Weekly remarks: Pat Roberts on evils of recess appointments, Obama on GOP obstruction

Republican remarks by Sen. Pat Roberts, as provided by Republican congressional leadership

I’m Pat Roberts – and I am very proud to represent Kansas in the U.S. Senate. I’ve had the privilege of serving the people of my state as both a senator and a congressman.

And much of my work in Congress has focused on healthcare, and especially the needs and concerns of patients -- whether in a rural hospital in my hometown of Dodge City or in a major metropolitan area like Kansas City.

And no matter where I go, patients tell me they are very worried that the new healthcare law – Obamacare -- will cost more, hurt their quality of care, and keep them from seeing their doctor that they know and trust.

Now as you know, Republicans fought against holding the healthcare debate behind closed doors. We fought against the parliamentary gimmicks used to pass the bill against the wishes of a majority of Kansans and Americans. Now, as we all return to work after our Independence Day celebrations, we learn President Obama – again – has gone behind closed doors to appoint a healthcare czar without public debate.

President Obama gave a recess appointment – avoiding a public hearing and a....

...vote in the Senate – to Dr. Donald Berwick, making him the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

It is ironic that the president chose Independence Day for this action, avoiding the Senate’s constitutional check on executive power, to appoint Dr. Berwick.

Now, upon learning of this move, the chairman of the Finance Committee, Sen. Max Baucus, a Democrat from Montana, said, "I’m troubled that, rather than going through the standard nomination process, Dr. Berwick was recess appointed."

I could not agree more with my Democrat colleague.

Without a public confirmation hearing on Dr. Berwick’s nomination, the Senate and the American people do not have the opportunity to learn about the man who will control one-third of all healthcare spending in America.

So a lot is at stake.

His influence will extend beyond Medicare and Medicaid, affecting nearly every American’s care, because Medicare sets the course for private insurers.

As part of the new healthcare law, Dr. Berwick will have to a cut half a trillion dollars from Medicare, obviously limiting seniors’ choices.

Now, as a result of the recess appointment, Dr. Berwick will take office through the back door without any formal public vetting as prescribed by the Constitution.

Now this flies in the face of what was promised to be the most transparent administration in our nation's history.

So – what do we know about how Dr. Berwick will administer your healthcare? Lets look at his own statements.

He said, "Any healthcare funding plan...must—must—redistribute wealth from the richer among us to the poorer and less fortunate."

Well, the obvious fear is Dr. Berwick will in fact use this position to redistribute the wealth in our country, cementing Obamacare as a giant, but stealthy, income transfer machine.

Dr. Berwick has spoken very favorably about the British national health service, calling it ‘not just a national treasure, [but] a global treasure’ as well.

Unfortunately, the British system rations care to contain costs.

The following disturbing statement of Dr. Berwick speaks for itself: "Most people who have serious pain do not need advanced methods; they just need the morphine and counseling that has been around for centuries."

Now is this the person we want making healthcare decisions for us, for our parents, our grandparents, our children, grandchildren?

Dr. Berwick has proposed similar rationing ideas for the American healthcare system, saying, "The decision is not whether or not we will ration care– the decision is whether we will ration with our eyes open."

Clearly the president’s plan is to have Dr. Berwick’s use of rationing cut that half a trillion dollars from Medicare.

Americans will not know how much saving a life is worth until Dr. Berwick is calling the shots. There should be a public forum where he must address who should make medical decisions-- your doctor? The patient? The family? Or the government?

We urge the president to reconsider his recess appointment of Dr. Berwick and encourage the Finance Committee to at least hold a public hearing now.

The president’s healthcare plan – the most sweeping overhaul of healthcare in our lifetime – cannot be implemented behind closed doors. This is a warning! Your healthcare and the care of your loved ones now hangs in the balance. Americans deserve answers.    ####

Weekly remarks by President Obama, as provided by the White House

This week, many of our largest corporations reported robust earnings – a positive sign of growth.

But too many of our small-business owners and those who aspire to start their own small businesses continue to struggle, in part because they can’t get the credit they need to start up, grow, and hire. And too many Americans whose livelihoods have fallen prey to the worst recession in our lifetimes – a recession that cost our economy 8 million jobs – still wonder how they’ll make ends meet.

That’s why we need to take new, common-sense steps to help small businesses, grow our economy, and create jobs – and we need to take them now.

For months, that’s what we’ve been trying to do. But too often, the Republican leadership in the United States Senate chooses to filibuster our recovery and obstruct our progress. And that has very real consequences.

Consider what that obstruction means for our small businesses – the growth engines that create two of every three new jobs in this country. A lot of small businesses still have trouble getting the loans and capital they need to keep their doors open and hire new workers. So we proposed steps to get them that help: Eliminating capital gains taxes on investments. Establishing a fund for small lenders to help small businesses. Enhancing successful SBA programs that help them access the capital they need.

But again and again, a partisan minority in the Senate said “no,” and used procedural tactics to block a simple, up-or-down vote.

Think about what these stalling tactics mean for the millions of Americans who’ve lost their jobs since the recession began. Over the past several weeks, more than 2 million of them have seen their unemployment insurance expire. For many, it was the only way to make ends meet while searching for work – the only way to cover rent, utilities, even food.

Three times, the Senate has tried to temporarily extend that emergency assistance. And three times, a minority of senators – basically the same crowd who said “no” to small businesses – said “no” to folks looking for work, and blocked a straight up-or-down vote. 

Some Republican leaders actually treat this unemployment insurance as if it’s a form of welfare. They say it discourages folks from looking for work. Well, I’ve met a lot of folks looking for work these past few years, and I can tell you, I haven’t met any Americans who would rather have an unemployment check than a meaningful job that lets you provide for your family. And we all have friends, neighbors, or family members who already know how hard it is to land a job when five workers are competing for every opening.

Now in the past, presidents and Congresses of both parties have treated unemployment insurance for what it is – an emergency expenditure. That’s because an economic disaster can devastate families and communities just as surely as a flood or tornado. 

Suddenly, Republican leaders want to change that. They say we shouldn’t provide unemployment insurance because it costs money.  So after years of championing policies that turned a record surplus into a massive deficit, including a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans, they’ve finally decided to make their stand on the backs of the unemployed. They’ve got no problem spending money on tax breaks for folks at the top who don’t need them and didn’t even ask for them; but they object to helping folks laid off in this recession who really do need help.  And every day this goes on, another 50,000 Americans lose that badly needed lifeline.

Well, I think these senators are wrong. We can’t afford to go back to the same misguided policies that led us into this mess.  We need to move forward with the policies that are leading us out of this mess.

The fact is, most economists agree that extending unemployment insurance is one of the single most cost-effective ways to help jump-start the economy. It puts money into the pockets of folks who not only need it most, but who also are most likely to spend it quickly. That boosts local economies. And that means jobs.

Increasing loans to small business. Renewing unemployment insurance. These steps aren’t just the right thing to do for those hardest hit by the recession – they’re the right thing to do for all of us. And I’m calling on Congress once more to take these steps on behalf of America’s workers, and families, and small-business owners – the people we were sent here to serve.

Because when storms strike Main Street, we don’t play politics with emergency aid. We don’t desert our fellow Americans when they fall on hard times. We come together. We do what we can to help. We rebuild stronger, and we move forward. That’s what we’re doing today. And I’m absolutely convinced that’s how we’re going to come through this storm to better days ahead. Thanks.    ####

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Photos: Associated Press; Pete Souza / White House; Roberts' office.

Comments

[prolgazinternet]

According to Republican strategist Grover Norquist, people like Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman avoided paying $1 trillion in federal taxes during the presidency of "W". So Fiorina got hers and more. As Hewlitt-Packard CEO, Fiorina laid off 30 thousand workers, sending their jobs overseas, and then she received $21 million in her own unemployment package ("severance"). Now she opposes H.R. 5618, which is before the U.S. Senate next week and to be sent to the President for signature. H.R. 5618 restores unemployment insurance benefits that Republicans have blocked for more than six weeks. Do you think Fiorina and Whitman really care if you cannot make your rent or mortgage payment? Senator Barbara Boxer already voted once for approval of H.R. 5618.

[Q]

Wasn't this a favorite trick of GWBush? Did Pat complain when GW pulled this trick? I think not.

[Fred Madden]

Honestly, do people actually listen to Pat Roberts?

I'm amazed that he got elected to begin with. And I can barely wait 4 more years to vote him out.

I don't care which party you support... zealots of either side should not hold office!

[Sean Chen]

Transparent? This is Obama's idea of transparent?

Notice that any time he can't his way, he either pulls a runaround play or complains he Republicans are blocking him from getting his way.

This is the way it has been for EVERY President, and it's a system that keep his executive power in check.

This is not a socialist country, but Mr. Obama is hell-bent on making it one.

If you don't agree, I implore you to please do more research and take a closer look.

If you still disagree, then we can agree to disagree.

[Shawdog]

I find it interesting to find Pat Roberts bemoaning the use of a recess appointment by President Obama, when George W. Bush used them frequently to get clearly unqualified and highly partisan appointees into office.

The hypocrisy, the hypocrisy....

[Mr. Z]

So only recess appointments are OK IF Republicans and BUSH USE THEM over 50 TIMES in 8 YEARS!!

For example the Bush appointment to the UN for example...NEVER CONFIRMED...EVER, BUT THEY WERE REPUBLICAN APPOINTMENTS SO THERE OK??

Pat Roberts ONLY CARES about REPUBLICAN CAUSES AND NOT THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA. HE IS A BIG FAT LIAR...TYPICAL REPUBLICAN...LIAR!!!!

REPUBLICANS CAN ONLY TELL LIES, TWIST TRUTHS & DISTORT FACTS...THE LAST TIME A REPUBLICAN TOLD THE TRUTH...LINCOLN WAS IN OFFICE!!

THE GOP IS A TOTALLY WORTHLESS POLITICAL PARTY FOR THE PEOPLE. THE GOP WORKS FOR CORPORATE AMERICA AND NOT FOR THE GOOD OF THE PEOPLE.

JOBS & MONEY DON'T TRICKLE DOWN LIKE REPUBLICANS ARE SAYING...THE ONLY THING THAT TRICKLES DOWN IS FICES FROM YOUR TOILET. JUST LIKE A PROMISE MADE BY REPUBLICANS.

IF YOU VOTE REPUBLICAN YOU CAN FLUSH AMERICA DOWN YOUR TOILET TOO. RIGHT ALONG WITH ANY HOPES & DREAMS YOU OR YOUR CHILDREN MAY HAVE HAD!

NEVER, NEVER VOTE REPUBLICAN EVER AGAIN...REPUBLICANS CAN'T BE TRUSTED EVER AGAIN, DO YOU WANT ANOTHER BUSH IN OFFICE???

NOBODY WANTS THAT...TRUST ME...NOBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT TO SEE ANOTHER BUSH EVER SERVE ELECTED OFFICE AGAIN!!

[jettpaul]

You guys should stop complaining cuz one the health care we have now isnt as good as it was supposed to be. also the law has just been signed give it a try u guys are too hard on democrats they went to college and we voted for most of these people.so if u want to say u have the right to choose tell that to ur congress men or state official. as for obama people are just tryin to make it look like america made a mistake he has done things to help us and we had a full 8 years of a terrible president and i will be so as happy as ever when a obama fixes bush's mistakes. You can find full medical coverage at the lowest price from http://bit.ly/chE6zp obama has to put up with the wo0rld judging his every move and trying to fix the mess we are in we are lucky anyone wants to be our president. STOP COMPLAINING AND GIVE HIM A BREAK. i wanna see one of yall do what he sas done. some people are just so ignorant.

[smg71]

If the Congress wanted a say on how the Director (not Tsar) of Healthcare (not Obamacare) was appointed maybe they shouldn't have left two days early on their fourth of July vacation and left millions of unemployed americans without benefits while they partied.

The Congress had a period of time they could have done SOMETHING to move healthcare past the vote stage and chose to do nothing. It is only commonsense that this would stay stalled with the current political climate in Congress, unless the issue was forced.

It is disengenuous to cry foul when you had a pretty good idea this was coming. It's a tactic used by both President Bush's, President Clinton and rigourously President Regan.

Also the statement of the new director was taken out of context. I tend to think the meaning was more along the lines of the nature of a healthcare system rather than the intent. A portion of your healthcare is usually assumed. The poorer you are, the less of the portion can be assumed, therefore a wealthier person will end up paying more into the system for their own care and will pay more for specialists which would not generally be available to the poor.

As to President Obama's speech:

You cannot simply put money toward small business and ignore the effect of major corporations offshoring tactics. When a company is 90 percent based in another country it is a foreign importer and should be taxed and tariffed as such until they move their production back to America. Until you do this, any incentive money you give out to "American Based" companies is being escheated from the American people to support foreign economies.

I support my President, just as I supported the President before him, that is why he was voted in my the majority. I just respectfully believe that both he and Congress need to put aside the needs of their corporate sponsors and take care of the people that voted them in to office.

[Granny195]

Senator Pat Roberts of Kansas said, "....much of my work in Congress has focused on healthcare, and especially the needs and concerns of patients." Perhaps he will tell us just what he has done to rein in the wildly inflated costs of pharmaceuticals, hospitals, health insurance, etc. What has he done about Medicare fraud? Until he can point to a record of holding down those costs, he has no right to say he gives a rip about the concerns of patients.

[Ruffinius]

Recess appointments are authorized by Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, which states:
“ The President shall have Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session. ”

[Mrs. B.]

The question is not on the constitutional legality of recess appointments made by the President but rather on the manner in which President Obama berates his predecessors for surreptitious behavior (well deserved), promises utmost transparency in his own actions and policies (breath of fresh air), then betrays the people to whom he promises transparency (dictatorship). Deceit and betrayal is no better coming from a Democrat than a Republican in America or from a Nazi than a Soviet in the Eastern Bloc, irrespective of whether each believes he(s) is doing what is “best.”