The healthcare bill under the current national and local spotlight was discussed at Tuesday’s monthly Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Bridlewood Golf Club, where United States Congressman Michael Burgess, M.D. told the crowd that virtually no one in America is happy right now. “They are mad on the Left, and they are mad on the Right,” Burgess said. It was a busy day for the representative, as he spoke at the chamber lunch before attending a small business forum and then hosted a scheduled evening “Town Hall” meeting at Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church in Flower Mound. He thanked his constituents for “sitting up and paying attention,” saying that whether the bill passes or not, it will be a better product because people are paying attention. Burgess likened some aspects of Obama’s health care bill to the Medicare Bill back in the 1960’s. “Funding will be a problem in the future,” he said, adding that the benefits of the bill are not scheduled to start until 2013, but the funding will need to begin in 2010.

Dr. Burgess, who practiced medicine in North Texas for about 30 years before being elected to office in 2002, said it is a flawed bill in a lot of ways. “In a free society, are mandates really a good idea?” he queried. He drew applause from those in attendance when he said he had voted against the stimulus bill, and he also said he is against the popular Cash for Clunkers program. “I didn’t support it,” he said, in part because the inflated sales now might cause lagging sales later. After his talk, Burgess opened up the floor for questions, and several chamber members took advantage of the opportunity to discuss their concerns. Lacey Riley, a local CPA, asked if there was anything on the horizon to help small businesses. “We are in a recession. That is where the focus should be,” she stated. Burgess said he is taking part in two small business forums in the area on this trip and he believes small businesses are going to be the “major drivers out of the recession.”

He also noted that while stumping for McCain, he visited 17 different areas of the United States and believes that North Texas did not feel the effects of the recession until the rest of the country had already been in it for awhile. “Not nearly enough money has gone into helping small businesses get back on their feet,” he concluded before telling Riley that her observations were correct. Encouraging citizens to continue to call, write and e-mail his office, Burgess said he needs the input from residents, and it does make a huge difference to receive those types of communications. Also at the chamber lunch, which was sponsored by Coram Deo Academy, the business of the month was recognized and presented with a plaque. That was The Boardroom Salon for Men, owned by Roger McElwrath and located in The Shops at Highland Village.


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