Jim Gerlach and Medicare Part D(isaster)

Last October Jim Gerlach (R-PA6) held a public forum about Medicare Part D. Held in Cumru Township, Berks County, it was designed to showcase the Congressman and explain the program to seniors. I attended the event at the request of Lois Murphy's campaign and videotaped the Congressman. It was interesting.

The senior citizens attending were upset at the plan. They didn't like much of it and let Gerlach know their feelings. The plan is complicated, has this big doughnut hole, and seniors are required to enroll or be penalized. Frankly many of them attending didn't want any part of the disaster. They let him know with the questions they asked. Two in particular were interesting for the way the Congressman replied.

One question asked why they made the plan so complicated. Gerlach admitted it was very flawed and needed to be changed and improved. Of course what he didn't own up to was how he was one of the chief supporters of the plan in Congress. If the plan was so bad why did Jim Gerlach work so darned hard to get it passed?

The second lie was even better. Someone asked him if there'd been any heavy lobbying by industry in favor of the legislation. He said no.

Hello? Aren't the pharmaceutical and insurance companies who wrote the plan industrial companies? Weren't they the ones who pushed this entire bill through? What a monumental lie to foist on the people in Berks County. Gerlach should be ashamed. Of course, I got it all on tape.