Lies from House Republicans

Last Saturday night, CSPAN broadcast the House debate on the health-care bill.  Here's just a sample of some of the outright LIES peddled by your Republican House members:

House Minority Leader John Boehner:  "If you're a Medicare Advantage enrollee . . . the Congressional Budget Office says that 80 percent of them are going to lose their Medicare Advantage."

It's a lie.  The Medicare Actuary estimated that projected enrollment would be down by 64% if cuts took effect.  Choosing not to enroll is not the same as "losing their Medicare Advantage.

Brett Guthrie (R-KY):  "The bill raises taxes for just about everyone."

It's a lie.  The bill imposes a surtax on the top 0.3% of households, individuals making more than $500,000 a year, and couples making more than $1 million.

Tom Price (R-GA):  "This bill, on Page 733, empowers the Washington bureaucracy to deny lifesaving patient care if it costs too much."

It's a lie.  On page 733, the bill proposes a Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research "in order to identify the manner in which diseases, disorders, and other health conditions can most effectively and appropriately be prevented, diagnosed, treated, and managed clinically."

Tom Price again:  "This bill, on Page 94, will make it illegal for any American to obtain health care not approved by Washington."

It's a lie.  The bill proposes setting minimum federal standards for employer-provided insurance, in part to determine who is eligible to buy coverage through the newly created insurance exchanges.

Dave Camp (R-MI):  "Americans could face five years in jail if they don't comply with the bill's demands to buy approved health insurance."

It's a lie.  The bill proposes a requirement for people to obtain insurance or, with some hardship exceptions, pay a fine. No one is being jailed for being uninsured.  People who evade paying the tax could be prosecuted just like people who cheat on their taxes.

Buck McKeon (R-CA):  "I offered two amendments to try to improve this bill -- one to require members of Congress to enroll in the public option like we're going to require all of you to do."

It's a lie.  No one is required to enroll in the public option. In fact, most people won't even be eligible to enroll in the public option or other plans available through the exchanges.

Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL): "The president's own economic advisers have said that this bill will kill 5.5 million jobs."

It's a lie.  The chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, has estimated that the bill would increase economic growth and add jobs.

When Republican leaders have nothing substantial to offer or they're too stupid to read the actual bill itself, they lie about it.