Bartlett votes no on health care bill

U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett had a lot of people coming up to thank him for his health care vote at veterans events this week.

Bartlett, a Frederick Republican, voted Saturday against the “unbelievable Democratic health care bill,” as he calls it on his website.

It is now up to the Senate to decide if they will pass the House version, or kick a different version back.

Bartlett’s no vote was expected. In a telephone town hall in August, he was clear in his opposition.

I asked Bartlett spokeswoman Lisa Wright if they had gotten any reaction to the vote, and she said the congressman was overwhelmed with thank-yous in Hagerstown and at the American Legion FSK Post 11 in Frederick when he attended Veterans Day events.

Bartlett also got support in the days leading up to the vote. When he spoke to a group of conservatives rallying against the bill, he got them started on a minutelong “no, no, no” chant.

Still, I suspect this and other health care votes will come up in the 2010 election.

Robert Kresslein, Frederick County Democratic Central Committee chairman, connected that vote with another, more unpopular vote, against the expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.

“So I guess it is natural that he would be opposed to addressing the concerns of parents as well,” Kresslein said.

He painted the vote as one against affordable health care, and criticized the nine-term incumbent and Republicans in general for not acting on health care while they were the majority party in Congress.

That attack was shared by Maryland members of Health Care for America Now, a group of unions and progressive groups. That group sent out an e-mail criticizing Bartlett’s vote and saying he belongs to “the party of no.”

We’ll have to see if any of that criticism can harm the incumbent; Republican Central Committee chairwoman Kelly Schulz said she thought his views are representative of the largely conservative district.

Bartlett mocked on ‘Daily Show’

Speaking of Bartlett’s views on health care, he did get some national attention from the satirical Comedy Central program “The Daily Show.”

Host Jon Stewart played a clip of Bartlett talking on the House floor about how the bill would unfairly penalize Amish-Mennonite communities that do not buy health insurance.

He said a Mennonite constituent had called him, prompting Stewart to ask if that was a prank, since Amish wouldn’t be placing phone calls.

Wright sent me an article about how many Amish people do use telephones, and that the technology is allowed in moderation. For instance, some people have booths outside their homes, and others have cell phones they use for business purposes.

She said Stewart was “stuck in the wrong century” in his impressions of the community.

“The Amish don’t buy health insurance and they don’t cost the taxpayers any money; neither do the Mennonites,” Wright said.

Still, I got a chuckle when Stewart said the Amish would probably miss out on his jokes, since they don’t watch television.

Women Dems to meet

The Women’s Democratic League will meet next week.

Jennifer Gerlock, Mission of Mercy’s development director, will speak about her organization, which has provided more than a thousand free clinic visits to people in need in Frederick County.

Jody Oliver, secretary of the United Women’s Democratic Club of Maryland, will report on the state convention during dinner.

The meeting will take place Wednesday at Perkins Restaurant, 5200 Holiday Drive, Frederick .

Arrive at 6 p.m. to dine and hear the conference report. The presentation on Mission of Mercy is at 7 p.m., with business meeting to follow.

All are welcome to attend. For information, call Florence Schell at 301-845-6956.

Krimm to speak

Carol Krimm, elected Nov. 3 to Frederick ‘s Board of Aldermen, will speak to North County Democrats & Friends on Monday.

She will discuss “the Frederick County seat election and the county,” according to a news release.

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