Tom Hayhurst's Healthcare Plan

(From Dr.Hayhurst's website)

Affordable Health Care

As a practicing critical-care physician in northeast Indiana for over three decades, I have spent my entire life on the front lines of health care, helping thousands of patients and their families through illnesses and back to good health.

When I saw people in need in my community, I cofounded a free pulmonary clinic. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, I took my skills to Louisiana to ease the pain. When little was being done to save the inpatient beds at our regional Veterans Administration Hospital , I joined together with my fellow veterans and formed Veterans for Better Health Care to fight for those essential services.

Working to ensure the well-being of my patients has convinced me that every citizen of our great country deserves access to affordable health care. There is no excuse for inaction on this important issue. There is so much that can be done, and done now.

I propose simple, market-based solutions, not a massive federal bureaucracy. My health care platform is grounded in compassion and common sense.

When I am in the U.S. Congress, I will:

• Actively support federal government negotiation with drug companies to secure the highest-quality, lowest-cost medications for our over 41 million seniors on Medicare; too many forced to the make the unthinkable choice between their food and medicines.

• Champion laws supporting the importation of medications, protected by all appropriate Federal Drug Administration safeguards, from other countries.

• Promote plans allowing millions of working people to pool their buying power and gain access to the highest-quality, lowest-cost health care available.

• Advocate for the automatic enrollment of children of eligible, needy families in government-supported health insurance programs.

• Strive to guarantee that our veterans, those who put themselves on the line for freedom's sake, receive the same kind of medical care offered to any member of Congress – nothing less will do.

• Lead an investigation into the runaway costs associated with prescription drug advertising, so that more resources can be put into direct patient care.
Preserving life, sustaining it, bettering has been my calling. It's why I'm running for Congress. It's why I'm resolved that every citizen must have access to affordable health care.

Parra Fundraiser set for September 9th

More on "Election-Gate"

Last week, Fort Wayne Left reported on Steve Shine's odd definitions regarding the fraudulent acts committed by Doug Foy. Apparently this is a growing phenomenon among the local "right-tilters". In an editorial piece in tonight's News Sentinel (I have to line the cat box with something), Bob Caylor voiced his surprise that the GOP election fraud story is a "bombshell". He added "This is starting to look like a five-alarm response to a stink bomb".

He's right, of course. These sort of things happen all of the time here in the Summit City; particularly within the Republican Party. The fact remains that this story truly is a bombshell for one very good reason:

This time they got caught.

The "good old boys" have suffered a black eye and, having not experienced one before, are unsure of just what to do. So they rely upon their usual game of "funny definitions" and "spin". Mr.Shine, already aware of the details of the offense, immediately came to Doug Foy's defense when this story initially broke, yet turned against him when he realized it couldn't be swept under the rug this time.

Kevin Knuth is correct to question why 8 out of the 11 candidates refused to answer questions by the election board, and a special prosecutor should be employed due to the obvious influence that the local GOP exerts throughout the local legal system.

Mr.Caylor, you are correct about the fact that something stinks. However, that which is just beginning to permeate the surface, has been smoldering underground for a very long time. A "five-alarm response" may not be enough if the wind is right. . .

And, by the way, Scott's has a great sale on thick steaks this week. Just in case you need one for that eye of your's, Mr.Shine.

Allen County Democratic Weblog

The Allen County Democratic Party now has its own weblog. The blog went live late yesterday afternoon. This morning's post was entitled "We are up and running!"

Today we will go "live". There will be many changes to this blog as we adjust the theme and do some integration with our www.allencountydemocrats.org website.

I will have a post regarding this morning's election board hearing later today.

Fort Wayne Left notes that the new blog has links to two other progressive blogs, and neither is from the Allen County area. Was it something we said?

Steve Shine's definitions

Apparently, the local GOP is using a different dictionary than the rest of us folks. Last time I looked into things, signing another individual's signature to a legal form (without having legal power of attorney) constituted "fraud". Mr.Shine, in commenting on party Executive Director Doug Foy's commission of the above action, called it "an honest mistake" and stated that Mr.Foy was "merely trying to help the GOP candidates meet the July 3rd filing deadline".

It seems to me that neither the words "honest" or "mistake" apply to this situation. Mr.Foy deliberately signed other parties names to legal documents without the authority to do so. No mistake there. This obviously was to be kept quiet due to the illegal nature of this action. Nothing honest about that.

Steve Shine fired Doug Foy, as well he should have. But why did it take six days for that to happen? Foy's dismissal, and full disclosure of his actions to all board members, occurred on Monday, August 7th, yet Republican election board members were notified of his actions on Wednesday, August 2nd. Once again, the words "honest" and "mistake" seem to not apply.

Was it the local GOP's intention to sweep this under the rug and be complicit in this blatant commission of fraud? That will be for the election board to decide. It appears that a select number of them had a few extra days to think about it. That must have been an "honest mistake" too . . .