I've been VERY tardy in posting this, but our House of Representatives has been even more tardy in making this common sense vote. The House has finally voted to extend the FDA's authority to cover tobacco, in an overwhelming 326-102 vote.
And guess what backwards KY Rep voted for AGAINST this.... Geoff(erson) Davis.
Good thing we have Dr. Michael Kelley running against him this November. And he immediately put Davis in his place over this vote. (Since the KDP is too busy trolling in the comments on KY blogs to help out Heather Ryan and Michael Kelley, the least I can do is post his words here. Go back to sleep KDP, nothing to see here.)
This week the U.S. House of Representatives took a very important step in promoting better health among Americans; it voted to extend FDA authority to cover tobacco. Since our Food and Drug Administration is charged with protecting and promoting our heath, it stands to reason the FDA would have some say in regulating the number one cause of preventable heath problems in America: smoking. Not only is smoking responsible for an enormous percentage of our nation’s healthcare problems, but it is responsible for roughly 25 cents of each healthcare dollar spent in America today.
America is being suffocated by out of control healthcare costs that place medical care out of the grasp of millions and choke the competitiveness of our businesses. So what can we do to cut down healthcare costs dramatically? Well, for starters we can work to prevent smoking related illnesses by cutting down on America’s smoking rate.
What about freedom of choice and personal liberty? We know now that Big Tobacco companies have secured their customer base by tricking impressionable teens into starting a life-long nicotine addiction before they have the judgment to know better. Once they are hooked…well, we all know that that kicking the habit is incredibly difficult. The American Lung and Heart Associations both support the bill, and even Philip Morris USA, the nation’s largest cigarette company, endorsed it.
So who would be opposed to a common sense idea such as FDA regulation of tobacco? Our current U.S. Representative, Geoff Davis. Once again Representative Davis has come out on the side of his big corporate campaign donors at the expense of the American public. He has voted against this bill which would protect Americans, and instead voted to protect Big Tobacco. In doing this he has voted for higher health care prices and for worse health for Kentuckians. (Kentucky has the highest adult smoking rate in the nation and 25% of Kentucky teens smoke.)
Davis claims that his ‘no’ vote was simply an effort to help the poor, overworked folks at the FDA, which “struggles to handle its current responsibilities.” How kind of him! But Davis and his ultra-conservative allies in Congress are partly to blame for the under-performance of important government agencies - since the conservative philosophy is to defund government until it is “small enough to drown in a bathtub.” Collapsing bridges, FEMA mismanagement, and an underperforming FDA are all linked to conservative distrust of, and under-investment in our government.
I am a practicing family doctor, and I see patients every day who are sick because of smoking. I cannot see how Representative Davis can stand to look at himself in the mirror after voting against common sense and the best interests of his constituents - unless he considers his true constituents to be his Big Money campaign donors. Geoff Davis’ voting record - one that proves he serves Big Money backers over the best interests of Americans - is why I chose to run against him. I can promise you this: if you elect me as your Representative, I will serve you – and never Big Money.
For more on Michael Kelley, and why he would be INFINITELY better to serve us in Congress than Geoff(erson) Davis, check out the interviews below with Pat "I heart Brett Hall" Crowley.
AND GIVE HIM TURKEE!!!!!
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