# New GOP Congressman wins @-hole of the year award at orientation. Newslink **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 16, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924 "2010-11-16T22:53:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/1 "2010-11-16T22:53:04Z")
This anti-Obamacare Tea Party wants his…government-sponsered health insurance. RIGHT NOW! [http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/45181.html](http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/45181.html) > [@](#): > > A conservative Maryland physician elected to Congress on an anti-Obamacare platform surprised fellow freshmen at a Monday orientation session by demanding to know why his government-subsidized health care plan takes a month to kick in. > > Republican Andy Harris, an anesthesiologist who defeated freshman Democrat Frank Kratovil on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, reacted incredulously when informed that federal law mandated that his government-subsidized health care policy would take effect on Feb. 1 – 28 days after his Jan. 3rd swearing-in. > > “He stood up and asked the two ladies who were answering questions why it had to take so long, what he would do without 28 days of health care,” > > “Harris then asked if he could purchase insurance from the government to cover the gap,” added the aide, who was struck by the similarity to Harris’s request and the public option he denounced as a gateway to socialized medicine. Bloated sense of entitlement, much? ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/2 "2010-11-16T23:00:05Z")
I don’t know. I can see why this might move the needle on one’s irony meter, but he is basically talking to his soon-to-be employer, through which (like most people) he’ll be receiving his health insurance. It’s just a regular issue anyone might have in this situation, and that the employer happens to be the federal government in this case is neither here nor there. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/3 "2010-11-16T23:05:01Z")
> [@Rep.-elect Andy Harris (MD-1)](#): > > This is the only employer I’ve ever worked for where you don’t get coverage the first day you are employed. I’ve _never_ had that. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/4 "2010-11-16T23:07:12Z")
Maybe the guy’s got some condition that he needs regular doctor visits or medication, and the gap in coverage will cause him difficulties? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/5 "2010-11-16T23:11:36Z")
He is a doctor, specializes in cranio-proctology ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/6 "2010-11-16T23:28:49Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > Maybe the guy’s got some condition that he needs regular doctor visits or medication, and the gap in coverage will cause him difficulties? Waaaah, I’m crying over here, I really am. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/7 "2010-11-16T23:37:17Z")
What’s this? A member of the GOP acting like a hypocrite? I’m shocked, shocked I tell ya. Next you’ll be telling me he’s also an in-the-closet homosexual. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/8 "2010-11-16T23:43:24Z")
For this to be hypocritical, Harris would have to profess the belief that no one should receive government-sponsored health care _even if they work for the government_. Again, I get why this raises an eyebrow, but the hypocrisy charge doesn’t stand up to logical scrutiny. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/9 "2010-11-16T23:48:48Z")
I just don’t see the hypocrisy here. The guy is upset that his employer delays a month before putting him on their health insurance and wants to pay to get on his employer’s insurance early. His employer just happens to be the government. He’s also opposed to the Obama health care plan, but that doesn’t make him a hypocrite, unless he’s also said, “I don’t think government employees should have health care.”, which there’s no evidence he believes. Obviously nobody has a problem with the government providing health insurance for their employees. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/10 "2010-11-16T23:59:51Z")
I agree that this story is silly. At most, his concern for a gap of 28 days in his own coverage can be ironically contrasted with his failure to offer serious solutions for the millions of Americans who lack insurance for much longer periods. But that’s pretty weak tea. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/11 "2010-11-17T00:04:44Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > I agree that this story is silly. At most, his concern for a gap of 28 days in his own coverage can be ironically contrasted with his failure to offer serious solutions for the millions of Americans who lack insurance for much longer periods. But that’s pretty weak tea. Tea parties have always had weak tea. Something about diluting a few crates in the whole ocean… ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/12 "2010-11-17T00:08:16Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > At most, his concern for a gap of 28 days in his own coverage can be ironically contrasted with his failure to offer serious solutions for the millions of Americans who lack insurance for much longer periods. But that’s pretty weak tea. That sounds like a rather enormous disconnect to me. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/13 "2010-11-17T00:10:17Z")
One can recognize that going without insurance is a problem without agreeing to any particular solution, and without prioritizing the offering of your own solutions. Indeed, this dude may think it’s a problem, but one government shouldn’t solve for anyone other than government employees. I think the GOP has implicitly downplayed the importance of the problem by refusing to even offer serious ideas for expanded coverage, but that doesn’t mean this dude doesn’t think it’s a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/14 "2010-11-17T00:22:45Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > I don’t know. I can see why this might move the needle on one’s irony meter, but he is basically talking to his soon-to-be employer… Having marked himself as a troublemaker, he should be downsized. It’s the only way America can maintain its competitive edge. ---
**Author:** ![bdgr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a87d85/32.png) [@bdgr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bdgr)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/15 "2010-11-17T00:31:13Z")
“ what he would do without 28 days of health care,” This. Lots of people ask that, about longer periods of time than that. But this jerk doesn’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/16 "2010-11-17T00:42:49Z")
Why didn’t he just pay the COBRA premiums and keep the coverage from his last job? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/17 "2010-11-17T00:53:31Z")
Employment perks aside, his request to buy in is a request for something _not_ covered by his employment, and it’s a request for an option he and the Republicans have denied to the public. > [@VarlosZ](#): > > but he is basically talking to his soon-to-be employer His employer is us. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/18 "2010-11-17T01:17:25Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > His employer is us. I don’t always write carefully, but I enjoy it when I do. The word “basically” in the post you quoted is there solely as an acknowledgement of this (largely, though not entirely, abstract) fact. Of course, it’s not all that relevant to the question at hand. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/19 "2010-11-17T01:25:41Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Why didn’t he just pay the COBRA premiums and keep the coverage from his last job? He doesn’t know what COBRA is. Because tea party candidates are universally uninformed. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924/20 "2010-11-17T03:11:26Z")
He should refuse it. He must have his principles. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-gop-congressman-wins-hole-of-the-year-award-at-orientation-newslink/560924.md?page=2)