Freshman GOPer Didn't Know Government Paid For Her Health Benefits

[kpete]

Freshman GOPer Didn't Know Government Paid For Her Health Benefits
Brian Beutler | February 4, 2011, 4:44PM


A fun nugget buried in this story about Rep. Ann Buerkle's (R-NY) first town hall meeting as an elected member of Congress. Constituents repeatedly asked a puzzled Buerkle about her health benefits. She couldn't figure out why. But her staff sure could.

Buerkle, who voted to repeal the health care reform act, was twice asked about the health insurance she receives as a government employee. At first she said she couldn't understand why people were so interested in her health insurance, and that taxpayers didn't pay anything for it. She later corrected herself after being handed a note from a staffer. Like most employees, she pays for a portion of her insurance and her employer, the government, pays the rest, she said.

As Republicans point out, these are employer provided benefits, which they're all for. So it's not as simple as straight hypocrisy. But there's a fundamental tension between the GOP's naysaying on health care reform and their willingness to accept federally subsidized private insurance -- just as in the health care law. These flubs grow out of that tension. And Dems can't get enough of it.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/freshman-goper-didnt-know-government-paid-for-her-health-benefit.php?ref=fpa


http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2011/02/people_pack_buerkles_first_tow.html

[tanyev]

1. It's so hard for a former registered nurse and health care attorney to keep up with stuff like that.

[lonestarnot]

5. A registered nurse and healthcare attorney? Are those her credentials?

[tanyev]

14. That's what her bio says.

But I just saw where someone in her district elaborated on that:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x606036#606136

[lonestarnot]

16. I figured it something more like that, thanks.

:hi:

[Toon Me Out]

2. dummy

she's one sharp kooky

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. perhaps the government could cut her health benefits

see how she likes it

[TexasProgresive]

4. She should volunteer to donate $24000 to the U.S. Treasury to retire the debt.

I estimate that's what is would cost to buy that kind of coverage.

[Kurovski]

6. Oh that just simply can't be true.

Americans are too smart too elect such an enormous dumbfuck.

[DailyGrind51]

7. It is always somehow acceptable, when THEY benefit from it!

"Do as I say, not as I do!"

[riderinthestorm]

8. And we taxpayers pay 100% of her salary. So basically we pay for all her health ins. nt

[opihimoimoi]

9. America, WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO OURSELVES???Allowing these Inept ROOKIES to decide important shit for

The Nation.....

These are minor league Baggers who somehow fooled enough peeps to get THERE...only to be bewildered by the magnitude.....and pushing for a return to the Bush era policies...and a reversal of all the good done in the past 2 years>>>??? thats nuts

[neverforget]

10. The Stupid, it burns!!!!

[EC]

11. If she was asked about this at a repub town hall

I wonder what context was used? Were they asking her why she hasn't given up hers or why she was voting to take away theirs?

[CC]

12. Not as bad as Andy Harris

who ran on the evils of government health care and how the government should have nothing to say or do with health insurance had a fit when he had to wait a few weeks before he got his Govt. Health insurance. He thought they should get it on day 1, like he always had before.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/plum-line/2010/11/americans_are_a_lot_like_andy.html

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/2010/11/andy_harris_learns_a_lesson.html


Course it is to be expected when it is a bought and paid for shill for the corporate for profit health care/insurance industry along with the other corporate masters. If they were smarter they wouldn't be so easy to buy and control.

[Initech]

13. D'oh!!!

[SpiralHawk]

15. Typical republicon

...a full on hypocrite