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Thursday, January 03, 2008

OH-02 Dem Vic Wulsin: If Elected, Won't Take U.S. House Health Care Benefits

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Democratic congressional candidate Vic Wulsin says she will refuse to accept employer-paid benefits from the House health insurance program "until Congress does its job and passes affordable health care for all." Wulsin is seeking her party's nomination in Ohio's 2nd Congressional district and says she plans to follow the example of Gov. Ted Strickland, who reimbursed the government for health care benefits during 12 years as a House member from Appalachian Ohio. Strickland has continued the practice in Columbus, and pays the state for his coverage.

Wulsin, the OH-02 nominee in 2006, faces a challenge from Steve Black, a lawyer who was a Republican until he turned against the policies of the Bush administration. She polled 49.4% of the vote in 2006 against U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, who is seeking reelection. Although Wulsin lost, she ran better than Strickland and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in OH-02.

Wulsin is a public health physician. Her first political ad of the 2008 campaign is now on YouTUBE and was shown on TV during some broadcast news reports about the Iowa presidential caucuses. The ad trumpets the health care issue. She also used the familiar I-approved-this-message-tagline, but added a kicker:"it's time to make your family a priority." She also tried to tie herself to Strickland, who is popular statewide, is a native of what is now OH-02, and represented counties on the eastern edge of the congressional district during the 1990s before population shifts altered the boundaries. Wulsin said she will mail a check to the U.S. Treasury every month to reimburse the House for any medical care coverage she would receive as a member of Congress. Strickland did the same. Said Wulsin:

Gov. Strickland took a bold stand for hard-working Americans without health care coverage. Spiraling medical expenses are hurting businesses and families. The time to ensure affordable, quality health care is long overdue."

12 comments:

  1. Let's be clear that Wulsin is not a native of OH-02; that wasn't clear here. She was born and raised in the Cleveland area, went to school in Massachusetts and Cleveland. Her 2008 video contains some old shots from her previous campaign, it isn't totally new. She isn't a certified public health physician, she's a pediatrician who never had a practice. She also participated in a project injecting AIDs patients with the tuberculosis toxin because she was sort of promised a public post if she took part in that heinous experiment. She never got the post. There's nothing more stale than a candidate who repeatedly runs and repeatedly loses.

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  2. Hi CountyWorkerLisa --

    I'm not sure being a "native" is a qualification for office. She is an Ohioan, after all. The rest of what you say is fair game and fair comment. But I think she got out of the box nicely with the I'll be like Ted Strickland rhetoric. I think it was a good start for her campaign; who gives a damn if the video is old or new if it was effective in making her point. I've seen campaigns use the same stuff over and over --Bush I being rescued by the sub in WWII comes to mind, and John Glenn's stuff, too.

    Wulsin served. Now let's see how Steve Black volleys.

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  3. In your article, it wasn't completely clear if you were referring to Wulsin or Strickland as "is a native of what is now OH-02". No question Wulsin resides in OH-02.

    Rather easy for millionaire Wulsin to tout her refusal of congressional health insurance since she's covered by her husband Lawson's University of Cincinnati health insurance. Would she be able to do that so easily if she were a single parent with a low income? It's no sacrifice for Victoria Wulsin, but it evidently makes good press.

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  4. Hi CountyWokerLisa --

    "Would she be able to do that so easily if she were a single parent with low income? "

    Lisa, you know the answer. If she were a single parent with low income she wouldn't even be able to run for Congress, let alone put out a press release. Of course, her move is symbolic -- political symbolism, political protest means a lot. Marching with Dr. King meant you were for civil rights, standing outside the draft board with a sign meant you were against the Vietnam War. Refusing to cross a union picket lines means a lot -- solidarity with the union workers.

    Anyhow, keep up your good work. I think it is great that somebody is pointing out some of the gimmicks etc.

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  5. Just for the record:

    Much of what Lisa posted in her initial comment is wrong, so that's probably not "fair game," as Bill put it.

    Dr. Wulsin absolutely did not participate "in a project injecting AIDs patients with the tuberculosis toxin," and certainly not for a "public post."

    She has practiced medicine for nearly 20 years in Cincinnati and beyond, and has a PhD in public health from a pretty good school.

    We're glad she's been paying attention enough to recognize the footage in the ad!

    -Wulsin for Congress

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  6. Victoria Wulsin is becoming an outcast in Indian Hill. She had her one chance to win two years ago. This time, she's going to get trounced. That's if she actually gets past Steve Black...which she probably will.

    Steve is really an anti-war Republican. The true left-wing nutjobs won't vote for him.

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  7. Dear "Wulsin for Congress" paid staff member commenter: Getting a Ph.D in public health and being a "public health physician" are not the same thing and you know it. And how authentic and credible is it when a paid Wulsin staff member enters comments here? Tell Wulsin to remove the tattered campaign advertisement posters from her expensive tennis court fence.

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  8. FYI, the anti-Wulsin comments above have been made before and rejected before.

    I suggest reading the linked comments to get a better picture of those making the criticisms and how much validity they have.

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  9. Oddly folks are addressing side issues about whether she is a native of OH-02 or practiced medicine. The real problem with the article is the meat of it - this sentence: "until Congress does its job and passes affordable health care for all." If she really believes it is congress' job to provide health care to all citizens then she is patently unfit to serve.

    Bill K.

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  10. Isn't it interesting that the folks who jump in to protect millionaire Wulsin are paid staffers and "anonymous". Could they all be Wulsin herself? And who is it who has rejected the points I brought up? Not the voters.

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  11. Someone (the Blower?) claimed that Wulsin is covered on her husband's policy at his job at UC, and that she would be making no sacrifice with her "principled" stand -- unlike Strickland, whose decision may actually cost him money, as I don't think Frances has an employer-provided plan at her disposal, and I don't think he has carryover benefits from his days at Lucasville.

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  12. Hi Bizzyblog --

    No doubt her husband has coverage from U.C. However, it may not be as extensive or gold-plated as the congressional plan. Personally, I think there should be some consideration of junking the entire congressional plan and requiring all House members and Senators, to pay out of pocket or sign on with a spouse's plan. They should not receive coverage until there is some kind of meaningful healthcare reform. Under the federal plan, do the dependents of congress' members have benefits that are superior to the benefits extended to the dependents of those serving in the military? I don't know the answer, but I have a suspicion.

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