Because they have jobs outside of the legislature, most can get health insurance through other jobs. Ending health care for electeds will not aid in fixing the problem. There is a lot more to it than that. The public needs to understand that healthcare does not come for free and it needs to be paid for with taxes (that voters are loathe to increase) and there may be limitations on service (which Americans, in general, seem unwilling to accept). Americans always seem to want more for less. Reality doesn’t work that way. If an elected suggested raising taxes (not just on the 5 wealthy people in the state but for every taxpayer) in order to pay for healthcare, that elected would be replaced during the next election. Ask anyone in Salem and while they may not admit it publicly, behind closed doors, it’s a well-known fact.

Your point C, IMO, is entirely accurate although I’d be willing to accept a massive tax break for a company that offered true, living wage jobs and management positions (creating real taxpayers!) outside of sales positions. Offering tax breaks to companies based elsewhere so that they can locate another retail outlet in Oregon to create more minimum wage positions that don’t result in more taxpayers is just silly. We’re giving away the bank and getting nothing in return.

I’d also like to add, that some of the people in Salem *have* walked the walk; they are now just so deliriously happy that they no longer are, that they have forgotten that the candy jar is to be shared and not dumped entirely into their own pockets. Either that, or they are so busy worrying about making Oregon Bike-State-USA or some other special interest that they have forgotten about basic services.

Don’t get me wrong, I love biking and I want safer ways to do it and more people to participate but why does the bike-mafia have more control over our (Portland-area) legislators than healthcare advocates? Our mayor and 2 of his staff are currently spending money on a trip to Brussels to talk about bikes — the money spent on that trip (and every other out of the country trip he’s made since being in office) could be spent advocating for the basics.

It’s bizarre to me that they make things so complicated, it really isn’t that difficult. If they can talk the talk of wanting to fix things let’s see them walk the walk for once.