More than 100 activists trekked to Columbia over the weekend to stand outside in the 100 degree weather and protest Vice-President Biden and Congressman John Spratt at a fundraiser.  Biden had the nerve to praise Spratt for the engineering of a balanced budget in 1997 while blaming our current deficits on former President Bush.  Well, Spratt is the current House Budget chairman and this current House passed a budget last year with a trillion and a half dollar deficit with roughly the same projected for next year as well.

John Spratt is the chairman of the House Budget Committee.  He ushered through a budget with a $1.5 trillion deficit last year and is prepared to do the same again this year.  How can the man stand before his constituents and lecture to them about responsible spending?

Speaking to a friendly crowd, Spratt, who is chairman of the House Budget Committee, explained the status of the U.S. House’s budget, something he said is in place despite not having a resolution.

“We need something to keep spending in line,” he said. “We need something that causes people to stop and say, ‘Can we afford it?’ We’ve got that in place…. Don’t worry about the fact we don’t have a budget.”

In late June, the budget vote stalled and was replaced by other measures, including an alternative budget resolution calling for a cap on discretionary spending at levels lower than those in President Barack Obama’s fiscal 2011 budget.

Spratt detailed the country’s deficit and unemployment numbers when Obama took office, talking about its positive turnaround and indicators for the future.

The Herald

HEALTH-CARE MANDATE: Voting 187 for and 230 against, the House on June 15 defeated a GOP bid to use HR 5486 (above) as a vehicle for repealing the new health law’s requirement that individuals who can afford it obtain medical insurance either at work or in a state-run exchange. The purpose of the individual mandate is to hold down everybody’s health costs by establishing the largest possible pool of insured persons. Critics say the mandate is oppressive because those without coverage will face financial penalties. At least 20 states have filed suits challenging the requirement.

The Herald-Journal

Congressman Spratt had an opportunity to show the people of the Fifth Congressional District that he was listening to us.  He had an opportunity to show us he’s been watching the polls and we are highly disapproving of him.  He had this opportunity and he blew it.  Spratt was one of the Congressmen who voted against repealing the unconstitutional health care mandate.

Mick Mulvaney is catching Jack Spratt.  A new poll out shows Spratt with only 43% and Mulvaney with 41%.  A few months ago a PPP poll showed Mulvaney trailing by seven.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will visit Rock Hill next month to headline a fundraiser for Republican U.S. House candidate Mick Mulvaney.

Pawlenty, widely mentioned as a possible presidential contender in 2012, will speak during a breakfast reception at the downtown City Club. Tickets are $100.

Mulvaney, a state senator from Indian Land, seeks the Fifth District seat held by U.S. Rep. John Spratt since 1982.

Read more: http://www.heraldonline.com/2010/04/23/2112169/pawlenty-to-stump-for-mulvaney.html#ixzz0m3X7i4Mf

John Spratt has been listed among those being targeted by the tea party movement in a CNN article today.

On the House side, Tea Party activists said they are taking aim at Democratic Reps. Betsey Markey of Colorado, Alan Grayson of Florida, Baron Hill of Indiana, Barney Frank of Massachusetts, Dina Titus of Nevada, John Spratt of South Carolina, Tom Perriello of Virginia, Gerry Connolly of Virginia and Alan Mollohan of West Virginia.

CNN

As many of us have said over and over, health care reform was never about lifting the uninsured up to the same level of care as everyone else. It was about dragging the rest of us down in order to accommodate them.

The new federal health-care law has raised the stakes for hospitals and schools already scrambling to train more doctors.

Experts warn there won’t be enough doctors to treat the millions of people newly insured under the law. At current graduation and training rates, the nation could face a shortage of as many as 150,000 doctors in the next 15 years, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

That shortfall is predicted despite a push by teaching hospitals and medical schools to boost the number of U.S. doctors, which now totals about 954,000.

The greatest demand will be for primary-care physicians. These general practitioners, internists, family physicians and pediatricians will have a larger role under the new law, coordinating care for each patient.

The U.S. has 352,908 primary-care doctors now, and the college association estimates that 45,000 more will be needed by 2020. But the number of medical-school students entering family medicine fell more than a quarter between 2002 and 2007.

A shortage of primary-care and other physicians could mean more-limited access to health care and longer wait times for patients.

U.S. Faces Shortage of Doctors – WSJ.com

I think everyone should call John Spratt’s office and ask what he intends to do about this doctor shortage?  After all, he had to have known about this issue.  I mean, he wouldn’t have voted for a 2,000 page bill without knowing the ramifications of it, right?

Washington Office
1401 Longworth Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515
Tel. 202-225-5501
Fax 202-225-0464

A lot of hay has been made over the past few days since President Obama arrived in Charlotte with Jack Spratt at his side.  The resulting photo-op is supposed to be symbolic, painting a picture for the people of the power the Congressman holds.  I guess that’s supposed to be good for all of us in the Fifth District.  I think Mick Mulvaney summed it up quite nicely.

“A picture may be worth a thousand words, but these photos are worth trillions of dollars in deficit spending and unconstitutional government takeovers,” Mulvaney said.

The Herald

Predictably, John Spratt defied his constituents once again and decided to placate San Francisco liberals and his gate keeper Nancy Pelosi.  He of course voted in favor of the health care destruction bill.  Despite his coyness, Spratt intended all along to vote for the bill.  He was never undecided or on the fence.

This bill will force you to buy health insurance that is only approved by the Federal government.  If you don’t buy it you’ll be fined by the IRS and sent to jail if you don’t pay the fine.  Over 15,000 new IRS agents will have to be hired to enforce this new provision, an explosive growth in the Federal government.  Your health insurance premiums will continue to rise.  And this is all just the tip of the iceberg.