Rep. Chris Shays, along with Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI), will be in Norwalk (Norwalk Hospital) today at 3:30 to announce the introduction of the American Health Benefits Programs. Billed as “the first bipartisan universal health care plan to originate in the U.S. House of Representatives” (Press Release), AHBP is “is modeled after the successful Federal Employees Health Benefits Program.”
I’d like to welcome Chris Shays to supporting the improvement in Health Coverage. Here is Shays, “Cost and access to health care remains among the top concerns of residents of the Fourth District.” [emphasis mine] Really? It remains a top concern? Then where was Chris Shays on this exact bill when it was introduced in 2004 and 2005? Because he wasn’t a co-sponsor, either year. Both years, the bill was killed in committee - and Chris Shays sat in the majority with an opportunity to get on board and work his party, the majority party at the time, to get this bill a vote. Was it not “among the top concerns of residents of the Fourth District” in 2004 and 2005? Did it somehow only become a “top concern” with Shays out of the majority, rendering his support less than useful, and in a fight for his political life?
Moreover, was “[c]ost and access to health care” not that important when Rep. Shays voted against a plan to create an analog of the FEHBP (just like the bill he is co-sponsoring now!) for small businesses in 2004? Or when he voted against a plan to allow small business to buy into insurance pools and subsidized low-income workers working at small businesses in 2005? What brought this change of heart about?
While I would love to think that Rep. Shays has seen the light on this issue and is poised to become a champion of health care access (wouldn’t it be pretty to think so?), sadly I don’t. Because we have actually seen this song and dance before!
In August 2006, just 2 months before the 2006 election and facing a strong challenge from a candidate hitting him on his support for the war (he scratched out a 3 point win), Rep. Shays came out in favor of a timeline for withdrawal:
Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), once an ardent supporter of the war in Iraq, said yesterday that the Bush administration should set a time frame for withdrawing U.S. troops. He added that most of the withdrawal could take place next year [2007].
Just 3 1/2 months after that close win, Rep. Shays was advocating sending more troops to Iraq:
Yesterday, Shays declared on the House floor that he would not vote for the resolution opposing escalation in Iraq.
He then voted against timelines for withdrawal that were longer than the one he proposed in the midst of his election campaign. Again. And again. And again.
Based on this track record, if Shays were to be reelected, he would be just as likely to be voting to close hospitals in 2009 as he would to be voting for universal health care. You simply can’t trust what he says and does as he nears a close challenge to his political future.
26 responses so far ↓
1 TrueBlueCT // Feb 11, 2008 at 9:10 am ·
+4
You’re not being fair to Chris Shays, a man of honor and principle. Next you’re going to point out his love for Blackwater, and his soft opposition, (if you can call it that), to Broadwater.
What is pro-life DINO Jim Langevin doing as a participant in this charade? Does he, too, have a fierce election coming up? Someone should primary his sorry ass, and Ms. Pelosi should strip him of his committee assignments.
And it is a charade. I can’t believe the good people of FFLD Co. still buy into Mr. Shays’ falseness.
2 mj // Feb 11, 2008 at 10:20 am ·
+1
Interesting what Healy said about Shays yesterday, and how he really belives he is going to win. Himes definitely has the upper hand financially.
3 CtRoadrunner // Feb 11, 2008 at 11:52 am ·
--1
is it too late for McKinney?
4 mj // Feb 11, 2008 at 1:28 pm ·
+0
Also, Amann said yesterday Blumenthal is NOT going to run for Governor but I can’t find anything about this. Anybody know anything.
5 TrueBlueCT // Feb 11, 2008 at 1:34 pm ·
+6
Blumenthal will run against Senator Rob Simmons-R, in 2010. (Simmons will be appointed by Rell when either Lieberman or Dodd joins the next administration.)
That is unless Amann, Don Williams, Martin Looney and Gayle Slossberg pass the Senate Vacancy bill, in which case Blumenthal probably wins an uncontested special election in the spring of 2009.
6 Weicker Liker // Feb 11, 2008 at 2:10 pm ·
--3
True Blue…
Chris Shays will beat Jim Himes handily this fall.
The year to beat Shays was in 2006.
7 saramerica // Feb 11, 2008 at 2:17 pm ·
+1
I think you’re underestimating how people are fed up with Shays right now. I was poll standing on Election Day, and there are a lot of people who would have voted for Shays in 2006 who were expressing anger and disgust at his 19 trips to Iraq and his “You’re doing a perfect job, Blackwater”. Not to mention his major league baseball faux pas. Then there’s the fact that he lied to the electorate about troop withdrawals.
Shays gives the Himes campaign more stuff to work with practically every time he opens his mouth.
8 Weicker Liker // Feb 11, 2008 at 2:33 pm ·
--1
Saramerica…
I would expect discontent from Democrats voting in a DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY.
Did you hear the same feedback from Republicans? Or doesn’t your side even talk to us anymore?
9 Weicker Liker // Feb 11, 2008 at 2:36 pm ·
--4
Saramerica..
In regards to sports faux pas incidents, John Kerry called LAMBEAU FIELD, “Lambert Field.”
Your liberal hero, Teddy Kennedy, also botched the pronunications of baseball players names during the HR Chase in 1998.
Shays does not have the market cornered on this stuff!!!
10 CtRoadrunner // Feb 11, 2008 at 2:43 pm ·
--1
how many supporters are not going to support shays this time, in fairfield couny, which happens to be maccain’s best from the primary?
11 tigergrrl74 // Feb 11, 2008 at 3:09 pm ·
--3
Weicker Liker said:
Oh no!! This year is really going to be it when Himes will beat
Shays!
12 tigergrrl74 // Feb 11, 2008 at 3:11 pm ·
--3
saramerica said:
Hear, hear, Saramerica!
I heard the same sentiments while I was standing out at the polls
last week from many saying they were sick of Shays…..however,
there were some from my district (at least R’s anyway) that they still
liked Shays…sheesh!!!
13 Weicker Liker // Feb 11, 2008 at 3:17 pm ·
--2
Saraamerica…
Jim Himes starts with almost ZERO name recognition.
The Iraq War issue has faded to be back burner.
You are dreaming.
14 saramerica // Feb 11, 2008 at 3:19 pm ·
+3
Will you stop with the ridiculous stereotyping already? It weakens so your arguments and makes you sound ridiculous.
You have no idea who I consider heroes.
15 saramerica // Feb 11, 2008 at 3:20 pm ·
+1
Actually, at the place I was poll standing I spoke to more Republicans than Democrats.
16 saramerica // Feb 11, 2008 at 3:21 pm ·
--1
Tell me that again in November.
17 UnionThug // Feb 11, 2008 at 4:00 pm ·
--2
I was talking to a life-long democrat the other day, he’s very concerned. While Billary represents a past he’s not interested in reliving, Obama, in his view, stands for absolutely nothing. Too much of a question mark.
See how easy that is, Sara?
These silly anecdotes about all these supposed Republicans you have spoken to, which can neither be proven nor disproved, carry no weight.
18 El Kabong // Feb 11, 2008 at 5:27 pm ·
--3
saramerica said:
Please stop with such ridiculous fairy tales…it weakens your arguments and makes you sound ridiculous.
Every year, we read those letter to the editor from a campaign that notes how the writer “used to be a Republican”
Here recently, we read nonsense from one of the most liberal posters and how this person talks with Republicans more than Democrats.
Save that drivel for your 5-7 year olds.
They still believe in Santa Claus too.
19 saramerica // Feb 11, 2008 at 6:15 pm ·
+2
El Kabong and Union Thug - I was poll standing in a heavily Republican district of heavily Republican Greenwich, CT. Is it such a stretch for you to believe that I might be encountering more Republicans than Democrats outside the polls?
But you go on believing what you want to believe. We’ll speak again in November.
20 CT Dude // Feb 11, 2008 at 7:09 pm ·
--2
I was at a diner in Derby this morning and the topic of politics came up.
None of the people there were supportive of Hillary or Obama. Self-described Democrats (I didn’t verify) said they wished that there was another Democrat choice, more reflective of their views.
When it came around to it, they all said they would vote for McCain.
McCain won 165 out of 169 towns in the primary last week. He may very well steam roll in November.
21 ACR // Feb 11, 2008 at 7:14 pm ·
--3
>>I was poll standing in a heavily Republican district of heavily Republican Greenwich, CT
They’re *registered* as Republicans.
The same 5 top fund raising zip codes apply to BOTH parties and all 5 are right there.
What does that tell you?
They’re political whores.
22 CtRoadrunner // Feb 11, 2008 at 8:04 pm ·
--2
McKinney could decide to run tomorrow and eclipse himes. Himes is a lightweight
23 for reals // Feb 11, 2008 at 9:04 pm ·
+3
El Kabong said:
Kabong, I’m going to start referring to you as Wendy, you’re like some psycho ex-girlfriend that just can’t leave me alone. Yes, my family are Republicans, yes most of my friends are. FACT. And yes, most are totally unsatisfied with the choices the Republican party offers and are supporting Obama. I didn’t say that to prove some large sampling of anything. I was just saying it as what I know, where I live among my circle and that’s that.
24 for reals // Feb 11, 2008 at 9:05 pm ·
+1
CT Dude said:
Dude, are you a registerred D, I or R?
25 CT Dude // Feb 11, 2008 at 9:15 pm ·
+1
I am a Republican. There is someone named The Dude — I don’t know what he is and don’t like to be confused with him.
26 for reals // Feb 11, 2008 at 9:16 pm ·
+0
CT Dude said:
Ahhhh, my bad, I also confused the two.
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