Periello Healthcare Vote Angers Constituents

Freshman Fifth District Democrat Tom Perriello's vote for the $1.2 trillion dollar house healthcare bill this weekend immediately prompted applause from those on one side of the debate and howls of protest from the other.

[TomTom]

See ya, Tom!

[RJT]

I was appalled by the one-sided coverage of this story! I agree that constituent reaction to Rep. Perriello's vote is newsworthy, but to rely only on those opposed for a response is irresponsible. Rep. Perriello's statement lists several groups who support this legislation. Are we to believe that no local representative of the AMA or AARP was available for comment? Was one called? Was anyone asked outside the 'I've-got-mine' right wing? Did anyone think to call the Senior Center or the Charlottesville Free Clinic? When covering a constituency, cover the full range. Shame on you NBC29

[Voter]

He will not be getting my vote, he came to Greene and said he didn't support it, told Charlottesville the same, but bowed down to Obama and kissed Nancy Pelosi's feet. What a wimp

[Greene]

AARP has lost millions of subscribers since this debate has been going on, read the news, seniors are leaving it in droves

[CrozetGuy]

Perriello is either too ignorant to be a good congressman or is a blatant liar.(I suspect it is the latter.)
There is no way this legislation is going to reduce the cost of health care, no way it can avoid destroying our private insurance options, and no way it will not decrease the quality and availability of health care for the rest of us. I do hope the Senate will choose not to pass this plan, but I have made it my personal goal to see Tom Perriello defeated so we don't have to endure more of his lies and/or ignorance. The leaders of Congress know they are lying to us, and their smug, arrogant defiance of their constituents must be brought to an end.

[RussN]

I'm a constituant of Congressman Perriello. I'm not angry with him. This bill adds competition, reduces rising cost and puts the responsibility on the people to take ownership in their own health care. The public option will be paid for by reallocating Government waste and money from people who buy into the system. To say the constituants are angry is misleading.

[Democracy in Action]

Rep. Periello's vote reflects the attitude of the majority of the population, and similarly, the majority of his constituents. I am very pleased that he did not let a vocal minority intimidate him. The actions of the Tea Party protestors continually demonstrate their inability to sustain civil discourse and their incessant use of fear mongering and fascism to promote their minority agenda. Perhaps one looks no further than the 23rd District of NY state to understand how the majority of Americans perceive the incessant vitriol coming from today’s conservative movement.

[CrozetGuy]

RJT wrote:

Rep. Perriello's statement lists several groups who support this legislation. Are we to believe that no local representative of the AMA or AARP was available for comment?... When covering a constituency, cover the full range. Shame on you NBC29

Tom Perriello wasn't elected by organizations. He was elected by individual voters, whose opinions may or may not be truly represented by some organization's spokesperson. I want to hear from the men and women who cast the actual votes. We are weary of people who claim to speak for some group of people, but really aren't reflecting their views. I've talked to doctors, and care more about their views than what an AMA spokesperson says. I've talked to teachers and care more about their views than what an NEA spokesperson says... etc.

[Albert]

I'm a constituent also, and I am very proud of him for standing up for working families in Virginia and across America. What kind of editorializing is going on with this story? We voted him in, and he is representing us. Don't like it? Go cry to Virgil Goode.

[Native Va]

I bet he gets voted out of office in 2010, he says one things and votes another way

Why Lie to your people, as your vote speaks louder than all the lies.

[jdude]

someone should abort him!

[Crozet Citizen]

RussN wrote:

I'm a constituant of Congressman Perriello. I'm not angry with him. This bill adds competition, reduces rising cost and puts the responsibility on the people to take ownership in their own health care. The public option will be paid for by reallocating Government waste and money from people who buy into the system. To say the constituants are angry is misleading.

I'm assuming you have read it then? Or are you just repeating the democrats propoganda? And wouldn't you think that, before "Government waste" savings can be used, it would need to be identified and reined in? Can you really be so clueless as to think the government will actually identify and reduce waste? If that were possible, it would have happened long before now. But every time the government comes up with a "new" plan, we just wind up paying out more of our hard earned money. And what do they care? They have their lawyers on retainers to keep them from having to pay!

[AccountabilityPl ease]

RJT wrote:

I was appalled by the one-sided coverage of this story! I agree that constituent reaction to Rep. Perriello's vote is newsworthy, but to rely only on those opposed for a response is irresponsible. Rep. Perriello's statement lists several groups who support this legislation. Are we to believe that no local representative of the AMA or AARP was available for comment? Was one called? Was anyone asked outside the 'I've-got-mine' right wing? Did anyone think to call the Senior Center or the Charlottesville Free Clinic? When covering a constituency, cover the full range. Shame on you NBC29

__________
Why would we want to hear from a representative of AARP or AMA? The AARP isn't a senior's advocacy group at all, they are an insurance company. They have bargained with Obama and stand to gain $BILLIONS from the demise of Medicare Part D that this legislation promises.

As for the AMA, they represent only 17% of the doctors in this country, and their was an UPROAR among the membership after this "endorsement" was made. The trustees took it upon themselves to offer support this nonsense, and didn't take a vote from the delegates as usual. That's because doctors DON'T SUPPORT Obamacare, and neither do the majority of the American people. This bill is a death wish for quality healthcare in America.

[jdude]

RussN wrote:

I'm a constituant of Congressman Perriello. I'm not angry with him. This bill adds competition, reduces rising cost and puts the responsibility on the people to take ownership in their own health care. The public option will be paid for by reallocating Government waste and money from people who buy into the system. To say the constituants are angry is misleading.

after all the mis-apprpriated stimulus money, and all the mis-guided job estimates, you truly think the health care bill will be any better?

[Financial Conservative]

RussN wrote:

I'm a constituant of Congressman Perriello. I'm not angry with him. This bill adds competition, reduces rising cost and puts the responsibility on the people to take ownership in their own health care. The public option will be paid for by reallocating Government waste and money from people who buy into the system. To say the constituants are angry is misleading.

I wish I could agree with you, RussN, but there is just too much reason to think that this reform effort will add to the federal deficit, place huge burdens on the state budgets, restrict individual choice, and frustrate medical innovation. And as for promoting competition, Tom Perriello is full aware that subjecting the big insurance companies to the antitrust laws and dismantling barriers to interstate competition would do far more than creating the public option.

What this bill does accomplish is to expand the reach and power of the federal government. Perriello is foolish to have gone along with this scheme.

[AccountabilityPl ease]

Perriello says he voted yes on the bill for three major reasons, including it's ability to reduce the federal deficit, fair reimbursement for rural hospitals, and that it will not include funding for abortions.
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This bill WILL NOT reduce the deficit--it will BANKRUPT US. Rural hospitals will be forced to close due to the shortage of doctors this plan will guarantee. The Stupak amendment will be dropped in conference. Today Debbie Wasserman-Shultz and 39 other "pro-choicers" promised a fight at the next go-around of voting.
It was a ruse put together by Team Pelosi to cover the wimps and allow them to claim "victory" on something. They have GREATLY underestimated the constituents of VA 5th. GONE are the days of trusting our Congress to do the right thing. We must watch them constantly because our representative certainly doesn't represent us, as apparent by Mr. Perri-Yellow's traitorous vote last Saturday night. He wil soon join the ranks of the many unemployed both he and his party chooses to ignore.

[SMUCK]

Okay people don't like the new health plan but something needs to be done. Who has a plan that would work ? There are alot of people with no health what are they do ?

[Jeff S]

Democrat Tom Perriello has done what Democrat's do: ignored those he represents in favor of what his party wants.

[Diana in North Garden]

I agree that this story is one-sided, and I worry that the local NBC affiliate is revealing an unfortunate slant - or are they just intimidated by the shrill rantings of the Teabaggers? I am heartened that Congressman Perriello listened to all sides, endured the Town Hall meetings with patient good humor, and then voted for a historic step in the right direction - nearly a century after Teddy Roosevelt's call for universal health care.

[Cbear]

This seems more like a legacy cause then actually solving the countries problems....disgusting. How is this going to reduce costs?

We have an expensive health care system...so instead of working on the supply side of the problem lets pay for another 30 -40 million people to use the same expensive system. And of course they will judiciously use the new benefit since they pay little for it.$

I will also say they excluded the people here illegally because within the next 2 years they will all get amnesty and another 20 million added to the system.$$

And of course we can trust their estimates on cost...when have they ever been within 20% of what they predicted.

How about tort reform, allowing cheaper drugs from Canada in the country as start for reducing costs.