Rep. Wamp: Healthcare is a "privilege," not a right.

[babylonsister]

Run time: 02:06 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLlXM2s-dws   Posted on YouTube: March 05, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: March 05, 2009 By DU Member: babylonsister Views on DU: 2072

 
Un-real. This is what we're up against.

[YOY]

1. I have never heard of this yokel in a suit.

It's not just the accent. He's Cletus in a suit.

Of course from the state where folks actually put Mountain Dew into sippy cups for toddlers...poverty and ignorance got him elected (both together).

[hobbit709]

2. Then he should give up his taxpayer subsidized HC

[Captain Hilts]

3. For members of Congress, it's a 'right'. nt

[Ferret Annica]

4. This guy choses to try to keep Repug minority status

others talk sense and empathize and genuinely care about people. This guy reminds me of Ebenezer Scrooge saying, "Are there no prisons?" Are there no work houses?"

This guy needs to lose his seat, and health plan, in a big way.

He is a nasty excuse for a human being.

[bluestateguy]

5. I wish we had term limits for members of Congress

Because without them, arrogant pricks like Zach Wamp stay in Congress forever and ever.

[LuvNewcastle]

6. "going naked"

He's right. A lot of people do choose not to take their employer's health plan. Some are young and think they won't need insurance, but I'd say most don't take it because they can't afford half their checks being deducted when there is food and clothes to buy and rent to pay. Insurance is too expensive for the working poor.

[pasto76]

10. right

I make a good wage 24/hr, the deductions (5% off my gross wages) give me and my family pretty decent healthcare.

Back when I made 9 bucks an hour, 5% would have been a huge deduction. Back when I made 9 bucks an hour, I also chose to go "nekkid"

[Dollface]

21. I suspect that he pulled that 50% out of his ass. My apologies to him if I am wrong.

[Bette Noir]

23. Yup. When I was making $700/month, I "chose" not to pay

$400/month for insurance. If I had taken the insurance, I would have been "choosing" not to pay rent.

[wysimdnwyg]

7. What an idiot

Zach Wamp is the congressional rep for the part of East Tennessee that covers Oak Ridge. Marsha Blackburn may be the most outspoken of Tennessee's reps, but Wamp is likely the dumbest. Unfortunately we do not currently have any real progressives other than Steve Cohen (Memphis) representing Tennessee.

I love Nashville, but man, this state is embarrassing sometimes.

[Ferret Annica]

12. Do you know more about this nut's project

to re-write information signs regarding the 'Trail of Tears?'

What is this Rep. Beavis Z. Butthead doing? Having historical signs indicate it was the fault of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and other Indians they were removed because they failed to see the wisdom in a policy based on greed and Manifest Destiny?

I just have to know why he wants these signs changed. It sure can't be because of informational errors. I bet the errors are ideological in nature.

Among Zach’s legislative accomplishments are:

Modernizing the National Trail of Tears legislation adding sites and trails to more accurately depict the Cherokee removal.

http://www.house.gov/wamp/biography.shtm

[billybob537]

8. Go kiss rush's balls right now!!!!!!

[jkshaw]

9. Zach Wamp?

His attitude seems to reflect his unfortunate name.

[elmerdem]

11. Let him

know you disagree! I did. Even if you are not from his district, you still have the ability to influence his re-election through targeted donations, grassroots education of his constituents, etc. We can put pressure on these folks & hold them accountable. I think Bachman in Minnesota is a perfect example even though she was barely re-elected. We must continue to let them know that we are paying attention.

DC office: 202-225-3271

[Ferret Annica]

13. I am an unemployed veteran and the V.A. is my 'heath plan.

***shudder***

I damaged a dental bridge and as the VA does not do dental for vets like me, I am scrimping and saving to get it repaired.

I very frankly would have a hard time not doing dentistry without a license with my fist if I had heard him say this live and in the flesh. He would not be worth it and I wouldn't do it, but the desire to break teeth would be real.

[Ferret Annica]

16. Apparently he wants to be Governor in Tennessee

I have a better idea, in 2010, womp Wamp. Get a real congressman in that district.

U.S. Rep. Wamp ignored a request to comment.

Mr. Haslam, whose family owns Pilot Travel Centers and are major GOP fundraisers, recently reported raising $1.4 million at his first GOP fundraiser in Knoxville. U.S. Rep. Wamp announced he raised more than $600,000 from a February fundraiser.

Lt. Gov. Ramsey said U.S. Rep. Wamp was "halfway aggravated" over his decision. "He said, 'I can't believe you're doing this.' It almost aggravated me. I said, 'Let me make sure I understand this, Zach, I've been toiling in the state legislature for 17 years and took us three seats down to five seats up (from Senate minority to majority) ... and you're going to be upset?'"

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/3084598

[mzmolly]

14. I thought it was a "privilege" to be a U.S. Citizen?

I'd also like to know how "illegal aliens" supposedly get free health care.

[sasquatch]

15. Sherrod Brown kicks ass

[frylock]

17. i used to bullseye wamp rats in my t-16 back home..

and they're not much bigger than 2 meters.

[lumberjack_jeff]

20. The force must not be so strong in you after all

you missed one, young padawan doofus.

[Bette Noir]

24. ROFLMAO!

[iamthebandfanman]

18. so is YOUR JOB!

good luck with that re-election!

[Ferret Annica]

19. Here's Wampbat's Wamp for Govenor web page:

http://www.zachwamp.com/www/docs/1.3/zach-wamp-candidate-governor-tennessee

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=43031338949&ref=ts

[polmaven]

22. But, but, but...

I thought the (R) stood for (R)eligious.....

A few years ago, the Bishop of the New England United Methodist Conference led a "visit" the Massachusetts State House so that we could declare to the MA legislature our belief that health care was a right, not a privilege. ...The BISHOP led the visit...not the laity or the "local" clergy...

I doubt that our Bishop is that far removed from the feeling of most religions. So what is up with the Party of God (POG)...Oh, sorry, that's backward ..it's the GOP, Oops.

[Ferret Annica]

25. Just a point of interest, this idiot was an enthusiastic supporter

of Fred Thompson for president, and he feels the war in Iraq is a religious one where we are taking on Jihad minded Muslims and that it is part of the struggle against Islam that he says has gone on for centuries.

He is a real idiot.

[xxqqqzme]

26. and I thought my congress critter was an

asshole - well he is but this clown is even worse than rohrabacher.

Hey wamper dude, hows that taxpayer provided health care working out for you & your family?

[backtoblue]

27. I volunteer......

I humbly volunteer to give (or throw at) this man my shoes for one day and see how his views change. What an asshole!

[Edith Ann]

28. Health Care

Let's start by taking health care away from elected officials. We elected them to run the country, not to take care of them. That shouldn't give them any rights but to go to work. They get paid. They can buy their own health insurance like they think we should.

[Althaia]

31. that sounds like a splendid cost-cutting plan.

At least for Congress and the executive branch. Let them see what it's like to look for health insurance on the open market, especially since many of them are over 45 years old. They can afford to buy their own, considering we pay them very well. Perhaps then they will understand the need for Single Payer health care.

[Wizard777]

29. Driving is a privilege because if the government revokes that privilege we can just walk.

So if the government revokes our privilege to be healthy we can just die. :wow: :nuke: :grr: Ooookay at this point I can't say which of his privileges I'd like to revoke without going to jail. :banghead:

[uberllama42]

30. "For some people, it's a right." Bullshit.

By definition, rights apply to everyone.

IMO, saying that people have a right to health care dilutes the concept of rights. Governments in poor countries cannot provide universal health care and should not be expected to do so. If we allow poor governments to argue against providing people the health care that is supposedly their right, they will begin to argue that they do not have the resources to protect free speech or provide due process. Those things are rights and deserve higher protection than access to health care.

Our government, however, is in gross dereliction of its responsibility to provide health care for everyone in this country. We live in the richest country in the world, and we should expect nothing less from our government.

[katnip]

32. Gobs??

There are "gobs" of people who choose to go "naked"??? How many people in a gob?

Spoken like the truly "privileged" paid-for-with-our-tax-dollars-do-nothing-just-say-no senator that he is.

I love the anchorwoman. You go, girl!!! Expose his racist hypocrisy!

:kick:

[claybennett]

33. Zach Wamp cartoon

I watched this interview on Thursday morning. Seeing that Zach Wamp is our local congressman, I had to draw a cartoon about it. This runs in Sunday's Chattanooga Times Free Press.

You can see a sneak preview of the cartoon here: http://editorialcartoonists.com/cartoon/display.cfm/67627/

If you see this note after Sunday, March 8th, please check out the cartoon here instead: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/opinion/cartoons/

Thanks,
Clay