Late this afternoon I attended another of Congressman Gary Miller’s Town Hall meetings in which he mainly fielded questions from the audience on the topic of national health care. The Congressman stated that this is the third or fourth Town Hall he has provided to his constituents in the past few months. He commented favorably on the multiple home made Tea Party signs that decorated the landscape as he drove to the front gate.
Prior to his introduction, the 200 to 250 residents and guests listened as the Casta Del Sol Republican Party host introduced currently serving and past elected officials in the audience. While his name was called Mayor Pro Tem Lance MacLean did not attend this event. However, OC GOP Chairman Scott Baugh came down from Huntington Beach to participate in this event. Scott was introduced by Marine Colonel/Vietnam vet and former Dana Point Councilman Joe Snyder. Prior to introducing the Congressman Scott read and commented on some of the 3 x 5 cards with attendee questions.
The irony to this opening commentary is that Mission Viejo mayor Frank Ury was not even named nor did he attend yet he is the Mission Viejo Captain for “get out the vote” on behalf of the OC GOP in our city.
Attendees that I sat with noticed a difference in the Congressman’s presentation and responses when compared to the Town Hall we attended at the Nixon Library.
Consensus is that his office is getting input from constituents who simply do not support the current proposal and cannot understand why Republicans are unable to stop this out of control freight train. Congressman Miller encouraged the crowd pointing out that the Tea Parties held over the summer have had a major impact on the health care debate causing the delay we are now experiencing. Several times during his full hour interacting with the seniors in this gated area of our city, where over 85 percent cast votes in every election, he referred us to four binders containing the proposed health care bill. This was to back up points he was making where specific sections of the proposed legislation could be found.
Let me cite one illustration. “H.R. 3200 Includes over $500 billion in cuts to Medicare starting in 2010 such as $101.6 billion in cuts for Hospitals. Skilled Nursing Facilities, Long Term Care Hospitals, Impatient Rehabilitation Facilities, Psychiatric Hospitals and Hospice Care.” Ref Page 224.
As I covered the Nixon Library Town Hall on a Juice post I will not repeat the same points heard at the earlier Town Hall.
Gary did offer Republican suggestions such as expansion of Cobra portability, preexisting conditions coverage and opening the door so that insurance providers from out of state could write policies in CA that currently is not permitted.
A major idea that Gary says has been blocked by the Democrats is “association health plans” where small businesses would be able to pool their employees together to negotiate package health care coverage pricing to save each of them on this costly employee benefit. We were told that this Republican idea was shot down a dozen times.
One new area, expressed by citizens at Town Hall meetings, was personal health care coverage of the members of Congress. Gary said he maintains his own Blue Cross/Blue shield PPO coverage.
Other audience questions related to federal bail outs, stimulus spending, loss of jobs that will not return to America to the president apologizing to foreign nations regarding our conduct as Americans. Other topics briefly covered included the “cap & trade” impact to industry and consumers, “monetization” that could lead to hyperinflation and protecting the Delta smelt where the current drought is wiping out crops in the central valley.
Note: Prior to the congressman’s arrival we enjoyed a medley of popular songs sung by local resident “Diamond Tom” who sang for us at our earlier Tea Part activities in Mission Viejo.
Gary Miller has the right direction on this issue.
With less than 10% of the population without health insurance why do the Democrats, Socialists, Nilalsits, elitists, and entitlement gang want to ruin the county. Here is the answer: Because they are in control–unless we say NO.
Miller has some very viable fixes—see his web site for detail.
One thing Gary Miller is wrong on–Nuclear Energy is NOT the answer. Too many problems–just look at the mess Southern California Edison has made of THEIR San Onfre facility.
On September 18th, I announced that I am seeking the Republican Nomination for the 42nd Congressional District. My opponent is Congressman Gary Miller. I have attended two of his town halls, and I was unimpressed with his stance on healthcare. Miller has served almost twelve years and never once has he proposed constructive legislation on healthcare reform. A few people asked Miller for his bill or the Republican’s bill. Unfortunately, there is none. I am a conservative Republican who is concerned that Miller says one thing and does another. Miller voted for the TARP Bailouts, the two Cash for Clunker Bills and was the only Republican Congressman in California to vote for the Barney Frank Housing Bill (he also voted for the $25 Billion Bailout of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae.) Miller also did not show up for the Auto Bailout Bill. Please go to my website at mcgroartyforcongress.com for a complete detailed explanation of my views on the economy and other issues. You may not agree with everything but I am not afraid to list my vision and stances on issues. You will be hearing from me soon in the Mission Viejo area. I welcome your comments.
I encourage all voters in the 42nd District to take a look at LEE MC GROARTY. He is taking on Gary Miller in the June primary. How refreshing to finally have someone besides Gary Miller to vote for in the Republican primary.
http://www.mcgroartyforcongress.com
Check out his site and find out WHY he is running.
Shiela. While I commend you for promoting Republican primary competition, the real solution for cleaning up Congress is Term Limits. With gerrymandered Districts carved up so that you get yours and I get mine, voters find themselves in an uphill battle to displace entrenched politicos of BOTH major parties.
Some basic questions of Lee. How much money does he plan to spend in the primary? What endorsements, if any, does he have? This is but the tip of the iceberg of questions I would ask him before engaging him in his position on policy matters.
Think about congressional offices for a minute. The president can only serve two 4 year terms, members of our state Legislature have Term Limits yet members of Congress can stay in office until carrried out in a pine wooden box.
Who are they you ask? Currently serving members, listed by tenure:
Robert Byrd 57 years, John Dingell 54 years, Dan Inouye 50 years, John Conyers 45 years, Dave Obey 40 years. Larry. These are all Democrats.
OK There is one Republican with 39 years of service named Bill Young. I would not want readers to think I promote any favoritism in calling for Congressional Term Limits would I?
Larry,
I feel your pain, but has term limits benefited California? I don’t think so (one man’s opinion).
Rogue Elephant.
It’s not just my pain. It’s painful to every citizen especially when we have some bright red and bright blue districts in our state. The fight within the major political parties is in the primary. In the case of our congressman, Gary Miller, we have contacted his local District Director over his endorsement of a man arrested for assault and battery yet he still gives Lance MacLean an endorsement based on the simple fact that both being incumbents, you scratch my back and I will continue to scratch yours.
Folks. That’s the real world.
Yes, Term Limits may cost both sides a few good leaders. From Tom McClintock who just left the state Legislature based on Term Limits to “Willie Brown legendarily referred to as the “ayatollah of the [CA] Legislature”
However, the three branches of our nation’s government were not established to create lifetime careers for elected officials.
I wonder if McGroarty will look into Miller’s questionable Army record, as Ed Chau should have in 2008. Some bios of Gary claim he served in the Army from 67-8, when he was 19, just before going to college in 68 – which would make him the only member of OC’s entire war-hawk delegation (Calvert, Rohrabacher, Royce, Campbell) to have served in the military at all – but Ron Shepston points out how unusual a one-year tour was at that time. Other bios don’t mention the Army at all. We’ve been stymied so far in our investigations, and so far he won’t answer what he did in the Army; but the rumor (from folks talking “off the record”) is a dishonorable discharge. It’s also possible he lied on his original bio and was never in the Army at all. Maybe a Republican like McGroarty would have an easier time getting to the bottom of this than us Dems have been.
Brother Vern. Let me see if I can get an answer to your question. Larry