Gene Taylor Against Healthcare, Cap & Trade in Laurel

Laurel Leader Call - Taylor: ‘Blue Dogs have done America a great favor’

U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.) received two standing ovations Tuesday from the Laurel Rotary Club as he voiced criticism of President Obama’s drive to reform health care.

“The Blue Dogs (Democrats who often vote Republican) have done America a great favor by delaying the vote,” said Taylor, a member of the group, who noted he is voting against the bill. “I don’t think we have the money for that. I’ve always thought something worth doing is worth paying for.”

“The tipping point for the Medicare trust fund was scheduled to be in 2019,” he said. “That’s when the money collected will not be enough to cover the bills coming in. Because of the economy and medicine keeping people alive longer, that date moved to 2017 within a one year period. Obviously there’s a concern, but we can’t add another trillion dollars to the national debt for health care.”

In addition to insurance, Taylor discussed “cap-and-trade” emissions laws, which he called a Ponzi scheme, and technologies being used in the U.S. Military.

As chairman of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces, Taylor oversees spending for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

Taylor said the military is currently working on better mine-resistant vehicles to help save the lives of soldiers. He also discussed a move to make all aircraft and carriers run on nuclear power.

When pressed about Iraq, Taylor said the goal is to come out of the country “very quickly.”

However, Afghanistan is a different story, Taylor added.

“You couldn’t pick a worse place to fight a war,” he said. “It’s a 20-day truck ride just to get food and supplies to the soldiers through Pakistan. We’ve lost 135 contract drivers who were just delivering food. I’m afraid we’ll be there for awhile.”