GOP officials met with anger over Trumpcare votes
Faso accuses Cuomo of giving ‘fake’ numbers about impact on the state
KINGSTON, N.Y. >> A relatively well-behaved but largely angry audience of about 100 people met Monday with U.S. Rep. John Faso to ask questions and air their apprehension about the Republican healthcare bill recently approved by the House of Representatives.
The afternoon forum at the Kingston Library was sponsored by the New York State- Wide Senior Action Council. People who wanted to participate had to sign up ahead of time, and attendance was capped. A small group of signtoting anti-Faso demonstrators stood outside the library before and during the event.
Faso, R-Kinderhook, was to take questions submitted in writing by audience members, but less than a dozen questions were selected, and the first wasn’t answered until about
20 minutes into the hourlong session.
Jeers built as the firstterm congressman explained his thinking on Medicaid, specifically in response to an audience member’s stated expectation that there would be hospital layoffs in New York and a state deficit of billions of dollars under the House plan.
“First, the number comes from Gov. [Andrew] Cuomo, and I can tell you that his numbers are fake,” Faso said. “His numbers aren’t correct. I’ve actually spent a fair amount of time going through this topic, and New York state will receive more money each year under the per- capita grant than it does today. It is not going to receive as much as they anticipated, however.”
Drawing applause and whistles from the audience was a question that chided Faso for voting in favor of the GOP health care bill while supporting tax breaks for large corporations.
“How can you justify cutting taxes for the alreadywealthy and cutting health care for millions?” Saugerties resident Kathy Gordon asked.
“I justify the capital gains tax reduction because it is impairing economic growth in our country,” Faso said, contending the House bill would eliminate taxes on people who pay health care premiums.
Talking over people who
were shouting responses to the statement about economic growth, Faso said he also supports the elimination of taxes on medical devices.
“Even [Democratic U. S. Sen.] Elizabeth Warren supports eliminating the medical device tax,” he said, “so you could say I’m aligned with Elizabeth Warren on that one.”
The Senate has yet to take up health care legislation, and it appears the House bill could undergo substantial changes before any vote is taken there.
Pressed on tax cuts for large corporations, Faso responded: “We’re not giving them something that was someone else’s. It was their money to begin with.”
A large number of people in the audience rose when a speaker asked for everyone with a pre- existing medical condition to stand. Two people, who declined to provide their names, said the only reason they didn’t stand was because they had health issues involving their backs and their knees.
Faso said that under the House-approved healthcare plan, rules for pre- existing conditions would be determined by states.
Audience member Christine Coatney drew laughs when she asked if there is an “honest place” to get information about both Obamacare and the House bill that would replace it.
“I think you can get some pretty good information from people on the left and people on the right,” Faso responded.
Faso recommended using the Kaiser Family Foundation, the Empire Center and the American Enterprise Institute for evaluation of the new healthcare bill.
The congressman took questions from reporters for about 15 minutes after the session concluded. Asked about a town hallstyle meeting about health care that U. S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D- Cold Spring, also hosted in Kingston on Monday evening, Faso called it partisan politics.
“It’s sad, but I can’t tell you it’s unexpected,” Faso said. “That’s his reputation.”
Faso so far has refused to hold a town hall meeting in his district that
would be open to all, and Maloney has recommended House Democrats hold such meetings in districts represented by Republicans who decline to do so. Maloney’s 18th Congressional District is immediately south of Faso’s 19th District.
Faso said Monday he was troubled by a Maloney tweet that claimed Faso’s offices were not taking phone calls from constituents.
“I told him I was annoyed that he tweeted that I should turn on my phones when he knows full well that our staff was overwhelmed at that period with voicemails and our voicemail system can only handle 25 voicemails at a time,” Faso said.