The nearly 400 people who showed up on a rainy Wednesday morning sent a clear message: they’re ready for a hard-working, independent voice in Congress like Jaime Herrera who’s ready and willing to put America and Southwest Washington on a new path.   Jaime was joined by U.S. Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton, State Senator Joe Zarelli and State Representative Kevin Parker, along with hundreds of folks from across Southwest Washington (and beyond).

Thanks to everyone who attended for your tremendous support.  We know that if Congress doesn’t change course and curb its runaway spending, our future is at risk.  Please sign up to get our brief and informative email updates, volunteer to make phone calls or march in a parade, or make a donation to help Jaime deliver her message in this campaign.

State Rep. Jaime Herrera surged ahead of fellow Republican David Castillo in overall fundraising in the 3rd Congressional District race at the end of the first quarter of 2010, according to her first-quarter Federal Elections Commission report, filed Thursday.

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by State Rep. Jaime Herrera

The Obama health care bill has passed, yet America’s biggest challenges--rising health care costs and high unemployment--haven’t been successfully addressed. While President Obama was right to focus on health care, his “reform” was the wrong approach.

The president and Congress passed the stimulus packages, bailouts and now health care bill, hoping that increasing the size of government would somehow fix our biggest problems. It hasn’t. Last month 8,300 workers in Washington went home from work with no job to return to the next day. In Clark County, unemployment increased to nearly 15 percent. Health care costs still rise.

Instead of taking steps to contain these costs, President Obama and Congress voted to empower government so much it will destroy private insurance plans for millions of middle income families, increase costs for small business driving more jobs overseas, increase costs and taxes to Americans and add another trillion dollars to our national debt. The bill also makes cuts to Medicare, jeopardizing the health of 47 percent of seniors in Clark County alone.

We should reverse the harmful portions of this bill and get at the root of what makes health care expensive. In addition to restoring the Medicare cuts that affect seniors, here are four ways to decrease health care costs and move the economy forward:

Lawsuit reform: Cut down on excessive monetary awards for frivolous lawsuits.

Associated Health Plans: Allow small businesses to pool together to offer lower health care rates to employees, the way big corporations do.

Expand Health Savings Accounts: Give people tax-free tools allowing them control over their own health care decisions.

Increase choices from across state lines: Give people more choices, decrease costs.

I’m running for Congress because the people who are running the place now aren’t on the right track. In the state legislature, I’ve fought to control government spending and hold the line against taxes that stifle our economy and kill jobs. The new health care bill is the wrong answer for our country. We need to lower health care costs and get people back to work. With new leadership, we can.

The Reflector
Op-Ed by Jaime Herrera
April 1, 2010