Van Haaften backs reform, backs away from pending reform bill (Courier & Press)
By Thomas Langhorne -- Evansville Courier & Press
He's not sure he would vote for health care reform legislation now in Congress, but state Rep. Trent Van Haaften, D-Mount Vernon, told a friendly audience Tuesday night that insurance companies should be reined in.
"How can we allow a simple middle-class family that can't buy health insurance, or get health insurance because insurance companies raise premiums beyond the cost?" said Van Haaften, the presumptive 8th District Democratic congressional nominee this year.
"... How can we stifle small business by not making sure health insurance is affordable? So we have to do things basically to make sure it's affordable, make sure insurance companies don't control (medical decisions between) the doctor and the patient, make sure those that are getting care — the seniors in particular, that Medicare is not cut."
Van Haaften, who hopes to succeed Senate candidate Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D-Ind., was speaking at a public meet-and-greet event offered by University of Southern Indiana's College Democrats club.
He also declared that families shopping for insurance should not be "bound by a line on a map, meaning the borders of their state."
Afterward, Van Haaften said he doesn't know whether he would vote in favor of the 2,000-plus page health care reform bill in the House.
"It's still kind of in flux to a certain degree what is actually going to be put on the table," he said. " ... I think it's appropriate that we do something about not denying coverage to someone for pre-existing conditions."
Van Haaften also said he opposes spending federal dollars to fund abortion through the legislation.
"That's not health care," he said.
During a union-sponsored rally for health care reform last year, Van Haaften cited a sign that said "In America, no one should go without health care."
"And that says it all for me," he told the labor group.
"Next time a neighbor or friend talks to you and says, 'I'm not sure about this health care situation,' ask them if they believe as an American that each of us should be entitled to health care, no matter who we are, no matter where we come from," Van Haaften said.
Of the eight Republican 8th District candidates, all who have addressed the health care reform legislation now in Congress say they oppose it in favor of alternative ideas.
Other candidates
Tuesday night's candidates event also featured remarks by a handful of other Democratic candidates.
"Here in Southwestern Indiana, salaries don't match the cost of housing," said state Senate District 49 candidate Patty Avery. "That's why we have so many homeless families.
"So because of that I'm looking at how do we raise incomes? How do we effectively educate and equip people so they can earn the salaries that will keep them from continually living on the brink of homelessness?"
Rep. Gail Riecken, seeking re-election in House District 77, said she has learned something since being elected unopposed in 2008.
"It's so important to be able to work with the opposite party, to be able to work with others in the Senate and House. I guess that's the one thing that I've learned in this session, that coalition-building is absolutely critical," Riecken said.
Warning on cuts
Sen. Bob Deig, D-Mount Vernon, who is seeking the House seat now held by Van Haaften, said student transfers are a possible result of public education cuts.
"You're going to have kids maybe from Mount Vernon schools go to Evansville, and it's going to segregate the poorer districts from the more wealthy school districts," Deig said.
County watchdogs
Vanderburgh County Commissioner Troy Tornatta said he and Commissioner Steve Melcher, who form the majority of the three-member governing body, have been hard at work.
"We are protectors of the county dollars, we make sure that we are going to be good stewards and are going to try and work with people, so we now have good communication with the County Council, the financial body," Tornatta said.
Sheriff Eric Williams, who has no opposition, got the night's biggest laugh with a reference to the shuffling of Democratic candidates triggered by Sen. Evan Bayh's unexpected retirement announcement.
"I'm not part of the domino effect in the Democratic Party," Williams joked.