The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee sent a press release last week focused on PA-8 with claims about the Affordable Care Act that FactCheck.Org said are false.
DCCC’s release states that, “Data from the Department of Health and Human Services reveals that since 2010, up to 17 million children with pre-existing conditions, including 656,877 in Pennsylvania, can no longer be denied care because of their health, and beginning this January, that protection will extend to all adults – unless Congressman Fitzpatrick gets his way, sending us back to the old system where insurance companies were free to deny and drop coverage simply for having asthma as a child, or even getting strep throat.”
Over the weekend, FactCheck.Org called these claims inaccurate. The 656,877 number includes every child in Pennsylvania with a pre-existing condition, not specifically those who gained coverage after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, meaning that if it were repealed, those children would not necessarily lose coverage.
Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran Kevin Strouse is the endorsed DCCC candidate in PA-8 to challenge incumbent, Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Bucks).
Earlier this month, Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz declared that all of the DCCC candidates would be running in support of the Affordable Care Act, but so far, Strouse has not publicly supported the controversial legislation.
“While Washington insider Kevin Strouse remains silent on the issues, his puppet masters in Washington have made it clear that he will be running on Obamacare in 2014,” National Republican Campaign Committee Spokesman Ian Prior said. “So while millions of Americans lose their healthcare coverage and choices, Strouse will be continuing to do what he has done since announcing for Congress – spouting off tired and deceptive talking points emailed to his campaign every morning.”
Strouse faces scientist and businesswoman Shaughnessy Naughton in the Democratic primary, but both declined repeated questions from PoliticsPA about their stance on the ACA over the course of several weeks.
Correction: This article initially stated that DCCC sent an email to constituents. That email was, in fact, an email sent exclusively to press.
Loading ...
19 Responses
David must not have seen my comments today. I make all his excuses look silly.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2013/12/18/podesta-gop-jonestown-cult/4109385/
getting it right-
I’m saying that the DCCC merely exaggerates the risk that “everybody” with pre-existing could lose their health care, because there would be nothing stopping the insurers from dropping them. So, it’s a bit unrealistic that “everybody” in that category would get dropped, but I think individually, each one could face the risk of being dropped, without the ACA.
This is a far cry from the ridiculous statements made attacking ACA as being akin to Slavery and Apartheid, or even destroying the economy or bankrupting the US, etc.
The comments made by prominent (by name recognition as opposed to ability) Republicans leading the charge against ACA on national TV get far more attention than some little piece put out by DCCC. The two primary candidates didn’t make the statements in the DCCC piece, and aren’t responsible for them, despite their desires for support from DCCC for their candidacy.
Frankly, I don’t think the DCCC statement was outrageous, but rather a bit of political hyperbole that people are trying to make into a mountain from a molehill. A slight rephrasing, some caveats, or a few well placed adjectives to tone it down would take care of it.
The GOP positions are so far from reality that they cannot be reconciled with the truth.
I’m not sure if David is making the illadvised assertion that the DCCC’s abuse of the truth is not newsworthy. But, he does attempt to make the comparison with the well covered statements of a former Republican Vice Presidential candidate. Even if the comparison were appropriate, is he saying Palin’s opinions aren’t newsworthy too or is he discrediting his own opinion? And, of course, who can tell me what Joseph Lieberman has said about Benghazi, Obamacare, or many other undercovered opinions?
PoliticsPA commenters, do you hear the echo, echo, echo…?
None of the wingnuts here seems concerned about the “accuracy” of claims from far right that Obamacare is like slavery or Apartheid.
TommyD gets it. The fact that the DCCC is as loose with the facts as it’s enemies on the extreme right is the subtext. If it were the HRCC–a pridefully honest group–trying to pass along lies like this, it’d be just as newsworthy.
There is no mention of the dozens of exaggerations, distortions and outright lies the wild-eyed right has spouted and continues to spout about Obamacare, as reported by FactCheck, Politifact, Snopes and others.
Joe from the Lower End…. my own party is thrilled that someone like Strouse is willing to fight for our behalf…. like you said, “the people from the 8th are smart” and a large majority that have contributed to both Fitzie and Strouse were not born in Bucks County either!!
David,
Sorry factcheck. But if you read that report it says at the end Fitzpatrick introduced a bill that protects people with pre-existing conditions. So not only does it moot your 4th point, it completely discredits the DCCC’s statement that “if Fitzpatrick gets his way.”
Fitzpatrick by 14
The kool-aid is strong with some of you.
“but so far, Strouse has not publicly supported the controversial legislation.”
Simple question Andrew: Do you have evidence which counters the assertion above?
Actually Naughton and Strouse are in favor of the ACA and have hammered Fitzpatrick on this issue at many campaign events in the Bucks area. Naughton ALSO supports implementing a single payer system and believes that the Dems should’ve been pushing for single-payer during the rollout.
@Andrew Goutman
Did you read the article?
Strouse faces scientist and businesswoman Shaughnessy Naughton in the Democratic primary, but both declined repeated questions from PoliticsPA about their stance on the ACA over the course of several weeks.
Your headline is totally inaccurate. It merely mimics the RCCC claim that Strouse “remains silent” on the issue. Your author never bothered to find out.
This Daino character is so sold by the “lie” that he stands against common sense. It’s amazing this guys vote counts as much as someone who actually thinks.
Further toots, check your own party. They feel like strouse is being thrown on them by DC and they’re not happy. He’s the truest definition of a carpetbagger. At least Murphy had roots here.
Finally, the people from the 8th are smart and hard working, aside from the welfare democrats in Bristol of course, and they’ll see through the bullshit. Fitz wins by double digits.
Strouse is Nancy Pelosi’s pick and Nancy pelosi knows nothing about the 8th district. For proof, see Kathy “I got a good government job for getting whipped last year” Boockvar. Extremists don’t work here.
Sean Ryan, the only lie is your comment. Strouse was not hand picked by NP and the DCCC. Strouse and his wife made a conscientious decision to move back home to PA and continue to serve. His resume is impressive enough to land a job at a Fortune 500 comany, yet he is willing to work on behalf of knuckleheads like you. What a great country! Go Strouse!
So the statement wasn’t true but since there was a sliver of truth behind it you don’t want it referred to as a lie?
And the reason I say sliver is I am willing to bet the number of children with pre-existing conditions that would not have insurance because of a repeal is under 100,000. Strouse is handpicked by Nancy Pelosi and the DCCC. He moved here and before he made his first mortgage payment he announced his campaign for congress.
What more needs to be said? He does not have the best interest of the people of the 8th District in mind, rather he is a political ideologue planted to fool the conservative democratic base.
Better NOT call Saul, if you want a straight answer.
1) The article refers to a story in FactCheck.org not politifact
2) The article called it an exaggeration, rather than untrue.
3) The only thing they called inaccurate was the wording: “at risk of losing their coverage” because it referred to everyone with pre-existing conditions, even though not all of them would be at risk of losing their coverage, because they get it through different means.
4) The important point of the DCCC message is that people no longer have to fear being denied coverage or losing coverage for pre-existing conditions.
While the Dems repeatedly refuse to answer questions about their party’s signature piece of legislation, they have absolutely no problems with using it in a fundraising email that was rated by politifact to be untrue.
Talk about hypocrisy. What are they afraid of?
To have true freedom and liberties ” things that come free take away 1s will and ability.. ” But it is the Struggle to be more then you are that build the quality of who you are … That it is the Effort that yields it own rewards ..When you take out the strive you remove the drive and then education has no meaning or even needed .. SEDJ . Now in my small town population 8,000 ” 5 drug store’s within 1/2 mile of one another . 10 with in 4 miles “. Gas stations get closed and drugs are sold in drive thru lanes .. Ya we are going down the right path .”NOT” And obamacare will enhance it even more ..Women wont need the support of a man all they will need them for is fertilization and daddy government will take care of them !
epidemic of babies being born addicted to powerful narcotics.
down syndrome to mental illness will fill the streets when we let drug dealers to prostitution and std”s be rewarded and the labor of people be socialized to people that do not care one way or the other !