Well, that’s what I would call it, Politico puts it a bit more tactfully, Targeting controversial House Republicans.
The Stand up America PAC is going after Wilson, in addition to other Republican lightning rod Reps. Michele Bachmann (Minn.), Jean Schmidt (Ohio), John Campbell (Calif.) and Minority Whip Eric Cantor.
I think the Crazy Five has a better ring to it. And it’s not shocking to find John Campbell on this list. He’s my representative and sure, I’m used to the crazy here in Orange County but not only is his time up, but we have an amazing candidate to run against him.
The thing is, John Campbell is not as well known as the other four, but he’s been working on it, from “going Galt” to all out birther craziness. Politico knows this well and as a constituent, we’re glad others are paying attention.
“Michele Bachmann questions the patriotism of the President and First Lady and advocates armed sedition against her own government; John Campbell introduces legislation to inflame “birther” crackpots; Eric Cantor intentionally misrepresents facts in House debate; and Jean Schmidt questions the patriotism a Vietnam veteran and fellow colleague in the House,”
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Obama actually carried Campbell’s district last year, and is facing a Democratic city councilor who served as the mayor of Irvine, the largest town in the district.
That Democratic city Councilor is non other than Beth Krom and amazingly engaged and vibrant local leader who has decided that the do nothing mentality of the party of “NO” is no longer enough for the 48th district.
We must support the ousting of these extremists from our Congress and the list of five is a good start. We also have to support those who are willing to run these tough races. This is not an easy race for Beth Krom but its one that means a great deal to me, I would love nothing more than to have her represent me in Washington (Well, the public option would be another thing I would love).
Speaking of the public option, I’m going to post an op-ed that Beth wrote for the Laguna Beach Independent entitled, Setting the Healthcare Record Straight.
Those in Congress who oppose healthcare reform are focused on the wrong patient. They want to keep the insurance industry healthy at the expense of the long-term healthcare interests of the American people. They want to preserve a marketplace that benefits the bottom line of pharmaceutical companies, even if it means that millions of Americans cannot afford the medicines they need to live.
The debate that is raging over healthcare is as important to the future of our country as any we have had in the history of our nation. Unfortunately, the focus has been on the noise in the periphery and not on the sub- stance of the discussion. When Republicans had leadership in Congress, they did nothing to reform healthcare. Today, their plans for healthcare reform are to do nothing and oppose every other idea on the table. If we allow this to happen, we will continue to pay more and get less and millions of Americans will remain uninsured or underinsured.
Healthcare reform is not about socializing medical care. It is about building accountability back into a system that is broken, and providing basic healthcare access to every American. Without health security, every other aspect of a person’s life is adversely affected. Rich or poor, young or old, regardless of race, creed or color, no one wants healthcare access compromised or denied.
There was a time when people paid for healthcare out of their own pockets. When I was born, the bill to my parents from the hospital was $200. My dad was making about $300 a month at the time, so the economic impact was significant, yet manageable. They weren’t wealthy. They didn’t have insurance, but they controlled their healthcare decisions.
Enter the health insurance industry and decades of shifting accountabilities that have brought us to the unsustainable place we now find ourselves. A healthcare system that is driven by the profit motives of insurance companies rather than the well being of patients. A system in which people have been reduced to profiles, statistics and actuarial projections. A system in which even those with insurance benefits often pay thousands of dollars a year in cost-sharing, co-payments and deductibles just for access to catastrophic care. That is simply wrong.
Ironically, those who have been whipped into a frenzy, disrupting Town Hall meetings to create the false perception of grassroots opposition to healthcare reform, may stand to benefit the most from the enhanced healthcare access it will provide. It would not be the first time political strategy has been employed to get people to vote against their own interests. Without change, those who can afford healthcare access will have it, those whose health access is tied to employment may lose it, and those without health benefits through an employer will continue to be at the mercy of insurance companies who can deny coverage at will.
If you care about this issue, do not rely on talk radio or TV pundits for information. They regard themselves as personalities and entertainers and so should you. Get engaged and educate yourself with non-partisan resources such as www. FactCheck.org. It takes courage to make affirmative change. Courage rarely comes without pressure. Your dollars are already on the table. It is time to reclaim your seat. Reform is needed and our government must take the lead. Nearly nine million Americans have lost their health insurance since 2000. One in six Americans have no healthcare insurance at all. With more than $2.2 trillion spent on health care in America this year, we deserve a better return on our investment. Basic health access for all Americans is in our national interest. That is why I support meaningful reform that makes healthcare accessible for all.
An Irvine councilmember and former mayor, Beth Krom is a candidate for Congress in the 48th district.
Please help support Beth Krom, she needs our support and we need to get rid of the “Crazy Five” to bring a little more sanity to our legislative process.