Cross posted from Michiganliberal.com
I still haven't had breakfast this morning and I may not be able to. Read
this snip from the AP:
While members of Michigan's congressional delegation support steps to help the auto industry and other manufacturers saddled with mounting costs for health care and pensions, it's unclear whether the automakers can rouse enough support in Congress to address a problem much larger than the industry.
Some members of Congress say interim steps can be taken, such as using technology to reduce medical paperwork costs and helping companies and insurers pay an employee's catastrophic medical costs in exchange for firms holding down premiums.
But with Congress facing many other obligations -- such as paying for the post-Hurricane Katrina recovery -- special treatment is not likely.
"The federal government isn't going to come out and bail out their health care -- the government isn't going to assume their health care costs," said Rep. Mike Rogers, a Brighton Republican. "It has to be a partnership." (emphasis added)
Well, thank you
so very much to the Congressman from Michigan.
I know the
"cheeseburger bill" has been taking up lots of your time. It's so nice of you to take a few minutes out of your busy schedule to offer us these helpful comments regarding the collapse of our state's largest employer. But, if you don't mind, I have a question.
In 2001,
you voted in favor of bailing out the airline industry. Why do you now refuse to come to aid of an industry - the automobile manufacturing industry - that has
a hell of a lot more impact on our state than the airlines? And in the unlikely event you ever give us an answer, please do not try to use the victims of September 11 as your political cover. Besides being a sick thing to do, it's an old trick and people are tired of it.
Could it be, Congressman, that you actually WANT the auto companies to go bankrupt - and in the process, kill off the United Auto Workers and the American labor movement?
I'm sure you'll never say so publicly. But what do you say when you're meeting with Tom DeLay or Roy Blunt behind closed doors? I can only wonder.
Another thing that seem strange to me is how you don't seem to want to lift a finger to help out the auto industry...but you're still willing to take their money. Take for example,
this item from the current NRCC fundraiser calendar:
November 16, 2005
8:30 AM
Dan Brouillette Ford PAC Ken W. Cole GM PAC Brenda Day DaimlerChysler PAC Cordially invites you to an Auto Industry Breakfast In Honor of Congressman Mike Rogers 53 D ST, SE Washington, DC
Suggested contribution: $1000 per PAC or $1000 per Individual Please RSVP to Mike Gula @ 703-575-7676 OR info@keelencomm.com
What if some autoworkers were to show up (with TV cameras in tow)? Wouldn't that be neat?
But seriously, I know you're really busy. And I know you're working really hard to climb the Republican leadership ladder. You're making a big name for yourself out there. In fact, I just came across
this in The Hill:
Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) is often mentioned as a dark-horse candidate for any one of a number of leadership roles. He still has his team in place from an almost-campaign for the conference chairmanship before Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) decided to stay on for one more term, but he remains an unknown commodity.
I'm sure that when you finally do make it into the ranks of Blunt and DeLay that you won't forget any of us back home.
We haven't forgotten you.