Tag Archives: ObamaCare

Oct 15 2017

Forget the Law, Be Nice

 

Senator Susan Collins is reveling in her new found notoriety as chief saboteur of conservative policy. It was not even two years ago that the Honorable Senator from Maine chanted “Repeal and Replace” to the cheering delegates of the Maine Republican Convention. It would seem that the promise to remove ObamaCare was something akin to her promise to only serve two terms as a U.S. Senator: a lie.

Now she is touring the wheel of D.C. Punditry wielding a healthy disregard for the rule of law. Her criticism of President Trump’s order stopping ObamaCare subsidies is based on the emotion that she feels his decision hurts certain people groups. This may in fact be true but she is missing, by ignorance or design, the irrefutable and incontrovertible fact that the payments were illegal.

In order to pay the exorbitant price tag of the ACA, President Obama circumvented Congress by Executive Order and began paying insurance companies, subsidizing the high costs of government healthcare. The Constitution clearly states that the President cannot make any financial payments without Congressional authorization and a Federal Court has ruled that these payments were in fact illegal, criminal, and theft.

In light of this legal ruling and the Constitution, this sitting President is bound by law to correct the illegal and criminal actions of the past President. The problem of damage to any certain people groups may be a sad truth, but the fault lies not with those who are bound by law to correct the crime. The fault lies with those who committed the crime in the first place: President Obama, those in Congress who enabled the President with silence, and the insurance companies who are complicit in the fraud.

It is concerning at best, that the senior Senator from Maine seems content to base her decisions, and arguments for such, on emotions rather then facts and the rule of law. The healthcare debacle is a national crisis which is not best served by leaders who vacillate from year to year manipulating their political stances to accommodate political expediency, changing from election year rhetoric to special interest’s influence. Senator Collins should work to find solutions grounded in fact and law rather than emotion wielded in spite.

Oct 9 2017

The Red County Caucus Issues Response to Senator Collins’ Stance on Graham Cassidy

 

 

The Red County Caucus expresses its strong displeasure with the misguided approach Senator Susan Collins has chosen to the healthcare catastrophe that is the Affordable Care Act. The ACA, or ObamaCare, has burdened millions Americans across the United States, including residents of the State of Maine, with skyrocketing premiums, a labyrinth of confusing regulations, dropped coverage, and the fear of a collapsing market. The hard working people in the Pine Tree State have watched the Senior Senator from Maine adopt a Washington-first approach in a dogged obstruction of the President, catering to establishment D.C. special interests rather than joining her fellow Republicans who are desperately trying to formulate a solution to the impending demise of the American healthcare system brought on by the ACA.

It was not two years ago that Senator Collins emphatically promised the enthusiastic delegates at the 2016 Maine Republican Convention that she would work to “repeal and replace” ObamaCare. Members of The Red County Caucus were there in attendance as delegates. We now ask, what has changed since Senator Collins stood on that platform basking in the glow of the applause and approval of her promise?

Certainly, the outlook for ObamaCare is more dire and bleak than ever. Does the Senator find ObamaCare more to her liking now? The Healthcare Exchange for Maine is collapsing. Are these the repercussions she preferred when she embraced the status quo rather than reform?

The Republican inaction on the Repeal of the ACA is in no small part a result of the votes and stances Senator Collins has taken. While the Honorable Senator may revel in the notoriety it has brought her, Maine has been spotlighted in this national crisis for all the wrong reasons. We of The Red County Caucus strongly urge Senator Collins to remember this State that she represents when casting votes and remind her that the impact of those votes are not felt in the marble halls of Washington D.C. but in the rugged rural streets and roads of Maine’s fishing, farming, and logging communities.

Sep 21 2017

THE RED COUNTY CAUCUS URGES SUPPORT OF GRAHAM-CASSIDY

THE RED COUNTY CAUCUS URGES SUPPORT OF GRAHAM-CASSIDY

In 2008, a small rural county in Maine gained national notoriety as being the only county in all of New England to vote against Barack Obama and stay red. This singular moment in political history earned Piscataquis County the title of “The Red County”. Considered by some as the most conservative county east of the Mississippi, Piscataquis holds the well deserved reputation of being a bastion of conservatism for the east.

Soon after 2008, local politicians and conservative personalities from Piscataquis County joined forces to form The Red County Caucus (RCC). The idea was to impact the Maine political arena by an endorsement from a noted conservative group. With Piscataquis’ established reputation, it was obvious this was the time. The RCC immediately impacted the political landscape of Maine by endorsing Paul LePage for Governor.

Maine, as well as the Nation, are facing crucial decisions in our future. These decisions will determine whether we become a State and a Nation of people that forfeit our freedoms or take them back from government overreach. The Red County Caucus once again will be at the forefront of political influence in our State.

The Red County Caucus is ready to speak to the challenges of a new election. The Red County Caucus will be weighing in on the crucial issues of our day starting here with healthcare. Along with statements on several issues, The RCC will give an endorsement for the Governor of the State of Maine.

Graham-Cassidy

The best government is the government that governs least and local governance is the best governance. The Free Market is the best purveyor of healthcare. Unfortunately, our government has violated these proven truths and now we are caught in the tentacles of their misdeeds, Obamacare (ACA).

When it comes down to it, all healthcare is local. Our Federal government, through the passage of Obamacare, has eliminated local control from our healthcare system and established rules that are mandated to every person and business. This is the suppression of our individual freedom.

The ability to make choices about what health insurance options we want, or if we want health insurance at all, has been taken out of the citizen’s hand. This has gone too far. We must take action.

Massive increases in premiums and deductible costs are hurting regular citizens and businesses. All around us we hear of neighbors, friends, and businesses crushed by Obamacare, yet Washington stubbornly continues to tout the ACA as the answer to protect our citizens. The time has come to make significant changes to Obamacare, since Washington is unable to repeal and replace the entire bill as promised.

The Graham-Cassidy bill is not perfect but makes significant improvements to the existing law. This bill will return much of the control to the states rather than the federal government, eliminate employer and individual mandates, eliminate some taxes, and retain protection for patients with preexisting conditions. Graham-Cassidy will begin the fight to get the federal government out of the health insurance business and curtail significantly the hardships imposed by Obamacare on millions of our fellow citizens.

The Red County Caucus strongly urges Senator Susan Collins to heed the disastrous impact the ACA has had on her constituents here in Maine and support Graham-Cassidy. We urge Maine citizens to contact Senator Collins and remind her that “We The People” want these changes. Her vote to support individual liberty in Maine is needed now.

Mar 24 2017

Keep Your Word

After all the prognostication and hand wringing, there is really one simple reason why the AHCA failed. The Republicans, once again, did not keep their word. They campaigned repeatedly for months pounding the mantra of “repeal and replace”. This “plan” did not repeal so it had zero chance to replace, because without repeal there is no need to replace. Not once did I hear Republicans campaign on “revamp and retool”. So now the GOP needs to “reset and regroup” and find the intestinal fortitude to do what they said they would do.