Perhaps you can get an update “McMorris Math” (See Below)
U.S. Representative McMorris Rodgers (CD5, Eastern Washington) recently celebrated in a Facebook video the passage of H.R. 1, the “Lower Energy Costs Act” by the U.S. House of Representatives. If H.R. 1 were passed by the Senate and signed by the President (roughly the same probability as winning the lottery), it would be a huge additional gift to the coal, oil, and gas industry. McMorris Rodgers, as chairperson of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, declares, triumphantly, that H.R. 1 passed as a “strong bipartisan” bill. While it is technically true that the bill passed on a bipartisan vote of 225 Ayes and the 204 Nays, only four of the Ayes were Democrats—hardly a triumph of “strong” bipartisanship.
The truly striking line in McMorris Rodgers celebratory speech was a perfect flight of Republican fancy:
Unfortunately we’ve seen from the Biden administration a shutting down of American energy. And, you know, energy is foundational to everything. It is what lifted people out of poverty, raised the standard of living more than any other country in the history of the world. And that’s why American is so important because it is the driver of American leadership. And we, as others have said, we do it better, we do it cleaner, we do it more efficient [sic] than anywhere else in the world. So when we are increasing domestic production in the United States, it means we’re also lowering carbon emissions. America’s leading on all fronts. And it’s so important to addressing what’s driving the cost to fill your car up with gas or heat your home.
Wow. Try to get your head around that turn of phrase aimed at the irretrievably gullible. We’re “lowering carbon emissions” by producing more coal, oil, and gas in the United States??? We’re “lowering carbon emissions” by producing so much more coal, gas, and oil domestically that carbon-based fuels can be sold for less??? —only under the twisted distortions of McMorris Math.
From here on this email is the same as the one distributed yesterday, so if you’re already planning on attending there is no need to read further.
“Conversation With Cathy” Town Hall
WHEN: Apr 03, 2023 / 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
WHERE: Centerplace Regional Event Center, 2426 North Discovery Place, Spokane Valley, Washington 99216
I will be hosting an in-person town hall event in Spokane Valley to hear directly from people in the community about the issues important to them and their families.
**Space is limited. This event is first come, first served.**
The last one of these that I attended at this location, there was no shortage of seating. The “Conversation” I attended at Centerplace was held in a small amphitheater.
Below I’ve copied some possible questions for McMorris Rodgers provided by a reader.
1. It’s great that we have funds coming for infrastructure, and that you met with the Spokane Valley mayor and others to talk about and take credit for that, but why didn’t you vote for it?
2. You recently sent out a newsletter telling everyone you were working hard at lowering health care costs by pushing a new Transparency concept. (See P.S. below) But if you really want to reduce costs, why didn’t you vote for the ACA? OBAMA CARE?
3. Back in 1996, Republicans scuttled a health care bill that the Clintons were working on. Since then, we’ve all been waiting for the Republican health care bill. For 27 years, no one has even seen an outline. Why should anyone who is concerned about Healthcare ever vote for a Republican?
4. Did you support the insurrectionists?
5. Do you support Trump now?
6. It’s a time for choosing. Did Joe Biden win the 2020 election?
7. Who pays for the Washington Policy Center? Isn’t that oil profits, from the Koch family?
8. Why doesn’t the Republican party have a platform since 2016? Nothing at all in 2020. Just blindly following the cult of Trump.
9. Do you support Idaho’s law that might jail people from Washington that might help incest, rape and involuntarily pregnant teens acquire Constitutionally guaranteed abortion information, medication and procedures?
10. Do you believe that a girl must be made to bear any pregnancy?
How is that not slavery?11. What about the men that impregnate women? Do you think we should get DNA from all men, perhaps at birth, so we know who all the “fathers” are?
12. How is swabbing someone’s cheek more onerous than forcing a girl to have a child?
13. Do you use birth control? If not, that’s your choice. Others want their choice as well. What are you doing to stop Republicans like yourself from going after birth control?
14. What is the Republican plan for inflation?
15. Do you know that in states where gun control is strong, the murder by guns per capita is lower than in Republican controlled states? That we are safer living in a blue state than a red state? Why do you refuse to work with facts?
Keep to the high ground,
Jerry
P.S. McMorris Rodgers fairly accurately states the problem with healthcare costs, but her “Transparency” solution is nothing more an anemic tinkering around the edges. Her proposal is to require (and enforce) that the prices of specific elements of healthcare be made freely available to the healthcare consumer. McMorris Rodgers apparently imagines an overall lowering of health costs due to fully informed consumers wisely shopping around for the lowest price on each recommended test, procedure, or drug. It is not hard to imagine some patients might trim a few dollars off their costs for some well-established routine healthcare (in places where multiple options are available). It is something else entirely to imagine that a patient with any sort of acute problem will have the time and expertise to “shop around” knowledgeably for the lowest price.
In her newsletter, McMorris Rodgers wishes for her constituents to believe that she is pursing a winning strategy to deal with the cost problem of healthcare:
We need to drive down the cost of health care in America, and it starts with price transparency. Patients shouldn’t be in the dark when it comes to their health care bills. That’s why I led a hearing this week to explorehow bringing transparency to health care pricing is key to driving down costs.
She is delusional. She is doggedly devoted to a system of healthcare as a free market—a free market that does not exist and will not exist even it prices are “transparent”. Shopping for healthcare is not like shopping for a new coat.