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Adler Sells Out His District - By The Numbers

by: Somewhere In The Swamps

Thu Aug 27, 2009 at 05:17:03 PM EDT

What will John Adler's stunning opposition to the health care public option cost his own constituents? Here's a 2-minute action item: Call Rep. Adler's District Offices and let him know what his decisions might cost you: Toms River DO: (732) 608-7235, Marlton DO: (856) 985-2777. It's not too late for him to change his mind, if he hears from you.- - - promoted by Rosi

Throughout the recent health care debate, New Jersey's Democratic delegation has stood firmly on the side of progressive reform, committed to varying degrees to the public option. Representatives Pascrell, Holt, Payne and Sires - four men from very different parts of the Democratic coalition - have all signed on to the FireDogLake pledge, promising to vote against any bill that does not include a public option health plan which is "available nationwide, on day one, and accountable to Congress and the voters." Representative Rothman has clearly stated that the public option is the key to reform, in order to "to keep insurance companies honest." And Representatives Andrews and Pallone are co-sponsors of House bill 3200, which would write exactly such a public option into law, and as sub-committee chairmen, vital players in the reform debate.

This leaves only one Democratic Congressman unaccounted for. John Adler. And Adler isn't just quiet on the public option, or unwilling to take a specific pledge. He's come out as one of its leading Democratic opponents.

"The bill that's coming through the House, with or without the public option, isn't good for America," Adler said matter-of-factly. "We have Congressional Budget Office projections of a trillion-dollar increase in costs that will have to be borne by taxpayers or insurance purchasers; meaning businesses and households. Either way, that's a cost we can't afford."

An interesting analysis was released recently by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for each and every Congressional district in the United States that clearly spells out the benefits of the aforementioned House bill 3200, aka America's Affordable Health Choices Act. So in case you're wondering what John Adler's opposition to progressive health care reform is costing his constituents, this will give you an idea. Without this bill, in the third Congressional district alone...

• 14,600 small businesses will not get tax credits for 50% of their health insurance costs
• 12,000 seniors will remain stuck in the Medicare Part D "donut hole"
• 1,330 families will go bankrupt due to health care costs (2008 figure)
• $56,000,000 in unpaid medical bills will pile up for doctors and hospitals (2008 figure)
• 47,000 people will remain uninsured

This is the bill that John Adler tells us "isn't good for America." It's time for the people of the third Congressional district to tell John Adler that what isn't good for America is his work on behalf of his paymasters in the insurance, health, and pharmaceutical industries to derail real reform that millions of Americans are relying on, including tens of thousands who elected him to office last November.

Somewhere In The Swamps :: Adler Sells Out His District - By The Numbers

Tags: John Adler, health care, reform, public option, nj-3, NJ3, featured, (All Tags)

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Adler Sells Out His District - By The Numbers | 6 comments

Adler Must Find Out Who He ACTUALLY Works For!!! (0.00 / 0)

Unless Adler has some kind of ideological fixation that precludes his support for (at a minimum!!!) a robust public option; then we can conclude that the only reason he would have to be opposed to it is that he feels beholden to..... (as Somewhere in the Swamps so clearly spells it out)

his paymasters in the insurance, health, and pharmaceutical industries

Adler must be motivated to realize that his opposition to a public option is not what his constituents want. He must be motivated to realize that the vocal angry hate filled and misinformed people who quantitatively dominate at the town halls right now are not representative of most of his distruct.

If Adler refuses to support/vote for (at a minimum) a robust public option; he needs to be primaried and to lose his seat.

This issue is that important.

We need to break the pay to play stranglehold that the insurance industry has placed on our lawmakers. It may be legal; but it's still bribery in any ethical/moral sense.

Adler needs to see the light on this.

PS I would also call on Pallone, Andrews and Rothman to overtly sign off on the Firedog Lake pledge. If they are truly committed; then signing the pledge would cost them NOTHING! Their reluctance to do so leaves them wiggle room...and they shouldn't need it.

If a bill passes with no robust serious public option; then the insurance industry will have one againe conned us. They will have successfully ripped off the American taxpayer to the tune of trillions of dollars to subsidize and industry that is currently, in effect, killing 22 thousand people a year and ripping off 25% of virtually every dollar spent on health care from them! (Given that their overhead is 30% and it could be done for less than 5%).

A real public option truly would eventually lead to Single Payer...and the insurance industry (that includes AARP folks) knows that and that's why they're fighting so hard to kill any real (even incremental) reforms.....and to instead pass fake reform that actually makes things even worse than the status quo.

by: Nick Lento @ Fri Aug 28, 2009 at 15:23:54 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Adler's father died from lack of health care? (4.00 / 1)

I met with Adler's office a while back and his staff went out of the way to tell a personal story about Adler.

Staff said Adler's dad died prematurely due to lack of health care, and that therefore he was a staunch health care reform supporter.

How corrupt is that?

by: Winston Smith @ Fri Aug 28, 2009 at 15:29:09 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Great Question Winston! Please.... (0.00 / 0)

...call his offices and ask them that question.

I would hope that Andrews will answer it himself right here on this site. How does one reconcile a reluctance to support a public option with the fact that his own dad died for lack of health care?

In the single payer model, it pays for itself....so the initial subsidy would, in the long run, be more than paid for by the savings of eliminating the overhead of the insurance industry.....so if that's his concern he should go all the way to single payer. ;-)

by: Nick Lento @ Fri Aug 28, 2009 at 15:52:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Adler's story (0.00 / 0)

A rather shocking reversal from my perspective.

activist for hire.

by: Jay Lassiter @ Fri Aug 28, 2009 at 16:50:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

PS Just Called Adler's Office.... (0.00 / 0)

...and when directly asked if it was true that Adler is opposed to a Public Option the answer given was "No........we're not really sure how Congressman Adler is going to vote right now....". And then the very nice lady on the phone said that "......he listens to all his constituents opinions first and then makes his final decision".

I directed her to this blog and hopefully Adler himself will come here to clarify his position.

As I told his representative, for me, supporting a robust public option is the absolute minimum required of ANY Democrat who wants to keep his seat.....a real public option will lead to single payer and that's a good thing.

Listen to Rosi on this one folks.....

Here's a 2-minute action item: Call Rep. Adler's District Offices and let him know what his decisions might cost you: Toms River DO: (732) 608-7235, Marlton DO: (856) 985-2777. It's not too late for him to change his mind, if he hears from you.

by: Nick Lento @ Fri Aug 28, 2009 at 15:45:10 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Please use all the numbers though... (0.00 / 0)

(ps. Not arguing either way here)

Cost per Adler, 1 Trillion. Population of US, 300,000,000. Cost per person, $3333.00

Population of Adler's district, 650,000.

Cost to district - 2.1 billion. Not sure over what period of time that would be paid, or even if it is a large number by comparison. But it should be included.

"Where ever you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Bonzai

by: William Weber (WjcW) @ Fri Aug 28, 2009 at 16:47:18 PM UTC

by: you @ soon

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Adler Sells Out His District - By The Numbers | 6 comments