Betsy McCaughey Remarks That People Don't Know What Is In Health Care Bill...Then Misquotes The Legislation
In her September 9, 2009 health care reform piece in the New York Post, Betsy McCaughey makes the comment that not very many people know what the legislation actually says. But McCaughey includes herself in that group by misquoting the bill and then deciding the legislative process is not democratic.
Which Section?
McCaughey: "One reason for the rancor over the current health bill is that few people, including members of Congress, know what it says." [New York Post, 9/9/09]
In saying "few people" actually know what the House health care bill says, McCaughey (perhaps unintentionally) makes a good point. She has repeatedly announced that she has read the bill in depth, and yet makes serious mistakes in quoting the legislation:
"Consider section 805 (p. 157), mandating that employers provide health insurance for their workers: 'Section 502 of such Act (29 USC 1132) is amended in subsection (a) (6) by striking paragraph and all that follows through subsection (c) and inserting paragraph (2), (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) or (11) of subsection (c) and (2) in subsection (c), by redesignating the second paragraph (10) as paragraph (12) and by inserting after the first paragraph (10) the following new paragraph.' Who could understand this gobbledygook?" [New York Post, 9/9/09]
Hmm. Section 805 is titled "Termination of Election in Cases of Substantial Noncompliance" and is located on page 154, not 157:
Additionally, page 157 of the bill does not contain any of the language McCaughey includes in her piece:
If McCaughey, who posits herself as an expert on the legislation, cannot even cite the document correctly, why should anyone believe her flawed interpretations of the content? "Gobbledygook" indeed.
Define "Undemocratic"
McCaughey: "Legislation like this is undemocratic. Politicians can slip in pork-barrel spending and self-serving provisions without the rest of us knowing it's happening." [New York Post, 9/9/09]
First - there isn't any pork attached to this bill at the moment.
Second - there is nothing "undemocratic" about this legislation. It was written by democratically elected members of Congress and has gone through a Constitutional process that has brought it through three House committees so far. Additionally, the bill is online and available for anyone to read and analyze. In fact, here it is in its entirety:
HR 3200 -
