Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I posted on my Facebook page the question, How has ObamaCare affected you or will it affect you in the future? I received almost 400 responses. I will just read a few of those. I certainly won't read the ones that were volatile, Mr. Speaker, because a lot of people are just mad.
It is true that about 20 percent of those responses like ObamaCare and about 80 percent, not so much.
Leisa says:
My son was lowered to 29 hours last week for a new full-time norm because owner doesn't want to pay ObamaCare.
Sharon says this:
My mother is diabetic and couldn't take insulin for 3 days because she couldn't get her test strip prescription filled due to a Medicare glitch because of ObamaCare.
Kristy:
My hardworking husband can only find temporary contract work. No one wants to hire permanent positions, and those that do have permanent positions are hard to even get an interview with. I hope it doesn't last long. We have a baby due in mid-October, and already have three children.
Joseph:
I expect my employer will not be able to afford future raises due to the enormous expense he has to pay under ObamaCare.
Victoria:
My husband has not been able to get a job because folks are not hiring due to ObamaCare. They are actually laying people off. My parents are elderly and they have three doctors who have quit medicine because of ObamaCare. So no, Mr. Poe, it is not the greatest thing ever.
April says this:
Since the implementation of ObamaCare, I have not been able to find a job. No one wants to hire a permanent position. Everything is part-time or temporary for all those jobs, and they also tell me that I'm overqualified. I think the whole ObamaCare thing needs to be done away with.
Genelle says:
My husband and I are in our seventies. Our copays for prescriptions have doubled. Our doctor told us that he will not be able to treat us with the same quality we now get when ObamaCare goes into full steam.
Mary Lou probably said it the best. She said:
Ted, we pray even more fervently that we just don't get sick.
Those are some responses of people out there who actually work for a living and are concerned about health care. They're not so sold on this.
So here we are, on this Saturday afternoon, and the President is spending time negotiating with the Iranians about things in Iran. He's spending time negotiating with the Russians about things that are going on in Syria. But he won't negotiate with Congress. I don't get that.
Why doesn't he come over here to the House? Let's sit down on an informal basis and just chat about the problems we have. Is it the idea that the people of Syria and Russia and Iran are more important to talk with than Members of Congress? I don't get it.
Like Mary Lou said, ``ObamaCare: we just don't want to get sick.''
And now, today, we're facing a debt ceiling problem, we're facing a continuing to fund the Federal Government problem, we have ObamaCare that gives special treatment for about 1,200 groups that got waivers. None of these people I mentioned got waivers. Let's talk about those things. Let's find out. And maybe we can work out something. But let's at least talk.
So, Mr. Speaker, you're in good with the President. Give him a phone call. Ask him to come over here and chat this afternoon with the House--the Democrats, the Republicans--and let's work something out about the continuing resolution, about the debt ceiling, but at least let's talk and negotiate and not refuse to talk to even Members of the House of Representatives.
And that's just the way it is.