Rick Berg Faces Hostile Questioning Over Medicare (VIDEO)

WASHINGTON - Rep. Rick Berg (R-N.D.) heard from elderly voters angry about his vote to end Medicare and replace it with a voucher program at the Bismarck Public Library Tuesday evening.

Berg voted in favor of Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) budget, the centerpiece of which cuts spending on elderly health care costs by replacing the current benefit with a voucher system that would provide premium support for private health insurance.

“I would like to know: Did you vote to eliminate Medicare as it is today?” a man asks Berg during his library appearance in an exchange caught on video by PlainsDaily.com (scroll down to watch).

“No,” Berg says, before the audience contradicts him.

“You voted for every Republican issue and that was part of the issues that went out there,” the man says.

A woman interrupts to ask how much the elderly will be asked to pay out of pocket for health care costs under the new system.

“I want you to tell me how much it’s going to cost us when we’re 65 years old after you give us a voucher,” she says.

“Fifty-five or over, absolutely no change, absolutely no change, in this Medicare program,” Berg promises.

“As long as you are over 55,” the woman responds. “If you’re 54, to hell with those people.”

Berg responds by arguing that there isn't sufficient tax revenue to support the current Medicare system. “This is an issue we have to be honest about. If we do nothing…it’s not going to have the money for people who are 55. In my opinion we have to do something now,” he says.

WATCH:

Alee Locknan, a spokeswoman for Berg, said that the Bismarck town hall had followed one last week in Minot. “From our perspective they’ve been going really well,” she said. “That was, as far as outbursts go, probably the worst of it.” Locknan said that free-wheeling town halls haven’t been held in North Dakota “for decades” and that the congressman was glad to hear from those who disagreed with him.

Republican lawmakers have been taking heat since the beginning of the congressional recess, when the Buffalo Grove Patch reported that constituents battered Rep. Robert Dold (R-Ill.) for his Medicare vote. Since then, anger has roiled town halls across the country.

Comments

[My five cents]

12:08 PM on 05/01/2011

Maybe it's time for the medical industry to tighten their belts and run a non-profit health care system like the rest of the industralized world.
Investigate the so called socilist systems of France,Germany Sweden or Switzerland when it comes to health care. I live in Germany and I'm American. I retired here just because the medical system is so much better here and affordable. Even with the dollar being worthless I can live here better than in the USA. This is because the high cost of the medical delivery system in the US is twice as much as it is here.
Please investigate yourself. Don't take my word on it.
See if NBC CBS ABC CNN FOX or any reliable news station will do as an indept news report on health care in Europe.
Just as much as they televised the wedding of William and Kate.
Michael Moore's SICKO is right on the mark, If you knew the truth like I do you would be very upset.

[JanineMarie]

08:00 PM on 04/28/2011

It would be a good time for those who never saw Michael Moore's Sicko to watch it. Leave your feelings for Michael Moore out of it and just watch the movie. It is an eye opener.

[innerpuppie]

06:47 PM on 04/28/2011

How is it that other countries can provide medical care for everyone, not just their elderly, and not cry day after day about going broke?

[dayzee10]

08:34 PM on 04/28/2011

Retealibanbaggerican Party medicare reform......don't get old, if you get old don't get sick,when you get old and sick just die and please die quickly so Reatealibanbaggericans' conciousnesses aren't disturbed

[Willow712]

10:48 PM on 04/29/2011

Because they have single payer, medicare for all. There is a very low mark up on medicare, and an insurance plan will be "for profit" instead of single payer for those over 65. Our profit is so high that's where a lot of costs go, along with the ER visits and unpaid bills of people that can't afford it.

[innerpuppie]

11:40 PM on 04/29/2011

Willow, I understand, and know, what you are saying. I was being sarcastic.

[holyghostie]

05:50 PM on 04/28/2011

So rather than making all socio-economic groups pay a fair share of tax, and rather than ending the temporary Bush tax cuts...and rather than reforming the corporate tax code so that ExxonMobil and Bank of America pay something other than zero....the Republicans will make it become a have and have nots healthcare system. Once your voucher is up...if you can afford more health care you'll buy it...or if not, your family will be planning your funeral. Good job GOP.

[mlw85]

05:38 PM on 04/28/2011

When he pulled out that picture from his wallet it really upset me, framing it as if he cares about their children or grandchildren. He should have said "Here let me show you who I'll take medicare away from. I'm not against elderly folks who vote, but those who don't have a voice in politics now, I'm against them." Restructuring medicare could happen in a fiscally responsible way but he holds up a chart with no explanation and says "this is how it is". I know I'm not buying it, and I don't think many people in that crowd are either.

[speechteach]

09:47 AM on 05/01/2011

At the Grand Forks townhall two days later, he passed around his Congress voting ID card, with a statement about how he represented us, so this was essentially OUR card.
He tried to confuse us about his vote on the Ryan plan, saying he voted for the Republican plan, as if they were two different issues. I think he was trying to distance himself from the Ryan plan, even though he finally admitted he voted for the plan, when he was continually pressed about it. He also didn't answer a question about oil subsidies; he kept asking the person who asked that question, "What oil subsidies?" She also kept pressing, but I don't recall him answering. He also did not adequately answer my question about voting for all of the wasteful defense spending measures or the fact that he signed Grover Norquist's pledge to not raise taxes.

I left that meeting feeling no better about our lone Congressman than I did on election day, 2010. I'm embarrassed that our state has citizens who feel we need to close our borders and not allow amnesty so we don't end up like the state of California where the majority of people in their classrooms don't look like us (as that attendee waved his hand over the all white crowd in attendance). No response from Berg. Or the farmer who felt we should eliminate the EPA even though he collects thousands in farm subsidies. I was angry and sad leaving that meeting.

[mlw85]

04:48 PM on 05/01/2011

Yeah he isn't doing himself any favors holding town halls and dismissing people like that. I live in Texas and have been in the same boat with Joe Barton, so all I can say is keep the story out there. Thanks for the information, and I really hope that something changes. Keep it up and good luck to you.

[gray375]

05:17 PM on 04/28/2011

the wealthy have had it really rough lately. They earn money the old-fashioned way while we are just looking for handouts

[JavaSavant]

06:48 PM on 04/28/2011

Since when did "the old-fashioned way" mean "plying congress with cash until they give us tax breaks"? Ever since Ronny Ray Gun, Republicans have been stealing from the poor to give to the rich by cutting social services and giving the rich tax breaks, but for some reason conservatives just don't see that as "redistribution of wealth". Why is it that unearned money flowing uphill is fine, but downhill is "looking for handouts"?

"Trickle-down" economics is simply corporate welfare, and anti-capitalism. Capitalism says that "the market" decides. Well, "the market" is the people. Leave money in OUR hands, and WE will determine which companies succeed and which ones fail. Unfortunately, Republicans don't believe in Capitalism. That is a myth. They believe in Oligarchy and Corporatocracy.

Bill Clinton balanced the budget and had a plan that would have eliminated the deficit in a decade. Bush decided it was better to give the money to the rich in tax breaks than to give it to the entire country and pay off our debts. Did any of that "trickle down"? Not even a little. The middle class wage has been stagnant ever since Ronnie, while the gap between the middle class and the upper class has skyrocketed.

Now is the time for affirmative action against the rich. Since they have been paying MUCH less than their fair share for so long, they should pay extra for a while, until things even out.

[millertime]

05:10 PM on 04/28/2011

The thing worth focusing on, Mr Berg, is wondering why there isn't enough tax revenue? Where is that revenue going? OH, that's right, its going into some offshore account being held by the precious 2 percenter....tax cuts do not produce revenue, taxes do

[jpvt]

06:44 PM on 04/28/2011

Thank you millertime.

[speechteach]

09:48 AM on 05/01/2011

Berg was pressed on that during the Grand Forks townhall, when someone commented that people who make the millions of dollars Berg makes should pay their fair share of taxes. No adequate response.

[NewYank]

05:09 PM on 04/28/2011

Help me do the math. My 72 year old friend had heart surgery last year. He was sent a copy of the bill that would also be forwarded to Medicare that covered the cost of the procedure. It came to $76,000. Are the GOP planning on issuing vouchers in that amount on a yearly basis to replace existing Medicare coverage? Nope, didn't think so. Guess those that can't afford to pay the balance are put out to pasture.

[speechteach]

09:50 AM on 05/01/2011

The premium supports (vouchers) would be to pay for the private insurance premiums, not the actual services, but the CBO says it would fall far short of the cost of the premium. leaving the senior paying at least $6700 out of pocket yearly. Most seniors cannot afford that.

[bill987654]

04:49 PM on 04/28/2011

........I can't even compare him to an used car salesman.....what a cheese-ball...

.......maybe ND knows better now...but then, it is ND....

[speechteach]

09:51 AM on 05/01/2011

I'm from ND; you are correct. I'm convinced the majority of our citizens don't know better or just don't care.

[Laurie Watkins]

04:38 PM on 04/28/2011

I am from North Dakota. Rick Berg has absolutely no understanding of the middle class and elderly. He was the weathiest new Congressman elected. I requested that Representative Berg respond to the question of why he took the Federal Health Insurance, when he was elected. He has pushed the repeal of Obamacare. NO ANSWER OF COURSE. He has said that he is employed by the Federal Government and that the health care is a benefit. He is employed by the people of North Dakota and HE DOES NOT CARE IF THERE IS HEALTH REFORM OR MEDICARE FOR THOSE UNDER 55 WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED. Elections have consequences.

[MoreChoices]

03:37 PM on 04/28/2011

Berg responds by arguing that there isn't sufficient tax revenue to support the current Medicare system. “This is an issue we have to be honest about.

As long as we're being honest, the reason there isn't enough tax revenue is because they are giving it all away to the wealthy.

[KingKrub]

03:26 PM on 04/28/2011

There will always be a group of people who take just a bit longer to fully understand what is being done to them by the people they vote for. As Voltaire said, "common sense is not that common".

[efffox]

02:43 PM on 04/28/2011

I'm sick and tired of hearing these Republicans say that they HAVE to make it a voucher program or medicare will go bankrupt!! That's only true IF they don't do anything at all!! They're saying that there is NO OTHER solution? Hmmm, I'm not an elected official, so what do I know, but how about RAISING TAXES on the rich and putting it toward medicare? Or, ask people if they are willing to put more of their own money towards medicare to insure that it's available when they turn 65? I'm sure there are a few more good ideas IF you're willing to think about it for more than 2 seconds!!

The GOP's vision of America is NOT the America that MOST AMERICANS want to live in!!!

[RedStateHostage]

03:18 PM on 04/28/2011

Faved from a fan.
Bring the Clinton taxes back, index the capital gains tax, END the wars, close at least half of the overseas military bases.

[ProudLiberalDan]

03:26 PM on 04/28/2011

Here are other things we can do:

- Allow people under 65 to buy into Medicare as a public option alternative to corporate insurance.

- Allow the United States government to use its power to negotiate down pharmaceutical prices.

Other countries have universal health care and have cheaper, better systems. France is rated number 1 in the world. Why not look to what other countries are doing more successfully?

Fortunately, Vermont is moving toward single-payer health care and they will demonstrate this for us.

The Republicans are out to destroy Medicare and Social Security out of their immoral conservative ideology. They've even voted to do this in the House to finance a reduced tax rate for billionaires by 30%.

[speechteach]

10:01 AM on 05/01/2011

I'm hoping the VT plan is so successful, that other states copy it. Then, when the rest of the country sees how effective it is, there is a demand to adopt it for the entire country. There is no reason we are not as progressive as other industrialized countries.

[kennyfasugbe]

02:29 PM on 04/28/2011

Boo hoo hoo! America gets what she voted in in the last election. My condolences to those of us who saw this coming but are now shackled to the misinformation of those that put these goons in power.

[speechteach]

10:02 AM on 05/01/2011

Sadly, even those of us who voted Dem are also shackled to the policies of these goons. We all need to vote!

[Tommygun264]

02:28 PM on 04/28/2011

So the pub/bagger Berg says we have to kill Medicare for our children and grandchildren today, or our children and grandchildren won't be able to afford Medicare tomorrow. WTF?