Biggert, Foster heat up breakfast discussion on health care, economy
From the Beacon News
By ROWENA VERGARA
AURORA -- An early morning business breakfast attended by dozens of business presidents, CEOs and managers turned out to be pretty heavy Friday, but the food had nothing to do with it.
U.S. Reps. Bill Foster, a Geneva Democrat, and Judy Biggert, a Republican from Hinsdale, joined more than 50 Aurora Chamber of Commerce members to talk about issues that are far from light: health care, jobs and the economic outlook.
Biggert opened the discussion and acknowledged the sense of cooperation she has experienced with Foster, despite the two sitting on opposite sides of the aisle.
After stating her views that the health care bills of the Senate and House could hurt small businesses and impose more taxes, Foster countered that the plan proposed by Republicans could leave more people uninsured 10 years from now.
Foster told business owners to consider the "big picture" of the health care proposal, "that everyone must carry a basic level of health care" to cover the 30 million citizens without health insurance.
"It's not going to be a private room in the Mayo Clinic, but it's not going to be zero," Foster said.
A little-known fact about the economic crisis, according to Foster, is that during the last 18 months of the previous administration, about $15 trillion of household net worth was already destroyed. That amounts to $50,000 for every man, woman and child, he said.
"More wealth was destroyed than the national debt under the previous administration," Foster said.
But after the $787 billion stimulus bill passed, that wealth began to increase instantly, Foster said.
Before responding about the economy, Biggert fired back: "I would've worn my armor if I knew this was such a debate."
Biggert stressed that constituents nationwide do not want government-run health care, but health care that is accessible and affordable.
"In a recession, to raise taxes, it's the worst thing you can do," she said.
As for the economy, Biggert said the stimulus has not promised the completion of "shovel-ready" projects, and that companies in her district are not qualifying for stimulus funding to help them grow.
As the session closed, Foster agreed with Biggert when she said bipartisan bickering needs to end.