Update: This sounds a bit more uncertain.
Congressman Mike Arcuri won't be supporting healthcare reform in this round of votes:
U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri, D-Utica, said Tuesday he would vote against the Senate version of the health care bill that could soon go before the House of Representatives for approval.
Why? Arcuri doesn't like the "mega bill" approach, the prospect of reconciliation, and some differences in the Senate bill.
As his spokesman put it, "The congressman is very careful about evaluating each bill based on its own merits."
Outside of Tompkins County, that may possibly help his re-election bid this fall. Inside of Tompkins County, well, it won't.
I feel bad for Arcuri's Cortland Field Representative, Bob Messinger, who will be having office hours at Lansing Town Hall next Wednesday, March 10th, from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.
(Via Talking Points Memo, and cross-posted at The Albany Project.)
Posted by simon at March 3, 2010 12:46 PM in politics (national)
I continue to read your blog with interest. Of all things American, the one I find most hard to understand is the suspicion of universal health care accessible to all, which is funded by the government and, in the UK, paid for by a progressive 'National Insurance' tax (ie, your contribution depends on your earnings). The right-wing media and sloppy politicians talk about a 'free NHS'— which it is not. The reason we all support it can best be described as 'selfish mutualism'. As a system it works and 99% or more of the time it delivers top-rate health care and support. When I hear American friends talk about the cost of health care, I wince. Health care free to all at point of access is no more socialist than local councils paying for roads or governments spending money on armies etc.
Well, I have had my chunter. Now I will go back to sleep in the hope that, one day, the richest country on earth will come to it senses and realise that the health and wellbeing of all its citizens is too important to be left in the hands of the market.