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U.S. Senator Bob Casey, D-Pa (Contributed Photo)
By Susan Koomar
MILFORD — U.S. Senator Bob Casey, D-Pa., expects Congress to pass a health care reform bill this fall despite ongoing controversy and debate.
A 2008 survey of Pennsylvanians showed more than 6,000 Pike County residents ages 19 to 64 are uninsured, as well as about 800 youngsters below age 18, Casey said in a phone interview this week with the Pike County Press.
“I believe there’s enough consensus to get a bill through the Senate and get a bill the House and Senate can agree on before Thanksgiving. That should be the goal,” he said. “We’ve never been as close as we are now. There’s a lot of momentum.”
Casey said health care reform is critical to restoring prosperity.
“There’s no way to get a handle on long-term debt in this country without beginning to control health care costs,” he said.
Casey also spoke about international affairs including the need for serious discussion on strategy in Afghanistan before committing to send in more troops.
“This may sound cynical and blunt, but during the war in Iraq, Congress had either little or no debate or often very stupid debates,” he said. “We have to have real debate that really covers issues, not just sound bites that people in your party like.”
Casey pledged to listen to Republicans, too as part of that process. “This policy is different from what we’re used to because it’s counter-insurgency, not war or counter-terrorism. This is more complex,” said Casey.
Casey called Iran’s test missile launch troubling but not surprising. “There’s nothing wrong with talking and engaging, but we’ve given the Iranians lots of chances to engage. We get either no response or defiance or lying to the international community,” he said.
Casey and Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) have introduced the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act which would authorize the divestment of public pension money from companies doing business in Iran’s oil and natural gas sector.
“States are often not allowed to do this because it affects foreign policy,” said Casey.
Casey hopes to see the United States form a coalition to impose sanctions even if it is unlikely that Russia and China will join the effort. He supports unilateral sanctions as an alternative.
Casey is a co-sponsor of the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act which empowers the president to impose new economic sanctions on foreign firms involved in the export of gasoline and other refined petroleum products to Iran.
The Pike County Press asked Casey why he was one of just seven senators who voted against disqualifying ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) from receiving grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development next year.
Casey called the ACORN funding ban a “typical Washington amendment when people want to make a political statement.”
Casey agreed ACORN should be investigated for the video that showed staff counseling a man and woman posing as a pimp and a prostitute. But Congress would have time for little else if it focused on “every single group that has employees who get in trouble,” he said.
“That’s the nature of Washington now – to play these little games,” Casey said.
Casey has proven that he absolutely doesn’t care what his constituents want re: the nationalized health care push. He announced his town hall meetings the DAY BEFORE they began leaving it very difficult for voters to arrange time off to go, especially any voters who work full time and will be paying for this financially astronomical entitlement that will result in medical rationing and doctor shortages.
http://casey.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/?id=368fc97b-49d3-4481-901f-829b86451e54
This press release was posted on his site on August 30 announcing his “public forums” to be held Aug 31, Sept 1, and Sept 2.
Yep, the same nitwit that was one of seven to vote to continue ACORN funding.
please listen to the people. WE DO NOT WANT government run healthcare. We know that it is more about power than it is about healthcare. We also know that we cannot afford it. It WILL NOT be defecit nuetral. We are not stupid. We want our country back. You will lose in the next election if you support this nightmare of a bill. When reid sneaks this into other bills next week, you had better read every one of them. Rumor has it that it will be shoved down our throats like all the other unconstitutional **** they insist on forcing upon us. I want america to be free once again and can’t wait until 2012.
Casey on Acorn defunding: ” But Congress would have time for little else if it focused on “every single group that has employees who get in trouble,” he said.
Umm….Wait a minute. That’s every single TAXPAYER FUNDED group, Senator.
“That’s the nature of Washington now – to play these little games,” Casey said.
Senator, we’d like frittering away our tax dollars on criminal oriented groups to stop. We’d like the “nature” of Washington to change.
“6,000 Pike County residents ages 19 to 64 are uninsured”
According to the census bureau, Pike County has a population of 59,664 people in 2008. So the statement could have been written as 90% of Pike County residents are currently insured. Makes you wonder why the entire health care system needs to be taken over the government to assist 10% of the people?
“there’s enough consensus to get a bill through”
The democrats control all three braches of the government and can pass anything anytime. The town halls, phone calls, email and 9/12 march on DC have them scared. Keep up the pressure.
“Casey said health care reform is critical to restoring prosperity”
It’s critical to growing the government and taking control of your life. If they take over healthcare they will add unionized government jobs and bankrupt the private insurance companies. Last time I looked, the private industry (capitalism) created wealth, not the government. Yes I know there is an exception to this statement; some elected officials (Rangel?) seem to prosper from the government.
“There’s no way to get a handle on long-term debt in this country without beginning to control health care costs”
This confuses me, has the government been borrowing money to pay for my health insurance, I though I was paying it for? We are in debt because of our government can not live within its means. Perhaps they borrowed money to cover the illegals?
How can anyone with any intelligence support this man in the next election? His statements are silly (search for the Brain Surgeon comment) and he openly supports ACORN. Makes no difference what party you support, he needs to be replaced.