Michelle Malkin » Tea Party Freshman Walks the Talk

Tea Party Freshman Walks the Talk

By Doug Powers • December 27, 2010 01:28 PM

**Written by Doug Powers

Who better to understand and make decisions on what’s in the best interest of the private sector than a member of Congress who forces himself to live in it as much as possible? I know many politicians find that concept more horrifying than getting mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from Henry Waxman, but at least one is giving it a try.

From The Blaze:

A newly-elected GOP Rep. announced that he is refusing the congressional health insurance plan in a show of solidarity with the American people.

Rep-elect Joe Walsh (R-IL) told the New York Times that he will stick to his Tea Party roots and decline the government health care provided to members of congress.

“I don’t think congressmen should get pensions or cushy health care plans,” he said. But it‘s a decision that’s not being welcomed by everyone in his family. Walsh’s wife has a pre-existing medical condition, and she’ll now be charged with the difficult task of finding a plan on the open market.

Walsh joins two other Republicans in declining the government’s health plan. So far, incoming Reps. Bobby Schilling (IL) and Mike Kelly (PA) have made similar decisions.

If this spreads throughout Congress by choice or by force of necessity, Joe Walsh will win the eternal support of the ordinary, average guy (sorry). The only way the bloated government machine can be made smaller and more efficient will be if members of Congress like Walsh submit to some personal sacrifice during the dismantling process. The usual modus operandi inside the Beltway is to demand that everybody else do the sacrificing while the DC porkers get fatter and fatter. Kudos, Rep. Walsh, and good luck.

You may remember Walsh from a pre-election debate where much of the crowd, in direct disobedience of the League of Women’s Voters moderator (and former ACORN worker — shocker), stood for an unauthorized Pledge of Allegiance:

Speaking of the Tea Party, did you see the Time Magazine piece that forsees the Tea Party breaking up like The Beatles? Ridiculous. I don’t know a single Tea Partier who would even consider dating Yoko.

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe

~ For the latest breaking news, be sure to join Michelle's e-mail list ~

Posted in: Politicians,Tea Party

Printer Friendly

comments (28)

See what others have said

Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.

Comments

#1

On December 27th, 2010 at 1:39 pm, letget said:

Good for you Joe! I am hoping beyond hope the new dc bunch will turn our Republic around from what has been happening since bho was elected. I can hope.
L
#2

On December 27th, 2010 at 1:43 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

That is one (1), a couple of hundred more on the horizon? We see so many go to the Swamp just full of vim and vigor only to be seduced by the power and privilege of the Beltway. Let us hope Rep-elect Joe Walsh (R-IL) holds firm.
#3

On December 27th, 2010 at 1:44 pm, sfrvn said:

Doug;

You will probably hate this but I can’t help myself: It is “Talk the Talk” and “Walk the Walk.” As in, you can talk the talk but can you walk the walk.
#4

On December 27th, 2010 at 1:51 pm, WrshpMzshn said:

Kudos to Rep Walsh for the gesture, but I hope he hasn’t forgotten a grown man’s 1st responsibility: care for your family.

Walsh’s wife has a pre-existing medical condition, and she’ll now be charged with the difficult task of finding a plan on the open market.

Doug,

Joe Walsh will win the eternal support of the ordinary, average guy (sorry).

You made me laugh. But then, I’m of a certain age…
#5

On December 27th, 2010 at 1:52 pm, Hangfire said:

Please don’t mention the Fab Four Kryptonite on this blog.

Her singing has improved with age, I hear.
#6

On December 27th, 2010 at 1:53 pm, Hangfire said:

Re: Rep. Joe Walsh,

Politics have been good to him, so far.
#7

On December 27th, 2010 at 1:59 pm, rambler said:

Good for him. Now the rest need to give up their perks too or resign.
#8

On December 27th, 2010 at 2:00 pm, bjc said:

Her singing has improved with age, I hear.

*The looks, not so much!
#9

On December 27th, 2010 at 2:01 pm, TXRose said:

Read this morning that the GOP is wondering where the Tea Party members get off on interfering with the way the GOP does business. In fact, the article speculated that the GOP will actually try to get BHO reelected because of the Tea Party. This is precisely why we need the Tea Party and people like Walsh. If he and others “show up” the business as usual GOP, then more power to them!!! The GOP mucky mucks need to be shaken up! If Walsh and pols like him show them up by turning down perks then so be it!
#10

On December 27th, 2010 at 2:02 pm, RedDog said:

The Beatles broke up because McCartney got tired of pulling Lennon’s dead weight out from under Yoko’s Rasputin-like spell. Much like the working American is tired of pulling the government and union’s dead weight. Government uses the force of law to enforce legalized tyranny…. Hopefully the age of the political thief is coming to an end.

Ask the NYC stagehands how they feel about that.
#11

On December 27th, 2010 at 2:05 pm, RedDog said:

On December 27th, 2010 at 2:01 pm, TXRose said:
The GOP mucky mucks need to be shaken up! If Walsh and pols like him show them up by turning down perks then so be it!

To my thinking, RINOs and all professional thief-politicians are enemy collaborators, like the Vichy French of WWII. No mercy should be shown them.
#12

On December 27th, 2010 at 2:06 pm, bjc said:

This just in:

*Sammy Hagar’s gonna drive 55 on the interstate!
#13

On December 27th, 2010 at 2:13 pm, tgears said:

first rule/law of congress should be that congressmen are first to covered by any law. They asked for Obamination car, Let them be covered by it.
#14

On December 27th, 2010 at 2:14 pm, hawkeye54 said:

RINOs and all professional thief-politicians are enemy collaborators, like the Vichy French of WWII. No mercy should be shown them.

I agree.
#15

On December 27th, 2010 at 2:16 pm, Azygos said:

Frankly I think he is an idiot. I spent one night in the ER and ICU and the bill to insurance was $8,800 dollars plus $1,200 cash I had to pay on top of the 8,800. Take the insurance you moron.
#16

On December 27th, 2010 at 2:42 pm, Roland said:

Frankly I think he is an idiot.

It didn’t say she wasn’t covered or would not get coverage, just that she’ll probably have to pay up.

Without knowing exactly what her preexisting condition is, we don’t really know how much of a sacrifice they’re really making.

I’d take the coverage. It’s a perk of the job that was part of the package when he ran for it. Then I’d fight to put all of Congress on whatever it’s cramming down the taxpayers’ throats.

People who think that’s a ‘contradiction’ or that he’d be being ‘hypocritical’ to bash Congress’s goodies and then take them, too, don’t understand the meanings of the words ‘contradiction’ and ‘hypocritical.’

Hypocritical would be to bash Congress for giving themselves special goodies and then voting for continuation of the special goodies.

However, Walsh is showing what is called ‘leadership’ by turning down the coverage. Kudo’s.
#17

On December 27th, 2010 at 3:03 pm, Azygos said:

Roland you make a very good point.
#18

On December 27th, 2010 at 3:17 pm, spaceycakes said:

Her singing has improved with age, I hear.

*The looks, not so much!

now now. I happen to think she looks pretty darn good for someone who is nearly 78 years old.
#19

On December 27th, 2010 at 4:08 pm, txvet2 said:

On December 27th, 2010 at 3:17 pm, spaceycakes said:

She couldn’t look much worse than she did at 38.
#20

On December 27th, 2010 at 4:18 pm, Hangfire said:

On December 27th, 2010 at 3:17 pm, spaceycakes said:
now now. I happen to think she looks pretty darn good for someone who is nearly 78 years old.

Yeah, now she looks more like Toshiro Mifune.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_o3zX3UsFnGw/SrPUXm7712I/AAAAAAAAADk/d-NZ0aqyaag/stripes.jpg
#21

On December 27th, 2010 at 5:06 pm, Hangfire said:

Oops, link doesn’t work. My apologies to anyone not knowing who Toshiro Mifune is.
#22

On December 27th, 2010 at 5:38 pm, sbw999 said:

A man of his word!!! Hear, hear!
#23

On December 27th, 2010 at 6:18 pm, MarcoPolo said:

On December 27th, 2010 at 2:16 pm, Azygos said:

Frankly I think he is an idiot. I spent one night in the ER and ICU and the bill to insurance was $8,800 dollars plus $1,200 cash I had to pay on top of the 8,800. Take the insurance you moron.

one of the biggest reasons it costs so much is because we depend on insurance to cover the most mundane procedures. How much would you have you spent on insurance over the years to avoid paying that $8,800? More, I assume.

We have a major medical policy with a $10,000 deductible combined with a medical savings account. Couldn’t be happier.
#24

On December 27th, 2010 at 8:19 pm, dan708 said:

I know many politicians find that concept more horrifying than getting mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from Henry Waxman, but at least one is giving it a try.

BWAHAHAHAHA!!
#25

On December 27th, 2010 at 8:59 pm, Cogs said:

We have a number of GOP people heading to Congress who supported and were supported by the Tea Party movement. I think this might just be a rather different freshman class. I also think we may be pleasantly surprised as the ones I know or have met “get-it”. This may be a pretty unique couple of years; I’m wagering Obama has a problem.
#26

On December 28th, 2010 at 12:55 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

I know many politicians find that concept more horrifying than getting mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from Henry Waxman, but at least one is giving it a try.

You didn’t say if there would be any nostril penetration or not.
#27

On December 28th, 2010 at 4:53 pm, Cosmo said:

I’d be REALLY impressed if his staffers also shunned the plan.

Any information on this, Doug?
#28

On December 29th, 2010 at 9:45 am, mytake said:

I’m proud of this guy. He’s setting the stage for a big change. Socialism is based on a two tier system, one for the elites and the other for the rest of us. We’ve all seen the disparity and this guy is moving to remove it. Watch the rest of them squirm as this movement gets some traction. We can only “hope” for “change”…. in different direction. Democracy may still be alive in this country.