How responsive is Gus??? Not so much....

From Dr. Alvin Wolfe:

I wrote (fax and email) to Gus Bilirakis on January 17 about Insurance Problems in Florida. I have received no response from him as of January 29.
Below is my letter:

January 17, 2007

The Honorable Gus M. Bilirakis
1630 Longworth Washington, D.C. 20515
Tel. (202) 225-5755 Fax (202)225-4085

Dear Congressman Bilirakis:
Although you are now in Washington, I am sure that you have not forgotten Florida's homeowners' insurance problems. They have become even more critical following the legislature's actions of last spring.

My analysis of this complex situation has led me to the conclusion that our problems cannot be resolved at the state level. Having been elected to represent us at the federal level, you are now in an even better position to help Florida. Only Congress can repeal the anti-trust exemption that was given to the insurance industry, years ago, in the mistaken belief that unfettered communication among the companies would somehow be helpful to consumers.

Much, probably most, of the public discussion begins from a premise that market forces should operate in the insurance industry as they do in so many other parts of our economic life. A Tampa Tribune editorial entitled "Market Forces Blown Away By Sky-High Insurance Premiums"(Jan 14, 2007) is typical in expressing that belief.

Actually, market forces produce an optimal or fair price only where buyers and sellers all have equivalent information. That balance is almost never achieved in any market, and it certainly does not exist in the insurance market.

Even the average local insurance company knows much more about risks, etc., than the average homeowner. The re-insurers, the parent companies at the national level and international levels, have a lot more information than anybody else has. Even the states, who are expected in our system to "regulate" the industry, cannot get access to all the information that those collaborating insurance firms have.

Because the federal McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945 exempted the insurance industry from anti-trust regulation, the major firms that handle reinsurance can and do collude on risk assessment and rate-setting in ways that would be illegal in any other industry.

That is why, as the Los Angeles Times reported, "The companies that provide Americans with their homeowners and auto insurance made a record $44.8-billion profit last year even after accounting for the claims of policyholders wiped out by Hurricane Katrina and the other big storms of 2005, according to the firms' filings with state regulators(Los Angeles Times, 4/5/06).

A 2006 report of the insurance industry financial situation states, "Over the past seven years, 1999 through 2005, the insurance industry has seen its profits nearly double, while adding almost $100 million to its surplus reserves. According to data provided by the Insurance Information Institute, industry profits increased from $22.2 billion in 1999 to $43 billion in 2005. The data also indicates that the insurance industry has seen its surpluses grow by a third – from $336.30 billion in 1999 to $427.1 billion in 2005" (p.11, in Pattern of Greed: How Insurance Companies put Profits over Policyholders, available at

http://www.beasleyallen.com/publications/Pattern%20of%20Greed.pdf

Instead of trying to correct the natural imbalance in the insurance market to protect consumers and local governments, the United States government years ago came down on the side of the insurance companies. Our state legislators cannot fix that, but you, as our representatives in congress ought to at least make a start by repealing the unique exemption of the insurance industry from antitrust laws.

Sincerely,
Alvin W Wolfe, Ph.D.
Lutz, FL

Scientology - Here Comes Gus

Travolta, Gus and Greco

Before taping an interview for Sunday's "Political Connections" on Bay News 9 this morning, former Tampa Mayor Dick Greco shared with us that he got to sit with John Travolta and Kelly Preston at the big Scientology shindig the other night in Clearwater. Among the numerous politicos there was U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

Will Gus "Stay the Course"??

In a recent St. Petersburg Times article (January 14, 2007-Robin Stein) the elder "B" reflects on his career & comments on his replacement in Congress, his son. Will Gus the Lesser follow in his father's footsteps, when it comes to taking junket trips on the taxpayer dime? The elder statesman says, "let's not get into all that", when asked about his travel records (2005 story), which included 8 trips to 'Sin City' since 1997 (all paid for by private organizations). Thankfully, the new Democratic-led House passed ethics & lobbyist reform last week!
More noteworthy in the article, the recently-retired Congressman says that Gus "tends not to take criticism particularly well." I'm sorry Gus, but, get ready!!
By the way, his real (Greek) name is Costa.

Creating Long-Term Energy Alternatives for the Nation Act

H R 6 YEA-AND-NAY 18-Jan-2007 6:09 PM
QUESTION: On Passage
BILL TITLE: Creating Long-Term Energy Alternatives for the Nation Act

VOTE PASSED
Bilirakis - NO

And, that's it, right?? They did it.

College Student Relief Act

H R 5 YEA-AND-NAY 17-Jan-2007 5:35 PM
QUESTION: On Passage
BILL TITLE: College Student Relief Act

VOTE PASSED
Bilirakis - Yes

Up today is Energy:

HR6 -
To reduce our Nation's dependency on foreign oil by investing in clean, renewable, and alternative energy resources, promoting new emerging energy technologies, developing greater efficiency, and creating a Strategic Energy Efficiency and Renewables Reserve to invest in alternative energy, and for other purposes.

1/18/07 - Update on HR6 - Bilirakis Votes No on Bill Consideration and Debate

Gus Bilirakis sponsors a bill!

Junior sponsored his very own bill! Maybe this was meant to make up to the veterans for the stem cell vote:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-446

We'll have to wait for the specifics.

Thanks to gatordem for the catch.

Iraq refresher course for Gus...

So this was yesterday...

Newly-elected Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Tarpon Springs, who succeeded his father,Michael, said he wasn't yet convinced that Bush is on the right track. He planned to fly back to Florida on Friday night "with a stack of information,"talk to military experts and constituents before making up his mind.

Why not include a visit to the trauma ward at Haley VA so you can see firsthand what a traumatic brain injury looks like (you know the kind of injury your beloved stem cells might someday cure)?

Now, below is every recorded statement by Gus Bilirakis on Iraq (don't worry this won't take long because his campaign, I must say, did a fabulous job of hiding him all year from the public)...

This was October 2005...

Bilirakis said of the war in Iraq, “We’re on the right track, and we’re doing the right thing.” (St. Petersburg Times, 10/26/05)

Then there was September 2006...

Bilirakis said, “Talking to soldiers, things are better than they were before. I think they needed to make some adjustments and the recent adjust was a good adjustment – bringing more troops to Baghdad because that’s where they’re needed.” (St. Petersburg Times, 9/28/06)

On to October 2006...

Bilirakis “finds little fault with the handling of the war in Iraq.” (St.Petersburg Times, 10/16/06)

Then the week before the election at THE ONLY DEBATE...

“Well I feel that they voted three times for democracy and we need to put pressure on the Iraqi government, that’s what I would do, put pressures and set timetables for the Iraqi government to secure their country…” (WEDU Debate,02:17, 10/28/06)

Thirty seconds after he said he supported timetables for the Iraqi government, Bilirakis said, “I’m not in favor of a timetable, I don’t want our enemies knowing what we’re doing.” (WEDU Debate, 02:47, 10/28/06)

That's it - all done... the definitive record of Gus Bilirakis on the Iraq war...