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"Is Congressman Guinta deceptive or sloppy?"
seacoastonline.com - Letter to the Editor, January 16, 2012
Jan. 12 — To the Editor:
Open letter to Congressman Guinta:
In Somersworth last week, you were asked to explain your vote to raise Medicare premiums 15 percent by the year 2017 and to cut $8 billion from the Prevention and Public Health Trust Fund.
You denied this vote, saying, "I would disagree with that assessment. I think — uh — I'm not sure — it might be your opinion that I did that — but I disagree that I actually did that." (See youtu.be/saW67_451u0.)
Actually Mr. Guinta, you did vote for exactly that. These two provisions were included in HR 3630, the Temporary Payroll Tax Cut Continuation Act of 2011, which passed the House on Dec. 13. Roll Call 923 shows that you did vote for this bill. (See clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll923.xml.)
You said, "What we're trying to do relative to Medicare is preserve and protect the program." Really?
In addition to these severe cuts, this harmful bill cuts more than $21 billion from Medicare provider rates, which falls heavily on hospitals. This is not "preserve and protect!" Rather, I'd call it "loot and plunder." It slashes Medicare and other programs that protect most Americans, while — what a surprise! — providing yet another tax giveaway for corporations, which hardly need taxpayer help, since two-thirds of them pay no taxes at all, leaving the rest of us holding the bag.
So Mr. Guinta, did you not bother to read the bill before you voted for it, or were you deliberately trying to mislead? Whether it's deceptive or just sloppy, your constituents deserve an informed and honest representative.
Susan Mayer
Lee, New Hampshire
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