“Words fail to describe my disappointment that Southwest Indiana’s Congressman, U.S. Rep. Brad Ellsworth, voted for Nancy Pelosi’s so-called health care reform bill on Sunday.

“It just he is listening to the Party bosses in Washington and Indianapolis who will decide whether he gets to run for the US Senate seat being vacated by Evan Bayh. No one in their right mind thinks taking a trillion dollars of economic activity focused on saving lives and enhancing health and running it through the mess that is Washington, D.C., will help health care or improve our economy.

“It is time for major changes in Washington, D.C., and that’s why I ask for your vote on May 4, so that with our diagnoses in hand, I can go to Washington as the people’s representative to repeal this disastrous act and make sure patients and the people are first, not government, in our health care system.”

Dr. Larry Bucshon, heart surgeon, husband and father of four, issued the following statement today on the bizarre deliberations underway in Washington surrounding so-called health care reform:

“Throughout my adult life, I have learned the absolute importance of leaders listening first before they act.  As an officer in the US Navy Reserves, listening to my superiors was absolutely essential.  Lives often depended on my hearing correctly and understanding deeply.  And as a doctor, I must listen to and understand my patients. When I put the stethoscope on their chest cavity, it is imperative I listen and learn before undertaking any medical care.  Again, lives depend upon that, too.

“So I am absolutely dumbfounded that our Congressman, US Rep. Brad Ellsworth, has no position on the pending health care bill in Congress.  If he is listening to ANYONE besides Nancy Pelosi and President Obama, he would know this is a bad bill for Southwest Indiana and for all American.  It raises taxes, funds 16,000 more IRS agents to enforce the unconstitutional mandate requiring everyone to purchase insurance, and handcuffs doctors fighting to save lives and cure disease.

“I pledge to Hoosiers across Southwest Indiana that should they send me to Congress, I will first listen and then lead toward common-sense, Hoosier solutions that make government work for us – not the other way around.”

Congressional candidate Larry Bucshon, a southwest Indiana physician, called on Congressman Brad Ellsworth to take a public position opposing the pending health care bill, saying the bill is dangerous to the physical and fiscal health of Hoosiers.

“Even though he is waiting for the Democratic Party’s approval from Indianapolis to run for the U.S. Senate, Rep. Brad Ellsworth remains southwestern Indiana’s representative in the U.S. House. As such, he should vote against this monstrosity,” said Bucshon, who is running for public office for the first time.

“As a physician, I actually know what’s in this bill and know how bad it is for your health — physically and financially,” he added.

Bucshon also called on Trent Van Haaften, a state legislator from Posey County who is part of the Democrat leadership in the Indiana House in Indianapolis, to also renounce his earlier public support for this measure. “Rep. Van Haaften says he wants to provide leadership for Southwest Indiana in Washington – but leading us down this path is the wrong direction for America,” he said. “This is just more of the same misguided policies out of Washington and the Indiana House that are hurting Hoosiers and crippling our economy.”

While there are many major problems with this legislation, Bucshon cited five significant flaws in underscoring his own opposition and calling on the incumbents to take a pro-taxpayer position:

• The bill takes $500 billion from Medicare, making medical rationing for senior citizens far more likely.
  The bill is filled with special provisions that amount to taxpayer-funded bribes, such as the Cornhusker kickback for U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, the Louisiana Purchase for US Sen. Mary Landrieu, and $100 million for US Sen. Chris Dodd for a Connecticut hospital as his retirement gift.
• The bill will subsidize abortion with tax dollars for the first time since Congress first approved the Hyde Amendment in the mid-1970s.
• It places nearly one-fifth of the American economy under the federal government’s control.
• The bill is filled with new boards, commissions and procedures that will take a medical marvel — the American health care system – and render it a bureaucracy with neither compassion nor efficiency.

Larry Bucshon lives in Warrick County with his wife, Kathryn, who is also a physician, and their four children. A former Naval Reserve officer, Bucshon is a surgeon who has performed hundreds of life-saving heart surgeries. In 2007, Bucshon was named St. Mary’s Physician of the Year.

With less than 8 weeks to go in the campaign to represent Indiana’s 8th Congressional District, I thought I would take this moment to ask for your continuing support and send a quick update on what has been happening most recently with our campaign.

We’ve had a busy week.  We had the opportunity to attend the Vanderburgh County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner. Governor Mitch Daniels was the keynote speaker and gave a positive, upbeat message about the possibilities available to Hoosiers when we act with purpose. In addition to spending time with Governor Daniels, I enjoyed talking with the 300 attendees. Although folks around the district are disappointed with Washington, they are equally excited about the possibility for change.

After Vanderburgh’s Lincoln Day Dinner we spent some time in Oaktown, Indiana on Thursday for a Knox County GOP “meet the candidates” evening.  We had a great chili supper and met with about 50 people in attendance.

Most recently, this past weekend I attended a cozy Republican breakfast in Daviess County. I shared my views on limited government and fiscal responsibility, two values sorely missing in our current Congress.

Each day the energy and excitement surrounding this campaign continues to grow. Be a part of it by signing up at www.BucshonForCongress.com to volunteer. This is a critical juncture in the campaign and your help can bring long overdue change to Washington.

Thank you in advance for your support.