After losing votes for days, it looks like the Obama administration has made up ground arm-twisting votes for the government takeover of our health care system. The same day as the liberal Denver Post opined strongly against the legislation, the Post‘s Michael Riley reports that Colorado Congresswoman Betsy Markey — formerly a No vote — has bowed to Democratic leadership and decided to vote Yes (H/T Complete Colorado).
I expect a large voter revolt to ensue. We already know from a recent poll that 58 percent of Markey’s constituents oppose the Obama Care monstrosity. Maybe she doesn’t care about that, you say? Maybe she expects some sort of federal appointment after Cory Gardner unseats her in November?
Well, thankfully we have Tom Coburn — one of the few decent principled conservatives in the United States Senate — showing some backbone and political teeth for the cause of liberty and good government (H/T Aaron Gardner, Red State):
I have contacted my Congressman this week to give him an earful of objections to Obama Care and the latest shenanigans to force it through. Have you contacted Betsy Markey’s office yet?
Hey Ben. I actually did contact Markey’s office today, to thank her for her support of some pretty important and long overdue policy overhaul. I’ll agree that there are pressing questions to answer over how the government handles health care reform in all it’s evolutions, but one thing is clear: health insurance and health care access in American are unsustainable at current, and American families are not served by the corporate-model status quo. While government regulatory agencies are deeply flawed, I’ll feel more comfortable when I know that insurers are no longer free to gouge the sick in order to make a buck. As a healthy, young, white male, furthermore, I’m happy to buy in if that means everyone around me has better access, too. I pay taxes, I vote, I obey traffic laws . . . what the hell, I’ll buy health insurance when the government tells me too. It’s not that hard.
Personally, I’m happy seeing Markey commiting political suicide. I want Gardner to win. I want to see more Dems off themselves here and nationally. I want them to fail so Colorado and the country can succeed. If the Dems push through Obamacare at this point and in this manner, we have an excellent chance of repealing it before it takes effect, and it meanwhile will be mired in legal challenges.
Also, since my Congressman, Jared Polis, purchased his house seat with his own money, I doubt a call to him will do anything except raise my blood pressure. I might follow your lead and call Betsy tomorrow just for fun and to see what they say. I expect a busy signal.
I have tried multiple times to call her office but it is busy. I think folks should protest at her house in Ft. Collins. This is in the public records. MARKEY, ELIZABETH H
430 W MOUNTAIN AVE
FORT COLLINS, CO 80521-2605