Rep. Cao Only GOP Member to Vote for Obamacare


Freshman Republican Rep. Ahn “Joseph” Cao of Louisiana was the only Republican member of the House to vote “yes” Saturday in the 220 to 215 approval of President Barack Obama’s sweeping overhaul of the nation’s healthcare system.

Cao and his staff had signaled in interviews with Newsmax that he was open to supporting health reform legislation, but his final vote would depend on language regarding funding for abortion because he didn't want to be in conflict with his Catholic background.

“There is political pressure on me to do well,” Cao told Newsmax. Earlier he had told reporters that voting against healthcare reform would “probably be the death of my political career.”

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Cao waited until 218 yes votes, the number needed to ensure passage, had been cast for the bill before voting.

On his Web site, Cao wrote: “Tonight, I voted to keep taxpayer dollars from funding abortion and to deliver access to affordable healthcare to the people of Louisiana. I read the versions of the House (health reform) bill. I listened to the countless stories of Orleans and Jefferson Parish citizens whose healthcare costs are exploding – if they are able to obtain healthcare at all. Louisianans needs real options for primary care, for mental healthcare, and for expanded healthcare for seniors and children.”

One year ago, Cao defeated Democratic incumbent Rep. William Jefferson to become the first Vietnamese-American elected to Congress. His was quickly proclaimed as a lesson in how the Republican Party could attract and captivate voters beyond its traditional white male supporters.

“As House Republicans look ahead to the next two years, the Cao victory is a symbol of what can be achieved when we think big, present a positive alternative,” Republican House leader John Boehner wrote in a memo he called “The Future is Cao.”

It had been reported – inaccurately – that Cao was set to vote against the healthcare package, a position his office strenuously disputed in an interview with Newsmax.

“It was not that he decided to vote again the healthcare plan, as many in the GOP did. It was his reasons for considering not voting, to see if he morally could not do it,” said Princella Smith, Cao’s press spokesperson.

Smith said the deal-breaker was what would happen to federal prohibitions against funding abortions. Unless such prohibitions were explicit, Cao would not support any legislation.

“It has nothing has to GOP party ideology,” Smith said. “He actually read the bill, all the pages. He is a proponent of prevention and wellness. He is not taking an ideology stand against it.”

The health legislation included the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which will keep in place current federal law on abortion funding and conscience protections for healthcare providers.

“Before the Stupak-Pitts amendment was adopted as part of this health reform bill, the bill failed to explicitly include the longstanding policy prohibiting federal funding of elective abortion and plans which include elective abortion,” Cao wrote. “I have always said that I would put aside partisan wrangling to do the business of the people. My vote tonight was based on my priority of doing what is best for my constituents.”

Nevertheless, his vote may have been part of a deal. “Today, I obtained a commitment from President Obama that he and I will work together to address the critical healthcare issues of Louisiana including the FMAP crisis and community disaster loan forgiveness, as well as issues related to Charity and Methodist Hospitals,” Cao wrote.



http://www.newsmax.com/insidec...09/11/08/283354.html

We really are a bunch of dopes, you know that? Nobody wants health care yet Pelosi commands all democraps to vote on it while we all sleep? Sheesh! I'm surprised we have yet to join the EU. Makes no difference to me, I can move to wherever I want on this globe and so can the rest of you if you want. If Mr.& Mrs. Burden think they get to tag along ( for free as usual ) they don't. Hey? Maybe I will become a BURDEN myself!

" Bucky Burden is my name, waiting for everybody to pay my taxes is my game. "

Nobody wants health care?

HarryP

Thats right, nobody wants Obama's TRILLION DOLLAR health care. By the way do you want it, and if so what is in it because nobody is saying in either House. So, do you have some inside info that the news media and I can read? How in the heck did we ever make it through the 40's, 50's,60's,70's,80's and 90's without Obama's trillion dollar idea? Honestly it really makes no difference if the bill passes. 10 years from now we will all be reading about the woes of the health care that never " really " worked. " If only we could have spent 50 trillion dollars blah, blah...blah...."

Nobody is a very strong term is the only thing I am saying here. I agree that it costs too much but is is not as liberal of Nixon' plan was.

I keep hearing there is a proviso in this bill you,or an employer,can be fined,even face the possibility of jail,if you do not sign on.
http://republicans.waysandmean...px?DocumentID=153583

I think (know) that both sides lie to gain an advantage. I know that this is a shock to everyone but try not to drink too much when thinking about it.

HarryP

I knew you were going to grab the word I used ( Nobody ) and make a field goal with it...dammit.

Well,Harry,I guess we cannot believe anything any politician tells us.
All we,this American anyway,wants is to be told the truth
Something to dream about...

Harry P---
Here is a reporter asking Ms. Pelosi if jail is in the cards for those of us who DON'T WANT government mandated healthcare.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Km3-_Ol65lM

Sorry nvrbtdt, I avoid youtube as all possible costs.

Yes, people do want healthcare. People want real healthcare reform, especially the thirty million uninsured Americans, and the millions more afraid of their insurance companies dropping them the moment they get sick. When I hear "government take-over" of healthcare, I cringe. Because that is not what is on the table at all. That is the kind of rhetoric that is being spewed by the right-wing fringe likes of Sarah Palin, Rush Lumbaugh, Michelle Bachmann and Glenn Beck, none of whom have any of the slightest idea of what they're talking about. The public option is exactly that -- an OPTION. A new branch introduced to the healthcare system, meant to introduce competition between the few dominating health insurance money-raking machines whose rates are already skyrocketing at the moment. Introducing competition would level out these rates while offering an affordable plan for the millions of uninsured. Thirty million uninsured Americans is an embarrassment to our nation, the richest in the world, whereas all of Europe, Canada, even the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay are getting better healthcare than Americans are now.

What Obama is proposing is nowhere close to socialism -- an idea, which, by the way, none of you seem to understand (it's like Creationists trying to understand evolution: you've been brainwashed by fifty years of Cold War to automatically cringe at the word). The current plan on the table is mainly meant to keep insurance companies from dropping customers once they get sick, when they need healthcare the most: a current abomination. The public option is being introduced to cover the rest of the uninsured.

The plan, 800+ billion dollars, is to be completely paid off in the next decade, reducing the deficit by over a hundred billion dollars, and even MORE in the decade following. Your taxes WILL go up -- that's no question. But it's no reason to be complaining -- taxes are lower than they have ever been after the Bush years. It's something that absolutely needs to happen, otherwise the economy will collapse to shambles in the coming decade: it's an absolutely unsustainable system we have in place at the moment.

Healthcare reform NEEDS to be passed, with a strong public option. It is an embarrassment to call ourselves the greatest nation on earth with one in ten of its citizens uninsured and millions more preparing to file for bankruptcy because of sky-high medical costs.

Well,thank you for explaining healthcare reform to us ignorant Creationists.
Really appreciate your expertise.
Your figures show no documentation.Where did you come up with your "facts'?
For your first post,you fail.
Great profile by the way...like your "facts and figures"it tells us NOTHING.

I would be willing to bet when you start having to pay for the so called 30,000,000 that mainly consist of people on Welfare programs and people that think a new car is more important than Insurance and the remaining people are the ones that think I am not sick I don't need Insurance.Yes Oboma sure is looking out for you the President is an Eleitest surrounded by the most dangerous and most self interest people ever put in office.

HarryP

What's with you and YouTube? You still driving down ole route 56k or something?

Sigaven

Why don't you and your 29 million other buddies put up the jack for your own quack's? If buttheads like flabby Harry Reid had to actually pay for all of their crap knowing that limos, learjets and 5 stars are done with, he'd be selling fur jackets in Russia.

Phoon, it is called free choice, something I still have.

Calm down, nobody said you don't have free choice. For crying out loud it's just the web.

quote:

For crying out loud it's just the web.

I.....did you just say that? Mr Drama himself just said that?

MR. is right.