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After reading several posts across the blogosphere about our elected officials having been covered by some government sponsored plan for many years, I asked myself a question, how can they know what goes on out there with real people if they never been off the dole?
Take an example, my Senator John McCain has been on some government sponsored plan since he was born in Panama. His father a naval officer, grew up in a military family with coverage. Then he enlisted in the navy too, military medicine until he was shot down and it was Military and VA health care system who managed his care. Even when he was not active military he always had VA benefits.
He was elected to Congress then to the Senate, each having their own version of a Federal Benefits Employee Plan (FEBA). All along McCain had his VA benefits and when he turned 65, he became eligible for Medicare. Yes these two plans would be secondary and one government plan does not pay back to another another(worked for FEBA)but there was coverage.
McCain be man enough to trade shoes with me….. trying to pay the $3000 annual co-insurance out of pocket payment on disability…… finding out that the latest FDA approved drug for my Kidney Cancer will NOT be covered for 6 months after approved ….. cost containment ….. and after all we don’t want anyone from the government between my doctor and my care……. NO I have some contract written between my health insurance and my employer between the latest drug in my battle……
What I am looking at is for as many of the pups to start looking at their congressmen and senators and see just how long they have been "sucking on the government tit" for their health coverage.
I really don’t think there is anyone more egregious than McCain but I have read of others who have been on some government sponsored plan for well over 30 years. Please help me make a list to point out the hypocrisy…..This is not including their spouses, children and other family members.
26 Comments
great diary – and point
thanks katymine – recommended
i didn’t think i could despise mccain any more. but after reading this i do.
what a great diary. thank you katymine!
Dianne Feinstein, who stuck her ugly foot into the debate today after being left out, was first elected to the SF Board of Supervisors in 1969. I don’t know whether she had health care then, but I would imagine so. There were four years (1988-1992) when she wasn’t a public servant since then.
So for the past forty years (more than half her life) she’s been eligible for taxpayer-funded health care, except for those four years.
Katymine..try writing the manufacturer/company who ‘owns’ the drug and ask for the drug to be given to you free. I suggested this recently, but you might not have seen my comment to you. I had written you about a young woman I know who was given $12,000 worth of a new chemo drug that works best for young victims of breast cancer. You have nothing to lose and much to gain by trying. Hugs.
Retired military used to have Champus which is now Tri-care. This lasts until age 65.
Katy dear,i will send you my video camera,if you go to McStains office…invite Mehgan to lunch,give her an earful
Great post, katymine.
More like this, please. Let’s see how many of our coddled Congresscritters we can reveal.
this guy on Ameriblog states it well
Anything short of single payer universal care is going to be unfair and cost more. And where will those costs go? To the government-subsidized insurance industry. We will be paying extra for industry salary and dividends to private shareholders in order that they charge more and deliver less – that IS their business model. Besides being stupid, is it fair? Does it make sense?? Why are we SUBSIDIZING and PAYING EXTRA FOR what is ludicrously defended as the “free market?”
Reading all the details of this Clinton Mark II plan makes my eyes bleed. Deckchairs, Titanic.
An industry that gets between you and your medical needs, denies you care to make money, therefore profiting from your disease and suffering, supported by the government and costing more than just delivering the damn services is immoral, illogical, insane.
Healthcare is NOT a commodity. It is national security – we are one real swine flu outbreak away from complete insurance company meltdown. Where will our healthcare system be then? Another “Wall Street bailout?” How much will that be and how much better off will we all be – WHY is it made unnecessarily complicated?
It’s like a game of find the pea under the nutshell. The only winners are the guys running the game. There is no pea, And everybody’s time and money is wasted looking for it.
And if I hear someone say “this will mean government rationing your care” I will puke on him. What in bloody hell do we have right now, unless we pay out-of-pocket, but insurance companies doing that at their whim, for the sake of their profit?
Future generations will look at this and shake their heads and wonder how their grandparents could have tolerated this and how the society was healthy enough for their parents to have been conceived.
Thanks Katymine for your rage and laying out a way to tell McCain like it really is.
I do urge you to follow Butterfly’s counsel at 4.
Thanks so much, sadlyyes.
Blessings to all,
Dale Kildee (Dem) 55 years of gov health care.
Born Sept 1929
Teacher 1954 to 1964 10 yrs
Mi State House of Rep 1965 to 1974 10 yrs
Mi State Senate 1975 to 1977 3 yrs
US House of Rep 1977 to 2009 32 yrs (incumbent)
Total 55 yrs of his 79 yrs alive. Wiki doesn’t list his parents so I don’t know weather he had gov health care then.
I also think people this age should retire and let another generation have a try it.
Great idea katymine. I’ll be back with more.
Great post.
Carl Levin born 1934. It looks like 43 years on gov health care.
State assistant police officer and general counsel for the Michigan civil rights commission from 1964-67.
Special assistant attorney general for Michigan and chief appellate defender for the city of Detroit from 1968-69.
Detroit City Council Member 1969 to 1977.
1977 to 1978? (running for office? just a guess)
US State Senator 1979 to now. (wiki info)
Debbie Stabenow, age 59
Ingham County Board of Commissioners 1975 to 1978 (do thhey get health care?)
Social Worker yrs unk (Health care?)
Mi House of Rep 1979 to 1990
Mi State Senate 1991 to 1994
US House of Rep 1997 to now 2009
30 yrs and maybe more
Arlen Specter born 1930, age 79. Minimum 33 years in public health care system.
His father served WW1. Did their kids get health care?
US Air Force 1951 to 1953 serving stateside during the Korean war.
Nov 1963 to Sept 1964 Worked for the Warren Commission investigating Pres. John Kennedy’s death at Gerald Ford’s recommendation.
Pennsylvania’s District Attorney 1965 to 1967
US Senator 1981 to 2009. He has served 5 terms which total 28 years. I think Senate terms are too long.
Looks like 33 years not counting his childhood.
I’d also like to see a list of all the non profit org’s the pols have started or belong to. You know, those non profit org’s.
Kay Bailey Hutchison, born 1943, age 65 Looks like 24 yrs on public assistance health care. snark
1972 – 1976 Tx House of Rep
1976 – 1978 Vice-chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board from 1976 to 1978
wiki has nothin on her during the 1980’s.
1990 – 1993 TX State Treasurer
1993 – 2009 US Senator (said she would only serve 2 terms, later to recant and say she’d stay in absence of a term limit law.)
She believes in the legality of abortion but frequently votes to restrict it.
Olympia Snowe born 1947, age 62.
36 years public health care. More than half her life.
Seat of the Board of Voter Registration
1973 won her deceased husbands seat in the House of Rep for Maine.
1974 – 1978 reelected.
1979 – 1995 US House of Rep
1989 – 1995 Snow married the governor of Maine and was First Lady of Maine
1995 – 2009 US Senate
Susan Collins born 1952, age 56
At least 13 yrs, possibly 30 yrs plus.
1975 – 1987 worked for Senator Wm. Cohen. (do assissantants/aids get health care?)
1988 – 1992 Maine Commission on financial regulation (health care?)
1993 – ? New England regional director of the Small Business Administration. Is this a gov job?
1996 – 2009 her former boss Senator Wm Cohen retired and she won his seat.
Is this a serious point? Government healthcare for government employees is supposed to be some revelation?
And I’m fairly certain Senator McCain could easily afford the $3k and all that other stuff ya mentioned.
Diane Feinstein born 1933, age 76.
Served CA Women’s Parole Board member
1969 – 1978 San Fran Board of Supervisors
1992 – 2002
Do these people ever retire? Most people I know in their 70’s have a shoe box full of meds and can’t remember shit half the time. This could be a matter of security having so many old gov officials.
Barbra Boxer born 1940, age 68 at least 27 years on gov health care.
Stock broker for 3 yrs after college and then a journalist. 1994 Her dau married Hilliarys brother when she was 1st Lady, now divorced.
Aide to John Burton, a member of Congress.
1976 – 1982 Marin County Board of Supervisors (served as 1st woman president of this)
1982 – 2009 US Senate
1993 – 2009 US State Senator
Americans don’t need Health INSURANCE.
They need Health CARE.
Paying $400 per month to Blue Cross does nothing to deliver health or care, particularly if you never use it.
The ONLY solution to the health CARE crisis is to remove the most expensive layer in the business model. Insurance does nothing to deliver care. If politicians represented US instead of the INSURANCE LOBBY, they might actually open their minds to delivering the only answer that makes any sense. If you’re going to even discuss providing Health CARE for every American, then you need to at least discuss terminating Health INSURANCE in that mix. There’s no need for insurance if health care is guaranteed.
Health Insurance ONLY adds Cost and delivers NO care.
But now you know why Warren Buffett wanted to stay close to Obama.
Great candidates for bumper stickers! We need more of these short-and-meaningful truths visible for everyone to think about.
Great comment!
SINGLE PAYER!!
Amend the Constitution and give every citizen comprehensive health care for a small fee. Get GREED out of the Health Care System… cost will go down..
Great Diary Katy!! Hope you are feeling well (:>))
Go away troll. No one likes you.
This is a great resource, someone needs to compile ALL the info on ALL the congressmen and put it on one website and publicize it.
I honestly think we have finally reached a tipping point, whether it will result in single payer or not remains to be seen.
At least we can count on BB to vote for single payer. DiFi is lost to us.