betty Sutton!  The congresswoman’s yes vote came prior to the Tele-Town-Hall.

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Pelosi’s Puppet

October 29th, 2009

Pelosi's Puppet

Pelosi's Puppet

Let’s Review:

  • The right does not want this health reform
  • The middle does not want this health reform
  • Now, the left does not want the health reform

So, who is Betty trying to please with her “yes” vote on health reform?

Excerpt from David Swanson’s: Healthcare Hoax from Hell:

A conversation I had with Congresswoman Betty Sutton is typical. She told me that the Kucinich Amendment was no big deal and shouldn’t be paid any attention to. She said she wanted everyone to focus on the Weiner Amendment on which she planned to vote yes. Asked if there was any chance the Weiner Amendment would pass, she replied of course not.

From Congresswoman Sutton’s point of view, a bill that will fail is far more important than a life-saving measure in a bill that might pass, because she planned to vote right on the former and brag about it to her constituents. “See, I tried. I really tried.” But if Sutton’s state, Ohio, passes the bill currently making its way through the state legislature and establishes single-payer for all Ohioans, the death panels, aka health insurance companies, will sue. And without the Kucinich Amendment they will win or at least hold things up for several years and several thousand deaths.

Will Sutton or any other members of Congress fight for either of these amendments? Will any of them call out Pelosi? Forcing the Kucinich amendment back into the bill and forcing a floor vote on the Weiner amendment are admirable immediate goals (as of now Pelosi will be allowing no floor amendments of any sort), but healthcare is very complex with the devil in the details, and the details are being written by devils, blood-soaked devils. The central demand of members of Congress must be: Vote No. The reason they should have to listen must be: We will occupy your offices and prevent you from working unless you commit to voting No, but if you commit to voting No and vote No, we will consider possibly not throwing your sorry ass in the street in next year’s elections.

We may disagree with the left on why this reform must fail, but at least we’ve found some common ground in wanting it to fail. The truth is, Congresswoman Sutton is not a principled woman, and she cannot be trusted to do what’s right. No one in OH-13 should expect the Congresswoman to actually represent our concerns – left or right.

Sutton, in her pursuits of power, has become nothing more than a puppet for her party’s house leadership. Her votes go as Pelosi instructs.

For once, I am with you David Swanson. Let’s through her sorry ass in the street in next year’s elections.

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Knock, Knock…

October 28th, 2009

is anybody home?

At the conclusion of our August Tele-Town-Hall, Nichole Francis Reynolds, Sutton’s chief of staff, told us that dialogue on health reform would continue click here.  Silly me, I thought she meant that Sutton’s office would continue the dialogue on health reform.  Sixty-three days later, I see that I was wrong.

Betty Sutton and Nicole Reynolds continue the open dialogue on health reform

So, what happened?  Ms. Reynolds had always been a respectable and honest member of Sutton’s staff.  In fact, there was a time when many in this district felt that if Reynolds said is was, it was.  Those days are clearly past.  Today, Ms. Reynolds is as tainted by power as any other Washington insider.

my3×5s.blogspot.com recently posted a list of unaddressed “dialogue”.  Below are a few of the health reform questions – to view the entire list click here.

  • Why isn’t the economy our top priority instead of another government entitlement program?
  • Rep Sutton said that HR 3200 will “inject competition into the private insurance market.” Why do you not believe that opening interstate commerce for insurance providers prove to be enough competition?
  • How can private insurance providers fairly compete with a government entity which is under no pressure to make a profit, and holds the purse strings; the ability to print money?
  • Do you want health care reform to benefit trial attorneys or patients?
  • You say this “public option” will be funded by premiums alone? Is this a hypothesis?
  • If the “public option” health care plan is so good, why won’t politicians agree to have that as their plan?

To that list I add the following:

  • When the opportunity presented itself, and doing so would not have taken any additional time to implement, why didn’t you accept language that would expressly forbid abortion funding in the health reform bill?  You’ve told us time and time again this bill would not fund abortion, but you refused to vote for language to back that up. Why? read more
  • In 2007 you understood the importance of the Constitution, the separation of powers, and the proper relationship between the government and the people.  Yet today, you seem perfectly comfortable riding roughshod over the founding document.  Why? read more
  • And of course, we cannot leave off the famous constitution question, “Cite the portion of the Constitution which allows the federal government to force people to buy insurance.”  read more

It’s been 63 days now (and counting) and still no dialogue, no answers, and no Sutton.  Instead, our Congresswoman’s offices hand out excesses. Here are a few of my favorites from the Lorain office:

  • “We are very busy trying to answer everyone’s questions.”
  • “We are doing the best we can.”
  • “I’ll pass along your concerns.”
  • “You’re obviously a republican.”
  • “You right wingers don’t know what you are talking about.”
  • “The congresswoman doesn’t have to answer your questions.”

With the House of Representatives poised to vote on Health Reform, Sutton must be feeling some sense of relief that this mess may soon be over.  Sorry to break it to you Betty Sue, we’re only getting started.

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pwned by a constituent (again)

October 15th, 2009

pwned

It’s always nice to see people taking a stand and getting politically involved – as long as you are anyone but Betty Sutton.   A recent Letter to the Editor published in the West Side Leader may not find a spot on Betty’s news page, but it has no problem finding a home here.

Government health care wrong way to go

10/15/2009 – West Side Leader – Letter to the Editor

Ms. Sutton misses the reality that we do not want the federal government involved in our health care any more than they are. Big government cannot provide goods and services, or add prosperity to our American life better than the Free Market Economy.

R.J. Bradner and family, Bath

read more

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Health Care B.S.

October 13th, 2009

All the August Helath Care Meetings Were Great!

The August Helath Care Meetings Were Great!

You cannot help but laugh at this Betty Sutton story posted on umc.org

Democratic Rep. Betty Sutton says she hosted and attended many meetings in her northern Ohio district during the August recess to talk about health care reform with constituents.

What is she talking about? Where and when did all this happen?

I distinctly remember the representative spending most of the August Recess hiding from us.  Of course, I’m not a lawyer like the Congresswoman, so understanding what ‘attending many meetings in the district’ really means is probably way over my head.

“Unfortunately, I have also heard a good deal of misinformation and inaccurate interpretations of the proposals and have attempted to provide information to correct the record,” she says. “For example, rumors about death panels and government access to bank accounts have had to be repeatedly dispelled.”

What about abortion or the constitutionality of this reform plan? Are these concerns also based on inaccurate interpretations of your plan?

The opinions of her constituents differ greatly on the pending proposals, with some favoring a single-payer system and others wanting to “inject choice and competition into the system by providing consumers with the potential to choose a public option.”

“Some constituents have also indicated that they want me to vote no, regardless of what any health reform bill contains,” she says. “Many supporters have encouraged me to fight for a public option, while some opposed have issued ‘demands’ that I vote no regardless of the contents proposed.”

Some favor this, some favor that, some indicate their ideas, others DEMAND. How dare anyone in the thirteenth district DEMAND anything.

I love the way Betty paints supporters of her plan as concerned and engaged, but those others, well…

Sutton says she believes all Americans should have access to affordable quality health care.

denials

Quality!

“We should inject competition in health care reform. The way we achieve this is by creating a public option to compete with private insurers as one choice that consumers could purchase if they so desire,” the Ohio congresswoman says.

I agree.  More than 1300 private health insurance companies just isn’t quite enough competition, but if we could just add one more… Voila!

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