On the recordMarch 21, 2010
This body is nearing what will be a defining vote for the future of our nation. While Majority Leadership continued the arm twisting until enough members would vote for the bill, the voice of the American people got louder. They have made it clear they do not want this bill. My constituents, by a margin of over 3 to 1, have told me they don't like this plan--and with good reason. This bill will cost nearly 1 trillion dollars in the next decade alone--and the true cost of this bill will surely go higher as entitlement spending soars and other provisions are fully phased in. The bill is loaded with job-killing tax increases--and an Associated Press analysis said health care premiums will actually go up under this plan. The bill will also allow the IRS to verify if you have ``acceptable'' health care coverage and fine you if you don't! This bill will cut $500 billion from Medicare and in turn use that money for new entitlement spending. And history has shown entitlement spending goes up, not down, over time. With our current entitlement programs already headed for insolvency, why on earth would you exacerbate the problem? I would be remiss if I didn't mention that this legislation also negatively impacts our Nation's veterans. It betrays the promise that this county made to honor their sacrifice by failing to cover millions of beneficiaries including dependents, widows, survivors and orphans.
