Owens Breaks 4 Campaign Promises in first hour in Congress

[spursncowboys]

Owens Breaks 4 Campaign Promises in first hour in Congress
Northern NY News
Written by Nathan Barker
GOUVERNEUR, NY - Congressman-elect Bill Owens was sworn in at noon today.

Owens indicated in a press release released shortly afterwards that he was now in favor of the the "Affordable Healthcare for America Act" bill in direct contrast to his earlier position during the election campaign.

According to Politico.com, Mr. Owens assured voters that he felt the public option had no place in the health care reform bill. Contrary to that position, Mr. Owens now indicates that he intends to vote in favor of the bill even though it now contains a public option.

UPDATED: A spokesman for Congressman Owens indicated correctly that Mr. Owens had recanted his solid position against public option later in the campaign, clarifying that he did not wish public option to be a 'litmus test' for the Health Reform bill and that on Oct. 30th, several days prior to the election, in a debate had stated that he generally supported the public option as it was now written (at that time.)

Mr. Owens also indicated during his campaign that he was firmly opposed to cutting Medicare benefits, taxing health care benefits, and increased taxes on the middle class in any way as you can see clearly in the screenshot below, taken directly from Mr. Owens' campaign website.



Click to enlarge image

The House Health reform bill contains sections that cut Medicare benefits, tax existing health care benefits, and increases taxes on the middle class, yet Mr. Owens stated today that he will now vote in favor of those things contrary to what he had promised the voters of NY's 23rd Congressional District that he would vote against.

Mr. Owens indicated in his press release today that "This legislation will reform the insurance industry and provide increased access to affordable healthcare without taxing healthcare benefits, cutting Medicare benefits or raising taxes on the middle class, and that is exactly the direction we need to go."


When The Gouverneur Times attempted to contact Mr. Owens to clarify this information, we received no direct response to our phone or email inquiries. Both FactCheck.org and the Congressional Budget Office agree that HR 3962 contains potentially hundreds of billions of dollars in planned cuts to Medicare, yet Mr. Owens indicates that he supports this legislation and says that it does not cut Medicare benefits. Either Mr. Owens has been snowed or the public is about to be.

HR 3962 also includes a range of various taxes on middle-class families as well as language to repeal tax relief already in place. Has Congressman Owens blindly followed Ms. Pelosi's rhetoric in believing that the end to a tax cut is not the same thing as an increase in taxes or is he hedging his bet with very carefully chosen words?

HR 3962 now also contains language that allows illegal immigrants to be covered under the legislation. When The Gouverneur Times attempted to contact Mr. Owens for clarification of this language, we received no response other than the press release heretofore mentioned. Specifically, we asked if illegal immigrants would be forced to purchase healthcare insurance as citizens will be and whether or not they would be forced to do so at standard rates or if they would qualify for the public option subsidy.

The Associated Press said this morning that: "House leaders said that, in keeping with the Hispanic Caucus' demands, there was not likely to be any prohibition added to the House bill against illegal immigrants shopping in the exchange."

In a speech made to Congress a short time ago, President Obama had stated that the bill would not contain support for illegal immigrants - a statement for which he was called a "liar" by Rep. Joe Wilson. Rep. Wilson was severely chastised for his comment at the time though it would now seem to be true.

The mixed-up mess that was the 23rd Congressional District Special Election was a close race between Democrat Bill Owens and Conservative Doug Hoffman. Many feel that it was unlikely Mr. Owens would have won those crucial few thousand votes if the voting public was aware of his intent with regard to the Health Care bill. The majority of residents in this district do not support the Health Reform bill as it is now written and many feel like they've become victims of a fraud perpetrated by their chosen candidate.

Breaking campaign promises is not unusual for politicians... it's a cliche. This is almost certainly a record though. Mr. Owens broke no less than 4 promises in his first 24 hours in office.

[hope4dopes]

HR 3962 now also contains language that allows illegal immigrants to be covered under the legislation. When The Gouverneur Times attempted to contact Mr. Owens for clarification of this language, we received no response other than the press release heretofore mentioned. Specifically, we asked if illegal immigrants would be forced to purchase healthcare insurance as citizens will be and whether or not they would be forced to do so at standard rates or if they would qualify for the public option subsidy.

The Associated Press said this morning that: "House leaders said that, in keeping with the Hispanic Caucus' demands, there was not likely to be any prohibition added to the House bill against illegal immigrants shopping in the exchange."




I guess old Joe Wilson was right.....YOU LIE!!!

[Wild Cobra]

Yep, I thougt I heard something about that in the news.

Oh well, when will people learn that democrats run to the right, vote to the left?

[Crookshanks]

This guy is up for re-election next year. Wanna put any odds on that happening? The libs must be tone deaf. Either that, or they're refusing to listen because, after all, THEY know what's GOOD for their cons uents. They just aren't getting how mad people are getting.

If the libs keep this up, 2010 is going to be a massacre for the dems.

[coyotes_geek]

What? A politician says one thing during a campaign and then does another once elected? Say it isn't so!

[spursncowboys]

What? A politician says one thing during a campaign and then does another once elected? Say it isn't so!

There is usually some amount of time where he pretends to follow what his cons uents want.

[Wild Cobra]

If the libs keep this up, 2010 is going to be a massacre for the dems.

And the lib s won't understand why.

[Crookshanks]

And the lib s won't understand why.

That will be the cherry on top of the cake.

[ElNono]

This thread delivers...

[Crookshanks]

This thread delivers...

You're proving our point.

[ElNono]

You're proving our point.

Which is?
I think you're delusional if you only see problems in the Democrats and none on the Republican side...

[MiamiHeat]

So, Bush and company prove to be incompetent while 9/11 happens under their noses, then squander political clout and sympathy around the world by lying about and forcing an unnecessary war in Iraq, which cost thousands of american lives and countless billions of dollars, re-ignited hatred for america across the middle east and the rest of the world, trampled upon the cons ution, passed laws that violate the rights of american citizens, passed a law that allows an american citizen to be jailed without cause and without access to a lawyer or the justice system, enacted policies which allow the government to spy on it's own civilians, destroy evidence which can be used against them, abuse the presidency to out a CIA officer who was anti-Bush, give many no-bid contracts to Cheney's old company, pardon criminals who should have been jailed, lied to the american people, never admitted a mistake, egged on the enemy to continue to attack our soldiers, ran up the national deficit, ruined social security by stealing it's funds, allowed the free market to take advantage of american workers by threatening them with overseas Indian replacements, allowing companies to outsources thousands upon thousands of jobs, oversaw the worst economic crisis since the great depression, etc.......

but because the Democrats want to pass healthcare for everyone in the nation, they are going to be 'massacred' in 2010?

Ha. ha. ha. No.

[George Gervin's Afro]

I guess the resident conservatives must have been born yesterday because they seem shocked that a politician makes promises he can't keep.

[Höfner]

Nice lack of discernible political commentary we have going on here.

Conservatives: YOU LIE
Liberals: Who doesn't?

[ElNono]

Nice lack of discernible political commentary we have going on here.

Conservatives: YOU LIE
Liberals: Who doesn't?

True. At the same time, I was laughing at the gloating by resident conservatives, when their party lost this race on a heavily GOP area, and after fracturing the support for their 'official' candidate. Which in no small way shows the deep divisions in the party.

[Wild Cobra]

True. At the same time, I was laughing at the gloating by resident conservatives, when their party lost this race on a heavily GOP area, and after fracturing the support for their 'official' candidate. Which in no small way shows the deep divisions in the party.

Can't make a cake without breaking a few eggs.

[ElNono]

Can't make a cake without breaking a few eggs.

I don't think I'll be able to vote in 2010 yet either, so I'll be watching this one from the sidelines too.

[jack sommerset]

@ 4 lies in one hour!!!

SO so so wrong. This guy has to know he is a one timer and he MUST have been paid off.

[Cry Havoc]

So, Bush and company prove to be incompetent while 9/11 happens under their noses, then squander political clout and sympathy around the world by lying about and forcing an unnecessary war in Iraq, which cost thousands of american lives and countless billions of dollars, re-ignited hatred for america across the middle east and the rest of the world, trampled upon the cons ution, passed laws that violate the rights of american citizens, passed a law that allows an american citizen to be jailed without cause and without access to a lawyer or the justice system, enacted policies which allow the government to spy on it's own civilians, destroy evidence which can be used against them, abuse the presidency to out a CIA officer who was anti-Bush, give many no-bid contracts to Cheney's old company, pardon criminals who should have been jailed, lied to the american people, never admitted a mistake, egged on the enemy to continue to attack our soldiers, ran up the national deficit, ruined social security by stealing it's funds, allowed the free market to take advantage of american workers by threatening them with overseas Indian replacements, allowing companies to outsources thousands upon thousands of jobs, oversaw the worst economic crisis since the great depression, etc.......

but because the Democrats want to pass healthcare for everyone in the nation, they are going to be 'massacred' in 2010?

Ha. ha. ha. No.

Utter pwnage. Nicely put.

I miss seeing a republican party that I could vote for, in good conscience. Which is not to say that every republican representative out there is horrible or a bad politician/candidate, but damn..... it's just pathetic now.

[jack sommerset]

Utter pwnage. Nicely put.

I miss seeing a republican party that I could vote for, in good conscience. Which is not to say that every republican representative out there is horrible or a bad politician/candidate, but damn..... it's just pathetic now.

You can vote for liars in good conscience though. Let me guess "they all lie" so that makes it right. Everything you just said can describe the democratic party in many independents today that voted for Obama. You saw in New Jersey and Virginia last week. They switched teams. The laundry list of lies this administration has told is long and on going.

Dumbass, this thread is about a democrat who lied 4 times in his first hour in office. Yet you come in here grandstanding about what is right and wrong and why you would never vote for a republican in good conscience. You really have no clue how ridiculious you sound. You are a hypocrite. You are 100 percent a democrat. You choose a political party and will stick by it through thick and thin. I could never do that. Your side lies thier asses off too but you come on here day in and day out complaining how bad the other party is. That is pathetic and cowardly.

[George Gervin's Afro]

You can vote for liars in good conscience though. Let me guess "they all lie" so that makes it right. Everything you just said can describe the democratic party in many independents today that voted for Obama. You saw in New Jersey and Virginia last week. They switched teams. The laundry list of lies this administration has told is long and on going.

Dumbass, this thread is about a democrat who lied 4 times in his first hour in office. Yet you come in here grandstanding about what is right and wrong and why you would never vote for a republican in good conscience. You really have no clue how ridiculious you sound. You are a hypocrite. You are 100 percent a democrat. You choose a political party and will stick by it through thick and thin. I could never do that. Your side lies thier asses off too but you come on here day in and day out complaining how bad the other party is. That is pathetic and cowardly.

hey jack are you still playing stupid when it comes to politicians promising things they can't deliver? Does that mean anyone who has ever lied in thier lives doen't get your vote? Both sides lie jack..which side are you on?

by the way it's pathetic and cowardly to deny that both sides are guilty of the same thing..

[jack sommerset]

hey jack are you still playing stupid when it comes to politicians promising things they can't deliver? Does that mean anyone who has ever lied in thier lives doen't get your vote? Both sides lie jack..which side are you on?

Political promises and lies are different. You should KNOW THIS. You are playing stupid by constantly defending a lie and comparing it to a campaign promise. You take this HUGE brush and paint over lies your party tells with the message "it was a campaign promise" Seriously pathetic.


You are in a thread about a lying democrat. One hour in office, you say Bill Owens could not deliver on his political promise. That is sooooooooooooo FUNNY!!!! That was a lie dumbass. Nothing changed with the healthbill one hour into office. He LIED. Bill Owens like Obama lied to get elected. Quit making excuses for your party. Quit asking me questions you already know. I am a independent forced by good conscience to vote against anyone who agrees with Obama and his clones master plan.

[George Gervin's Afro]

Political promises and lies are different. You should KNOW THIS. You are playing stupid by constantly defending a lie and comparing it to a campaign promise. You take this HUGE brush and paint over lies your party tells with the message "it was a campaign promise" Seriously pathetic.


You are in a thread about a lying democrat. One hour in office, you say Bill Owens could not deliver on his political promise. That is sooooooooooooo FUNNY!!!! That was a lie dumbass. Nothing changed with the healthbill one hour into office. He LIED. Bill Owens like Obama lied to get elected. Quit making excuses for your party. Quit asking me questions you already know. I am a independent forced by good conscience to vote against anyone who agrees with Obama and his clones master plan.

So you accept that politicians make promises they can't keep. Very big of you.

[coyotes_geek]

Political promises and lies are different. You should KNOW THIS. You are playing stupid by constantly defending a lie and comparing it to a campaign promise. You take this HUGE brush and paint over lies your party tells with the message "it was a campaign promise" Seriously pathetic.


You are in a thread about a lying democrat. One hour in office, you say Bill Owens could not deliver on his political promise. That is sooooooooooooo FUNNY!!!! That was a lie dumbass. Nothing changed with the healthbill one hour into office. He LIED. Bill Owens like Obama lied to get elected. Quit making excuses for your party. Quit asking me questions you already know. I am a independent forced by good conscience to vote against anyone who agrees with Obama and his clones master plan.

So exactly how long does someone have to be in office before "lies" become "broken promises"? Just curious as to when that daylight-savingsesque conversion takes place..............

[jack sommerset]

So exactly how long does someone have to be in office before "lies" become "broken promises"? Just curious as to when that daylight-savingsesque conversion takes place..............

Soooooo lets take Bill Owens for example. One hour after being in office. He flip flops. That was no campaign promise he made on healthcare. That my friend was a lie.