For weeks, Senator Blanche Lincoln allowed Arkansas voters to believe she just might save them from the prospect of a government-run healthcare system. It turned out she had no intention of listening to the majority. Senator Lincoln chose to represent the Harry Reid/leftist zealot-wing of the Democrat Party, against the will of the majority of Arkansas voters.
Following her vote to support passage of the final version of Harry Reid's 2,034 page bill, Senator Lincoln sent an "eNewsletter" to those who had previously contacted her about this issue. Following the Democrat game plan that's been used throughout the debate on health care reform, Lincoln's letter is filled with lies, omissions, and misrepresentations.
Senator Lincoln Lies About Her Priorities
Near the end of her newsletter, Lincoln claims "my first priority remains the people of Arkansas and not any political party or partisan organization, and I will not support legislation that does not serve the best interests of our great state." In fact, her vote to support this legislation is a slap in the face to the 64% of Arkansans who oppose the bill.
It was obvious to anyone paying attention as far back as November, and Lincoln would have to have been wearing blinders if she didn't notice. Before she voted for cloture on the bill drafted by the Senate Finance Committee, Zogby released a poll showing the sitting Senator held a slight lead over her potential Republican challengers in next year's election. When asked who they would vote for if Lincoln voted for the health care bill, the tide turned.
It's quite obvious Lincoln's first priority wasn't with the people of Arkansas when she voted for Reid's government takeover of the US health care system.
But when voters were asked how they would vote in a Lincoln-Baker race if Lincoln voted in favor of the healthcare legislation, the incumbent Democrat fell behind her possible GOP challenger 37-49.
Senator Lincoln Lies About Medicare Cuts
Lincoln's newsletter also claims "I have worked hard in this bill to ensure seniors will not see a reduction in the Medicare coverage and benefits they have always relied upon." But that's not consistent with the near $500 billion in cuts to the program that even President Obama's Department of Health and Human Services says is likely to cause fewer doctors to treat medicare patients.
Though she states "I believe in the promise our government made to working Americans - that if we work hard, Medicare will be there to help us in our golden years," she voted for Reid's bill that will, according to Senator Tom Coburn (a medical doctor from Oklahoma), deny treatment for ailing seniors!
Evidently Lincoln believes in empty government promises to Arkansas' seniors!
For instance, the Reid bill (in sections 3403 and 2021) explicitly empowers Medicare to deny treatment based on cost. An Independent Medicare Advisory Board created by the bill—composed of permanent, unelected and, therefore, unaccountable members—will greatly expand the rationing practices that already occur in the program.
Senator Lincoln Lies About Transparency
Lincoln also boasts in her newsletter, "Throughout this process, I have pushed to ensure the Senate is conducting this debate in a public and transparent manner." But her definition of transparent may not be as clear as one would expect.
Though she did set up a health care resources page on her website, Lincoln didn't quite fulfill her promise to post ALL relevant information on the page in a timely manner.
In fact, Lincoln was a participant in closed-door meetings that forged the final version of Reid's bill. The text of that "compromise" apparently wasn't considered a "health care resource" because it wasn't posted on her site for all to see. Even though Harry Reid sent the text to the Congressional Budget Office two weeks before the first vote on the bill, Lincoln agreed to keep it hidden from her constituents in Arkansas!
"[T]he real action on the bill is taking place not on the Senate floor, but in [Majority Leader Harry] Reid's office, just steps away. That's where he's struggling to bring together the liberal and moderate wings of his caucus, in an effort to get the 60 votes he needs to thwart the united GOP front that will otherwise prevent the bill from winning final approval. On Sunday, Obama will address a closed meeting of Senate Democrats, presumably for a pep talk, and also to give them more guidance on just what he wants from a final health bill"
Apparently the Senator grew tired composing her newsletter, because she lumped several blatant lies all in one sentence when she said, "I support the revised Senate health care plan because it will curb rising health care costs over the long term, expand access to quality, affordable, health insurance plans to more than 400,000 uninsured Arkansans, and reduce the federal deficit by $132 billion in the next 10 years-all without a new government plan that places taxpayers at risk."
Senator Lincoln Lies About Bill's Impact on Deficit
First, the $132 billion deficit reduction is a flat-out lie that was exposed the day before Lincoln voted for passage of the Senate bill. Democrats, including our less-than-transparent Senator Lincoln utilized accounting methods that would have been the envy of Bernie Madoff and Enron to come up with their fictitious figure.
Harry Reid had to shift more than $200 billion in costs to a separate "doctor fix" bill to arrive at his contrived figures. Taking that into account instantly puts the net cost of the bill in the red, but there's even more trickery up the sleeves of Blanche Lincoln and Harry Reid. The day before the final vote, the CBO released a statement showing the devious Democrats were inappropriately double counting $300 billion to arrive at their claimed deficit reduction.
Assuming Lincoln, Reid and the rest of their Democrat colleagues didn't take any as yet undiscovered lessons from Madoff and Enron, we're looking at a $370 billion increase in the deficit over the next 10 years. Hardly the deficit neutral bill promised by Lincoln and the other dishonest Democrats.
Senator Lincoln Lies About Bill's Impact on Health Care Costs
According to the Obama Department of Health and Human Services' own Office of the Actuary (OACT), Reid's bill will increase national health expenditures over the next 10 years. The OACT reports that we can expect health care costs through 2019 will be $234 billion more than they will if Congress doesn't pass this bill. OACT states that, if this bill passes, $20.90 of every $100 will be spent on health care in 2019. If Congress does nothing, Americans are expected to $20.80 of every $100 for health care in that year.
Contrary to Lincoln's claim, health care costs will increase under the bill she voted for last week.
Senator Lincoln Lies About Government Plan
Actually Senator Lincoln claimed this bill doesn't have a "a new government plan that places taxpayers at risk." What she actually means is this isn't going to be a taxpayer funded government plan, but a plan that is owned by private industry and run by the government.
The bill calls for the government to dictate to private insurance companies what benefits they must include in their plan, who must be qualified to participate in their plan, and how much they can charge for their plan.
A government-run plan, but privately owned. How long does anyone expect that to last?
At least 64% of Arkansans don't expect it to last, and more likely expect it to turn into a single-payer government system before all is said and done. Senator Lincoln doesn't represent Arkansans, she represents big-government liberals seeking more control of our lives and freedoms.
Blanche Lincoln is perfectly willing to twist the facts and make back room deals behind closed doors to satisfy her wealthy out-of-state donors. With their money, Lincoln believes she can buy your vote. Or spend enough money to hide her allegiance to rich, out-of-state liberals.
In November, Arkansans will have the opportunity to let her know, in no uncertain terms, that we don't believe her lies.
Join our fight to elect a Senator who will represent Arkansas, not the liberal wing of the Democrat Party.
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