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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Ahhh . . . but here’s the
beauty, Rose: I believe Congressman Minnick did a far better job of
actually <b>answering</b> your question than he did probably any other question
tonight, so consider yourself lucky </span><span style='font-family:Wingdings;
color:#1F497D'>J</span><span style='color:#1F497D'> I find myself
wondering if my question had included a distant pejorative, would he have
actually answered the question I asked?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>And, you do have to give the guy
some credit for having the courage to actually appear in a public forum rather
than only to select groups like Crapo did here. What a
coward! No wonder his views are so terrible skewed!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Personally, I appreciated the
opportunity to listen to Minnick tonight, and thanks to the Latah County
Democrats for hosting!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I agree with your assessment
that Minnick failed to actually answer many/most the questions asked, which was
a huge disappointment. While I’ve learned to expect that from the
GOP, I expect better from the Dems.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I was also disappointed that
while Minnick visibly bristled at some of the tough questions, he didn’t
hesitate to let some of the really whack-a-doodle comments stand unchallenged
or uncorrected. Point in fact: the nutjob who lied about having
received a letter <b>from Social Security</b> saying they’d be broke by
something like 2040. I’ve not gotten any such letter from the SSA
– has anyone here?! If so, please share with all of us! Of
course, I <b>have</b> seen the chain email being sent around preying on fear,
which is where the lie originated. Minnick had the opportunity to correct
that blatant lie – or get the woman some help with reality. He
didn’t do either.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I was also quite shocked, given
that a major Minnick selling point was his success as a businessman, he tried
to minimize the profits of health insurance companies. While I dispute
his numbers, he’s not a very astute businessman if he doesn’t
realize that in addition to premiums collected, there are administrative fees
paid by employers to carriers as well as profits built into employer-based
contracts. Given Minnick’s acknowledgment of the importance of
health care reform, his apparent ignorance of these facts was disheartening . .
. or disingenuous.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>He’s also completely out
of touch with the realities of health care if he thinks making it easier for
insurance companies to sell around the nation is going to decrease consumer
health costs. For the love of God, this country already has problems with
carriers marketing to employers in areas where they have inadequate provider
networks, which INCREASES health care costs for consumers. How he thinks
increasing that problem is going to decrease health care costs defies reason .
. . <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Of course, I suppose it’s
pretty easy to be irrational when one doesn’t have to deal with the
realities of dishonest and unethical health insurance carriers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>For those wondering, my question
was this:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='color:#1F497D'>My
question concerns health care reform and your opposition to a public
option. It's well-recognized that the 21% or so of Americans living in
non-metropolitan parts of the country have unique challenges with respect to
affordable health insurance. For instance, perhaps you're aware that the
cost for a University of Idaho employee to provide basic PPO health coverage
for her family is <b>over two-and-a-half more </b>than it costs a Boise State
University employee for <u>better</u> coverage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><span style='font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='color:#1F497D'>If
that's the best deal a large employer like the UI can offer in this part of the
state, I'd like you to explain how you think there can be meaningful reform for
the uninsured, the self-insured, and the small business owners & employees
absent a public option that will bring real competition rather than more back
room deals?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Needless to say, I wasn’t
impressed by Minnick’s non-answer to the question actually asked.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Saundra Lund<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Moscow, ID<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>The only thing necessary for the
triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>~ Edmund Burke<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:#1F497D'>***** Original material
contained herein is Copyright 2009 through life plus 70 years, Saundra
Lund. Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside the Vision 2020
forum without the express written permission of the author.*****<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
vision2020-bounces@moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces@moscow.com] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>Rosemary<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, August 26, 2009 9:28 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'Moscow Vision 2020'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Vision2020] Walt Minnick<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>I
attended the Walt Minnick question and answer thingy tonight at the 1912
Building. My remarks were prepared in advance and follow this
paragraph. Although I did not call him a jackass (as he accused me of
doing) after hearing his rambling non-answers and half-assed explanations for
an hour, I probably should have. At least Republicans are honest enough
not to pretend they are Democrats. I can’t say the same for Rep.
Minnick.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:1.75in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>“Last night we lost a great
Democrat. Sen. Kennedy was a tireless advocate for the poor, civil
rights, labor, and universal health care. He personified the liberal,
progressive wing of our party. You, on the other hand, Congressman
Minnick, as a Blue Dog Democrat, are the philosophical descendent of the
jackasses who formed the Boll Weevils, and the Dixiecrats –
splinter groups that stood against all that Teddy Kennedy stood for.
Please tell us, based on your voting record, including the fact that you have
cast 60% of your congressional votes with the Republicans, and your attitude
toward the public health care option, why you should expect liberal Democrats
to support you in 2010.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:1.75in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:1.75in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'>Rose Huskey <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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