Proposed Exceptions In The Health Care Legislation

On Friday, Pat at And So it Goes in Shreveport wrote that Rep. John Fleming (D) Louisiana has proposed a Resolution that members of Congress be covered under the same health care plan that Congress is trying to foist on the rest of us. Today, writing at RedState Moe Lane also reports on the story:

Rep. Fleming:

Over the past few weeks, members of Congress and the American people have come to know the details of the Administration’s proposed health care plan. Call it whatever you like, this proposal is nothing more than government-run health care. As a physician, I am amazed at the number of bureaucrats in this House who are quick to claim a government-run health care plan is the reform this country needs. In response to this, I have offered a resolution that will offer members of Congress an opportunity to put their money where their mouth is, and urge their colleagues who vote for legislation creating a government-run health care plan to lead by example and enroll themselves in the same public plan.

Under the current draft of the Democrat healthcare legislation, members of Congress are curiously exempt from the government-run health care option, keeping their existing health plans and services on Capitol Hill. If Members of Congress believe so strongly that government-run health care is the best solution for hard working American families, I think it only fitting that Americans see them lead the way. Public servants should always be accountable and responsible for what they are advocating, and I challenge the American people to demand this from their representatives.

Lane’s take:

You can tell that Rep Fleming is a freshman: he’s still able to believe that Congressional Democrats can be motivated by shame.

I’m not surprised that Congress would try to protect their only extremely generous benefits. Think of the money taxpayers would save if Congressman were subject to the pension benefits, or lack thereof, the rest of us are subject to. But this isn’t the first exemption that Congress has tried to slide in to their health care plan:

June 26 (Bloomberg)-- The U.S. Senate proposal to impose taxes for the first time on “gold-plated” health plans may bypass generous employee benefits negotiated by unions.

So, the unions would keep their cushy benefits but instead of the costs being buried in the price of a GM or Chrysler vehicle, and paid for by people who choose to buy GM or Chrysler vehicles, the taxpayers would pick up the cost. Put these two exemptions together and our Congressman seem much more Politburo than representatives of the citizens of the United States.