By Ken de la Bastide
Despite renewed efforts by House Republicans for hearings on the Delphi retiring pensions, Rep. Dan Burton is not optimistic they will take place.
Burton, R-5th District, along with other members of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent letters asking for all the records and communication relating to General Motors’ decision to funnel funds to the pensions of Delphi union workers and denied the same benefit to 21,000 non-union employees.
“As I said when I requested a Congressional hearing on this issue in October, it seems fundamentally unfair that salaried and union employees from the same company, who are faced with the same unfortunate situation, are being treated so unequally by the federal government,” he said.
During a stop in Kokomo to address the Century Club of the Howard County Republican Party at PASTArrific, Burton said it is terrible the way the non-union employees have been treated and that’s why he is seeking a hearing.
“So many bad things have happened to good people,” Burton said of the 21,000 salaried employees who will now receive a portion of their pension benefits through the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.
“The request will be placed in the Ways and Means Committee, Charlie Rangel is following the dictates of Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi,” he said. “I have talked to Charlie in the past and will talk to him again. I doubt there will be any movement.”
Commenting on health-care reform, Burton said the government has taken over the automotive and banking industry and wants to take over health care, which is moving the country toward a government-controlled economy and socialism.
“We need to stop what this administration is doing,” he said after reading a long list of government expenditures since President Barack Obama took office.
Burton believes the cost of a government health-care system will exceed the estimated $1 trillion to $3 trillion cost.
“The Democrats are working on a stripped-down version of the bill,” he said. “They want to get the nose of the camel under the tent and then expand the programs in the future.”
He said Democrats are meeting behind closed doors, hammering out a bill they can get passed to claim they accomplished something.
“The long-term goal is a complete government-controlled health-care system as a way to control the economy,” Burton continued. “The guy in the White House is ramming through a socialist agenda that they couldn’t get passed in the 1930s.”
The Republicans in Congress are using every method possible to slow down passage of the health-care reform legislation, he said.
“The taxes will start immediately, but the program will start three years later,” he said. “Americans will be taxed for benefits they’re not receiving.”
Burton predicted Medicaid and veterans’ health-care benefits will be rolled into the plan so that all medical care will be included in one program.
“We do have a problem with health care,” he said. “There is a bill pending that would make changes through the private sector. We need to get control of the Congress.”
Prior to the meeting, Burton who has pledged to fight the repeal of any health-care legislation, said Obama is likely to veto any legislation to repeal or change the health-care reform legislation passed this year.
“It takes a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to override a veto, we can’t get that majority,” he said.
Burton said the 2010 and 2012 elections are crucial and it’s important for the Republican Party to win back the presidency and control of the Congress in two years to undo what the Democrats have done.
He said the proposed health-care reform legislation will push small businesses to the government plan. Burton said there is the 8 percent penalty if a company doesn’t comply with the government plan.
“Business owners are paying 10 to 12 percent of health-care costs for employees,” he said. “It will stabilize their bottom line to have employees on the government plan.”
• Ken de la Bastide is the Kokomo Tribune enterprise editor. He can be reached at 765-454-8580 or via e-mail at ken.delabastide@kokomotribune.com
