Video: Rep. Hultgren (R-IL) Grilled Over Vote To Repeal Health Reform

[cal04]

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/05/03/hultgren-grilled-repeal-health-reform/

(Video recorded by ThinkProgress Blog Fellow Micah Uetricht, a reporter from the Chicago area)

Over the last two weeks, Republicans have faced a growing town hall backlash over their votes to cut taxes on the rich, to end Medicare as we know it, to extend billions in subsidies to oil companies, and to reduce the corporate tax rate. Now, a freshman Republican is feeling the heat over his vote to repeal health reform and reinstate so-called preexisting conditions discrimination.

Last week at a town hall in Sycamore City, IL, a constituent relayed a story to Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL) about his daughter, who has suffered because insurance companies refuse to extend coverage to her because of her medical history. Hultgren claimed such discrimination is a problem that must be addressed. However, he was challenged by another constituent who accurately noted that Hultgren voted to repeal the entire health reform law, which means that he repealed protections against preexisting condition screening.

Hultgren then made two startling claims. First, he said the Senate will not approve the House GOP-passed repeal bill, so his vote meant nothing. Second, Hultgren erroneously claimed that he voted to fix preexisting conditions discrimination “the very next day” after his repeal vote. In reality, Hultgren and his party never proposed a “replacement” bill after voting to repeal health reform:

CONSTITUENT 1: One more thing about healthcare. I’ve got a daughter and she had a baby about four months ago. She decided that she loves being a mother so much to resign from her position as a teacher. Guess what? She can’t get insurance because she has a preexisting illness. She’s been cancer-free for fifteen years but the cancer also brought on diabetes because it damaged her pancreas. Preexisting illness and the insurance companies tell her to take a hike. <...>


Watch it:
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/05/03/hultgren-grilled-repeal-health-reform/

[ThoughtCriminal]

1. Amazing how easy it is for them to just lie

and claim he voted for non-existent legislation. He just assumes, unfortunately probably correctly, that he won't get called on it by any notable media, or his "base" just won't care.

Next, I would like to know how this "hypothetical" legislation that he "Voted for" planned to handle the cost of covering people with preexisting conditions.

[crickets]

2. "so his vote meant nothing"

To him, apparently. Unreal.