Discusses bi-partisan approach to health care reform and other national priorities.
Washington, DC – Congressman Frank Kratovil accepted the invitation of the Elephant Club of Severna Park, MD this morning and spoke at their weekly “Bagels and Donuts,” club meeting. The Congressman gave the group a brief Washington Update, took questions from club members, and talked about how Americans can work together despite party affiliation to make progress on many of our national priorities.
“It really takes an open mind for people who may not always agree with each other to sit down and talk about our common goals and how we can move this country forward in a bi-partisan manner,” Rep. Kratovil told the club. “It’s in the spirit of this diverse district that you have done so and your invitation represents to me the independence citizens of our district have always exhibited.”
The meeting focused mainly on the current health care reform legislation before Congress, and Congressman Kratovil reiterated his belief that the most important aspects of reform are bringing stability and security to Americans who have insurance today, and affordable coverage to those who don’t. “It is now a matter of crafting a bill that accomplishes these two critical reforms,” Kratovil said.
Kratovil told the club that “to do this, any bill must reduce the cost curve, it must protect the small business owners at the foundation of our economy, it must have parity for rural communities that are facing unique needs, and it must ensure that anyone or family who currently has insurance will be able to keep that insurance if they so choose. I will not vote for legislation that I do not believe accomplishes these goals.”
Kratovil and club members also discussed the need to reduce deficit spending for future generations, increasing reimbursement rates for doctors in Maryland, and the current state of the economy among other things.
The Elephant Club is a local party organization chartered by the Republican State Central Committee of Arundel County.
Kratovil closed by telling club members “I truly believe that when we work together we put ourselves in the best position to make change for the better. That is why I believe that no one party in this country has a monopoly on good ideas. As Congress gets back to work after the August recess, I’m hopeful that leaders on both sides of the aisle will seize this opportunity to re-engage in a meaningful and substantive debate over the challenges facing our nation.”
Kratovil, a member of the Blue Dog Coalition of fiscally conservative Democrats, has the third most independent voting record in the Democratic Caucus, according to Congressional Quarterly’s presidential support scorecard.
I surely disagree with Congressman Kratovil's stance on the majority of his beliefs, well, actually Nancy Pelosi's beliefs, because they are one and the same, however, I will give the man credit.
ReplyDeleteThank you for at least showing up at this meeting.
Kudos...and just sayin'
Rep. Kratovil may be correct in stating that no one party has a monopoly on good ideas. However, a party's goals and overall philosophy is very important. And from the looks of things, either Rep. Kratovil has his head in the sand or is in agreement with his party and party leader's (Pres. Obama) political actions, which should raise the concern of the majority in his District.
ReplyDeleteOPERATING BUDGETS pay for what you already have going. Cutting spending means cutting your operating budget. NEW spending initiatives cause increases in the OPERATING BUDGET. If you don't cut current programs that the OPERATING BUDGET is paying for, you need to increase tax revenue. The term "working together" addresses none of this.
ReplyDeleteDEFICIT SPENDING is essentially spending more than you have in your OPERATING BUDGET. Cost curves and protection of small businesses have nothing to do with fiscal responsibility. Discussing FUTURE NEEDS contributes little as well.
So, spending more than you have in your budget makes you go broke and lay employees off. Enacting NEW initiatives that are not already in your OPERATING BUDGET to fund, causes you to cut spending elsewhere. Freezing new expenditures may not be politically popular but it lessens the impact to the local municipality and their employees.
what a load of sh#t,
ReplyDeletethat same a@@hole voted for cap and trade without reading it! he's a pelosi lapdog, and it's time we get rid of him! fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me!
Like republican clubs are doing anything about anything.
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to have him at an AFP meeting. I wonder if he'd come?
Republican Clubs not extreme enough for you Right Coast?
ReplyDeleteAssuming I believe this blog's account of the meeting, (which I really do not) the real question here is why is Rep. Kratovil sucking up to people who do not understand or care about the real heath care issues?
ReplyDeleteAs one who has had insurance cancelled-- despite paying tons of money for it-- because a family member suddenly got sick, I have come to learn--despite my past Republican leanings-- that only a real Democrat understands the plight of the average citizen who gets screwed by the health insurance companies. Come on, Kratovil, be a real Democrat and stand up for the average citizen who is getting screwed by the profit making insurance companies!
anonymous 2:03, excuse me but this was a "word for word" press release from Mr. Kratovil himself. If you don't "believe" that, please contact his Office and they will confirm it, word for word.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 6:46 (AKA potty-mouth) called Kratovil Pelosi's lapdog, and I guess implied that s/he had voted for Kratovil before, but won't be fooled again (although I suspect s/he gets fooled a lot).
ReplyDeleteSo Potty-Mouth would have us believe that someone who has voted against his party more than 100 times, has one of the most moderate voting records in the Democratic caucus, and is the only Dem representative from Maryland that does not have a perfect record with the AFL-CIO is some kind of administration lackey.
When Kratovil ran for Congress did Potty-Mouth not believe that he was a member of the Democratic Party? Did Potty (as his friends call him) not see the D by Kratovil's name?
Frank Kratovil ran and won as a moderate, and he votes as a moderate; not as a lcakey of either Pelosi or right-wing nut jobs.
So if he fooled you before, Potty, then you weren't hardly paying any attention bucko. Or maybe you just are a hypocritical liar!
Oh oh, there's that L word.