News

LeMieux introduces health care reform survey

WASHINGTON U.S. Senator George LeMieux (R-FL) today encouraged Floridians to take a citizen survey about the current health care debate and actions in Washington. The survey is available through the public Web site at http://LeMieux.Senate.gov.

People dont believe their voices are being heard in this debate. This survey ensures their voices will be heard in Congress. I encourage Floridians to take this survey and register their concerns, said LeMieux. Health care is too important an issue to leave out the views of 18 million Floridians.

Among the questions on the survey:

What is the most important issue of this health care debate?

What do you find most concerning about the current health care bill being considered by Congress?

Do you think Congress should scrap its current plan and start over using a step-by-step approach?

Do you think the quality of health care for you and your family would be better or worse under the health care reforms currently being considered?

The survey is available on Senator LeMieuxs Web site at http://LeMieux.Senate.gov.

What Will Kosmas Choose? Government-Run Health Care, or Budget Cuts to NASA

TallahasseeThe Republican Party of Florida today commented on the predicament facing Central Florida Congresswoman Suzanne Kosmas (D-FL), who previously voted against President Obamas government-run health care experiment.

The first time around, Suzanne Kosmas did the right thing for Floridians in breaking with the Democrat rank and file to vote against the Pelosi-Reid-Obama government takeover of our health care system, said RPOF Executive Director Ronnie Whitaker. She then turned her back on her district, siding with the President on his budget cuts to NASA, which would cause thousands to lose their jobs along Floridas Space Coast.

Now, in a sudden change of position after being summoned to the White House by Rahm Emmanuel and the President and being called into Nancy Pelosis office, it looks like Kosmas is ready to support government run health care and willing to oppose cuts to NASA. Why not do the right thing for your constituents, Suzanne, and oppose both the government takeover of healthcare and cuts to NASA?, concluded Whitaker.

Kendrick Meek Blocks Up-Or-Down Vote On Health Care Legislation

Signals Support For Pelosis Contentious Scheme And Deem Maneuver

WASHINGTON Democrat Senate candidate U.S. Representative Kendrick Meek (D-FL) stood with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi once again today and blocked a bipartisan measure that would have forced an up-or-down vote on the Democrats contentious health care plan, instead of using an obscure backroom maneuver that Democrats have suggested they may pursue.

According to The Hill:

Democrats shot down a Republican effort to force an up-or-down vote on the Senate healthcare bill on Thursday afternoon. In a 222-203 vote, Democrats beat back a GOP resolution offered by Democrat-turned-Republican Rep. Parker Griffith (Ala.) that would have forced lawmakers to vote on the Senate healthcare bill separately from the series of fixes they hope to make to that legislation. All Republican lawmakers who voted opposed the measure, which had the effect of ending the GOP's effort to force a vote. They were joined by 28 Democrats, who broke with party members on the vote.

In order to avoid an up-or-down recorded vote on the controversial Senate health care bill entirely, Pelosi has signaled that she may use an obscure parliamentary maneuver known as deem-and-pass instead. This partisan tactic is already coming under fire from editorial boards, congressional Republicans, and a few Democrats who are tired of the backroom deal-making that has become a hallmark of this health care process.

Instead of standing up for Floridians, Kendrick Meek stood with Nancy Pelosi and blocked a bipartisan effort that would have forced an up-or-down vote on the Democrats health care plan a plan that cuts Medicare benefits for 800,000 Florida seniors, said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Marchand. This entire process has been anything but transparent, and Meek is to blame for not supporting a health care vote in the light of day. Were confident that Sunshine State voters will reject Meeks shady dealings when they cast their ballots this November.

Gelber's Speech, Pelosi's Talking Points

TallahasseeThe Republican Party of Florida today commented on a statement made by State Senator Dan Gelber, a Democrat Candidate for Attorney General, who declared that opposition to the national Democrats government-run health care experiment constitutes an ideological frolic.

Senator Gelbers insinuation that discussion of amendment that would give the people of Florida the opportunity to vote to protect Floridians from being forced to participate in a particular health care system is the epitome of arrogance, said Ronnie Whitaker, RPOF Executive Director. Just like the Democrats in Washington are attempting to squelch debate and strong arm their own members into passing a gargantuan government-run health care experiment, Senator Gelbers comments are a blatant attempt to diminish the importance of debate on this issue here in Florida.

If Senator Gelber expects the people of Florida to give him a promotion this November, he needs to start taking his queues from his constituents, not from a set of liberal Washington talking points, concluded Whitaker.

Editorial: Health care: No comparison

This page has long insisted that the health care plans supported by President Barack Obama and the Congress do too little to address the real problem: High cost. If the proposed plans are forced through the Congress, it would be like placing another story on the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

There is no better illustration of this disconnect than Obama's announcement of a new effort to crack down on waste and fraud in Medicare, Medicaid and other government programs.

"During one year in Miami-Dade County, Medicare sent more than $140 million in payments for inhalation drugs - an amount at least 20 times higher than any other county in the United States," reported Sen. George LeMieux, R-Fla., in a news release.

LeMieux offered a proposal last year that would use the same process used by the credit card industry to reduce fraud. The credit card industry keeps fraud losses to about 7 cents for every $100. How? By technology, called "predictive modeling."

He also proposes requiring background checks for new and existing health care providers and suppliers affiliated with federal health programs, and appointing a chief health care fraud prevention officer within the Department of Health and Human Services to fight health care fraud nationwide.