Of, By and For

Weidner was chief sponsor of the bill to repeal Oregon healthcare for 80,000 kids and yet totally unprepared to address the only two things the bill does: (1) small tax on providers to (2) cover 80,000 uninsured kids in poverty. That is the entire tradeoff. And one that many providers were comfortable with in principle, even if not in total, because it is good public policy and part of our civic responsibility to be "good Samaritans" and care for others who can't take care of themselves.  Why?  So kids have a better chance of growing into productive citizens. 

Oregon House Republicans have made repeal of the tax on health insurance premiums part of their 2010 legislative agenda....

[Rep. Jim Weidner, R-Yamhill] is chief sponsor of the repeal measure, House Bill 3603, and he was unprepared for Greenlick's obvious question:  "Are you willing to do away with that 1 percent tax (on premiums) and not enroll 80,000 kids who do not have health insurance?"

Weidner initially said he'd like to look at other alternatives and said the issue was whether the state of Oregon could afford the tax.  But as Greenlick pressed Weidner on whether he would be willing to give up expanding health insurance to cover all children - the purpose of the premium tax - Weidner looked more uncomfortable.